Uselman: It’s time to give MN firefighters the health support they need Minnesota ranks 48th in the nation in fire department and firefighter funding, down from 44th in just one year. Something must be done to reverse these harrowing trends. Written By: Dean Uselman | × Dean Uselman (2021) In my 37 years in the fire service, I’ve witnessed many traumatic scenes. And just as difficult is spending hours talking with fellow firefighters about what they’ve just experienced or worse yet, seeing my firefighting brothers and sisters struggle alone with the emotional toll of the job. It’s well-known that those in the fire service experience much higher rates of mental health challenges than the general population – particularly in the areas of sleep disorders, depression, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal ideation/action. During my tenure as the Wadena Fire Chief, I’ve had to direct firefighters to leave a gruesome scene where perhaps a loved one was tragically lost; or simply not respond to a call that may cause them emotional trauma. It’s estimated that 30 percent of first responders develop behavioral health conditions including depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as compared with 20 percent in the general population.