Mental Health Concerns within Fire Departments

Dana Failla Langan, LCSW & Clinical Director 

There is an epidemic around us with firefighters. Yes cancer, fires and other occupational hazards are serious and dangerous and can be deadly, but Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) kills more. The Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA) estimates that approximately 40% of firefighter suicides are reported. If these estimates are accurate, the actual number of 2017 suicides would be approximately equal to 257, which is more than twice the number of firefighters who died in the line of duty.(1) Yet with those staggering statistic it is still a struggle for 1st responders to receive therapeutic intervention. In most departments therapy, early intervention and education is lacking and dare I say frowned upon by peers and upper management when a need is expressed. BTC Therapeutic Services is here to help change the narrative. What we know is that firefighters struggle with PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety and substance abuse at a higher rate than the rest of the population, so early intervention and ongoing intervention is critical. Abbot et al. reported that 37 percent of fire and EMS professionals have contemplated suicide, nearly 10 times the rate of American adults (2015). In addition, 6.6 percent of fire and EMS professionals reported having attempted suicide as compared with just 0.5 percent of civilians.(2). 

BTC Therapeutic Services was founded and is run by Dana who has over 12 years of working in the mental health field and in her last 3 years she has been working directly with first responders among other adult clients. Dana uses the therapeutic framework of CBT, DBT and is certified in Flash Technique for Rapid Trauma Processing. Jennifer has been working in the mental health field for 5 years, using the therapeutic framework of CBT, DBT and is certified in Flash Technique for Rapid Trauma Processing as well. We offer group therapy weekly, individual therapy, couples therapy. We meet all our clients where they are at in life and offer them tailored treatments that are unique to the person and their situation.

We would love to connect with you and see how we can help you live a fulfilling life. We take most major insurance and have self pay rates available- (321)477-9924

1.Foundation, R. (2018, April 10). Ruderman White paper on mental health and suicide of First Responders. Ruderman Family Foundation. https://rudermanfoundation.org/white_papers/police-officers-and-firefighters-are-more-likely-to-die-by-suicide-than-in-line-of-duty/ 

2.First Responders: Behavioral Health Concerns, emergency ... (2018a, May). https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/dtac/supplementalresearchbulletin-firstresponders-may2018.pdf