By FireRescue1 Staff
ATLANTA — A Georgia bill aims to help first responders cope with traumatic incidents by giving them access to peer support.
GovTech.com reported that House Bill 703, introduced by former Georgia State Trooper Rep. Bill Hitchens, would create the Governor’s Office of Public Safety Support department that would give first responders access to peer support teams and post-critical incident seminars.
A full-time staff consisting of first responders trained to be peer support members would be implemented to hold seminars that would address mental health issues for first responders.
“Really, do we want somebody riding up and down the roads that’s suffering from those kinds of problems, that may explode at any moment, dealing with people? It’s a two-edge sword — it’s good for the public and it’s good for [first responders] as well,” Hitchens said.
Patrick Cullinan, a 28-year police, fire and EMS veteran, who turned to alcohol to suppress his depression and did not ask for help, said a program like this would prevent first responders from doing the same.
“The most impactful thing I did in my 28-year career was attend one of those seminars,” Cullinan said. “This would save families, not just jobs.”