Enduring The Badge

Send us a textWhen the sirens fade and the trucks are back in the bay, what lingers in the minds of those who fight fires? Robert Absteck, a retired battalion chief, writer, and advocate from the Chesterfield Virginia Fire and EMS department, brings his expertise to our latest episode, revealing the silent battles waged within the fire service. As a member of the Fire Service Psychology Association, Absteck draws back the curtain on the mental health challenges firefighters face, from the haunting uptick in suicides to the psychological onslaught of cancer diagnoses within their ranks.The lifeline for any firefighter sidelined by injury often comes in the form of continued connection to their team and department. We unravel the critical importance of support systems that maintain a firefighter's sense of value and purpose during recovery. The discussion traverses the landscape of the Fire Service Psychology Association's efforts to foster collaboration between mental health professionals and firefig