New England Fools President Rusty Ricker, and Merrimac Fire Chief Larry Fisher, are pleased to share that New England Fools, in collaboration with the Merrimac Fire Department and Merrimac Hose Company #1, will be hosting a Mental Health Awareness Training next week.
The training will be held on Thursday, April 24, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Sweetsir School, 104 Church St., Merrimac, MA. Merrimac Hose Company #1 is sponsoring the event.
Speakers include Sue Brown from Forge VFR, Lieutenant Steve Holms of Exeter Fire/Rescue and United States Marine Corps, and Jeff Dill from the Firefighter Behavioral Alliance.
The event will focus on firefighter and first responder mental health, including addressing the stigma, stories of personal loss and growth, and more. It will also discuss the reality of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the impact public safety careers have on mental health.
Firefighters, Police Officers, and Emergency Medical staff are the first ones on scene during a traumatic event. Their career is dedicated to keeping their community and residents safe, providing emergency response and support every single day, and ensuring that their community has someone to lean on. But who can they lean on?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the United States, and an estimated 3.6 percent of adults experienced PTSD in the past year.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), approximately 30 percent of first responders develop behavioral health conditions, including depression and PTSD.
The training event will offer first responders the opportunity to ask questions, discuss the importance of mental health, and how vital it is to seek help when working in emergency services and responding to traumatic incidents.
Admission is free to those from communities within the Pentucket Regional School District. For individuals interested in attending who are outside of the Pentucket community, admission is $25.
Tickets and additional information can be found on the New England Fools website here.
“By holding this training, sponsors are offering and encouraging public safety members to recognize the value of mental health training,” said Chief Fisher. “It’s extremely important but more importantly, it’s personal for many as we have lost friends and family as a result of mental health issues.”
“In late 2017 the New England FOOLS were rocked to our very core by the loss of one of our dear friends and long-time members to suicide, said NE FOOLS President Ricker. “We always knew that OUR mental health was important, but just how important was always on the back burner. Our eyes were forever opened to how mental health issues and suicides have become a major problem in our profession. Since then, with our Conferences, we have taken steps to help bring awareness to the high rates of mental health issues in first responders and to try to help reduce them. It is imperative to eliminate the stigma around mental health and asking for help.”
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