According to the National Council for Behavioral Health, one in every five people will experience some sort of mental health illness every year, making it highly probable that first responders will encounter someone within their line of work, maybe even one of their own, facing a mental health issue. Many mental health agencies are recognizing that first responders are four times more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty, the council stated.
These suicides are often the result of traumatic and high-stress situations they face on almost a daily basis, according to Mental Health First Aid, an organization administered by the National Council for Behavioral Health.