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Firefighter Suicide: the Need to Examine Cultural Change
Fire Engineering
  • Sarah Henderson
  • Todd J. LeDuc
  • Judy Couwels, Broward Sheriff’s Office
  • Vincent B. Van Hasselt, Nova Southeastern University
Document Type
Magazine
Publication Date
12-30-2015
Disciplines
Abstract/Excerpt

It is well documented that first responders face profound physical and psychological demands on the job from multiple car pile-ups to child drownings. The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) reported that fire departments are four times more likely within a given year to experience a suicide than a “traditional” line-of-duty death. Research suggests that firefighters are not immune to the excessive stressful nature of their careers, making mental health a critical issue of firefighter wellness and safety. Firefighter culture demands members be mentally tough as well as physically strong. Silence regardi...

Citation Information
Sarah Henderson, Todd J. LeDuc, Judy Couwels and Vincent B. Van Hasselt. "Firefighter Suicide: the Need to Examine Cultural Change" Fire Engineering (2015)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/vincent-vanhasselt/490/