It is often one of the most stressful situations one can face, whether it is dealing with a sudden death, being the victim of a crime or losing everything in a fire or other calamity. It can be a moment of chaos with emotions running high and tension filling the air.
For most people, the crisis of the moment passes and some semblance of normalcy eventually returns, even as they deal with the aftereffects of what happened. For first responders, be they firefighters, emergency medical technicians or law enforcement officers, this can become a way of life as each new call for service takes them from one emergency to the next.
“Cops [and other first responders] are seeing that every day,” Allen County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Andre McConnahea said.
Working in such a traumatic and potentially hazardous environment has had an effect on the mental health of first responders.