Wollongong firefighters join Talk2MeBro walk for mental health

During the last few weeks, Illawarra's firefighters have been called to so many mental health incidents that they've lost count.

It seems the community is struggling, so when I asked Wollongong's Fire and Rescue NSW firefighters to take a walk with me for mental health awareness, I received a resounding yes.

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We met at 6am on Tuesday, September 19, for a four kilometre walk along the Blue Mile, to talk mental health and how they deal with what they see during an average shift as a firefighter.

The walk was for Talk2MeBro's September fundraiser called Walk With Me. It's raising awareness and funds for the local mental health/suicide prevention charity.

Among the recent mental health incidents firefighters have been called to were two sieges in Dapto - one lasted five hours, the other four hours, and separately, another one that ended with a home destroyed by fire in Albion Park.

FRNSW Wollongong Station Officer Fletcher Gibson's been in the job for years, is married to a paramedic and, as often comes with the job, he hangs out with a lot of other emergency services personnel.

He's seen some stuff that could leave others shaking, but counts work as one of this happy places, along with exercising and going on holidays.

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His colleague, specialist urban search and rescue firefighter Stuart Willick, balances the tough stuff by going fishing "anywhere, anytime".

Matt Ellem's new to the station and said the good stuff about being being a firefighter outweighs the tough moments.

For Dave Elliott getting up early and exercising by the ocean is his medicine to a tough shift at work.

I've registered to walk and raise funds for Walk With Me and I've set a personal goal of 120 kilometres to help those struggling. So far I've walked 86 kilometres.

Find out more at talk2mebro.org.au or make a tax deductible donation here.

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