(KTVI) Rates of depression and PTSD among police officers, firefighters and emergency responders are up to five times higher than the general population.
This is a harsh reality that highlights the importance of providing support to emergency personnel and their families.
Former St. Louis Police Sergeant Rich Banahan has nearly 50 years of experience in law enforcement. He currently works as a law enforcement trainer for Behavioral Health Response, educating police departments in the St. Louis area and other parts of Missouri on procedures to promote mental health and wellness. One of his programs, “Suicide Prevention,” focuses on intervention and prevention strategies.
Banahan trained about 350 members of the St. Louis Fire Department.
St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson said the department has noticed an upward trend in suicides and mental illnesses over the past 15 to 20 years.
“Just the amount of time spent on the job on the fire department side is an issue. It’s a lot of time away from home and family, which is something any firefighter or paramedic sees every day. Then there’s the domestic stresses and the societal stresses,” Jenkerson said.
The STL Fire Department has a variety of resources available to support the mental health and wellbeing of its members.
Jenkerson and Banahan spoke with Fox 2’s Jasmine Huda about other programs focused on suicide awareness and prevention, peer support, post-traumatic stress debriefings and emergency responder safety.
