BILLINGS, Mont. Billings Fire Department is working to support their firefighters’ mental health through a peer support program as they work to help keep our community safe. The peer support program has served hundreds of firefighters for the past 5 years and offers critical incident stress debriefing, peer-to-peer support, and classes to spread awareness about suicide prevention and substance abuse. Nick Anderson,...Read More
LINCOLN — A judge has ruled that a former Papillion firefighter who suffered mental trauma while responding to a particularly horrific suicide attempt can get workers’ compensation benefits. In a first-of-its-kind decision, the Nebraska Workers’ Compensation Court found for Timothy Gosch and ordered the City of Papillion to pay past and future medical expenses related...Read More
CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — Raising awareness about suicide rates among first responders is the mission of one Lowcountry firefighter’s bike project. Colt Roy is the founder of the Nobody Fights Alone Mountain Bike Project. Roy said he’s tired of losing his friends and wants to make mental health conversations more relevant. This project has been...Read More
On Sunday, a missing person alert issued by the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office for Andrew English. By Monday night, Dixie County Fire Rescue had reported that English, who was now a battalion chief there, was found deceased. There was no information immediately available about the nature of English’s disappearance, but MCFR said the man was last...Read More
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — First responders can often be the difference between life or death in so many situations. But that tough work can take a real toll on their mental health. In fact, according to the group “First Help,” on average, more than 200 first responders have taken their own lives in the United...Read More
State Rep. Jen O’Mara (D-Delaware) said Wednesday she never would have imagined this moment, given her personal story. Her father, a Philadelphia firefighter, died by suicide in 2003. Following several personal and emotional speeches, the Pennsylvania House passed a bill that would cover post-traumatic stress injuries for first responders under the state’s Workers’ Compensation Act. O’Mara, prime...Read More
