Thomas Breen Photo
William McMillian’s May funeral, one of two for firefighters in 8 days.
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Gary Tinney: Battling a dangerous mental-health stigma.
Firefighters and their families gathered in First Calvary Baptist Church to attempt to quell a “fire within” that has been smoldering in the ranks.
Retired fire Capt. Gary Tinney used that phrase at Thursday night’s gathering at First Calvary to refer to the unseen psychological burden carried by first responders.
Tinney has teamed up with mental health nonprofit Clifford Beers to organize gatherings to offer support to first responders and their families who are facing psychological trauma.
The events come in the wake of a series of tragedies that befell the New Haven Fire Department this past month, including a house fire on May 12 that killed one firefighter and critically injured another, and the death of a firefighter while off-duty on May 6. The events have taken a toll on the rank and file, a group traditionally hesitant to seek help for processing trauma.
Twelve people showed up for Thursday night’s inaugural session. Clifford Beers staff said the event achieved its goals of providing information about the mental impact of being a first responder and creating a space for healing.
Natalie Kainz Photo
Clifford Beers’ Christine Montgomery, JoAnne Wilcox, and Tirzah Kemp: responding to first responders.
Thursday’s support group was a healing opportunity for the family of critically injured firefighter Samod “Nuke” Rankins. While holding a stone that was passed around the group to invite participants to speak, Rankins’ sister Lanesha Taylor said that the Valley Street house fire fundamentally changed all of their lives.
Tinney said that the expectation for firefighters to be “strong heroes” often deters them from seeking help, despite being exposed to many tragedies while on the job.
Brother, mother, and sister of injured firefighter “Nuke” Rankins listen to Clifford Beers staff about leveraging mental health resources.
During the session, Tinney referenced statistics to capture the toll of being a first responder. According to an article by USA Today, more officers and firefighters died of suicide in 2018 than those who died while in the line of duty.
“There’s a stigma that you came into this business and you should be able to deal with the things that you see,” said Tinney. “But nobody is made that way; I don’t care who you are.”
Tinney said that mental health needs to become a top priority for the fire department and city leadership because simply referring firefighters to assistance programs is not enough.
Fire investigator Douglas Wardlaw relates a night he’ll never forget.
That sentiment was echoed by fire investigator Douglas Wardlaw. He said that the demand for mental health resources certainly exists amongst firefighters, but some younger people hesitate because of a stigma associated with seeking help.
Wardlaw shared a personal story about the trauma of putting a child around the same age as his son into a body bag while on duty. At the time, he refused an offer by his chief to take a step back from the scene — a choice that deeply affected his mental health in the long term.
Teo Baldwin, a battalion chief at the New Haven Fire Department’s Ellsworth Avenue station, and Hamden firefighter Joseph Anderson both said they came to the event to discover tools and resources to help their fellow firefighters. Anderson intends to talk to his colleagues at the station and his local union 2687 about coming up with a plan to create better mental health infrastructure in the fire department.
“It’s OK to not feel OK, but it’s not OK to not talk to somebody,” said Anderson. “If you don’t, eventually you’re going to break down. Your marriage, your health — something will break.”
Christine Montgomery, the vice president of community & school-based services at Clifford Beers, pointed attendees to resources that might help first responders and their families cope with trauma, including peer support through substance abuse programs, a Fairfield County trauma response team, and Clifford Beers’ own clinic.
Joseph Anderson: bringing lessons from the session back to the fire station.
When attendees walked into the church, they browsed through pamphlets including a guide to how firefighters can cope with grief, a step-by-step explanation of traumatic stress responses in childhood, and an invitation to SAFELY, the Fairfield County Trauma Response Team’s free online video chat hosted every Friday for first responders.
Montgomery said that Thursday’s event came together very quickly, which may have lowered the turnout. Nonetheless, she said it achieved its overall goal.
“This [event] was about starting the conversation,” said Montgomery. “It would be a success even if only one person came so it feels like this started the conversation in the right way.”
Montgomery’s colleague, Clifford Beers Director of Community and Family Engagement Tirzah Kemp, added that the traditional model of asking those who need help to seek out resources on their own simply does not work. Rather, we should strive to “meet people where they’re at” by being there when they are in need.
Next, Clifford Beers intends to go to the firehouses and meet with the different affinity groups to provide support. Kemp said that it is important to allow first responders to guide their own healing agenda by inviting them to decide what the next steps should be.
A second session on coping with psychological injuries for first responders will be held at Bethel AME Church at 255 Goffe St. on Monday, June 14, beginning at 9 a.m.
Retired fire Capt. Gary Tinney used that phrase at Thursday night's gathering at First Calvary to refer to the unseen psychological burden carried by first responders.
Capt. Gary Tinney has been around a long time fighting this fight.There is another Retired new haven firefight name Ron Benson who also has been around a long time fighting this fight.In fact both of them were the black panthers of the New Haven Fire Department.