9/11 luncheon in Omaha shines light on first responder mental health

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - The First Responders Foundation annual 9/11 luncheon spotlights the stigma around first responder mental health.

The Foundation was created following the New York terrorist attacks.

It supports the mental and emotional well-being of first responders and veterans through its many programs.

“So many brave men and women first responders, rushed into those building to save lives,” said foundation President Todd Sears. “Throughout the country you have those people doing the same thing each and every day.”

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer was this years keynote speaker.

His speech was focused on common ground Americans found after the attacks and how its relates to today.

There are few days more significant than September 11th.

It remains in the conscious of the country even more than two decades later.

Following the speech, Chief discussed with six news the mental strain of being a first responder.

He says the stress of the job can cause a mental build up.

“It just builds up over a slow period of time a lot of stress” said Chief Schmaderer. “To the point you’re not even realizing its not even building up.”

Regularly checking in with his staff is important.

“The key to mental health in our profession is to stop that build up, realize that plagues gonna build and erase it before it gets to that tipping point,” said Chief Schmaderer. “That is what we try to do in the police department.”

Omaha Fire Chief Kathy Bossman says firefighters have to compartmentalize their emotions on a stressful day to keep focused on the emergency at hand.

A habit that is tough for some to break.

“You get very good at packing that emotion away so you can perform your duties in a professional manner,” said Chief Bossman. “If you do not have the resilience tools needed to manage those emotions and work through them, you can eventually find yourself dealing with less healthy coping mechanisms.”

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