We deal with tragedies day in and day out on our jobs. Some of us may encounter many more than others. It's all how our job works. And we all try to deal with this stress and calls in different ways. Many different coping mechanisms are out there.

However,  this doesn't always work for everyone. Mental health is very important. Anxiety, depression, mood swings and other behavioral outbreaks can be caused by the stress or even worsened by the stressful calls we may encounter.  Subtance abuse can also occur as self treatment when dealing with PTSS (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome). PTSS can even lead to suicidal thoughts if gone untreated.

If any of these issues seem to hit home, please do not be too proud to reach out for help. Sometimes we need it. The county offers mental health counseling sessions via the Employee Assistance Program. These sessions can help. In addition, there is a new center dedicated just for PTSS offered by the IAFF. If you or your family thinks you need a specialist that deals in helping heal or cope with PTSS, the IAFF Recovery Center is now open for us and is exclusive for IAFF members (current and retired) to help.