The untimely death of an LAFD recruit, an unexpected explosion that landed nine LAFD firefighters in the emergency room, and a firefighter who suffered permanent, severe injuries that required air transport to the closest hospital are just a handful of the Potentially Traumatic Events (PTEs) that LAFD firefighters confronted over the past year.
Brave and heroic are words often used to describe firefighters. But behind those descriptors is a harsh reality - the challenges with mental health that they face daily are profound and unspoken.
The LAFD’s Behavioral Health Program (BHP) fire psychologists are more than familiar with the silent stoicism that is typical of firefighters, despite the sheer number of traumatic and disturbing scenes that they frequently confront. Since the program launched in 2018, lead psychologist Dr. Krystle Madrid has identified behavioral trends that LAFD firefighters and paramedics continue to exhibit and the impact on their overall health and well-being.
To curb the patterns Dr. Madrid and LAFD fire psychologist Dr. Julie Snyder identified, the BHP envisioned an initiative to educate all LAFD members on why mental health is important and demystify the perceived issues surrounding mental health across the department. The LAFD Foundation partnered with the BHP to launch this critical campaign last month.
The multi-pronged Breaking the Stigma Initiative kicked off on July 16, 2024 with a screening of “First Responders Sound the Alarm,” a documentary developed by The Quell Foundation. The film provides unique insight into the lives and experiences of first responders, their families, and the individuals they impact.
Two hundred LAFD firefighters and other personnel attended the free screenings at Regal Live in Downtown Los Angeles, made possible with support from the Motorola Foundation. Six showings spanned three days, and each screening concluded with a panel discussion that included Wisconsin Firefighter Rob Verhelst, Erin Smith, Molly O’Neil, and LAFD fire psychologists Dr. Snyder and Dr. Madrid.
Firefighter Verhelst contributed to search and recovery efforts following 9/11. Erin Smith lost her husband to suicide due to injuries sustained at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, and Molly O’Neil lost her husband, a state trooper, to suicide in 2016.
The panel was particularly impactful for attendees, which opened the door for questions and for viewers to hear from individuals off-screen who have been directly impacted by the mental health challenges first responders face.
Dr. Madrid shared that after the screenings, one firefighter expressed how meaningful it was to have an active-duty firefighter on the panel. He said it provided a “real example of someone breaking the stigma.” Others echoed this sentiment, stating it helped carry the documentary’s message home.
Many firefighters shared that they were moved by the documentary, and cited their connection with individuals in the film who shared how their symptoms were hurting their families. When panelists opened the floor for questions, one firefighter asked how to better support his wife with navigating his job as a firefighter and the complicated emotions that come with it.
Some firefighters also admitted that the screening brought up feelings they were trying to avoid. Several went back to their stations and continued the conversation, discussing what it looks like to break the stigma and better address mental health in the fire service. LAFD Fire Chief Kristin Crowley heard from many attendees who emphasized the importance of the film, voicing their hope for more screenings soon.
“Emotions aren’t something to be stopped, they’re not something to be shut down, they’re not something that goes away in five minutes,” Dr. Snyder emphasized. “It takes a lot to rattle us, and we’re trained to deal with that on our own,” she added, underscoring concerns that some firefighters had of putting “too much” of their trauma on psychologists. “I care for you, and I want the best for you,” she said to firefighters in the room. “You’re not going to see me break down in tears.”
After the screenings, the LAFD’s fire psychologists received direct requests for LAFD fire station visits, a pre-existing practice from the BHP that focuses on whole-crew, whole-station outreach to proactively address trauma and mental well-being. With resounding positive feedback from the first facet of the Breaking the Stigma Initiative, plans are already in progress for future screenings of the documentary.
The Behavioral Health Program was launched in 2018 to provide emotional and mental support to LAFD members for incident-based trauma and long-term behavioral health support. The success of this program has been fueled by generous donors who believe in mental health care for firefighters.
“You are not alone,” Bob, a Battalion Chief Firefighter and 9/11 Pentagon first responder who was featured in the documentary, expressed to viewers.
“We need to wake up as a country, as a community, to take care of our own.”
