By Erik Bascome
Staten Island Advance
NEW YORK 鈥� Many of the New Yorkers who鈥檝e dedicated their careers to saving their neighbors鈥� lives have at one point considered taking their own.
For first responders, each day has the chance to bring tremendous stress, trauma and, in many cases, overwhelming grief.
Police officers responding to a domestic dispute, but arriving too late to prevent an eventual murder-suicide. Firefighters valiantly battling blazes, but unable to save someone trapped inside. Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) transporting a critically-injured patient to the hospital, but seeing them die in their arms before they arrive.
Many people can go their whole lives without witnessing such tragedies, but for first responders, those traumatic experiences can occur again and again.
These heartbreaking events, coupled with long hours, stressful workplace environments and limited time with friends and family, result in first responders suffering from elevated rates of mental health issues like stress, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and in the most severe cases, suicidal thoughts and efforts to take their own lives.
Oren Barzilay, president of FDNY EMS Local 2507, the union representing New York City鈥檚 EMTs, told the Advance/ that he has witnessed the stresses of the job drive eight of his members to commit suicide since 2020.
鈥淭his is not your normal Monday through Friday type of job. It鈥檚 extremely taxing and mentally draining the things that my men and women see on a daily basis, which are violence against [senior citizens], violence against kids, elder abuse, child abuse, rapes, gunshot wounds, stabbings, physical assaults and death,鈥� said Barzilay.
鈥淭hey see death on a daily basis and it takes a toll on people, hence why we see our men and women showing signs of PTSD, but they don鈥檛 have the support and help they need,鈥� he added.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) notes that suicidal thoughts and attempts are more common among first responders than one might realize.
鈥淔irst responders may be at elevated risk for suicide because of the environments in which they work, their culture, and stress, both occupational and personal,鈥� according to the CDC . 鈥淟aw enforcement officers and firefighters are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty. Furthermore, EMS providers are 1.39 times more likely to die by suicide than the public.鈥�
Majority of first responders struggling
A new report commissioned by the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) found exceedingly high rates of mental health challenges among New York鈥檚 first responders.
Researchers surveyed more than 6,000 New Yorkers working in law enforcement, emergency medical services, fire services, emergency communications and emergency management to gain a clearer understanding of the mental health impacts associated with some of the state鈥檚 most challenging, and often traumatizing, jobs.
The results were staggering, with the majority of respondents claiming to experience stress (68%), burnout (59%), symptoms associated with depression (53%) and anxiety (52%).
Perhaps most concerningly, roughly 16% of all first responders reported thoughts of suicide, which is four times higher than the rate of the state鈥檚 general population.
And the jobs are not only taking a toll on first responders鈥� mental health, but also affecting their relationships with loved ones.
Four in five first responders, 80%, said the stress of their jobs has negatively impacted their home lives, with 75% saying it has hurt their social lives; 72% saying it鈥檚 hurt their family relationships; and 67% saying it鈥檚 hurt their friendships.
Retired NYPD Sgt. Mike Peruggia, who spent much of his career in the Employee Assistance Unit providing peer counseling and suicide prevention to his fellow officers, said the challenges cops face at work often lead to issues in their personal lives, which is the point at which many seek help.
鈥淚t鈥檚 rare when they come in and say a particular call bothered me. It鈥檚 usually something from a family perspective that sparks it, like a divorce, a separation or a kid rebelling against them. But then as you go deeper, a lot of police work stuff ends up coming out, which to me tells me that there is a definite correlation between the two,鈥� Peruggia said.
He noted that it鈥檚 not just the traumatic events, like officer-involved shootings, that weigh heavily on the minds of New York City鈥檚 police officers, but also the frustration of not always being able to provide help to those who need it.
鈥淵ou come into somebody鈥檚 house and they鈥檙e crying because something happened and sometimes you can鈥檛 fix it. That鈥檚 frustrating. They expect you to fix it and you expect yourself to fix it because you put on this uniform every day and you took this position in the police department to help people,鈥� he explained.
Unions sound the alarm
The unions that represent New York City鈥檚 first responders said more must be done at the city and state level to address the challenges facing their members.
