Dena Ali outlined the factors involved in the fire service’s “dark secret”─firefighter suicide─and strategies for detection and prevention. The Raleigh (NC) Fire Department officer presented her classroom session “Fire Service Suicide Prevention Approach” on Thursday, April 27 at FDIC International 2017.
她说，如果确认危险因素，可以预防自杀。阿里指出，在给定的一年中，通常，自杀死亡的消防员的风险是职责中死亡的三倍。消防部门必须将同样的注意力集中在防止消防员自杀上，与防止消防员的职责死亡一样。
阿里共享her own struggle and several case studies that pointed to common factors in this issue. Although a firefighter may appear to be happy and contented on the outside, that is often just a mask to conceal that person’s true feelings.
The precise reasons behind a suicide are often a mystery, since the person with all the answers is gone. However, factors common to a suicidal mentality include a feeling of disconnectedness, a thwarted desire to belong, and the feeling of being a burden to family, friends, and colleagues. These are among the strongest predictors for a potential suicide, Ali said.
Firefighters in this situation may avoid sharing their feelings with others because they perceive it as a sign of weakness. Ali said firefighters perceive their role as “pillars of society”; the strong ones who save others.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from continual exposure to the tragic circumstances in emergency response is another factor in suicide, she said. Possible indicators of PTSD include depression, drug/alcohol abuse, and recklessness. Ali said while each factor can be dangerous itself, if two are combined, such as depression and substance abuse, it can have a synergistic effect.
In creating a suicide outreach and prevention program, Ali recommended following National Fire Protection Association 1500, Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety and Health Program (NFPA 1500, 2013 ed.) This latest edition particularly addresses critical incident stress as a part of overall firefighter health. She also noted there are several suicide prevention education initiatives are available from fire service organizations such as the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the National Volunteer Fire Council. Also, the Rosecrance Florian Program offers behavioral health treatment specifically geared to emergency responders.
