Standing with Our First Responders: A Heartfelt Thank You to the Tennessee Professional Firefighters Association
“Sometimes I Call My Mom.”
Those were the words spoken by Murfreesboro City Firefighter Ben Honeycutt—now Captain Honeycutt—when I asked how he coped with the trauma and stress of the job. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting such a heartfelt response. But thinking about it now, I’m sure many of us wish we could pick up the phone and call our moms after a difficult day.
The firefighter association puts together the best reception of any downtown Nashville. What is interesting they have the firefighters go around to legislators and staff and refill sweet tea and offer to get them seconds on the Uncle Buds Catfish. I rarely attend any receptions and I’ve never seen occur. It reminds of the old adage “The way to a man’s heart is to feed him.”
When I was first elected, local firefighters reached out about needing better access to mental health care. To be honest, I didn’t completely understand the need at first. But after listening to their stories, my perspective completely changed—a paradigm shift.
While I won’t go into the details of their individual stories here, we often explore these deeply personal issues on my radio program, Conversations with Mike Sparks, heard every Sunday from 5 to 6 p.m. on WGNS (100.5 FM, 101.9 FM, 1450 AM, or streaming live at WGNSradio.com).
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Ironically, I went to college to become an Emergency Medical Technician, but I eventually realized the field wasn’t for me.
When I was first elected I recall meeting with Murfreesboro firefighters and them advocating for more access to mental health treatment sessions. When they first approached me I really didn’t think that much about it. I think had a ‘paradigm shift’ and started listening to firefighters. I heard their stories that I want go into detail here, but we have on my radio program ‘Conversations with Mike Sparks’ heard each Sunday from 5-6pm on WGNS radio 100.5FM, 101.9FM or 1450am or online WGNSradio.com.
Tennessee’s First Responder Mental Health Crisis
I am deeply honored and proud to receive the official endorsement of the Tennessee Professional Fire Fighters Association (TPFFA). Tennessee’s firefighters represent the best of us—stepping into danger, running toward burning structures, and providing critical emergency care when the rest of us are having our worst days.
While we readily recognize the physical dangers these men and women face daily, we too often overlook the invisible injuries they carry long after the sirens fade.
The Hidden Crisis Facing Our Firefighters
An increasing number of firefighters are dying by suicide, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) contracted directly from exposures experienced while serving the public. Firefighters and rescue personnel develop PTSD at rates comparable to military service members returning from combat. A study published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology revealed that approximately 20 percent of firefighters and paramedics meet the criteria for PTSD during their careers—compared to just 6.8 percent in the general population.
Tragically, this toll is reflected in suicide rates. The Ruderman White Paper on Mental Health and Suicide of First Responders estimates that at least 100 firefighters take their own lives every year. The suicide rate for firefighters sits at roughly 18 per 100,000, significantly higher than the general public rate of 13 per 100,000.
Why Current Support Systems Fall Short
Part of the reason this crisis persists is a critical gap in care:
Lack of Cultural Competency: First responders face unique, repeated trauma. Standard counseling often misses the mark because many clinicians lack the specific background needed to understand first-responder culture.
Ill-Equipped Local EAPs: Standard Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) provided by local municipalities are frequently under-resourced or unprepared to handle severe, chronic trauma and acute post-traumatic stress.
