DENVER — Paramedics, EMTs, firefighters, and police officers gathered Tuesday night to remember Debbie Crawford, a long-time Denver Health paramedic.
Crawford, who had been working as a paramedic since the 1980s, reportedly died by suicide a few hours after responding to a fatal accident between a light rail train and a pedestrian, reports FOX31.
“Tonight we’re here to honor her memory, and to carry that memory forward,” said Scott Bookman, chief paramedic at Denver Health.
Crawford was a mentor to others in the city’s mental health community. She co-founded and chaired a committee recently formed by the Denver Health Paramedic Division to help fellow paramedics dealing with PTSD and mental illness caused by the job.
“Making each other stronger is the first step we can take together towards making some sense of this and moving forward,” said Bookman
“We recognize working in the emergency medical services field can be stressful, and the Paramedic Division is committed to providing support and resources for our staff,” said Denver Health in a statement released Tuesday.
“A peer support team has been in place and recently a committee was formed to provide education about prevention and identification, as well as resources and support for team members who may be struggling. Deb was the chair of the committee and felt passionately about this work, which will continue in her honor.”