Firefighters bond over mental health

A recent twist of fate has shown how firefighters are bonded in Manitoba against mental health challenges.

Andrew Cherkas, a firefighter out of Portage La Prairie, set out to walk across Manitoba in September to raise money for a mental health program. After 292 kilometres, however, just over halfway, he fell to injury and was forced to stop.

Ten firefighters across south Manitoba lended their legs to finish the remainder of his journey. The turn of events became a prime example of the solidarity he was walking for, he said.

“What started really disappointing for me has actually turned into a really good thing, because it brought the firefighting community together and drove a lot more awareness to the cause,” Cherkas told the Sun.

The walk, called Steppin’ in Support for 1977, was started in September. Cherkas launched the fundraiser in memory of Preston Heinbigner, registration number 1977, a Winnipeg firefighter who succumbed to a line-of-duty death related to mental health.

The proceeds would be used to send Manitoban firefighters to a mental health program, called the B.C. Fire Fighter Resiliency Program. Cherkas championed the cause with his walk, however due to shin splints and infected blisters, was unable to complete the 489 kilometres.

Cherkas put out a call on social media and received dozens of responses, he said. Before an hour had passed, he was building up a team that could finish the walk together.

Krista Burniston, a Westman firefighter in the Whitehead Fire Department, was one of 10 across Manitoba to officially lend their legs. In an interview with the Sun, Burniston said she joined the walk because she understands how important mental health is today.

“We see a lot of people struggling in the fire services and not really knowing where to reach out,” Burniston said. “I know that there is a lack of mental health resources and awareness.”

Seeing how many participated across the province, Burniston said the teamwork has been a showing of firefighter mentality, she said: they are trained to have each other’s backs. In that context, she said it makes perfect sense that events unfolded this way following the injuries.

Burniston completed roughly 20 kilometres in her split of the remaining distance to bring the fundraiser across the finish line. She shared 197 kilometres with other firefighters out of Winnipeg, Regina, Portage, St. Francis Xavier, Carberry and Richer.

Burniston said the reason that firefighters need resources is because trauma and stress are big factors in their job. Seeing impacts on victims, and traumatic scenes can have a toll on people over time, she said.

“The things that we are responding to, if you talk to the folks who end up needing our services, they might describe those days as some of their worst days they’ve had,” she said. “And those are our regular days. Every call that we go to might be somebody’s worst day.”

Burniston said the trauma can happen in one terrible situation, but most likely stack up over time.

Cherkas suffered from PTSD, and said he nearly lost his battle with it in 2021. He has now left the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service after about seven and a half years, and took up a more fitting job for him, firefighting with Canadian Base Operators.

Because Winnipeg firefighters continued to call him and talk about their struggles, and after the death of Heinbiger, Cherkas said he wanted to take action. His goal was to raise as much money as possible to keep Manitoba firefighters healthy and safe.

Following a show of solidarity from many parts of Manitoba, Cherkas reflected on the turn of events as powerful. He posted on social media saying that it played out better than he could have imagined when he set out alone.

“I guess the goal was never the 489 km, it was about raising awareness for firefighters’ mental health,” he wrote. “Those goals are being met and that makes me proud. I know we got people talking, I know we helped diminish the stigma surrounding PTSD and I know firefighters we know will directly benefit from our efforts.”

As of Sept. 23, fundraising was enough to send four or five firefighters to the mental health program in B.C. There was nearly $29,000 raised of the $35,000 goal.

»cmcdowell@brandonsun.com