Fire & EMS Leader Pro The job of old firefighters is to teach young firefighters how to become old firefighters!
Firefighters taking their own lives by suicide is an ongoing epidemic affecting the fire service. Two hundred or more firefighters die by suicide annually and we don’t even know how accurate that number is because we have no data collection system in place–with required reporting–like that of the Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection (LESDC).
Dr. Olivia Johnson is the Founder of Bluewall Institute, a professional speaker, author, and suicidology researcher (And one of my 1st Level Connections over on LinkedIn). Dr. Johnson has written a couple articles recently that should give us pause to learn and reflect on what we’re doing to prevent suicides and why she believes that those efforts are not working. The following are excerpts with links to the full articles.
Suicide prevention is DEAD Wrong
Suicide INOCULATION Provides Real Hope
“We invest millions of dollars annually into suicide prevention and intervention programs (SAMHSA, 2023). Yet, despite this massive expenditure, the number of lives lost to suicide continues to rise (CDC, 2024), and many individuals still suffer in silence.”
“It’s time to face an uncomfortable truth: our current strategies are fundamentally flawed. The relentless increase in suicide rates demonstrates that the conventional approaches we have relied on for decades are failing to produce the results we need. Clinging to these outdated methods is not only ignoring the problem, but it is perpetuating a cycle of ineffective solutions and false assurances.”–Dr. Olivia Johnson.
The Metaphorical Necropsy of Suicide Prevention
Toward a New Paradigm – Suicide Inoculation
“The metaphorical necropsy of the “sacred cow” of suicide prevention requires a critical examination of established practices and long-held beliefs, as well as an inquiry into why they failed to work as intended and ultimately “died.” Existing approaches have fallen critically short, failing to save the tens of thousands of lives lost to suicide each year. We must dissect and analyze these current methods and their flaws and limitations, much like a necropsy reveals the underlying causes of an animal’s death.“–Dr. Olivia Johnson
The Case for Psychological Autopsies in the Fire Service: A Call to Action for the IAFC
In this piece that I posted on LinkedIn in October 2023, I discussed action being taken by The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), has recently turned its attention to psychological autopsies to understand the tragic phenomenon of law enforcement officer suicides. This initiative is a crucial step towards addressing mental health challenges within the law enforcement community.
“A psychological autopsy is a thorough investigation into an individual’s life and mental state prior to their death by suicide. It involves interviews with family, friends, and colleagues, as well as a review of medical and psychological records. The goal is to identify factors that may have contributed to the individual’s decision to take their own life. This method provides valuable insights into the complex interplay of personal, professional, and psychological factors that lead to suicide.”–Robert Avsec
It is high time that the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) considered a similar approach for the fire service.