The Police Benevolent Association (PBA) cited the need for additional staffing and improved work schedules to allow police officers more time off to decompress and spend time with friends and family.
鈥淧olice officers aren鈥檛 just dealing with the dangerous or tragic situations they encounter out on the street. They are struggling with long hours and inconsistent schedules due to understaffing,鈥� said PBA President Patrick Hendry.
The union also cited anti-police policies and rhetoric as driving forces in the constant anxiety experienced by many of its members.
鈥淭hey are also under constant pressure and scrutiny, worrying whether they鈥檒l be punished just for trying to do their job. Police managers and our city and state leaders need to do more than provide resources to help members cope with a toxic work environment,鈥� Hendry said.
An NYPD representative pointed to a plethora of mental health-related resources available to all officers, but did not comment on the union鈥檚 calls for higher staffing levels, better work schedules and what union officials referred to as 鈥渇airer disciplinary actions.鈥�
They referenced Police Organization Providing Peer Assistance (POPPA), a non-department volunteer police peer support network committed to providing a confidential, safe and supportive environment for struggling officers.
鈥淓very available service is critical to our members鈥� mental health and wellbeing, which is of paramount importance not only to the department, but also to the New Yorkers they serve,鈥� a police spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, officials from FDNY EMS Local 2507 accused the city of completely neglecting the mental health needs of their members, claiming that the FDNY鈥檚 Counseling Service Unit is only concerned with aiding firefighters while EMTs are left to struggle.
鈥淢any of my members have been turned away when they were asking for help. Many of my members have not even gotten a return phone call from the FDNY Counseling Service Unit,鈥� Barzilay said.
He also claimed that many of his members are forced to pay out-of-pocket to visit mental health professionals who specialize in PTSD.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to make it about money, but we are the lowest-paid first responders in New York City and our health insurance doesn鈥檛 cover the kind of therapy that my men and women need,鈥� he added.
An FDNY representative disputed both these claims, stating that the FDNY鈥檚 Counseling Service Unit does provide support to EMS members, and that the department covers co-pays for visits to mental health professionals.
Stigma surrounding mental health remains an issue
As has been the case for decades, the stigma surrounding mental health issues remains a barrier to seeking support for many first responders.
The state鈥檚 First Responder Mental Health Needs Assessment found that 90% of respondents felt that services, like therapy and peer support groups, would help improve first responder mental health, but 80% said the stigma that enshrouds seeking help prevents them from doing so.
鈥淭here is a stigma, for sure. I think it鈥檚 more acceptable these days [to seek help], but there are still people who are afraid to come forward and we later on find out that they took the extreme measure to end their life,鈥� Barzilay said.
The report found that many first responders also fear that seeking help could have major professional consequences, with 74% fearing it may negatively impact their careers and alter the way they鈥檙e treated by leadership.
Additionally, 68% said that they feared losing their pistol license, which is a common concern among police officers struggling with mental health issues.
Efforts to address the issues
There are currently various efforts at the city, state and federal level to address the scourge of mental health issues plaguing first responders.
The New York City Council鈥檚 Progressive Caucus is working to secure $5.5 million to bolster mental health services for first responders throughout the five boroughs.
The plan includes $4.5 million to add 60 peer specialists to staff the city鈥檚 multi-agency mental health and crisis response teams, as well as $1 million for the creation of a pilot EMS Wellness & Peer Support Program.
At the state level, Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed launching a First Responder Counseling Scholarship Program through the State University of New York ( SUNY ), which would provide financial assistance to first responders seeking counseling degrees to support their colleagues.
The governor has also proposed the elimination of various outdated recruiting standards in an effort to address staffing issues.
The proposed changes include raising the New York State Police retirement age to 63 and removing the 35-year-old maximum age restriction for law enforcement recruitment.
At the federal level, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) have introduced the First Responders Wellness Act, a bipartisan bill to expand the mental health services available to our nation鈥檚 first responders.
The bill, if passed, will establish a dedicated first responders mental health hotline to provide peer and emotional support, information, brief intervention, and mental or behavioral health and substance use resources.
漏 2025 Staten Island Advance, N.Y.
Visit .
Distributed by