The burden of the badge: local firefighter talks mental health, Suicide Awareness Month

Firefighters routinely face some of the most traumatic moments a community can experience, and for many, the emotional toll can be heavier than the more than 50 pounds of gear they wear while doing the job.

September is Suicide Awareness Month, and Kern County Fire Department Capt. Matt Strange is speaking out about the mental health challenges and suicide risks firefighters face.

“Behind the badge, behind the helmet, there’s a human being there,” Strange said. “There’s a father; there’s a mother. There’s somebody’s baby boy or daughter.”

Firefighters are often first on scene to provide lifesaving care, pulling victims from devastating car wrecks and running into burning buildings. However, repeatedly witnessing tragedy can make it difficult to mentally clock out after a shift, as the trauma can linger long after the uniform comes off.

“It’s hard to bring that stuff home. You want to and your spouses want to understand, but there’s just some stuff you can’t bring home, you know,” Strange said. “That’s where firefighters get in a little bit of trouble and we keep things balled up inside.”

Strange has been with the Kern County Fire Department for 26 years. While he said he loves his job, he also described the long-term impact of responding to traumatic calls over the course of a career.

“[There are] hundreds of calls like that through your career, maybe thousands of calls. It takes a toll on you because you tend to keep a piece of every one of those calls with you,” he said.

According to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, firefighters are more likely to die from suicide than in the line of duty. The suicide risk for firefighters is 18 per 100,000 people, compared with 13 per 100,000 people for civilians.

Strange said that even though firefighters are expected to be brave in the line of duty, social stigmas can make it difficult to speak up about mental health struggles.

“We have to be strong as a firefighter for our community,” Strange said. The only way for us to do that is for us to to seek help when [we] need it.”