Trending Topics

Code 3 Podcast: What officers need to know about crew trauma

Fire Chief Jared Meeker explains how leaders can watch for signs of emotional trauma among the crew

AP_19086555694078-1.jpg

We’ve all heard that the job can lead to PTSD. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to be looking for signs of emotional trauma. Then, you can take steps to help.

Rita L Reith/Indianapolis Fire Department via AP

One of the most important roles of a leader is to take care of their crew. That means if you’re a company officer, you need to be aware of your crewmembers’ emotional state.

We’ve all heard that the job can lead to PTSD. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to be looking for signs of emotional trauma. Then, you can take steps to help.

On this episode of the Code 3 podcast, Jared Meeker explains how to do just that. Meeker is a fire chief in a combination fire department in upstate New York, and has over 30 years of experience in the fire service. He teaches incident command skills for fire officers and career survival skills for all first responders.

Code 3 is hosted by award-winning journalist Scott Orr, who has covered the fire/EMS/police beat for most of his 30-plus year career in news. He’s worked around the country in both TV and print. Orr was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease over a decade ago, but that doesn’t stop him from interviewing fire service leaders on issues that concern firefighters around the nation.