5 Things You Can Do To Support Firefighters

As the tragedy in the Back Bay of Boston has shown us, the brave men and women from all firehouses go into dangerous situations daily and sometimes give the ultimate sacrifice. When these tragedies occur, which includes the wildfires in Arizona last year, as well as many others, the community responds with great admiration and dedication through the sadness. But how can you support them year round? 1-Talk positively about them: When I hear residents of our country, as well as others, complain about firefighters, it makes me sick to my stomach. Sure, just like any other occupation, there are some "bad apples". Please do not spoil the whole bunch in your head. Most firefighters who don't see this work as a way of life are usually weeded out within the first years. Sometimes it makes the news, just like the tragedies, but how many successes are exposed? Not many. You'll see a dramatic rescue here or there, but their success rate is probably in the 99% range. Where is the talk about these accomplishments? Remember, what you don't hear about is because the men and women in firehouses are doing their job in an admirable and accomplished way. 2-Thank them...daily: these guys never ask for thanks, but they deserve them. They'll say it's nothing but it takes dedication and heart to do what they do. The ultimate sacrifice is one thing, but what about all other sacrifices they do regularly, including time with their family, friends, missing holidays (FYI...there is no holiday for these guys and gals), their sleep patterns, and also their willingness to answer all calls the exact same way: with enthusiasm and wanting to do the right thing. How many of us do this or know people in other fields that do this daily? 3-Make sure their budget is adequate: The firefighters have been one of the hardest hit professions in municipal, town, city, state, and federal budgets in the past 10 years. When these cuts occur, this stresses a system that has already been pretty stretched. We take their willingness to do what they do for granted and that they'll "deal with it". And they do, but at what price? Longer shifts, less firefighters to do the same job. Do not take these cuts lightly. They are cuts that we should all fight for the essential services they provide. 4-Join a Critical Incident Stress Management or any debriefing team: The firefighters will always count on their brothers and sisters for support but we can make a difference. These debriefing teams can and will support firefighters in their time of need and help them get through these difficult times. This last tragedy happened in Boston but it affected many (if not all) firehouses in this country. Joining these teams is helpful, as they will train you on how to support them in time of crisis and help them cope with these losses. For more info: http://icisf.org/ or http://cisresponse.com/ 5-Give to memorial funds: For this latest tragedy, a Lieutenant Walsh - Firefighter Kennedy Memorial Fund has been created at https://www.bosfirecu.com/ and I encourage everyone to give a few dollars for their kids and families. They took care of us when we needed them, let's take care of them after their sacrifices. Other funds (including for the Arizona firefighters) can be found at http://firehero.org/yarnellhill/. Giving generously to funds may seem simple but it means so much to the families and the brotherhood of firefighters. It is important to think of the financial stress this can put on families. 5 ways, which one(s) will you choose?

The NFL's Missed Opportunities To Address Important Issues

A week ago, a Kansas City Chief Linebacker was involved in a murder-suicide that both stunned and saddened the sports world and the media in general. It was condemned by many, captured the attention of the population, and upset many. The NFL, using their regular "See no evil, Heard no evil" stance, played the game the next day with a brief mention of victims of domestic violence. By doing so, they missed a huge opportunity to address 3 important issues that this incident raised. While they mentioned domestic violence, they failed to raise awareness on the subject. Not all domestic violence issues end this dramatically, but recognizing that it happens more often than most people think and that it happens in many "happy relationships" should have been done. Domestic violence can be subtle (emotional, financial) and not so subtle. Using this incident to take a stance on this subject and doing public service announcements would have shown more caring by the NFL. I am still appalled by the fact that they actually played the football game the next day. Not only did this incident create instant grief for all the players and the people affected by this act, what is being neglected is that the two people, including the Chiefs' coach, Romeo Crennel, saw a man kill himself. No one will ever know how he feels except for Mr.Crennel, but the general consensus is that, if someone you know commits suicide, and that you were one of the last people to speak to them, you have many severe symptoms that take time to heal. These symptoms include intrusive thoughts, hyper-arousal, and avoidance and/or numbing. This is usually called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and this MEDICAL condition takes time to heal. Not 24-48 hour. Again, the NFL missed an opportunity to recognize this condition, give time to the team and especially Crennel and Scott Pioli who were, by many accounts, the last two to talk to this player before he committed suicide. Mental health issues are as important as any other medical issues and need to be recognize as such. Again, the NFL could have used this opportunity to recognize these issues, not only for grief, PTSD, but also possible Depression, which may have caused this unthinkable act. What about all this talk about Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)? How do you know that TBI had nothing to do with this incident? This player did shoot himself in the head but the NFL has long neglected brain injury and their occurrence. What a great opportunity to increase awareness about this issue and state something about increase studies need to be done on this issue. Right now, by saying nothing, some people may say that they know something about the constant contact in this sport causing head injuries but they are trying to hide something. Put it out there, look for a solution. This player may not have had a TBI but use this as an opportunity. I want to also mention a final issue the NFL can address: This may not be the same incident but it's worth mentioning. Friday, a Dallas Cowboys' player was killed by another player driving apparently under the influence of alcohol. This same player was on probation recently for a DUI. When a player has been arrested for substance issues, why are they more supported? Where is the prevention? Substance abuse issues, as well as treatment is left to the legal system and not by a support system. Why not? Again, an opportunity to bring up an issue that is a very big problem in America. The NFL has had many opportunities to address domestic, mental health, substance use issues, as well as traumatic brain injuries, all issues that have plagued the league in several off field issues. It is sad that the NFL continues to ignore these issues...they will just keep on showing up. Acknowledging these things would go a long way for the league, fans, and the public in general.