Helping the Helper: First Responder Mental Health A Conversation with Lona Snell

Most people think of first responders as those who show up to help in their time of crisis. Like we hear, first responders are meeting the citizens we serve on their worst day. Other than that, there are the various cultural stereotypes of firefighters, law enforcement, and EMS that float out there. But most of all, citizens can depend on the idea that if we are called, we come to make things better.

However, there is a big issue that most people are not even aware of, and it is not entirely their fault. Even mainstream media has not given this problem much coverage. We see plenty of line of duty death (LODD) coverage on the news. However, first responder suicides have outpaced LODD deaths for years now, even considering the difficulty in obtaining accurate reporting data. The pervasive and cumulative effects of stress, trauma and sleep disruption all contribute to an array of mental, emotional and behavioral issues that first responder face. Largely these problems have been marginalized by the culture of first responders, the health care systems and administrations of the varying agencies. Only very recently has the data shown that this is a situation that needs immediate attention.

I am a full time firefighter in Montgomery County, TX and have had my own experience with anxiety, depression, sleep apnea, and post-traumatic stress issues. I had to find my own way through this and I sometimes feared that is would affect my reputation in the fire service. But I am thrilled to say that the days of hiding out and silently dealing with issues could be a thing of the past. Thanks to people who are truly making a difference with providing affordable and confidential care for first responders through their agencies. Meet Lona Snell, founder of Grace and Guidance. She is a wife of a firefighter and has several first responders in her family. She understands how we think and the culture in which we work. This translates into a trust that has launched Grace and Guidance into the premier service provider for first responder and their families in the area.

Lona and I spoke earlier this month and ended up having a conversation that lasted almost an hour. She had come to my fire department a week or so earlier to talk about Grace and Guidance, and how our department would provide for no cost counseling that is anonymous. We were listening.

WS: So, what do you see as the biggest problems for all first responders as far as mental health?

LS: I think trust is one and overcoming stigmas. How does a helper, who everyone is tuning to for help, give ourselves permission and space to ask for help ourselves without feelings of judgement with all the professional and personal aspects so specific to mental health in our population? There can be anger, addictions, risky behavior and spending, and volatile home life. Because everything we can be comfortable with in a professional setting, like experiencing crisis and trauma, then coming home there’s this kind of delay in transition to the home setting. Some even experience boredom, depression, anxiety, anger, addiction and PTSD. I would say these are the main ones for our population of families.

WS: Sure! Now would it be a matter of when, not if, that first responders might experience any array of these, because of the nature of the work?

LS: I think that’s very fair and accurate to say. I think that there’s those that are willing to address it, acknowledge it and be accountable to it, and there’s those that, due to stigma, shame, guilt and isolation don’t talk about it.

WS: So to me it doesn’t matter if I’m in the best shape of my life physically and skill-wise, if I’m not fit mentally, then how productive can I be and in fact I could be a liability. From my point of view, it has to be an even path of fitness with even attention spent on the physical and the mental. Would you agree?

LS: Yes, and that’s where the overall balance of emotional and physical wellness is so important, especially between the professional and personal life. Because if it’s not balanced, and we’re not actively engaging and intentional with our wellness, then we can even experience the imposter syndrome where while we are physically wearing the uniform, we can be mentally struggling.

WS: So I’m 53 and have a whole bunch of life experience. Now imaging if I’m a 21-year-old young person, all this might be a lot to try to figure out! How is the best way? Is it from peer groups, general increased awareness though your department to make it more acceptable like “Hey, you’re going to be exposed to trauma, and this is something you need to watch along the way. It will happen. One day you will need this and it’s ok. Now here is what’s here for you to help.”

LS: Absolutely! It needs to be hit from all avenues and embedded into the cultural practice. So if we’re attempting to practice this as individuals and then as a crew and then peer support and counseling, we are working on all those avenues and pillars of wellness. Then the accountability is there to ourselves and each other. That is courageous. It’s no longer what we hope the design would be, it would instead be practiced and implemented among each other.

Grace and Guidance started about three years ago with a chance email to a nearby fire department. Lona offered her counseling services which led to that very department contacting her soon after with a suicidal firefighter that she helped. The process went so well that this department partnered with Grace and Guidance to provide free and anonymous counseling for their employees. Today Grace and Guidance works with 17 agencies, providing around the clock help for first responder and their families.

Agencies rely on their health and safety budgets, along with grants, to pay for counseling. With the rapid growth and demand for these services, sometimes these funds are stretched thin. What I am hoping for is that increased awareness though media outlets like LCAHouston might provide for additional donations to continue and expand the scope and range of services that are so critically needed by the helpers, your first responders.

Additional First Responder Suicide Awareness Resources:

Behavioral Health & Suicide Prevention Task Force (Montgomery County First Responder Task Force)
CareForce (Nationwide)
Acadia (Nationwide)
First Responder MHSN
The Blue Bow Foundation
Irish Angel

General Suicide Awareness:

Behavioral Health & Suicide Prevention Task Force
Cassidy Joined For Hope (teen suicide)
Breaking Strongholds (Currently filming a movie in Montgomery County about teen suicide)
Stronger Alliance (Christian resources & support for others)