Surviving the Job

Attendees will receive a certification of attendance issued by the Alabama Fire College.

Instructor: Steve Gillespie

Steve Gillespie recently “officially” retired after over 39 years in the fire service in both volunteer and career departments. His last position was a Battalion Chief with the City of Goose Creek (SC) Fire Dept. Previously to that he was a Captain in the training division with the North Charleston (SC) Fire Dept. where, for six years, he coordinated the Charleston County Joint Recruit School. Steve moved to South Carolina with his family in 2016 after retiring from the FDNY (Fire Dept. City of New York) finishing his over 21-year career as a Lieutenant in Engine 43. Steve spent his entire career in the Bronx, including 13 years in Special Operations assigned to Squad 41. Steve holds a Fire Officer IV certification, an AS in Fire and Occupational Safety, and a BS in Disaster and Emergency Management and is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Leadership from The Citadel. Steve is a peer counselor for the Low Country Firefighter Support Team and lectures on the topic of PTSD from his own experiences.

Class: "Surviving The Job"

Mental health in first responders is somewhat of a taboo topic in the careers of EMS, law

enforcement, firefighting, and telecommunicators alike. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a silent injury that is still not discussed as openly as it should be. Steve will share his story of how he has gone beyond his PTS diagnosis to PTG (Post Traumatic Growth) with the help of therapy, medication, and becoming a peer counselor. “Surviving the Job” is Steve’s story of over 39 years as a first responder. Starting as a 17-year-old volunteer firefighter to the events of September 11, 2001 and the Black Sunday fire, Steve offers his story with others hoping they realize that there is no longer a stigma with being in pain. Gone are the days of "suck it up kid" and "we don't talk about that stuff". Talking helps empty "the box" of stored up trauma and images before it can overflow and affect you and your home life. This is not a scientific study or research but Steve’s very personal story and how he has "Survived the Job". Steve’s poignant story promises to be valuable to firefighters, other first responders, peer team members, and clinicians serving in the emergency services world.