T-L File Photo First responders such as these Martins Ferry and Bridgeport firefighters, seen putting out a car fire in August 2020, deal with extreme situations. The state has launched the new Ohio Office of First Responder Wellness to assist them.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Mental health among Ohio’s first responders and emergency personnel is getting some additional attention with Gov. Mike DeWine’s recent announcement of the Ohio Office of First Responder Wellness.

The new division within the Ohio Department of Public Safety’s Office of Criminal Justice Services will focus exclusively on the well-being of Ohio’s first responders. It will work to encourage self-care and mental wellness within the first responder community, which includes law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical services, dispatch, corrections and Ohio-based military personnel.

The office will provide specialized support and training to help emergency-response agencies proactively address post-traumatic stress and other traumas.

Local first responders were pleased to hear the news.

Patty Phillips, squad captain with the Smith Township Volunteer Fire Department, said the initiative seems valuable and that she sees potential in the office.

“I think it’s a good thing. First responders, whether we are volunteer or paid, we’re put in some situations sometimes that no human being should be in, that we shouldn’t encounter. We’re there because we care about our community, and we’re so focused on helping them that sometimes we forget about ourselves. And I’m hoping … maybe there’ll be some new resources available to us that maybe then will reach out to some of the smaller communities,” she said. “Let us know when new resources become available and help us know how we can help out our brothers and sisters in the first responder field.

“Sometimes we have the attitude that we don’t need help, that we can deal with that,” Phillips said. “I would love to see some of the training they’re going to offer and some of the resources they’re going to put out.”

Phillips said the stresses of the job can weigh on first responders.

“We have our fair share of bad calls as far as fatalities and drug overdoses, and when you work in these small communities, most of the time you know these people, and they even have a personal connection with them. It does kind of stick with you after you’ve been on some of these calls. It does make it hard,” Phillips said. “I would love to see resources, not just that the big cities have or the big departments have. … I personally know first responders who have taken their life.

“I’m not sure if everything is related to incidents that we’ve had or PTSD, but I’m sure that some of them are. I try to watch out for those in our department after we’ve had a bad call,” she noted. “I stay in contact with them. ‘Do you need to talk about things?’ So it would be nice to have somebody else you could talk to.”

Cumberland Trail Fire District Chief Tim Hall said the need for services and resources is real.

“We appreciate the governor recognizing the need,” he said. “Mental health is an aspect of our job, whether you be paid or volunteer. A lot of people look at physical health and fitness, and mental health sometimes gets pushed to the side for a number of years.”

Hall said the district has worked to “destigmatize” mental health issues. Hall said responders are encouraged to share any issues they have. The district has an employee assistance program and makes use of the Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters for peer support.

“I was happy to see that dispatchers were included in that as well,” Hall said. “They’re on the front line of communications and having to deal with those 911 calls as they come in. A lot can transpire. … Their jobs can be stressful.”

Barnesville Police Chief Rocky Sirianni said the issue doesn’t just affect responders.

“I think one of the biggest lackings of this nation is resources for people who are having struggles with mental health,” Sirianni said. “We see crimes against young children. Violent crimes against other people, overdose deaths, overdose deaths of children, car crashes, just a multitude of trauma that human beings aren’t generally exposed to.

“If you don’t know how to deal with that or have somebody who can help you with some of that stuff, it can cause you problems for sure,” he continued. “… And you do end up taking that home sometimes, so that takes a toll on your family as well. … That’s your rock. That’s your support system. Your family and the guys you’ve got around you. Having this other resource available just makes it that much better for anybody who might have a hard time with something.

“When you’re working in a small town, you know almost everybody that you’re going to be dealing with,” Sirianni said. “If you’re going to a bad crash or a death scene or something else with a family or someone you know … that’s part of the job, that’s what we all signed up for, and that’s what they do.”

Martins Ferry Police Chief John McFarland said seeing “horrible things” is part of the job for first responders, and dealing with that can be challenging.

“I think that would be a great thing,” he said of the new resources being made available. “Over the years, just speaking for myself, I’ve seen some pretty horrible things, and it goes with all the officers. There’s certain situations that really weigh heavy on your mind.”

Community outreach has been a significant part of McFarland’s focus, including preventive programs to keep young people off drugs.

“You hate to see bad things happen to good people,” he said. “We’ve had kids die and the officers trying to save them and rushing them to the hospital. It definitely plays a lot on your heart and your mind.”