Our emergency service workers are facing unprecedented situations. The high level of trauma they deal with has probably hit record levels. What sadly has not hit record level, but has actually hit low levels, is the support they are receiving. Police officers, firefighters and paramedics are ending their own lives. The level of suicide amongst police officers and firefighters has hit new levels. But who actually cares?
It seems very few. It is organisations like PTSD 999 and individuals such as Gary Hayes, a retired police officer, who dedicate their lives to helping these workers break through the stigma, reach out for help, and access life-saving mental health support.
Gary Hayes from PTSD 999 spends his life supporting our emergency service workers, where others do not. And the saddest part is services that should be reaching out to him fail to do so, as they state they do not have the money. No money is available to support their own officers’ wellbeing. The level of trauma our emergency service workers deal with is unprecedented. These people witness horrors, it’s as simple as that. Yet again, who actually cares?
Gary is a retired copper, who has stared suicide in the face and come through it. Now he helps others. His work is life-saving. It is this week that a police officer, clinging on desperately, saw a PTSD 999 leaflet and fortunately made that call. Yet Gary approaches endless police leaders, urging them to get PTSD 999 on board to help, even offering to do sessions for no money, just travel expenses, and yet they still fail to take Gary’s offers up. This is a silent crisis that very few are addressing. These are people that run towards danger, run into burning buildings, rush to save lives. And when they need us the most, what do we do? Nothing.
We all know suicide is up for all three emergency service workers, but where are the wellbeing programmes? They are far and few between. Police officers are run ragged, firefighters are dealing with horrors. Once they leave a job, who is there to support their mental health? How do they decompress? Most do not; they just move on to their next job, and then the next, the pattern continues. Every session provided by PTSD 999 saves lives, it’s simple. After every session Gary undertakes, people remain there to chat with him, looking for support. That trauma is there and remains, yet the support these blue-light workers receive is not. These people are there when our lives are in danger, why are we not there when they need us the most?
Gary told the Havering Daily:
“The importance of internal mental health communication was proven recently when a PTSD999 flyer placed on a station noticeboard resulted in a life-saving intervention. A long serving officer had suffered in silence for far too long after a trauma-based incident began to haunt them on a regular basis. Due to the stigmas and embarrassment associated with and around mental health, the officer was reluctant to reach out to their supervisors for some help and intervention, knowing that a simple request for help may result in ridicule from other officers!”
For many in the emergency services, admitting to struggling is a significant barrier to seeking help. However, the presence of the PTSD 999 literature provided a discreet and accessible signpost for an officer at a breaking point. By encouraging the officer to reach out, that single piece of paper bridged the gap between silent suffering and professional support.
Advocates say this reinforces the need for consistent, visible reminders of the support networks available. It proves that placing resources right where officers can see them isn’t just raising awareness—it is saving lives.
Trust is a huge factor for officers in public-facing roles, or for those in supporting roles equally. As Gary states: “We are not here to judge but to listen and advise. You are not alone.”
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