Firefighters: An occupational case study of resilience

Abstract

Firefighters represent a useful population to study trauma exposure and consequences, as they are a high-risk, high stress occupational group. Despite their routine exposure to potentially traumatic events, the majority of career firefighters are resilient, completing 25 years or more in their profession. For example, rates of PTSD are thought to be lower among firefighters as compared to those who have been exposed to high numbers of potentially traumatic events in the general population. This chapter offers a look into what we currently know and what we hope to know about firefighters’ resilience and well-being in the face of disaster.