Augusta Fire Department’s ‘peer support team’ helps members’ mental health [Video]

JUST A LITTLE BIT. MEGAN, OVER TO YOU. ALL RIGHT. FIRST RESPONDERS ARE OFTEN ON THE SCENE OF MANY MAINERS WORST DAYS. AND THAT CAN TAKE A TOLL ON FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE OFFICERS AND EMTS. LONG AFTER THEY RETURNED TO HEADQUARTERS. KATE MCCUSKER TAKES US TO THE AUGUSTA FIRE DEPARTMENT AND SHOWS US HOW A PROGRAM IS FOCUSED ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF ITS FIREFIGHTERS. AS THEY RESPOND TO COUNTLESS EMERGENCIES AND ENCOUNTER A VARIETY OF SITUATIONS. THE AUGUSTA FIRE DEPARTMENT MAKES SURE TO SUPPORT THE MENTAL HEALTH OF THEIR MEMBERS. I’VE BEEN TRAUMATIZED OVER MY 37 YEARS WITH A MULTITUDE OF TRAUMAS. I SEEK THERAPY, UM, SO THAT GIVES THE MEMBERS OF THE GROUP ALL RIGHT. IF THE CHIEF’S WILLING TO PUT HIMSELF OUT THERE, THEN WHY CAN’T WE DO IT TO MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING? AUGUSTA FIRE CHIEF DAVE GRODER STARTED A PEER SUPPORT TEAM FOR THE DEPARTMENT IN …