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First responders badly need professional help for their mental health.

In a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday, the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, a CDC entity dedicated to research and training, highlighted the elevated risk of traumatic exposure and stress among first responders.

The CDC's comprehensive assessment encompasses firefighters (both structural and wildland), law enforcement officers, EMS clinicians and corrections personnel.

The report underscored the crucial need for mental health programs specifically designed for first responders.

Captain Welcker Taylor of the Asheville Fire Department, also serving as president of the Asheville Fire Fighters Association, shared insights with News 13 to shed light on the daily challenges encountered by firefighters.

"We work a lot of hours. We work 24 hours shifts, and our schedules work out to where we're gone from our families for a whole day," he said.

"We don't sleep very much. We deal with a lot of sleep deprivation. Last shift, we were up at 1 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 5 o'clock -- and all of us have families or our partners work. We have kids we need to take care of."

For firefighters, the relentless exposure to distressing incidents takes a toll on mental well-being, affecting their operational efficiency.

"We're just exposed to all sorts of bad stuff all the time. We are going to people's worst days, and we are the ones who need to bring calm and professionalism," Taylor explained.

"We can do that on scene, but all those little things that we see take a toll on us over time. Whether it's a kid who's hurt or in trouble or an old person who reminds us of our grandparents, those things start to add up over time and it wears away at you. We carry that stuff with us, we carry it home with us. We see things."

Taylor acknowledged that achieving equilibrium can be challenging at times. He candidly shared the lingering effects of traumatic calls, revealing personal struggles with triggers that evoke vivid recollections of distressing incidents.

 "There are streets in Asheville that I don't drive down because I went on a terrible call there, and if I drive down that street, it's like it all comes back. I get goose bumps and even get tears in my eyes."

Taylor's narrative resonates with a broader trend, as data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration indicates that approximately 30% of first responders grapple with PTSD and depression.

Rick Baker, founder of Responder Support Services, advocates for enhanced mental health provisions, recognizing the nuanced therapeutic needs of first responders.

"Everybody that works with us has hidden depths, training in the evidence-based treatments that has shown to be effective for PTSD," Baker said. "The treatment has to be adapted and be a little bit different for them than it is for the general population."

Responder Support Services, operational since 2017, offers evidence-based mental health services tailored to first responders across North Carolina's westernmost counties.