Moral Injury in Firefighters: Wounds of the Spirit
MEDIA CONTACT:
Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance
Jeff Dill, M.A., Community Counseling, Founder and CEO jdill@ffbha.org
(847) 209-8208
57.6% of firefighters report having experienced a major Morally Injurious Event,
like injured children or evidence of abuse
49.8% admitted to feeling emotionally detached and isolated, long recognized
as a mental-health stressor
From 2014-2020, more firefighters died by suicide than in the line of duty
The Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA), along with Elizabeth Anderson-Fletcher, Ph.D. and
Chaplain Mark Schimmelpfennig, M. Div., announce the release of their latest comprehensive report
designed to help educate both clinicians and firefighters on the prevalence and effects of Moral Injury (MI)
in the fire service industry.
The fire service culture has begun to recognize the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, but an
emerging issue firefighters face is MI, which occurs just as often in the men and women
serving their communities. MI is a relatively new term in emergency response circles, with signs
and symptoms that can mirror those of the more widely recognized PTSD – even though they are
distinctly different ailments.
MI generally results from a major conflict in one’s moral code which causes a negative
response, such as having to prioritize who can be saved and who cannot. Education about MI
and its effects is critical to help individuals normalize their own unique, personal reactions to
Morally Injurious Events.
FBHA was founded in 2010 to track firefighter and EMS suicides across America. In 2019, FBHA
began tracking emergency services dispatcher suicides as well. Responding to unprecedented need,
FBHA now presents eight different emergency personnel focused workshops on behavioral health to fire
departments and EMS organizations across the globe. These spotlight behavioral health awareness,
suicide prevention, and resources for firefighters/EMS personnel and their families.
For more information, see the contact listed above or see the FHBA’s home page at www.ffbha.org
This entry was posted on February 15, 2023, 8:00 PM and is filed under Fire Service News. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0.
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