Durango Fire uses teamwork to support mental health

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“It’s critically important for people who run fire service agencies to understand that you don’t have 180 stainless steel objects working for you. You’ve got 180 human beings who’ve experienced horrible things.”
— Durango Fire Chief Hal Doughty

“For a great part of our history, there’s been a stigma about needing to be tough and not showing your emotions,” said Durango Fire Chief Hal Doughty. “It set fire departments on a path for disaster.” The Durango Fire Department is fighting behavioral health stigma by incorporating a peer support team into their department, “where emergency responders, backed by mental health training, provide confidential support for their peers.”

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