Firefighter who fought PTSD inspires law that gives other service members a new pathway to treatment

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Firefighting is a strenuous and stressful job.

The post-traumatic stress disorder rate among firefighters is estimated to be higher than the rate in the military.

As of Jan. 1, there is a state law in Tennessee that can help firefighters get better while still getting paid.

The James "Dustin" Samples Act honors Samples, a Cleveland, Tennessee firefighter who bravely fought PTSD on the job. When he took his own life in 2020, his department and his family took action.

Last year, legislation was passed that establishes the presumption that PTSD is a work-related injury for firefighters. It also creates a grant to help employers cover the cost of subsequent workers' compensation claims.

"During my career, we didn't have this available to us, and it was basically do your job and be quiet," said Danny Yates, president of the Nashville Firefighters Association. "This opens the door to keep people healthy and keep people on the job."

In Nashville, the new law will be additional option for firefighters. Already, there are behavioral health and wellness programs like the Peer Support Program and Chaplain Program.

A few years ago, Maine passed similar legislation the the new Tennessee law. In the first five years, it lead to a 78% increase in first responders trying to get help.

We wanted to know how many firefighters annually in Tennessee seek workers' compensation for PTSD. It turns out, that's not an easy ask. Most firefighters in Tennessee are employees of the municipality they serve. Because of that, the state does not have records on those employees who have their own on-the-job injury programs.

Some fire departments do "opt in" to the state's workers' compensation system. From those departments, there have been six workers compensation cases which referenced PTSD since 2018, according to Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.