Ed Monroe is a veteran firefighter, speaker and soon to be author. He was first on scene after the horrific Murder/Suicide at LA County's Station 81 in 2021.
We discuss his journey into the fire service, mentorship programs, inmate wildland crews, the horrendous events at station 81, the physical and mental health ripple effects, post traumatic growth, warning signs and so much more.
I am a 53-year-old Fire Captain for Los Angeles County Fire Department. Born in Del Rio Texas, the son of an Air Force pilot, I grew up on Air Force Bases in states such as North Dakota, Washington, California and internationally in Japan. I refer to Huntington Beach Ca as my hometown as I graduated from high school there, and I am a graduate of Cal State University Northridge with a degree in Mathematics - Applied. I was married in 1995 and have 3 children that are currently 22, 18, and 15. I have been a member of LACoFD for 16 years and a fire Captain for the past 4.
I have been directly involved in a very notable, significant critical incident and speak publicly on the topic. In addition to addressing fire service crews directly, I spoke on a panel at the 2022 PSPSA conference in San Diego, at the ICISF 17th world conference held in May 2023 in Maryland and am scheduled to speak at 1st Responder Conferences in Tempe AZ in January 2024. I have been a guest on the Trauma Behind the Badge Webinar, No One Fights Alone podcast, and Forged in the Fires podcast with Fireman Rob. In all cases, I have addressed responding to an unimaginable critical incident, cumulative traumatic stress, my short term and continuing long term experiences with it. I am passionate about continuing to advocate for those who have experienced and are struggling with their own cumulative traumatic stress, critical incidents, and PTSD. No one has to fight alone!
Ed’s Linkedin: Click Here
Interview Transcript: Click Here