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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The citizens of our nation owe a world of gratitude to our first responders for the stressful and difficult jobs that they perform in saving lives every day. Unfortunately, the chronic nature of job stress is more than many first responders can manage without finding ways to decompress the emotional and physical toll that it takes on their bodies. Many first responders turn to having a few drinks or experimenting with drugs to help them find a little homeostasis after a rough call, never thinking that it could turn into an addiction. The rate of addictions among all first responders ...
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Firefighter Wellness Radio’s guest tonight is Dan Kerrigan & Jim Moss who are the co-authors of Firefighter Functional Fitness. It is the essential guide to optimal firefighter performance and longevity. It provides all firefighters with the knowledge, tools, and mindset to maximize their fireground performance, reduce their risk of injury and line-of-duty death, and have long, healthy careers and retirements. Website: FirefighterFunctionalFitness.com, Twitter: @FirefighterFFit, Facebook: @FirefighterFFit Instagram: @FirefighterFunctionalFitness Your host Mark W Lamplugh Jr is a 4th generation firefighter and former Captain with Lower Chichester Fire Company(PA). Mark has been instrumental in the creation of several addiction and PTSD programs throughout the United States over ...
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Joining us on FireFighter Wellness Radio on Fire Engineering Blog talk Radio is Joel Brier from IAFF Local 2928 joins us to talk about how he serves the firefighters of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Joel is retired after 30 years as a line firefighter and still currently represents over 2000 firefighters and paramedics as a union official as has done so for the last 33 years. He is a certified addiction counselor as well as a seasoned interventionist. Mark W Lamplugh Jr Your host Mark W Lamplugh Jr is a 4th generation firefighter and former Captain with Lower Chichester Fire Company(PA). Mark ...
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Few career choices come with as many risks as firefighters encounter every time the fire alarm sounds. Nevertheless, firefighters generally agree that the rewards of their careers far outweigh the health risks. It may not be surprising for you to learn that according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), burns and smoke inhalation are responsible for about 34% of all firefighter injuries. It may also not be so surprising that about 24% of firefighters risk strains and broken bones from falls or wearing and carrying heavy equipment, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Perhaps you may be surprised to ...
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Advanced Health & Educations (www.advhealth.com), Vice President of Business Development Mark Lamplugh, was a guest on the very popular Recovery Radio in South Florida. Mark talks about firefighter addiction and his work with the Frontline program (www.frontlinerehab.com) at Advanced Health. Firefighters tend to struggle with substance abuse and traumatic event issues because of the nature of their job. Mark also discuss’s some of his plans for the future, The problems with the opioid epidemic, some if the issues related to the addiction industry and his passion for helping addicts and alcoholics. The Frontline Program (www.frontlinerehab.com) focuses on firefighter addiction and ...
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Addiction is a mental disorder which affects millions of Americans across the nation. Addiction is characterized by a chronic inability to refrain from behavior which is harmful to the addict. The user feels a compulsion to continue engaging in this behavior, despite repeated painful experiences. Often, the addiction, in fact, continues to grow out of control, with the addict taking increasingly greater measures to ensure access to their preferred method of stimulation, and willing to accept more significant risks. In the end, the user often needs to engage in this behavior to feel normal. Although it is possible to be ...
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As a fourth generation firefighter, I was practically raised in a firehouse. The firehouse was and will always be one big family. There is a code and a bond that all firefighters live for each day. We run towards danger. We save lives. We are invincible. Except we are not invincible. The physical and emotional demands that we put ourselves thru bring a toll. Ignoring this problem is like allowing a forest fire to burn unattended. It is only going to get worse. It’s time we adopt a culture that makes it okay for a firefighter to ask for help. ...
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A job search firm, Career Cast, lists the occupation of firefighting as one of the Most Dangerous Jobs of 2015. Beyond the obvious risks of smoke inhalation and burns, what makes firefighting so dangerous? A 2008 study showed that 61.7% of firefighters received on-the-job injuries of fractures, sprains, or muscle injuries. Other injuries included wounds, fire or heat burns, chemical burns, respiratory problems, skin exposure, and heart attacks or strokes. While those types of physical injuries will heal over time, firefighters breathe in smoke on nearly every call. Smoke is filled with dangerous carcinogens that settle into the firefighter’s lungs ...
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