VIDEO: PTSD can be a debilitating illness you can’t see, and it often affects first responders. A veteran firefighter spoke at the Bismarck Dream Center Tuesday about his experience with mental health, suicidal thoughts and addiction.
For nearly two decades, Scott Geiselhart worked as a firefighter. He said during that time, he became a pro at using the Jaws of Life to free people from wrecked cars. But he said those images began to haunt him, especially when those people were more than strangers, like responding to a call about one of his son’s friends.
“They’re young, and you recognize them, and you have to cut them out while they’re screaming for their life, and you’re promising them you’re going to save them, and they don’t make it,” Geiselhart said.
Geiselhart said at the time, he and the other firefighters hadn’t received any training related to mental health.