Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is sometimes called the invisible wound. PTSD represents one illness that has varying degrees of symptoms. Most firefighters and other first responders are susceptible to getting PTSD because it’s caused by a stressful, frightening, or distressful event, or prolonged exposure to traumatic experiences. All people have various levels of emotional resilience, which is why some firefighters are more susceptible to acquiring PTSD than some other firefighters. Just as military personnel may have little or no exposure to trauma depending on their job assignments, firefighters also have disparate levels of resilience based on their level of ...
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We all dream about the day. Many of us make jokes and some can even tell you to the day how many shifts they have before retirement. Law enforcement is a grueling career. Filled with many opportunities to truly change the course of someone’s life for the better. But also, filled with many moments of despair. Retirement can be the proverbial pot of gold at the end of someone’s career. Like many dreams, the reality doesn’t always meet expectations. For many, those dreams of being retired and golfing whenever or relaxing by a beach sometimes fall short. Retiring from law ...
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A 2005 case involving paramedic Michael Carey illustrated what can go wrong when a person who has dedicated their lives to helping others is overcome by the twisted logic of addiction. Arriving on the scene of a horrific car crash, Carey, cash-strapped and high on the anti-anxiety drug Librium, frisked an unconscious woman as she lay bleeding on the ground. He stole $6,100 – money the victim, Cleotilda Maria Arroyo, was saving to buy a home in Mexico. Carey needed the money. He had bills to pay. His addiction to alcohol and drugs had drained his finances to the point ...
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It may be surprising to learn that firefighting makes the top ten list of jobs that provides a good life/work balance. According to Glassdoor, a jobs and recruiting site, their 2014 report shows that firefighting ranks just under occupations like a group fitness instructor, user experience designer, and corporate communications as one of the jobs that provides the best work/life balance. By contrast, just one year later, firefighting doesn’t even make the top 25 Glassdoor occupations for work/life balance in 2015. The discrepancy from one year to the next may have something to do with the fact that firefighting does ...
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Have you ever eaten at a restaurant with anyone in law enforcement? Chances are you may have noticed they will always sit in a position that offers an unhindered view and put their back to a wall. After extensive training and years of experience, this practice becomes habit. Being on constant alert to the surrounding environment becomes second nature. This awareness provides a continual sense of control as they most likely will not be surprised if a situation occurs. But does this sustained vigilance come with any negative affects? The answer is yes. Health concerns, relationship struggles, and job performance ...
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Feelings and Emotions We all have issues at work that we have difficulty leaving in the ‘office.’ Businessmen and women in charge of large financial accounts feel the stress of a plunge in the stock market. Lawyers walk around with the weight that they were unable to convince a jury of someone’s wrongdoing, and now that person was free and back in society. A paramedic will go home wondering if they had done anything different or faster, would that patient still be alive? Law enforcement officers are no different. Faced day after day with witnessing the lowest points in people’s ...
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I have been a police officer, detective, member of a regional drug task force, member of a DEA narcotics task force, and Chief of Police. I am also a heroin addict. This story is neither a historical justification nor a self-indictment, but rather a cautionary tale. If in 2004 someone had told me that I was to become an addict, I would have laughed in their face. If only my loved ones and I received education in addiction, maybe things would have gone differently. Maybe my huge house and three car garage would still be mine. Maybe my professional reputation ...
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We all have had rough shifts. Maybe it was only one call. Alternatively, perhaps you have had months of nothing but the worst. Maybe you are looking back over a career full of bad calls. As a firefighter, it is your job to step in and help people in situations that might be the worst moment in their life. However, what happens when the call is over, and your shift is done? You can’t just drop the images alongside your boots and walk away. Deciding how to process those tough calls can make or break you. Not all Kitty Cats ...
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