Need help? Please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1 (800) 273-8255, or visit www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org to chat with a counselor.
By Laura French
NEW YORK — An off-duty FDNY EMS lieutenant died by suicide last week and union officials say they believe pandemic-related PTSD may have been a factor in his death.
FDNY EMS Lt. Matthew Keene, 38, was found dead in his home in Nyack Friday after not showing up for his shift at EMS Station 17 in the Bronx, according to the New York Post.
Keene had worked at the FDNY for nine years and was well-liked by everyone, Uniformed EMS Officers Union President Vincent Variale told the Post.
Variale said that those close to Keene felt he was under a lot of stress, and that it is believed PTSD experienced by many department members during the pandemic may have been a factor in his suicide.