Outside the Bay - Outside the Bay - Episode 4 - Firefighter / Peer Supporter Heith Good

Outside the Bay - Episode 4 - Firefighter / Peer Supporter Heith Good

02/05/20 • 58 min

Heith Good is a 22+ year veteran Firefighter-Paramedic serving at Norwich Township in Central Ohio. At Norwich Township, Heith was instrumental in developing the Peer/CISM or Critical Incident Stress Management Program. And In 2017, he became an IAFF-trained Peer Supporter, where he assists departments throughout the United States and Canada in developing their own Peer support programs.

In true-to-Heith fashion, when we contacted him for this interview, he immediately responded by saying ‘YES.’ As you’ll hear, he’s fully-committed, anytime and anywhere, to the well-being of every first responder that he comes into contact with. I have to give a big shout-out to his wife Pamela and their three children- Hayley, Hannah, and maybe the best name ever for a son of a fireman... Blaze! When Heith’s off-duty and a brother or sister in need calls, they share their family time, so I thank you for your sacrifice.

As a first reminder, you can get more info on the OAPFF Peer Support at www.firefightermentalhealth.org/ The page has a full list of peers by district with their direct phone number. If you, or someone you know, needs, or just wants to talk with a trained PEER in absolute confidentiality, please look them up.
IF YOU ARE HAVING A CRISIS AND IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CONTACT THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE 1-800-273-8255. AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK.

Previous Episode

Outside the Bay - Episode 3 - Hattie Hawks

Happy New Year! On this special episode, I get to sit down with Columbus, OH NBC4’s very own Morning Anchor and reporter extraordinaire, Hattie Hawks.

Through our very own morning show, fueled by coffee, we get to discuss:

1. The best thing about waking up at 2:30AM for work,

2. The inspiration and impact of ‘The Fighting 126’ cancer series,

3. Breaking the stigma of Mental Health in First Responders,

4. And why she’d loved to share a PB&J with Oprah

If you've enjoyed my conversation with Hattie and if you’d like to connect with her on Twitter her handle is @HattieHawksNBC4 or you can catch her live in action on Columbus’s own WCMH-TV, NBC4 daily.

Next Episode

Outside the Bay - Episode 5 - Dr. Kenneth Yeager

On this 2nd episode discussing mental health, I sit down with special guest, Dr. Kenneth Yeager. Dr. Yeager is the Director of the STAR program, short for Stress, Trauma, and Resilience, at The Ohio State University James Cancer Hospital. He has also contributed to the OAPFF Behavioral Health program and Peer Group Support training. Dr. Yeager is uniquely dedicated to the mental well-being of first responders having both a son as a police officer and nephew as a Fire Captain.

Throughout our discussion on first responder mental health, we dig deeper on:

How to spot mental illness amongst peers and how to offer help,
Asking the question: ‘how has your work changed you?’ Fact: 1 in 4 Americans has a mental health issue at some point in life.
What to expect in a counseling session.
And the fascinating life-story of Winston Churchill.

If Dr. Yeager has struck a chord with you and would like to connect with the STAR program, they can be reached at:

614-293-7827 (STAR)
Hours: Mon. - Fri., 8 am – 5 pm

And additionally, the OAPFF Peer Support can be found www.firefightermentalhealth.org/ The page has a full list of peers by district with their direct phone number. If you, or someone you know, needs, or just wants to talk with a trained PEER in absolute confidentiality, please look them up.