Reach Out and Heal Someone

Kelli Krupa
 

     Last week myself, Kelli Krupa, and Paul Gardner had the privilege of delivering the ILFFPS message to firefighters in MABAS 21 which was hosted by the Chicago Ridge Fire Department.  Two weeks prior to this event, I presented the message to the firefighter candidates at the Moraine Valley Fire Academy.  My thoughts about those few days will be included in the next team newsletter, but it really got me thinking about the two main reasons we exist as a team.

    First, we exist to help other firefighters in need by providing the actual peer support.  There is not a week or two that goes by where a brother or sister contacts us for help either through the established channels or through our own departments.  As Josh said in the video, it may take an hour or less for him to receive a handful of responses from members ready and willing to help someone in need.  After all, that is why we joined this team so we can spring into action similar to the we react when the bell goes off for another EMS or fire run.  I cannot think of a more gratifying experience than to change another person’s life for the better just by listening and sharing.  Every member of this team in his or her own right has walked a green mile that enables us to empathize with peers because we have been there, and done that.  Given all this, what other role do we carry out to support our mission statement?

     In the fire service, the role of public education and prevention is one of the most important tasks we carry out on a frequent basis.  We all like to play at a fire, but in order for this to happen, a citizen has to suffer what can be devastating losses to him/her.  Public education seeks to reduce these number of incidents in order to save lives and reduce losses by instilling the situational awareness (of fire safety) in the public at large.  So what does this have to do with the ILFFPS?  Let me explain.

 

Kelli Krupa and Paul Gardner

 

     Much like fire safety education, our public outreach efforts where we spread the word of our mission and existence is there to offer hope to others who are currently hiding in the shadows of behavioral health issues. Ultimately, our goal should be to help reduce the number of firefighters leaving the job prematurely(or taking their own life) because they became too physically, mentally, and emotionally overwhelmed and exhausted by the demands imposed on them.  We must take it to the streets (so to speak) and increase our exposure with all departments across the state.  Although we have been in existence for close to two years now, there are many firefighters who still do not know we are here for them.  I spoke with a few such persons at the Chicago Ridge event.  So what can we do as team members to get noticed?

 

·         Complete the Post-training presentation to your department ASAP, and on an annual basis (or whenever you get new personnel).

·         Be willing to step up and present to other departments, because the more we get noticed, the busier we will become, and the several that present regularly will need all the help they can get.

·         Approach your local EMS system and fire academies and ask if you can present to their students/candidates.

·         Encourage others to apply for future peer support trainings, especially if you feel they will make an excellent resource for others.

·         Do what you can to assist the team without overextending yourself.

·         Participate in the Rosecrance Florian peer support experience.

 

Illinois Fire Chiefs Association Annual Symposium

 

     This is not an all-inclusive list, so do not hesitate to contact your peer coordinator and offer other innovative ways we can get our presence felt in all firehouses across Illinois and beyond.  The most important part of the public outreach is that you get the chance to tell your story over and over again.  I said this before, but it is bears repeating: The more you tell your story, the easier it becomes.  Therefore, reach out and heal someone- because that someone you may be healing is you.  Until next time,

 

Be well and stay safe,

Tim

Back To Work

In the latest in a continuing series of posts, Tom Howard tells us that he was returned to duty after recent cardiac issues. Although he is "cleared" physically, thoughts still tumble around in his head  as to what's next.

     If you haven’t been following, I had developed what I called a “feeling” in my chest at a recent fire. In all honesty was chest pressure. I hesitate to call it that, after all I’m 49 not 69. Anyway, its official, I have returned to work full duty with no restrictions. That’s what the paper from the doctor says, with the added bonus from the city doctor that it was not duty related. According to my cardiologist when I am under a severe physical load the arteries around my heart go into a spasm causing the pressure and the feeling of fatigue. I cannot duplicate this on a stress test as it’s just not stressful enough. I think it is important for us to really understand that the stress levels we encounter cannot be duplicated outside of doing what each of us, as firefighters, are prepared to do every day.

     While the paper from the doctors may say no physical restrictions, I can assure you there are now some major mental restrictions. I, as a man of faith, will be the first to raise my hand to admit my broken humanity.  Yet the fact is, deep in the recesses of my brain I still felt that when I put on my uniform and wrapped myself in my black coat with the reflective strip, I was still invincible. I have spent the last couple weeks trying to wrap myself around where I now find myself. Now to be clear I don’t feel like I’m going to die, and I certainly didn’t have a near death experience.

     I was explaining how I was trying to wrap my head around what I thinking through all of this to my wife the other day. I told her that I feel as though I bought a house with a balloon payment and the balloon came sooner than I expected. I have known ever sense I began in the fire service in the eighties, that one day the constant abuse, both mental and physical, would take its toll. I call it my “windshield wiper theory.” A wiper is made to last 100,000 wipes, so if you leave them on after the rain stopped you are wasting them and they will quit working before expected. This is why at 46 years old when the orthopedic doctor looks at my MRI and says, “You have the back of a 65 year old man,” I’m not surprised. I have had my life on fast for longer than normal so the payments are starting to come due.

     I had mentioned previously that I would now describe myself as broken, or weak stock and yet I now have paperwork that says I am fit for duty. Unfortunately they can’t see past the physical. They tell me to take a daily pill to keep my arteries from going into a spasm but no one has anything or thought of offering anything for my growing anxiety of my looming balloon payment. As I put my gear on my rig yesterday I couldn’t help but wonder if I can still do this and how much longer. What will break next? What effect will taking the medication have long term?

    Honestly one of my biggest disappointments has come from the same people that only a few months ago shook my hand, gave me gift card and thanked me for my dedicated years of service. Now though, even with no history of heart decease in my family and not yet at the 50- year mark, I have a cardiac issue that of course is not duty related. This is not a surprise but it is a disappointment. Never the less I would not trade my years of serving back. I cannot imagine having spent my years doing anything rather than “living the dream.”

     Some of this might sound maybe a little heavy and I guess it is. Before I get too wrapped up in what can be overwhelming details that can drag me down I like to keep it all in perspective. I often think about the book of Matthew and Jesus is talking to the disciples and says, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” I like to think that as fireman, how much more we offer ourselves for complete strangers. Remember none of us are alone. We all carry a heavy burden in one way or another. Reach out, ask for help, it’s there. If we can lay our lives down, one call at a time, how much more can we be there for our friends and brothers. IFFPS!