When deadly floods swept through the Texas Hill Country on the morning of July 4, the first people on the scene were law enforcement, firefighters and emergency medical services personnel. They were among the first to bear witness to the historic tragedy while working long, emotional days on rescue and recovery.
For most Texans, these are once-in-a-lifetime events. But for first responders, itโs just part of the job โ and something that can lead to mental health struggles. Studies show that suicide rates in the profession are among the highest in the country. Now, a new Texas law taking effect on Sept. 1 aims to help these workers by creating a peer support network. Itโs being designed to easily connect the stateโs firefighting and emergency medical services personnel with quick support when they need it. The measure, House Bill 35, was successfully pushed to the governorโs desk by Rep. Senfronia Thompson, a Houston Democrat, during Texasโ 89th Legislative Session.
