Nonprofit works to provide mental health for FDNY firefighters – Bronx Times

Former FDNY firefighter Lt. Kevin Dermody of Engine 82 in the South Bronx

Photo courtesy Kevin Dermody

Firefighters put their lives on the line every day to protect and save people. But the question remains, who is looking after their mental health?

The number of firefighter suicides is estimated to be at least 100 per year. According to the “Ruderman White Paper on Mental Health and Suicide of First Responders,” the suicide rate for firefighters is 18 per 100,000 compared to 13 per 100,000 for the general public.

For more than two decades active and retired FDNY members and their families have had the opportunity to seek help from a nonprofit, Friends of Firefighters, which was launched shortly after Sept.11, 2001.

Former FDNY Commissioner and current board member of Friends of Firefighters Daniel Nigro spoke with the Bronx Times about the success and importance of the program.

“Three-hundred-forty-three firefighters died a matter of minutes on 9/11,” Nigro said. “I visited every firehouse. There was a huge amount of pain and loss.”

Friends of Firefighters is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides independent, confidential and free mental health counseling and wellness services to active and retired FDNY firefighters and their family members.

However, due to the stigma of mental health, many firefighters were reluctant to take advantage of the nonprofit in the beginning, Nigro said. But over time it became a place where the FDNY brethren felt comfortable speaking about their issues.

According to Nigro, while the FDNY has in-house counseling, many firefighters do not want it on their record they saw a therapist. So, being able to seek help anonymously made a difference, he said.

“I believe in Friends of Freighters,” Nigro said. “A lot of lives have been helped.”

Nigro said Friends of Firefighters provides counseling to about 200 people annually and in the past couple years its clients have increased by 50…