'I attempted suicide': Desperate calls for relief to slow mental health challenges among firefighters 

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Lieutenant Amanda Bennett is coming out of the shadows and sharing her story.  It’s a story that reveals the daily traumas firefighters are faced with, which for some, has become a crippling reality that is sometimes too much to bear. 

“These traumas manifest in weird ways.  We carry them and don't even realize it, ” Bennett said. “I talked to my brother and seeing the look on his face, it broke my heart.  I knew his heart broke for me because he just had no idea.” 

Bennett, who had dedicated most of her life to saving lives, tried to take her own.  

“I attempted suicide two years ago,” Bennett explained. “I was fortunate my officer was cued in to my struggles.  I was supposed to go into work that day and he couldn't reach me, and he made a decision to detour from his drive to work, to check in on me and he found me.” 

The decision to try to end her life came after spending years in the fire service.  To understand her journey, we must revisit an experience she had in the 7th grade, which changed her life's trajectory.  

She was riding on the bus and heard a loud thud and immediately looked into the bus driver’s eyes, which were filled with shock. 

“I saw pure shock in her eyes,” Bennett remembers. “I looked in the street and saw a woman in the street. The bus backed over her.  We watched her die, she died.” 

Bennett wanted to help the woman, but her bus driver told her and other students to stay on the bus. A short time later, first responders spoke to them all. 

“One of the firefighters got on the bus and just talked to us. They knew that none of us were physically hurt, but they had compassion and empathy. That just really made an impression on me.” 

At 16, she joined her local fire department and since then, she saw things that would stick with her for life. 

"I can't drive past 360 and183 without thinking of a car wreck where an entire family was killed besides one family member, there are little things you never escape,” Bennett said. “I have constant reminders throughout my years in the fire service driving down roads thinking oh that's where a high school girl died, oh that’s where a kid accidentally shot his brother.” 

Her goal, like many firefighters, is to show compassion through selfless acts to help and protect the community. That sacrifice has come at a cost ... long hours, sleep deprivation and images of unimaginable calls that linger.  

“We are supposed to be problem solvers and there is shame, a feeling of weakness if you need help,” Bennett said.  

She was hospitalized and spent several weeks at the International Association of Firefighters' Center of Excellence -- a voluntary treatment facility for firefighters.  

 “It was the first place I really felt safe talking about my vulnerabilities to other firefighters, I didn't have to edit myself,” Bennett said. 

Bennett joined a growing number of firefighters facing mental health challenges across the country. 

 “That day I decided to end my life I felt like there was no other way forward,” Bennett said. 

More Mental Health Resources For Local Firefighters

“I've been with Austin for 15 years and we've lost four people to suicide,” said Bennett. 

As Austin firefighters grapple with a recent suicide in their department, the Austin Firefighters Association (AFA) is calling for specific tools to provide help to the men and women who keep the community safe. AFA says there is no threat to service. 

“Firefighters are pretty resilient, but they are humans, everyone has a breaking point, and they need some relief,” said Bob Nicks, AFA’s president.  

Data from the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA) shows from 2014-2020, more firefighters died by suicide than in the line of duty. FBHA estimates about 60% reporting from across the US.  It tracks suicides of firefighters (career, volunteer, wildland and military firefighters) EMS, and dispatchers.

FBHA says Texas has the 4th highest reported suicides in FBHA's data of the 50 states and believes moral injury plays a larger role than PTS.    

With data like this coupled with the day-to-day challenges facing firefighters, Nicks wants to bring in an extra cadet class and is calling for an additional workweek reduction from 53 hours a week down to about 50.6 hours which he says would be about a 2–4 year process. 

“That's similar to what Portland does currently and others are trying to adopt it because of the positive mental health aspects,” Nicks said. 

Solutions In Portland, Oregon

In 2022, the Portland Fire Fighters’ Association reduced its work week to 50.4 hours. 

 “Our main motivation in that contract was to reduce mental health issues, we knew that reducing hours, less time on the job means better health and wellness,” explained Isaac McLennan, firefighter and the president of the Portland Fire Fighters' Association.   

While they are working to get firm data to measure success, McLennan says they saw an instant boost in morale and behavioral health among their firefighters.  But reducing the workweek also came with a huge burden to the city and taxpayers. 

“There was a huge demand to work overtime because they didn't have enough people so much so it was the worst year in overtime, they spent $25 million in overtime,” McLennan said. 

 That is why he says creating a robust pipeline early on is necessary. 

“If you do sign this you need to hire enough people to make sure you can fill those spots because otherwise, you will be faced with gigantic overtime bills," explained McLennan. 

Proposed Solutions In Austin 

City Council Members Alison Alter, Makenzie Kelly and Ryan Alter announced proposed amendments as Austin is expected to finalize its budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The items would address handling overtime in the department and bringing in an additional cadet class to help with a possible future workweek reduction.

KXAN reached out to all council members for a temperature check of where they stand on the items, we will update this story when we hear back and if the items are adopted. 

Immediate Answers

Bennett believes a reduced work week would help but knows there is no quick fix.  She does believe there are some immediate answers. 

let's be honest with ourselves so we can be honest with the people close to us so they can help us,” Bennett said. “My goal is to keep the conversation going and set clear paths forward for people who feel like there are not any options.” 

Response from Austin Fire Department

KXAN reached out to the Austin Fire Department, seeking a response to the calls from the Austin Firefighters Association. Here’s the department’s statement: 

The job of firefighters is a physically and emotionally taxing role that requires repeated exposure to potentially deadly elements and traumatic circumstances. 

The Austin Fire Department (AFD) is continually striving to mitigate these inherent risks and relieve pressures associated with the job while maintaining service to our residents. This includes working toward fulfilling the reduced work week outlined in the collective bargaining agreement, pursuing resources to manage workload, ensuring firefighters have access to personal protective equipment and adhering to best practices for cleaning and maintaining it. The department is also facilitating increased access to screenings for conditions more likely to impact firefighters and immediate access to doctors, psychologists, peer support and chaplains who specialize in treatment within the public safety environment. 

There is no finish line to these efforts. The environment firefighters work in requires ongoing conversations to continue addressing the ever-changing landscape, but our constant priority has been and will continue to be the safety and wellbeing of the firefighters who care for our community during their most vulnerable moments. 

-- Austin Fire Department

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. Crisis counselors are available 24/7.