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Taylor Church is a third-year Honors College student at the University of Maine, majoring in biology, minoring in chemistry, and concentrating in pre-medical studies. While a student, she works as a fire fighter/advanced emergency medical technician for Lebanon Fire-EMS, University Volunteer Ambulance Corps, and Island Falls Fire and Ambulance.
When you see lights and sirens in the rear-view mirror, you pull over to let them pass by. For firefighters and emergency medical responders, it’s the opposite; they aren’t standing aside, they are running toward the emergency. However, the public often forgets that behind those flashing lights is a fellow human being trying to weave through the traffic to make it in time to an emergency.
Across the country, first responders face scenes that are not only physically dangerous but also emotionally devastating. They see the worst day of someone’s life on nearly every shift including: fatal motor vehicle accidents, overdoses, house fires, and the babies we try our best to save, but couldn’t. These moments don’t fade when the call ends; they follow first responders home, into their sleep, into their next shift, and into the rest of their lives.
As a first responder, I have been on scenes where people weaved through the traffic cones, to get to their destination, almost hitting me. Not only does this endanger first responders, but the patients we are trying to save. Drivers have shouted, honked, and cursed, asking us to “hurry up” at scenes. The anger at the inconvenience of someone else’s tragedy cuts deeper than most realize. It’s a small glimpse into a big problem throughout the United States. How quickly we forget that the firefighter who is directing traffic and saving lives is also a human.
Nationally, firefighters and EMS providers are five times more likely than the general public to experience mental health disorders like PTSD, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Some departments have lost more members to suicide than to line-of-duty deaths. In Bangor, the fire department had two deaths by suicide in two years, with no line-of-duty deaths.
The general public rarely talks about mental health as part of public safety. We discuss new trucks, faster responses and the tax implications of public safety. We often overlook the trauma that accumulates after calls and how it impacts our first responders.
What the public doesn’t recognize is how first responders are conditioned to suppress their instincts, so that we can run toward the danger, and push through what we tell you not to do. The same conditioning can make it impossible to admit when the images start replaying in your head. The culture of toughness that defines the work keeps too many silent until it’s too late.
Empathy can make a difference, and it doesn’t need to be a grand gesture. When you see a road blocked, think about the responders working to stabilize a patient. When you pass a fire station, remember those people more than likely didn’t sleep that night. They are missing family time, to make sure you get yours.
Why does the public so often meet responders with hostility instead of humanity? Every firefighter and emergency medical responder can recall moments when frustration boiled over at a scene. Drivers are upset about the delay, rushing to get to their destination, putting us in harm’s way. The reactions to delays tell us that to the public our lives not as meaningful as we thought they would be. You would rather save a few extra seconds on your schedule than consider a first responders life.
The mental health of first responders is not just about them; it’s about every life they touch. A burned-out responder can’t provide the best care; however, a supported one can. The next time you see flashing lights, take a deep breath before getting frustrated. Behind that uniform is someone who may have seen numerous critical incidents in a day, which you may not ever see in your life. Be patient. Be kind. Let them do their job safely. Your empathy allows them to make it home.
