Firefighter Suicide: the Need to Examine Cultural Change

It is well documented that first responders face profound physical and psychological demands on the job from multiple car pile-ups to child drownings. The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) reported that fire departments are four times more likely within a given year to experience a suicide than a “traditional” line-of-duty death. Research suggests that firefighters are not immune to the excessive stressful nature of their careers, making mental health a critical issue of firefighter wellness and safety. Firefighter culture demands members be mentally tough as well as physically strong. Silence regardi...