Fire Service Mental Health: Here's what you need to know.

On a very special Firefighter Netcast show, John Mitchell welcomes back Jeff Dill, a Battalion Chief of the Palatine Rural Fire Protection District in Inverness, IL.  and retired Hinsdale (IL) Fire Chief Pat Kenny for an intensely personal discussion on firefighter suicides and mental health.

B/C Dill is a nationally recognized authority on behavioral health issues within the fire service.  He established Counseling Services for Fire Fighters, LLC based on the tragic events that surrounded Hurricane Katrina. When speaking with firefighters who returned after serving the community of New Orleans, Jeff heard the pleas of firefighters who had a difficult time talking with counselors who did not have any firefighting experience. They became frustrated and never did seek the help they needed.

Joining Chief Dill will be a very special guest- retired Fire Chief Patrick Kenny of the Hinsdale (IL) Fire Department.  Chief Kenny is the Assistant Executive Director of the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association and a representative at the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Seminar on Depression and Suicide.

Tragically, in 2006, Chief Kenny lost his son Sean to suicide.  He reflects on the obstacles and challenges he faced as a father as well as a chief officer during his personal nightmare.  Since then, Chief Kenny has travelled across the nation and around the world sharing his intensely personal story and promoting advocacy of mental health awareness in the fire service and beyond.

Join in the live conversation here Wednesday night at 9pm ET.