Welcome to Retired Firefighters Wellness Network.

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On December 25, 2022,  a retired brother after just 7 years into his retirement from the Vancouver Fire Department committed suicide.

 

Needless to say his friends and family were not only shaken to the core with his needless passing, but every bit confused for the reasons why he took his own life. After all he was retired,  enjoying life in retirement. Little did we know that he was suffering in silence  from the affects of the constant exposure to the trauma and the death found in the Downtown East Side of Vancouver. It is well documented this firehall  is  one of  the busiest  in Canada,  in one of the poorest crime infested and violent neighbourhoods in this country.

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There was not doubt in the minds of any firefighter both active or retired  who has ever worked in that district the contributing factor to this members suicide was an unreasonable amount of exposure and the horrific nature of these calls.  It is important to note that the current VFD administration  have now saw fit to limit the tour of duty to this firehall to a period not to exceed 1 year in the fear their firefighters would soon suffer  burned out if  exposed to high call volumes.  Unfortunately our fallen brother was not as fortunate having spent more than five times  that operating in that environment, well before his retirement in 2017.

 

It is important to note that despite the years spent in retirement one carries many of  those very real  memories with them for the rest of their lives. When you walk away from a career of public service into a new stage of your life, that  of retirement there is a considerable adjustment for a firefighter. Gone are the long nights,  dealing with the aftermath of  MVA's  and the grind this job can be at times.  More profound  than those are the sense of loss, not only that feeling of making a difference but the loss of  the feeling of belonging, part of a team. The loss of the daily routines and interaction of the firehall, both good and  bad. All these emotions play upon you  from time to time. For some, those memories manifest themselves in many ways,  at any time, in some case years after the event.  One thing these thoughts and emotions in deed do, is never retire.

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Like many Fire departments in North America, ours is no different given the para military structure or function. It  is should be no surprise to anyone that we deal with trauma in the very same manner our predecessors  did.

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Unfortunately we as firefighters grew up in a work environment that did not offer much support for those who carried this burden with them. Never did any one feel comfortable talking about their feelings  for the fear of retribution or ridicule for being soft. After all many of our first experiences as rookies  were at the hands of WW II veterans  who were now in leadership roles within our department. I am certain when they returned to civilian life they also carried with them the experiences and horrors of war, the losses of friends and family. Undoubtedly, they  themselves remained silent . Likely to avoid reliving those vision of death and destruction, caught in the vicious circle of dealing with trauma. or the sudden loss of  close friends  with the same fear of being looked upon as weak or soft. I am confident this cycle can be  traced back to those WW1 veterans who suffered thru a brutal  war.

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Today, we live in a very different world.  Many employers now recognize their responsibility  to protect their Emergency Response Personnel,  both from physical injuries  but to include  their mental wellbeing as well,. A considerable step forward to be sure. But many have fallen through that gap without that  assistance before they crossed into retirement.  Unfortunately this new found responsibility did not extend quite far enough. In  the eyes of legislators is was apparent any compensable claims  for mental injury ie PTSD would require further documentation to prove its validity.  Gone was an presumption of exposure to trauma unlike the  one that firefighters  now are entitled to with respect to the carcinogens that is the leading cause of  death of active firefighters.​

I should point out the leading cause of death in retired firefighters  apart from the ones that succumb cancer is SUICIDE

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The founding members of  this Wellness Network have taken up the fight to have this legislation changed to recognize PTSD as a presumptive injury for firefighters whether they are retired or active. There should be no discrimination in applying criteria for PTSD given the nature of our past profession. There is no "if"  you will receive a  mental health injury during you service to the public. The only question  that needs to be answered  is  the WHEN.  When will this injury manifest itself to a point  it will  take control. In  many cases it is mis diagnosed  or worse not recognised until many years later.  I think it fair to say there are many factors at play in  one mental health status . Some will  manage their issues  some will not, there is no shame in either scenarios. The stigma that surrounds all aspects of ones mental wellbeing is just as debilitating  as the affliction itself.

 

We have much work to do.  

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In closing we feel we are one  of  the very few online communities  dedicated to mental health awareness for retired firefighters dealing with effects of PTSD. For many, life after the firehall  has been a struggle, many feel abandoned, lost, and alone.

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As we move forward, our website will make every effort connect you with other retired firefighters who are going through the same struggles. We strive to provide you with a wealth of resources in the hope to improve your mental health and your well-being. Whether you want to reconnect with other retired firefighters, find the right treatment program, or just talk to someone who understands you . The Retired Firefighters Wellness Network is here for you.

 

You are no longer alone.