VIDEO: Responding to crisis after crisis, day after day takes a toll on the mental health of firefighters and paramedics. Even veteran first responders struggle with their mental health throughout their careers. To address the issue, the Fond du Lac Fire and Rescue Department is developing new initiatives to address mental health in their team.
“Trying to adjust to this new lifestyle and running the calls and everything like that, it's just been kind of a lot for me," Quinn Kaiser, a firefighter and paramedic, said. "So, I have been using these services available to us.”
And the problem is widespread.
The International Firefighters association reported the rate of post-traumatic stress disorder among firefighters is about 20%— which is four times higher than the general population and is comparable to that of combat veterans.