Welcome to Gaia! ::

Brothers and sisters,

It's time i've come clean on this. Recently, within the past few months, i've been plagued with an illness. I had fought cancer in the past (testiclar for sensor) that was linked to a few chemicals i came in contact with on the job. In November of 2015, i watched a man commit suicide. I tried negotiating with him - and he dropped. He jumped 5 stories, and i haven't handled it well what so ever. It got to the point where I was diagnosed with PTSD because of it - and its not something easy to live with. I replay that call every day in my head, all the time, trying to find out why I wasn't good enough - i see his impact every night when i go to sleep. I'm afraid to sleep; he landed a few feet away from me.

What im trying to say here is that when we sign up in this field, whether it be police, fire, or Emergency Medical Services, we accept these risks. We accept every little thing that we see, every little thing that we do will never be forgotten. I was an unorthodox EMT, i had tactics that very well could have had me admitted as well, but it worked. and now, i suffer.

For now, and on, if anybody needs to talk about anything, remember that this is a family, and if one is judged, action will be taken. We are family, remember that. I'm here, hopefully just like everybody else. I'm trying to become more active as well as helping Chief 30 revive this guild. This s**t isn't easy to cope with - you dont have to venture alone. I will be introducing a CISD program to the guild, not only in roleplay for bad, bad calls, but in general as well. if anyone is struggling with something, we need to come together and see to it that the person struggling is okay. The suicide rate of EMT's, Veterans, Officers, Firefighters, and even civilians, is way too high, and it needs to stop. Its not easy on any party, responders and family alike, and this is why this is being sent out, mainly. These struggles go unnoticed by many, the symptoms may take a while for it to show, and sometimes it can be a false diagnosis. The time our family struggles alone is over - talk to somebody, get help, dont take matters into your own hands before coming to us first. we are exposed to things before we know how bad they will turn - all it takes is a second. You could be fighting that blaze and feel someone's missing pulse, or have to call a bird for the 3 year old that fell out of a window and hit his head, that wont make it by road.

Remember that we are here,

From the desk of yours truly,

Assistant 30,

XSupreme OverlordX , AKA Luke.