A female firefighter in Colorado who learned that her treatment for breast cancer would not be covered under her health coverage fought for change in order to level the playing field for all firefighters. Tracy Post, a lieutenant in the Westminster, Colorado, fire department, was diagnosed with stage 2 invasive ductal carcinoma in November 2019. Post, 45, who has worked for the fire…
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A bill that works to address the mental health needs of law enforcement officers and other first responders has passed the Oklahoma Senate. Sen. Kim David authored Senate Bill 848, which directs the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to contract with public and private entities to provide peer…
By Todd LeDuc The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently reported that nearly 80 percent of the COVID-19 patients that required hospitalization, needed a ventilator, or died were either overweight or obese. This was a significant co-morbid predictor of poorer outcomes and should give us pause in light of the additional general population statistics on overweight…
BOSTON — Concerns about the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder on police officers and the need to provide mental wellness training are the focus of legislation filed by two Central Massachusetts lawmakers. A measure filed by Rep. Peter Durant, R-Spencer, would create a commission to review causes of PTSD, identify its estimated prevalence among police officers,…
After two Chicago police officers took their own lives last week, the Chicago Police Department announced Wednesday that they were hiring Alexa James, CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Chicago, as their senior adviser of wellness. In her new role with the department, James will “focus on bolstering a better understanding of mental…
ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis County Police Department is pleased to announce the creation of a new Wellness Unit, which was included in the recent changes to the organizational chart. The Wellness Unit is responsible for ensuring the mental, physical, and emotional health of Department employees. In order to accomplish these tasks, the unit…
Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Launches ‘Health Of The Force’ Wellness Program BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday a “Health of the Force” initiative to assist in both the physical and mental well-being of its deputies. In 2019, 228 law enforcement officers in the United States took their own lives. The…
Grant To Provide Boulder County Sheriff’s Office With In-house Mental Health Services Law enforcement officers deal with tragedy on a day-to-day basis — from domestic violence situations to fatal car crashes and shootings. The challenges come with the job and a potential to leave a harmful and lasting impact on officers. “I think sometimes (emergency…
After his workers’ comp claim for PTSD was denied by his county and the industrial commission, John France’s only hope was the Arizona Court of Appeals. GILA COUNTY, Ariz. — A major Arizona court decision came down in favor of law enforcement officials struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder. The Arizona Court of Appeals ruled in…
San Francisco’s female firefighters are exposed to higher levels of certain toxic PFAS chemicals than women working in downtown San Francisco offices, shows a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California, San Francisco, and Silent Spring Institute. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are used in grease- and…
A meditation room, therapy dog and heart rate variability tools are all part of a peer support program designed to improve employee wellness Innovation is at the heart of the Gilbert (Arizona) Police Department’s employee wellness program. A meditation room, therapy dog and heart rate variability tools are all part of a peer support program designed to improve…
This time, the suicide call led Marion County sheriff’s deputies to one of their own. The victim was Adam Rendall, a 13-year veteran of the department who took his own life in July 2017. Sheriff Billy Woods, in an emotional video message to the county’s citizens announcing the tragedy, pointed to hotlines where people in despair could…
LOS ANGELES (KABC) — Whether it’s a house fire, a car accident, or even a helicopter crash that claimed nine lives, what firefighters see and experience over time can take a toll. Research shows Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression rates for firefighters can be five times higher than the civilian population. Just last year,…
The first thing the two police officers saw when they walked into the room was a woman lying at the feet of a man holding a gun. The gun was pointed at the ground and despite multiple orders to do so, he would not drop it, said Luis Castillo, a retired patrol officer. A girl,…
The men and women working to keep you alive in case of a fire, face a multitude of health risks of their own, even after flames are extinguished The city hopes this new health initiative will help fire employees catch health concerns before it’s too late. South Fulton Deputy Fire Chief Sterling Jones tells FOX…
Police pension board members voted unanimously Thursday to grant disability retirement and a lifelong pension to Orlando police Officer Alison Clarke, who developed post-traumatic stress disorder following the Pulse massacre. ORLANDO, Florida — Police pension board members voted unanimously Thursday to grant disability retirement and a lifelong pension to Orlando police Officer Alison Clarke, who…
Firefighters run toward destruction, injury and death, and it takes a toll on their mental health — particularly in Rhode Island, where a generation was touched by the Station nightclub fire. These are the things Jerry carries. The kid from the multifamily fire. The parents and three children from Highland Street. Double fatalities. Double electrocutions.…
JEFFERSON CITY — First responders recounted traumatizing experiences in vivid detail during a Missouri Senate committee hearing Tuesday. “If you’ve ever held a limb separated from a person, it’s weird,” said Ben Chlapek of the Mid-America Regional Council and Missouri EMS Association. “And on the highway, we have to pick up a leg or an…
Firefighters, experts supporting LB 963 said legislation would change rules relating to personal injuries, workers’ compensation LINCOLN, Neb. — More than a handful of firefighters shared personal, powerful stories about the challenges they’ve faced while diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Their families and mental health experts joined them in asking Nebraska state senators…
Two officer suicides draw attention to the cumulative trauma officers face on job. Duane Fredrickson’s 23 years as a police officer were a carousel of horrors that haunt him to this day. Countless shootings. Suicides. Baby-not-breathing calls. He grew increasingly despondent and withdrawn, especially after his marriage collapsed and his police colleagues began shunning him…
When Brian Kernohan complained to his doctor of merciless headaches two summers ago, he expected to get a prescription for a sinus infection, not a diagnosis of brain cancer. The 37-year-old firefighter’s eardrums were curved inward, so his doctor suggested a CT scan. It found a tumor the size of a golf ball sitting on…
Police Capt. James Gonzales typically starts his day by walking through his department, talking individually with the employees he supervises. The practice is important for Gonzales, 45, who recently graduated from the prestigious FBI Academy and plans to develop a wellness program for the Hobart Police Department. “It’s important to offer yourself, to make sure…
Will Aitchison recently interviewed two of the nation’s leading experts on public safety health and wellness. He spoke with psychologist Stephanie Conn about how public safety employees, with help from their employers, can develop resilience to deal with traumatic stress and burnout. He and Fire Chief Dan Kerrigan discussed a variety of health issues faced…
What is resilience, how do emergency personnel develop it and how do departments foster it? Will discusses this important topic with psychologist Stephanie Conn in this special podcast. Topics covered: Dr. Conn’s book Increasing Resilience In Police And Emergency Personnel (00:02:44) What is resilience? (00:06:56) The four-part formula for resilience (00:11:58) I. Organizational resilience (00:14:38)…
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Twice as many firefighters in the U.S. die by suicide than in the line of duty. Now fire departments are sounding the alarm. Karen and Lew Lewis still treasure the mementos from their son Billy’s dream job, working as a firefighter-paramedic for the Sacramento Fire Department, at the busiest firehouse in the…
