NFPA Journal - July/August 2017 - 76

First Responder by Ken Willette

DISPATCHES
FROM THE
EMERGENCY
RESPONDER
COMMUNITY

Armed Service to Fire Service
HOW VETERANS AND THE FIRE SERVICE
CAN SUPPORT EACH OTHER

ilitary service has always

him to reach out to the U.S. Veterans
been important for my
Administration for assistance, but the
family. My dad served in
nearest facility was a long drive and
Europe during World War
the program relied mostly on the use
II. My oldest brother is a
of strong medications, which was not
Vietnam veteran. My son is an Army offithe kind of help Carrigan wanted. The
cer, twice deployed to Afghanistan and
cycle of anger and sense of not belongonce to Iraq. Tragically, my nephew and
ing continued. On the advice of a friend,
godson was killed in 2007 during a mishe joined his local fire department. In
sion in Iraq.
the fire service he found a sense of duty,
Like me, many fire service members
and a renewed energy that comes with
have a deep connection to military serengaging an opponent and from the
vice. Early in my firefighting career, I
camaraderie among department memVeterans returning
had the privilege to work alongside guys
bers, he said. "The fire service saved my
with post-traumatic
who had served in World War II. Later, I
life," he told me, without hesitation.
watched many of my brother and sister
The benefits of recruiting veterans into
stress disorder have
firefighters return from Vietnam, sadly
the fire service work both ways. Veterans
forced the fire service
not to a hero's welcome but to lives
returning with PTSD have forced the fire
to confront the illness
shaped by struggles with post-traumatic
service to confront the illness and have
and have helped
stress disorder (PTSD).
helped dispel long-held stigmas about
dispel long-held
Today, we are seeing a new generation
PTSD, which impacts many responders
stigmas about PTSD,
of veterans making their way home, many
regardless if they served in the military.
which impacts many
still carrying the scars of their service. ForAs a result, the veil of secrecy around
responders.
tunately, a great many have found solace
the topic has been removed and mental
within the fire service, and our ranks have
health is now finally becoming an acceptbeen strengthened because of it.
able topic of conversation in firehouses.
One example is Chief Scott Carrigan
More firefighters than ever are being
of the Scipio Township Fire Department
taught to recognize signs of PTSD, and
in Albany, Ohio, who I met at a Fire Department Instructors are given information about the resources available for support
Conference this year. Carrigan stopped by the NFPA booth and and assistance.
we chatted for several minutes about his department. As he
Fire departments clearly see the value in the skills and
was leaving, I saw the patch of the First Cavalry, stationed at experiences of our veterans, as evidenced by their targeted
Fort Hood, Texas, on his ball cap, the same unit my nephew recruitment efforts. All 49 of this year's Boston Fire Department
served in when he was killed. Carrigan told me that he had also recruits are veterans, and many other cities have similarly high
served with the First Cav, and in fact his unit had replaced my percentages of veterans joining.
nephew's. Both units "were hit pretty hard," he said. Something
From my perspective as a former fire chief with proud miliin the chief's tone struck me as we spoke, and I asked him how tary ties, all of this is good news. We owe a great deal to soldiers
he was doing, hoping he would open up about his return home. for their sacrifice, and they have so much to offer in the fire
He looked me straight on and said he was doing better now service. Thankfully, the tradition of veterans in the fire service
because of the fire service.
is still as strong and necessary as ever.
Carrigan's return home had not been easy, he told me.
Sleepless nights, anger, and a feeling of disconnection led KEN WILLETTE is first responder segment director at NFPA.

76 | NFPA JOURNAL * J U L Y /A U G U S T 2 0 1 7

MICHAEL HOEWELER

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - July/August 2017