JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Statistics from the U.S. Fire Administration show that approximately 100 firefighters die by suicide each year.
While some platforms are censoring the word suicide because of the stigma it carries, families of those who have taken their own lives are left to deal with the aftermath -- and some want suicide to be talked about more, not less.
Suicide Prevention: List of resources available in Florida
Among those is Corey Opper, whose brother was a firefighter, lifeguard and Marine. Opper shared how his brother’s struggle with mental health ultimately led to his suicide.
A last conversation
Sitting on a barstool in Ink Factory Brewing, a local bar in Jacksonville Beach, Corey Opper shared a bittersweet memory.
“This is actually where we had our last conversation,” Corey said of his brother, Garrett, who died by suicide in 2022.
“It’s one of those days that live with you forever,” Corey said. “In the back of my mind, I knew it was probably going to happen someday. There was nothing I could do to stop that. But when it happened…you’re just like, ‘Damn.’"
Corey explained that Garrett had attempted suicide before, but family and friends intervened and got his brother help.
As he sat with News4JAX reporter Briana Brownlee and photojournalist Jesse Hanson, Corey shared Garrett’s story.
Garrett was always a servant to his community, working as a lifeguard on Atlantic Beach in his teenage years and then enlisting in the military at 18.
Garrett’s mental health began to decline after he joined the Marines and was deployed to Iraq three times.
“His second tour in Iraq, he was part of a mass casualty event where about 10 Marines were killed, and a bunch more were wounded,” Corey said. “He was there during the event. He wasn’t physically harmed, per se.”
The weight of trauma
While Garrett survived physically, the mental scars of what he witnessed in combat lingered.
Despite his trauma, he felt an urge to help and protect others, which led him to join the St. Johns County Fire Department.
“Well, now you’re taking your existing PTSD, and it’s being compounded,” Corey said.
Initially, things were good for Garrett with the department; he loved the job. But over time, Corey noticed the toll it took on his brother.
“For me, I could see the pain in his eyes and knew he was keeping something inside. It wasn’t something he shared all the time,” he said.
David Stevens, president of the St. Johns Fire Union, shared the gravity of the situation.
“It’s awful. We have had three suicides in the last two years. It’s devastating,” he said.
NOTE: If you or anyone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
Garrett is included in that count.
“There’s a problem in the fire service,” Stevens added. “Suicides have surpassed line-of-duty deaths now.”
This issue has been recognized for years, but is now growing at an alarming rate.
Burnout, trauma, and high stress are significant factors threatening the mental health of firefighters. However, Stevens said it goes deeper than that.
“When people think of being a firefighter, they always have this image of going and helping their community, and we do,” Stevens said, “But there is a downside to that. Firefighters are at risk for cancer, heart disease, depression, and suicide. Almost one-third of our department is utilizing the mental health services the department provides. One-third of our firefighters, in some form or fashion, have said, ‘I need someone to talk to.’”
Jacksonville Association of Firefighters president Kelly Dobson said fire stations in Jacksonville are battling the same war. During his career, he has known two firefighters who died by suicide.
“We don’t know how each individual, when they get hired, how they will be affected,” Dobson said. “No human being is supposed to see what a firefighter sees.”
Legislative response
According to the Ruderman White Paper on Mental Health and Suicide of First Responders, the suicide rate for firefighters is 18 per 100,000, compared to 13 per 100,000 for the general public.
These alarming statistics caught the attention of Florida lawmakers.
Florida Rep. Erika Booth introduced House Bill 929, designed to enhance the safety, health and well-being of firefighters across the state. A key component of the bill is the requirement for fire departments to report firefighter suicides.
“Right now, you can tell how many firefighters hurt their shoulder on the job, but we don’t know how many have taken their own lives,” Stevens said.
The bill has passed the Florida House and Senate and is now awaiting a signature from Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Honoring Garrett’s memory
Back at Ink Factory Brewing, Corey reflected on his brother’s legacy.
“There was a guy who wore this helmet, and he’s not here anymore,” he said, gathering the strength to share his brother’s story in hopes of preventing similar tragedies.
“You think about it every day. You think, ‘Oh man, I miss my brother.’ Looking at my mom go through this process has probably been the hardest thing… just to see her be sad all the time. It has not been an easy process by any means,” Corey shared, pausing to collect his emotions.
As he poured a beer created in Garrett’s name, G.O. Sessions, a hazy IPA, he also mentioned the annual run they do in Garrett’s honor. The event serves as a reminder that life comes with challenges, but it goes on.
“Anyone who is out there and having these thoughts, if you feel you want to take your own life, that’s the end for you. But everyone around you will be hurting, and it will make their life so much harder,” Corey said.
Garrett was not only a Marine, lifeguard, and firefighter, but also a teacher for special education.
Since his passing, the bar has created a beer each year in his memory. The proceeds go to a mental health-based nonprofit. This year, it’s the North Florida School of Special Education.
Resources
Here is a list of mental health resources available in Florida.
- UF Health St. Johns Behavioral Health Resource Center - open 24/7 with clinicians on staff and available to assist during a crisis. No appointment is needed.
- EPIC Behavioral Health Rapid Response Team – 24/7 service for individuals 26+, dial 988, and a response will occur within 60 minutes of the request.
- EPIC Access Support Center – Walk-in services for mental health at their North Campus, Northwest Campus, and Flagler Campus. If this service is needed, walk-in during hours or call (904) 495-7001.
- Mobile Response Team – 24/7 service for individuals 5-25 years old. Dial 988 or 911 and a response will occur within 60 minutes of the request.
- Vinson Foundation - A support group for St. Johns, Jacksonville, Fernandina Beach, and Orange Park, for families who lost someone to suicide.
- St. Augustine Youth Services: 904-829-1770
- Call 211 - Local experts are available 24/7 to help. Calls to 211 are confidential and can be anonymous.
- Hope for Healing Florida - Hope for Healing navigates the many ways Floridians can access help for mental health and substance abuse
These resources can be accessed nationwide.
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - Call or text 988 for help. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free, and confidential support for people in distress, prevention, and crisis resources for you or someone you know.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides resources for issues with mental health, drugs, or alcohol.
- Veterans Crisis Line - Text 838255 or call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1
- Crisis Text Line - Text “Home” to 741741
- Teen Line - Text “Teen” to 839863
