Where there's smoke...

   My department responded to a two-fatality plane crash on July 1st and then a head on car semi collision south of Hoxie on Aug. 19th which was not pretty. While still at the car accident our troops got called to a second fatality collision involving the death of an individual who had been on the fire department but was medically unable to do the job any longer. My department is a small department but we have no illusions that we are the only ones that deal with the type of trauma we see on a regular basis. You all have them - medicals involving children - fires where people die - accidents where bodies are mangled beyond recognition. I will tell you that Aug. 19th was a shocker for me. After 40 years of doing this, it finally hit home. I am very fortunate to have resources to deal with the aftermath of these incidents - both in house and resources that we can call upon. I know there are lots of outside resources and I don’t want to endorse any one group, but for us the 10-33 group - operating on a national scale but now headquartered in Kansas - was a huge blessing. They have helped us work through these incidents and it has worked.

   The Kansas State Firefighters Association, recognizing how important the work of 10-33 group is, recently made a significant contribution to that group to assist in their efforts in Kansas. Some of the $10 fee that you pay on your firefighter license plates was used to make this contribution - a very appropriate use of that money in my opinion. 

   I don’t recall my father ever needing the resources of groups like 10-33. The fire department that he helped start didn’t have extrication equipment and wasn’t called to wrecks. They didn’t have, to my knowledge, any fatality fire responses. Their mission was wet stuff on red stuff. Oh for those days. Today’s fire service is so much more than fire. It is easy to put out a fire, but when you have to be involved with people’s lives it is so much more than dealing with their property. Because of that, the incidents that we work today are more difficult from an emotional sense. In smaller communities often the people you come into contact with are locals and that adds another dimension to our calls. In larger communities the sheer volume of calls has to be dealt with. 

   What am I telling you here? Take care of yourself - and take care of your crews. We can’t neglect taking care of the mental health of our responders. Too many first responders are taking their own lives and it is all so needless - especially when we have groups like 10-33 to help us. Their name comes from the 10 code - 10-33 - “something is wrong.” And it comes from the passage in Luke 10:33-35 which is commonly called the parable of the Good Samaritan who reached out to help their fellow man - their neighbor - when they need help the most. Not only do our neighbors need our help, our responders need our help. Whether it is 10-33, some other group, or a mental health agency or professional, reach out for help, because where there’s smoke...