The Chicago Fire Department found
itself ahead of the curve in a most alarming way. The department
suffered seven active- and retired-firefighter suicides in an 18-month
period.
Faced with such a crisis, the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2
Employee Assistance Program wanted to get an in-depth picture of what
members are dealing with on the job and at home, and how those things
affect them and might increase their potential risk for suicide.
The EAP staff’s efforts also included
reading material pertaining to suicide to find the answer that tells us
what we, as a society can, and should do to prevent suicides. And what
we’ve found is that there isn’t one out there.
Literature addresses some theories, a
host of symptoms, red-flag behaviors, and demographics of those who have
committed suicide. But despite increased attention to the topic, data
shows that the number of suicides in the U.S. has risen steadily since
the earliest statistics were recorded.
Suicide is a topic that often is
considered socially unacceptable to talk about. Therefore, no research
exists on suicides specific to fire-department personnel. So by offering
statistics specific to the men and women of the CFD, hopefully other
departments will follow and compile statistics within their departments,
so the fire service nationwide can begin to better understand any
possible links between the profession and suicide. The more data fire
departments offer, the more professionals have to work with.
Today, many states and organizations are
working together to address suicide. Recently, the National Fallen
Firefighters Foundation brought together three leaders in the area of
suicide research: Matthew K. Nock, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at
Harvard University who studies the incidence and epidemiology of
suicide; Thomas Joiner, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Florida
State University who has researched and studied the etiology of suicide;
and Alan (Lanny) Berman, Ph.D., the executive director of the American
Association of Suicidology (AAS).
Joiner identified three behavioral
characteristics that may lead a person to die by suicide. These include
the person feeling isolated and lacking a feeling of purpose and having a
high tolerance for pain. Joiner also is open about the fact that his
own father died by suicide. Berman, through collaboration with
professionals and volunteers across the world, dedicates his energies to
the prevention of suicide.
“Not many doctors continue to research this area
because of the lack of data available,” Nock said in his presentation.
READ THE REST OF THE STORY AT: http://firechief.com/suicide/chicago-union-eap-embarks-firefighter-suicide-study
