Female Firefighter Gets Change In Coverage For Breast Cancer After Hers Was Denied

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…

Weigh In: Firefighters And Obesity

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…

Women Firefighters Face High Exposure To Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’

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…

Orlando Police Officer Who Suffered PTSD After Pulse Massacre Granted Retirement, Pension

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…

‘I Began To See My Life Fall Apart’: Bill Targets Funding, Treatment Of PTSD For First Responders

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…

Recent Officer Suicides Place Spotlight On Stresses Of Police Work

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…

Leading By Listening: Hobart Police Captain Returns From FBI Academy Ready To Focus On Officer Wellness

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…

Interview With Dr. Stephanie Conn On Emergency Personnel Resilience

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)…