NFFF Symposium on Depression and Suicide

The
National Fallen Firefighters Foundation just completed hosting a two day symposium,
in Baltimore, Maryland. The purpose of the symposium was to gather various fire
service leaders from fire service organizations and fire departments along with
social workers and clinicians to discuss the 13^th Life Safety
Initiative specifically centering on the topics of depression and suicide in
the fire service.

Subject
matter experts in the field such as Doctors Richard Gist, Matthew Nock, Thomas
Joiner and Lanny Berman presented to the group on topics ranging from Understanding Incidence and
Epidemiology of Suicide to the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide Behavior and
Current Best Practices in Suicide Intervention.

.5in”>The objectives were to help fire
service organizations.5in”>

Critically
evaluate current empirical information on the incidence and epidemiology
of suicide and apply to observed trends in the fire service;
Explore
the application of best current empirical models of suicide behavior fire
service personnel, with specific attention to occupational factors that
may impact suicidal actions;
Critically
examine current best practices in suicide prevention and intervention,
with specific emphasis on empirical evidence of efficacy, effectiveness,
and impact;
Consider
options available to the fire service to take reasonable and prudent
actions to prevent suicide and to assist survivors when suicide occurs;
Plan
strategies and mechanisms to translate identified best practices and
prevention/intervention options into programs that can be disseminated and
applied in all segments of the fire service.

Special
thanks to Chief Ronald J.
Siarnicki, Executive Director, of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation
and his staff for their hard work in putting this project together and for
inviting firefighterclosecalls to sit in.

There
was excellent discussion held on not only the above areas but many related
topics. There will be a final report in the future that will be shared fire
service wide that we will post. Be on the lookout for that update and continue
to check the NFFF website as well as your local associations for more
information.

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