Kristin Kosyluk, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Mental Health Law and Policy (MHLP), participated in the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) Clinician Awareness Training. Kosyluk practiced extricating a vehicle, like first responders do at the scene of an accident, and crawled in full gear through a simulated structure fire.
Kosyluk dresses in full fire rescue gear.
Kosyluk participated because of her research on first responder mental health and stigma. She wanted to improve her ability to help first responders by having a better idea of what they go through on a daily basis to protect the communities they serve.
Kosyluk described the fire fighters, paramedics, and dispatchers she met as "funny, kind, compassionate, and so brave." She particularly noted that the gear fire rescue crews wear is heavy, hot, and so hard to breathe in and that she couldn't imagine wearing it for four hours like some do.