COLUMBUS, Ohio — In less than two weeks, the Columbus Division of Fire lost three members, all for different reasons.
“Unfortunately, I think we have a lot more people out there pretending to be fine than aren't,” said Columbus Fire Fighters Union IAFF Local 67 President Steve Stein. "It's been a tough couple of weeks. It's a real reminder we have a very special job and a very special bond."
Stein says the loss of those family members has been painful to the rest of the division.
Battalion Chief Richard Richardson passed after a battle with occupational cancer.
Mental health struggles contributed to the deaths of Gary Childers and Mike Calafatis. The exact cause of their deaths was not disclosed.
“It candidly scares you because you wonder what was going on, what didn't see,” Stein said.
Stein explains nationally, suicide has outpaced line-of-duty deaths in the fire service for about the past seven years. He adds the Columbus Division of Fire, on average, loses a member once every 14 months because of suicide.
“Our goal when we come to work is to provide world-class fire and EMS services to the citizens of Columbus, but we aren't robots. For us to do that, we have to make sure we are taking care of our most valuable asset, that's our people,” he said.
Stein explains the city has invested in the member support unit, a place where both police and fire can get mental health help. But he says the city does not offer paid time off for the first responders to get the healing time they need.
“We can't unsee a lot of the things we see day in and day out. It's incumbent upon us to make sure we are taken care of our brother and sister firefighters,” Stein said.
If you or someone you think is struggling, you can the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or online at 988lifeline.org. You can also text HELLO to reach the Crisis Text Hotline or go to FirefigterSuicidePrevention.org.
A comprehensive list of suicide prevention resources can be found on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) website.