SOUTH BEND—South Bend Fire Department field safety officer Capt. Chuck Wawrzinika spoke at a balloon release on January 28 to honor the six young men killed in a house fire a week earlier, expressing his and his co-workers' regret. Expressing the trauma they felt. It comes after the deadliest fire in the city's history.
“There was nothing we could have spent that night that would have changed the outcome, and I'm really sorry for that,” Wawrzinika said.
The Jan. 21 fire at 222 N. LaPorte Ave. ultimately killed six of the Smiths' children: Angel, 11, Demetis, 10, Davida, 9, Deontay, 5, and Deontay, 4. 's D'Angelo and 17-month-old Faith.
What we know:Follow all of the Tribune's coverage of the LaPorte Avenue house fire that killed five people.
“In many cases, the efforts we make have positive results,” he said. “I feel better when I go back to the station, I feel better when I go home to my family.
“But that night was different.”
Experiencing Grief on Your Own Timeline
They are stepping up on their own to support firefighters during this difficult time.
Fire departments have peer support teams, made up of firefighters who are trained to actively listen and provide support to their colleagues.
Gerald Ellis, deputy chief of prevention for the South Bend Fire Department, said there are many things that can trigger trauma on the job.
Ellis said he has also encountered some traumatic events in his career. Although he didn't always immediately seek help from his peer support team, he added: There are different ways of dealing with it. You don't always realize it at the time. ”
“In some cases, you may be affected immediately. In some cases, it may be a month or a year later,” he added.
Ellis said mental health resources within the fire department have increased over the past decade.
“Instead of just being told, 'Shut up,' we have a lot of options to seek support,” he said.
Peer support team puts mental health first
The fact that the members of the peer support team are peers – people who have experienced the same traumatic event and can empathize – is what makes the service unique, says Industry of the International Association of Firefighters. said John Niemiec, associate director of behavioral health services.
Currently, there are 11,000 firefighters, paramedics, and 911 emergency dispatchers within IAFF who are trained in peer support throughout the United States and Canada.
Niemiec said that while people typically experience one to three traumatic events in their lifetime, firefighters, EMTs and 911 dispatchers “experience one to three traumatic events a year.” Stated.
“When you multiply that by years of service, in that cumulative effect, we also need to take care of their mental health,” he said.
During his 32 years as a firefighter before working for IAFF, he witnessed two traumatic experiences on the same day.
He recalled going to a facility for children with disabilities and performing CPR on a child less than a year old.
A few hours later, Niemiec answered a call about an elderly woman who committed suicide in the bathtub after learning she had been diagnosed with cancer.
“I can only imagine what it's like to step in there,” he continued. “It's something that's engraved in your brain.”
“The reality is that some first responders have quite demanding, challenging, and traumatic jobs,” said Katherine Herzog, a clinical assistant professor at the Indiana University South Bend School of Social Work. .
Herzog reflected on the role of a firefighter/paramedic, from responding to car accidents, fires, and medical emergencies.
“In responding to that, they're seeing these things,” she explained. “They're seeing the victims, they're seeing the injured, and they're also having to deal with families who are upset and distraught, putting aside the fact that they're carrying a 7-year-old child.”
As the clinical coordinator for the fire department's peer support program, Herzog speaks with first responders, but she said peers can provide more trust and authenticity.
“It's a protective element,” she said of the peer support team's role. “The brain's response to those traumas is normalizing. They can make sure they (first responders) have support to prevent PTSD. They can also make sure that PTSD is already present. If so, you can also think about how you can stay healthy.”
Mr. Niemiec reaffirmed that view, saying that thanks to the services provided today, IAFF members are encouraged to be open.
“It's peer-to-peer,” he reiterated. “It's a matter of trust. It's about teaching[peer support teams]to be aware of those nuances.”
“What are those actions?” he asked. “Look at their vibe.”
“As a fire department, we work as a team,” he clarified. “Our families are separated from our families.”
Niemiec said peer support extends beyond what happens on the job to what happens in firefighters' personal lives, such as firefighters dealing with elderly parents at home, going through a divorce, or facing challenges with children. He said he could support.
“When you see these changes, we are actively listening to you as fellow firefighters. We as firefighters want to solve this problem. You need to tilt it.”
The town continues to grieve, aiming for a path forward
Indiana Rep. Maureen Bauer (D-South Bend) mourned the six lives lost in the Jan. 21 fire and thanked first responders at the scene in Bauer's district for their efforts. expressed his intention.
“Last Sunday, six children lost their lives in the deadliest house fire in South Bend in nearly 100 years. I am heartbroken by this tragedy and send my prayers to the grieving families. “I dedicate it,” she said in a press release.
“We would like to thank the brave first responders of the South Bend Fire Department for their heroic work. We wish Firefighter White, who was injured while trying to save the children, a speedy recovery.”
South Bend Fire Department Chief Carl Buchanon is focused on helping the department move forward from this tragedy.
“We cannot afford to relax or deviate from this case,” he said.
“More calls are coming in and we have to respond,” he said.
He says he doesn't have time to think about “horrible, horrible, horrible things” and “maybe I should take some time to think about it.”
In cases like this, Buchanon said the department's peer support team is “invaluable.”
“They provided help right away,” he said.
A peer support team evaluated the first responders involved and determined whether they should be sent home or continue.
“15, 20, 30 years ago I didn't have anyone to talk to. But now I'm lucky,” he said.
Firefighters primarily from the 2nd, 4th, 7th, 11th and Central precincts were involved, but Buchanon said it's up to the individual and their evaluation as to when they can return to work.
“We want to take good care of our mental health and not hide it,” he said.
“We care about you, we are here for you,” he repeated.
Five of the Smith children died on the night of the fire. Angel Smith later died on January 26 at Riley Children's Health in Indianapolis, where she was airlifted to be treated in the facility's pediatric burn unit.
Buchanon said firefighters at the scene on LaPorte Street were reliving the trauma with the news of Angel Smith's death. It may be a while before they can speak publicly about the matter, he said.
For now, “we're trying not to think about it every moment.”
Email Tribune staff writer Camille Sarabia at csarabia@gannett.com.
