Firefighters are well aware of the pain of PTSD. They’re also often familiar with the stigma that comes with it. We’ve talked about these topics on the Code 3 Podcast in the past, but in this episode, we’re looking at the issue from the perspective of a female firefighter.
PTSD has been seen as a sign of weakness, and, to some degree, it still is, unfortunately. The judgment can even come from firefighters who are experiencing PTSD themselves.
Christy Warren is a retired Captain from the Berkeley (California) Fire Department. She has 25 years of service as a paramedic, with 17 years as a firefighter. She was diagnosed with PTSD in May 2014 and even considered suicide.
Warren ultimately left the fire service and now serves as a peer at the West Coast Post Trauma Retreat. Warren shares her story.
