administration-leadership

Opening up

I spent my younger years in the Department assigned to a Ladder ..... it was good, honest work. I've learned a lot since then. Truck work made me a good fireman. I'd like to think I'm older and wiser now but some will argue that.

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Climbing out ….

I'll never get to make "those" calls again ... not to Jackson and it's killing me. This grief ... the depression.... it keeps knocking me down but I won't let it keep me here.

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I need a "do over" …

I've learned so much about emotional / mental health and wellness since Jack's suicide. I've learned first hand what PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is and how it affects us. I've learned about grief and it's various stages. I've learned that although their are many similarities in how it affects us all, it's also (and often) very much so different for those of us "on the job" (Fire, Rescue and Police).

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I dont know ….

Brothers and Sisters I'm telling you NOW ..... we DO have somewhere to go ... somewhere to turn to ... someone who'll listen. I'm going to start talking about it a lot. I'm going to because I want YOU to know that they are there. THEY .... someone who UNDERSTANDS, and they are there for US!

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Barefooted … for now

Despite the overwhelming support I received following my last post ("A Firefighter's Boots"), I was NOT able to return to duty and put mine back on. It wasn't because I didn't want to ... I did and you folks were a HUGE part of the reason why.

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A firefighter's boots

I've been in a dark place following my brother's death two weeks ago and my boots continue to consume my thoughts. You can tell by just the few examples I gave above that we have many options (or choices) when it comes to our boots. One of the biggest however is the one I didn't mention and the same one I'm facing now ... knowing when (and how) to put them back on or to just hang them up.

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