[24/05/2021] Behaviour Health & Suicide Awareness Month

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Luca Anderson
Firefighter II
Posts: 572
Joined: 08 Jul 2020, 20:24
Primary Assignment: Recruit Services Section
Station Assignment: Station 52
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Behavioural Health & Suicide Awareness Month
Monday, May 24th, 2021
LSFD PR Director Alex Jorgensen
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This month has been Behavioural Health and Suicide Awareness month, in a candid interview with PR Director and Volunteer Firefighter Alex Jorgensen. He talks about the impact of the job of a First Responder on their Behavioural and Mental Health.
**VIDEO CLIP** **Throughout the video, Alex would speak on camera. The video sometimes cutting to video footage captured on past incidents.**

Alex Jorgensen: The Public often see Firefighters as having the absolute dream job and in many ways it is, saving lives, doing what they enjoy. However, there is always two sides to every story. The footage you're about to see, shows the other side to being a First Responder. The Los Santos Fire Department as a agency, has always followed its core values of serving the city of Los Santos with courage, integrity and pride.
**The video would cut to footage of a Caracara 2020 being crushed by a tree in Blaine County as Alex continues to address the viewer**

Alex Jorgensen:We respond to more than a hundred emergency incidents a day and that isn't counting departmental callouts from the likes of the LSPD or LSSD. It could be from a nine one one call, departmental, a member of the public flagging us down or us simply stumbling upon the scene, on some scenes.

Events may even unfold before our eyes.
**The video would cut to footage of a situation in a construction site, with firefighters in turnouts and one of them laid in mud.**

Alex Jorgensen: We are first on scene to face some of the most challenging, dangerous and draining circumstances often exposed to injury, pain, grief and unfortunately, death. As a First Responder, you as an individual are exposed to numerous threats to your personal safety and wellbeing. Employees of the Los Santos Fire Department work long hours, frequently for days at a time, suffering from poor sleep, physical hardships and other negativity that can come from situations they are involved with.

Research shows Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD and depression rates for Emergency Service Workers, especially First Responders can be five times higher than the civilian population that we proudly serve, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
**The video would cut to footage of a vehicular fire, a firefighter would be seen handling a hazards barrel.**

Alex Jorgensen: Every year since 2017 reported suicides outpace on duty deaths for First Responders. Research shows some years even more than twice as many First Responders have died by suicide than died in the line of duty.
**The video would cut to footage of a structure fire, a firefighter would be seen briefly carrying a hose before rubble falls around him.**

Alex Jorgensen:They also get injured and often the mental strain of recovery is a greater challenge than physical pain and all of this takes its toll on the person and their families.
**The video would cut to footage of Station 3 in Davis, a line of Firefighters would be seen saluting a flag flying at half mast.**

Alex Jorgensen: As a First Responder, we will continue to put the needs of others ahead of our own. However, we need to remember. Doing so, takes a toll on us all. To ensure our own and collective behavioural health we need to watch for symptoms in ourselves and others and to know where we can turn to for help. For a group of people who often see asking for help as a sign of weakness, we need to remove the stigma that comes with behavioural health is crucial. If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering self-harm including suicide, know that you are not alone.
**The video would finally cut to a structure Fire in Vespucci, an explosion would be seen on camera before the footage cuts, the video ending as it fades to the LSFD logo on a black background.**
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Firefighter II/AEMT Luca "Lucas" Anderson


Former Deputy Fire Marshal II (Bonus) Alex "Jorge" Jorgensen
Ret. Volunteer Firefighter #49041
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