Chap. Tom Freborg, AIC

First responders don’t ask for help well. We are the help. We’re trained to move toward chaos, absorb stress, and keep functioning. We see things most people never will, then we’re expected to shut it off and go home like nothing ever happened. The problem is, the brain doesn’t work that way. The body doesn’t forget. Most responders will never say, “I’m not okay.” But there are tells. And if you’ve been in the responder services long enough, you already know that. Tell #1: A Nervous System...

IDLH is a term every firefighter knows. It means Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health. If the environment is IDLH, you don’t debate it. You either protect yourself properly or you die. You break the seal on your facemask... you're in trouble. Wrists or ears not covered... burnt. What we don’t talk about enough in the fire service — and in first responder culture as a whole — is this: There are IDLH environments for the brain. And for first responders living with PTSI, cumulative stress, or...

I want you to know that I'm preaching to the choir as write this blog. I am 100% guilty of falling into the snares of toxic relationships. I'm the king. If picking the wrong woman was a competitive sport, I would the champion of the world. Books have been written on the reasons why. In short, trauma bonds play a big part. Many people misunderstand trauma bonds. A trauma bond is not love. It’s not loyalty. It’s not passion. A trauma bond forms through cycles of abuse, chaos, reconciliation,...