KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knoxville Firefighters Association is the latest organization to sign onto a flag that is making its way to the capitol. The '303 Project,' which honors the life of James Dustin Samples, a Cleveland firefighter that died by suicide, seeks to end the stigma around mental health in the fire service industry.
The flags are a part of that project, and also a way to encourage the passing of SB 0856, also known as 'The James Dustin Samples Act', which seeks to make treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder more accessible for firefighters.
Larry McAfee, the president of Local 65, said the cause is important because PTSD affects many people in the fire service industry.
"Firefighters are diagnosed with PTSD at a three to four times rate higher than the general public. And it's just the ones who are documented, a lot of it goes undiagnosed," McAfee said.
Studies by the International Association of Fire Fighters surveyed 7,000 firefighters. Around 95% said they experience critical stress on the job. One in five said they have thoughts of suicide, and 87% believe there's a stigma that creates a barrier to seeking help.
"For years, there's been a bad stigma about mental health and fire services. And so we're hoping that with the help of state legislators, by passing the Dustin Samples Act, that we can change the stigma and help the ones who protect us get help," McAfee said.
Firefighters do much more than fight fires. They respond to nearly every critical call in the area.
"We fight fires, we go to motor vehicle accidents. We do overdoses on a daily basis, we see countless overdoses. We deal with infants and children and the elderly," McAfee said. "These can weigh heavily on one's psyche."
Dr. Sabine Scoggins, a PTSD specialist, and trauma therapist weighed in on the issue. She said the kind of trauma firefighters experience is comparable to that of a combat veteran or emergency medical personnel.
"Firefighters that come see me may have at least one very significant traumatic event, and then multiple others that are maybe not as significant but still very injurious," Dr. Scoggins said.
She said PTSD can affect nearly every aspect of a person's life if it's left untreated. People sometimes become restless, angry, and disassociate. Others have trouble sleeping, which leads to relationship problems and low-quality job performance.
"It affects that person, it affects their marriage, it affects their children. So this can go in circles that are very detrimental to a person," Dr. Scoggins said.
However, she said PTSD is treatable. It requires specialized therapy. She showed a side-by-side comparison of an untreated brain with PTSD, versus a PTSD brain after treatment.
"This happens to people who run into the fire, while the rest of us run away from it," Dr. Scoggins said. " We have these people that are running into danger for us. It is our duty or obligation to make sure that they go home and they are okay at the end of the day."
McAfee said KFFA, alongside another fire department, plans to go to Nashville with the flags. They hope their pleas for PTSD treatment are well-received at the capitol.
So far, all 50 state senators have signed onto the bill as co-sponsors.