“Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”
When the siren goes off and multiple pagers carried by everyday folks chime, local volunteer firefighters answer the call to go into places many people would run away from. They could be sitting down for dinner, playing with their children or opening presents given to them by their loved ones. But, when the call comes, the answer is the same, “Here am I; send me.”
These volunteers see things and experience things during car crashes, devas- tating fires, and heartbreak that would choke the seasoned soldier, yet far too often, citizens who don’t know what they don’t know don’t think twice about how this affects firefighters mentally, physi cally,and spiritually.
For years, rural volunteer fire depart ments have kept these issues not as much a secret but something that wasn’t talked about amongst men. It could be simple machoism, the fear of being labeled a mental problem, or a loss of trust to have another’s back kept many from coming forward to discuss these things openly.
Columbus Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Richard J. La-Course, addressing those very problems, said, “The mental health of the Colum- bus Fire Department Firefighters is one of our top priorities. The public thinks that first responders are, for the most part, invincible. That we wear an invisible shield that always protects us, but to be honest, all first responders are vulner able. Mental health is a very real issue and left unchecked can result in PTSD. Sometimes, it takes a single large, closeto- home event or a cumulation of events to start to weigh down on the first re sponder’s mental health.”
Who is this supposed superhero who rushes into danger? LaCourse responds, "The typical volunteer firefighter is a community-minded individual who wants to make a difference in someone’s life.” LaCourse added, “Our volunteer firefighters are members of the commu nity and wish to see our area protected. Our kids go to schools here, we work within our community and know most of the families that have called our area home. There is always a chance, when that pager goes off for a major accident, a structure fire, or any rescue, that we will know the people involved, and they very well might be our family members. On these high-stress events, we will revert to our training and always complete the task of what the public expects from us. “ "The volunteer firefighter deals with an enormous amount of stress which, according to health facts, weighs heavily upon the health of the firefighter," said LaCourse. “The day-to-day cumulation of events slowly wears down a volunteer firefighter's mental health. Being woke up in the middle of the night (or even multiple times at night or multiple nights in a row) and still showing up for work on time and putting in a full day for your employer, missing your kid’s open house or sports game because the tones just went off and you know that there aren’t enough people to make that call. Not to mention always thinking about who’s covering the calls when you’re planning vacations and holidays or running out on dinner when it’s hot. Keeping up with the general operation of the fire depart ment with fundraisers, public events, and maintenance of equipment and being vigilant of the community’s perception of the fire department. Taking in all the calls, high-risk rescues/ fires, day-to-day wear and tear, and general operation of the department takes a toll on health in general.” Some volunteer fire depart ments have overcome the stigma of PTSD and realize that a healthy department needs a healthy outlet to let their emotions be seen without repercussion. In these instances, they turn to trusted chaplains, who are spiritual volunteers to serve as a buffer and a sounding wall to firefighters who need to talk or a shoulder to lean on. Some internalize the toll taken, but thanks to forward-thinking administration, there is an alternative to staying deceptively quiet.
LaCourse stated, “The Columbus Fire Dept has a chaplain within our ranks. This position does not require you to be a member of the fire department, but ours is. The chaplain has the duties of consoling the victims of the scene, helping victims with assistance, performing spiritual duties, and the, most important is, the mental health of the fire department. Our chaplain is Pastor Alan Kethan of St Paul Lutheran Church here in Columbus. He is trained in counseling and his ethics are beyond reproach.
Our firefighters know if they need help; he is our contact and will keep the conversation private. He will speak to any of our firefighters about any issues and, make recommendations, and, if needed, involve other higher mental health options. The chaplain position is an invaluable position within our organization.”
Now, chaplains and other means of helping bridge the gap are being utilized by most of the volunteer fire departments in the tri-county area as the stigma of mental health subsides as it has been found that moving the well-being of each firefighter to the forefront acts as a positive reinforcement to each individual.
