10 August 10-16, 2023 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents cause we had been best friends for a very long time. We worked together for years. We worked at the same station.” The day after Crutcher killed himself, McDade and DFR Chief Dominique Artis paid his family a visit and were standing in Crutcher’s kitchen. “I said to [Artis], ‘My biggest fear is that this is going to get conta- gious,’” McDade recalled. “One triggers an- other,” he said. A couple weeks later, another member of the department died by suicide. After these two deaths, the department brought in some 60 volunteers with the In- ternational Association of Fire Fighters to visit every DFR fire station within a three- day period. The goal was to make known the resources available to people in DFR if they’re struggling with their mental health. Around this time, the Dallas Fire Fight- ers Association started providing counsel- ing services to its members. But the department continued to have problems, McDade said. There was another suicide and two more attempts within the span of a year. Since then, the department has hired a psychologist and plans to hire two more. One of the biggest challenges DFR faces is that a lot of people it hires are coming from a military background. “So, we’ve got guys that are walking in the door who have PTSD,” McDade said. “They have seen things, really bad things, and then we’re bringing them in and putting them in this environment. We owe it to them to make sure that they’re taken care of, but it’s a challenge.” It’s a challenge because he and some others in the department can’t always relate to what others have gone through in the military. Despite this challenge, he said it’s criti- cal that the department ensure everyone knows there are resources out there for those struggling with their mental health. Some people have told McDade that these mental health services have saved their lives. However, he knows there’s more work to be done. McDade thinks the department has failed in a lot of ways on mental health. “They talk a great game about mental health and taking care of us, but on the flip side we’re way understaffed right now, and we’re forcing people to work every day,” he said. “It’s not healthy. You know, the whole world right now in every pro- fession talks about work-life balance and all that kind of stuff. We don’t have that. … I think we’re setting ourselves up for bad things because we don’t really take a lot of these things seriously.” When it comes to struggles with men- tal health within the DFR, it’s all prevent- able, as McDade sees it. “We work a dangerous job where people are going to get hurt and bad things are going to hap- pen,” he said. “But when it comes to men- tal health, we can do something to address those issues.” Unfair Park from p8 West Village• 214-750-5667 • www.avalon-salon.com BEST SPA DALLAS OBSERVER BEST IN THE USA HARPER’S BAZAAR BEST EXPERIENCE D MAGAZINE BEST COLOR SALON ALLURE MAGAZINE BEST HAIR SALON DALLAS OBSERVER 18-TIME WINNER Vote For Us AVAlon - Best sAlon | spA SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9th DALLAS FARMERS MARKET • BACK AT NIGHT! 7-10PM dobrewfest.com 21+ • Rain or Shine VIP Admission 1 Hour Early Entry, Access to VIP Area with Exclusive Beer & Liquor Options, Complimentary Food from Gus’s Fried Chicken, Private Restrooms & More! General Admission 12 - 2 oz. Samples Featuring Craft Beer, Seltzers & More! Food Available For Purchase From: Chicago Style Dog’s, Strouderosa BBQ, Twisted Root Burger Co & Wava Halal Grill ON SALE Now Scan here for tickets and MORE INFORMATION BROUGHT TO YOU BY: BENEFITING: Flexible Healthcare Programs Vote for WCU in the 2023 Best of Dallas awards.
