VIDEO: Cleveland firefighters are leading a walk to Nashville starting on February 14th to raise awareness for suicide, something they say frequently impacts their work community.
The walk will take place over several days, ending on February 23rd. The firefighters will be accompanied by family members, policy leaders and other community members.
The goal is to work toward a change in policy that supports the mental health of firefighters who suffer from hardships they face on duty.
Captain Dustin Samples committed suicide in 2020, after serving the Cleveland community for over 22 years.
Captain Samples's wife, Jennifer, leads a nonprofit called "The 303 Project" that supports the mental health of first responders and is partnering with the walk to raise awareness. SB1023/HB1356 is a bill supported by firefighters statewide that would make the diagnosis of PTSD for a professional firefighter or EMT presumed to be an injury suffered in the course of their work.
