Firefighters put their lives on the line every day to save the lives of others. It’s very common for that to have a huge impact on the mental health many firefighters. During this week’s Minnesota Fire Chief Association’s conference one organization is bringing awareness to the topic. In Minnesota, nearly five firefighters take their lives every year after dealing with a mental illness. More than 500 firefighters attended the conference to address a variety of issues. One top on the list is mental illness. The stress of the job of being a firefighter can accumulate over time. Mental health is an issue fire departments across Minnesota have begun to research as many aren’t aware of how much it can really impact fire fighters. It is common for many firefighters to suffer from illnesses like PTSD.