CINCINNATI (WXIX) – The Cincinnati Fire Department is introducing a peer support program to help alleviate the mental health challenges faced by its firefighters. The initiative aims to provide support and foster open conversations about mental health issues among first responders.
Joseph Elliott, who has served as the department’s health and wellness coordinator for the past two years, highlighted the mental strain firefighters endure daily. “You’re going to see things that you’re not supposed to see,” Elliott remarked. “It’s all about how you adapt and overcome that.”
Mental health struggles among firefighters are well-documented, with a troubling trend of suicides outnumbering line-of-duty deaths. In 2023, more than 10 first responders in Southwest Ohio died by suicide. Elliott believes the peer support program can help identify and address these issues early on.
“You notice after a bad run,” Elliott explained. “They’re keeping to their bunk room or they’re staying down in the basement. They’re staying in the TV room and just not being themselves. We have to have those tough conversations, especially with runs that involve kids. Those are obviously always extremely hard.”
Elliott shared a personal experience involving a six-year-old girl who was shot during a drive-by while riding her bike. “Dad was teaching her how to ride her bike. We got there, we resuscitated her, and all I could think about was my own daughter because my daughter was six. We just taught her how to ride a bike.”
On the night of the West-End shooting in November, peer supporters were present at the firehouses that responded. “Letting them know, obviously we understand you made a unique run,” Elliott said. “It’s one thing to make a pediatric shooting in your career. But I can tell you right now, you don’t make five kids in one night very often at all.”
In addition to work-related stresses, Elliott noted that home and family life can also impact firefighters’ mental health. To provide further support, the department will introduce a therapy dog on Monday.
The peer support program is designed to help firefighters recognize and address mental health concerns among their peers, promoting a culture of openness and mutual support within the department.
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