John Rose of Oak Bluffs: The Real Struggle of Volunteer Firefighters

John Rose of Oak Bluffs explains that most of the time, a volunteer firefighter is not paid. These individuals save people from fires as well as other emergencies. They also respond to emergency calls and put out and prevent the spread of fires.

Volunteer firefighters also work with other professionals, such as EMTs and the police, and are also trained to administer first aid to people with injuries and conduct safety checks.

Volunteer firefighters work in different types of situations. They work through fires in houses or buildings, where they may need to put out electrical or cooking fires, or fires caused by lightning, as well as those caused by other accidents.

They also work with other firefighters in the event of a forest fire, which is uncontrolled and sometimes large-scale.

Because of the nature of their work, there are serious and ongoing health and safety concerns for the fire and emergency services. According to John Rose of Oak Bluffs, the National Volunteer Fire Council, or NVFC, has released many resources to help fire departments address these concerns. These resources include the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program, the B.E.S.T. Practices for Firefighter Health and Safety, vehicle safety initiatives, and health and safety training.

John Rose of Oak Bluffs also points out that the challenges of volunteer firefighters go way beyond the physical.

In recent years, it has become abundantly clear that mental health and safety are as important as physical health and safety, or perhaps even more so. Countless mental health professionals have mentioned the need for employees in the fire and EMS departments to be extremely vigilant and observant with their colleagues.

The truth of the matter is that volunteer firefighters deal with intense pressures and horrifying traumas on a daily basis. All of this can have a significant impact on their mental and emotional well-being.

Mental health issues such as PTSD, chronic stress and anxiety, sleep disorders, depression, and other behavioral health issues impact not only the affected individual but also the rest of the department and their families as well.

When the behavioral health needs of a firefighter or EMS provider are not addressed, this could very well lead to significant emotional distress, unsafe behaviors at incident scenes, addiction, shattered familial and personal relationships, or even suicide.

This is why John Rose of Oak Bluffs believes the fire service community must understand how important mental and emotional health is and, in turn, provide the necessary training and resources for our personnel in order to help them through any issues they may be facing.

John Rose, an Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard native, excelled as a multi-sport athlete in high school, notably leading the golf team as captain. With certifications including Fire Prevention Officer and Fire Officer 1, John demonstrates a strong commitment to public safety. In his free time, he enjoys golf, fishing, hiking, skiing, and bike riding, embracing both community dedication and an adventurous spirit. Dedicated to Oak Bluffs, John Rose strives to positively impact the lives of its residents. Read similar blogs on this page.