Excerpts from foxillinois.com:
Fire chiefs from across Illinois brought concerns about mental illness to a discussion hosted by the Illinois Fire Service Institute on Tuesday.
The director of the Illinois Fire Service Institute said Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a very real issue among firefighters, just like it is in the military. Mental health education is now part of almost all trainings at IFSI, which should help reach about 12,000 firefighters a year.
Research is showing that the most helpful person firefighters can talk out these issues with are other firefighters. The Champaign Fire Department has staff members trained to counsel fellow firefighters and identify those who may need additional help.
For more information on help available to firefighters and paramedics dealing with mental health problems, you can view resources recommended by IFSI here.
