Former Firefighter Links PTSD Diagnosis to Job Trauma

A former firefighter has stated that he departed the service after experiencing trauma from “horrendous” incidents. Lewis, whose surname has been withheld to safeguard his identity, resigned from the Essex County Fire & Rescue Service (ECFRS) in 2021. He reported regularly encountering “the worst kind of fatalities” during his tenure. Lewis shared his account with the BBC following the broadcaster’s disclosure that 85 ECFRS employees had been granted leave for mental health issues over the past year. A spokeswoman for ECFRS affirmed the service’s commitment to taking the mental health of its employees “very seriously”. Warning: This article features themes of suicide. Lewis indicated that the public often lacks understanding of the diverse range of incidents crews respond to, which include suicides and fatal car crashes. “When I was telling [my family] some of the jobs I was going to, they were shocked,” Lewis stated. He added, “When you actually see what we do it’s horrendous, honestly, it’s horrendous.” Lewis emphasized the public’s unawareness of the severity: “You understand you will be exposed to these things but the public don’t know how severe it can be. It really does mess you up mentally.” Residing in Clacton-on-Sea, Lewis confirmed he received a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a direct consequence of his work. Two years ago, he attempted to take his own life. “I could have been one of the statistics,” said Lewis, who is in his thirties. He reflected, “I’m so young still, and yet I have been through so much. I became this person that no one wants to be around.” Lewis recounted that upon discussing his struggles with colleagues, he discovered they were also secretly contending with their own difficulties. He further commented: “You don’t want to feel you’re affected by these jobs when you see everyone else not being affected. “But I didn’t realise people were affected a lot more than I thought, they just didn’t show it.” A Freedom of Information request submitted by the BBC revealed that 85 individuals at ECFRS were signed off for mental health reasons in the twelve months leading up to September. Riccardo la Torre, a national officer at the Fire Brigades Union, asserted that the service is grappling with a “mental health epidemic” among its personnel. “We are, far too often, seeing firefighters take their own lives – and sometimes even in the workplace,” he stated. “That is clearly, completely unacceptable and something we need to address.” A spokeswoman for the fire service declared its dedication to cultivating a “culture of acceptance” where staff feel comfortable discussing their mental health without experiencing stigma. She highlighted that “significant strides” have been achieved in promoting mental health awareness, including providing access to counselling services and training mental health first aiders. The spokeswoman added, “The increase in the number of staff signed off due to mental health issues reflects a growing recognition of the importance of mental wellbeing in the workplace, particularly in high pressure roles.” If you have been affected by the contents of this story, support is available via BBC Action Line. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.