First responders, dispatchers, correction officers and their families in the Tri-State are getting new tools to take care of themselves and their coworkers. The Hamilton County Fire Chief's Association is launching a program to encourage the creation of peer support teams.
Colerain Township Battalion Chief Steve Conn says in 2018 members of the association recognized the need for some type of mental health program for firefighters. He says they formed a board to deal with the issue. "Quickly that board realized that this topic is a lot bigger than anybody had originally estimated," he says.
Conn says mental health care isn't limited to firefighters and emergency medical technicians. He says police officers, deputies, corrections officers and dispatchers are also affected.