In over 15 years working with Gainesville Fire Rescue, Lt. Chad Belger has deployed to fires, trauma calls and accidents. Belger often finds himself on the front lines of tragedies while holding back his feelings.
Until two and a half years ago, they took a toll on him.
“When you go and you do the very best you can, but you still fail. There’s a lot of guilt and shame that’s involved,” Belger said. He recalled the day he responded to two back-to-back child drowning calls.
Belger said he started to take these calls personally, he isolated himself from his peers, and he stopped showing up to work. He hit rock bottom.
“I was at home by myself drinking from the time I woke up in the morning till the time I passed out at night,” Belger said.