By Salem Goodman
A 2018 white paper shows that firefighters are more likely to die by suicide than job related hazards. First responders are the people who spend every day tackling emergencies, and it’s no surprise that seeing people in crisis every day takes a toll. In recent years, the mental health struggles faced by first responders have gained more attention, with a new focus on the need for culturally competent mental health support. One Colorado organization is working to tackle this issue head-on.
According to Tyler Delobel, a Wildland firefighter and emergency medical technician with Black Forest Fire Rescue, there are many barriers between first responders and the mental health support they need.
“There’s no time to stop digging and say, ‘All right, I gotta go on Zoom talk to a therapist.’ I’m gonna talk to the guy next to me, and complain about the situations I’m going through,” Delobel said.
Deficits in funding, time, training and education all play a part in why first responders don’t often receive help. According to a 2018 ResponderStrong survey of 55% of Colorado emergency agencies, 31% of personnel don’t have the time for mental health training and 40% don’t have the money to seek help on their own.
Graphic Design by Salem Goodman
There’s also the stigma that first responders face when talking about the stressors of their jobs.
“It’s not talked about, and I think that’s an issue. There’s so many folks that see such big issues and see such acute traumatic things,” Delobel said. “You’re dealing with everything emergent, with things that most folks aren’t gonna see but maybe once or twice in their life.”
ResponderStrong, a Colorado-based organization “built for responders, by responders,” is noticing these systemic issues. They work to make a difference in the lives of emergency personnel across the state.
“These people tend to come at it with the attitude of ‘we’re the helpers, we help people.’ There’s a lot of stigma around asking for help,” said Jason Mitchell of ResponderStrong.
ResponderStrong’s many initiatives include a mental health curriculum designed for first responders, a video series to address communication and relationships and a crisis line.
“These guys take the leap and go get help, and they go see just a general therapist, y’know, without a trauma background and they walk out of it and say ‘I’m never going to do this again,’” Mitchell said. “What we need is more culturally competent professionals. People who know the field.”
Some of the most important work ResponderStrong does, according to Mitchell, is finding people with first responder backgrounds, awarding scholarships to become licensed counselors and connecting them with agencies. 50% of agencies currently lack departmental funding and 34% report a lack of mental health professionals.
“I know police officers who have needed help, but their first thought is, ‘What if this costs me my job?’ That’s the kind of attitude we’re trying to tackle,” Mitchell said. “Responders need this help, and some of them don’t even know what’s out there.”