VIDEO: A firefighter’s job is grueling, but it’s not just physically dangerous. Seeing so much death and destruction is mentally and emotionally wearing.
However, in a profession like firefighting, vulnerability can be tough to come by.
That’s why the San Antonio Fire Department just held a Mental Health Stand-Down Week, to put this tough topic front and center.
They did that with the help of one of their own.
Firefighter Kevin Burke is also an international spoken word performer, musician, and artist. He’s been with SAFD since 2016.
“Anything and everything that you could think of. I mean, we’re there for medical runs. We’re there for psych runs, fires, car or car wrecks, all that kind of stuff,” Burke said.
A few years ago he was temporarily trapped in a fire, and he described the terrifying experience in a powerful spoken word performance called “Full Disclosure.”