Newark rotarian grateful for impact of central Ohio first responders' retreat

For Heather Powell and her husband, their time spent at a retreat for first responders was life changing.

The Newark Rotarian shared her personal experience as the wife of a career firefighter as she introduced the guest speaker for Newark Rotary Club's Tuesday meeting, First Responders' Bridge Director Michael "Mick" Yinger.

"I want you to know the first responders that Mick's going to talk about, they are not strangers to you," Powell began. "They are your neighbors and your friends, and my husband and I."

Powell said her husband, Mark, a lieutenant at Plain Township Fire Department was seriously injured earlier this year when he fell from the second story of a house fire in Westerville. He was taken to a trauma center, where the family has since learned about injuries, including a moderate traumatic brain injury and a spinal cord injury.

"Mark has worked relentlessly at rehab to try to get his physical injuries back in line. We know we're very, very, very blessed he's here with us," Powell said, going on to share some of the impacts his career has had on their family. She said it's been heartbreaking to see him struggle through some things that used to come easy to him, but that the injuries have taken an emotional toll as well.

"Honestly after 15 years of serving at Plain Township, his emotional backpack, our emotional backpack, it was already a lot to carry. The trauma that he would see, those life-ending moments," Powell said. "I would always say he sat with people in their worst moments for the last 15 years over and over and over again on repeat."

Powell said she and Mark recently attended First Responders' Bridge retreat, which helped them realize they didn't have to carry that "backpack" from the trauma he experiences forever.

"Our marriage, our life, our forever is going to be better because of our time spent at Bridge. I will never be able to thank Mick and their team enough for making that possible," Powell said, her voice thick with emotion. "They are truly saving first responder lives."

Yinger retired from Columbus Police Department, where he spent the majority of his time as a covert detective in their strategic response bureau.

Having grown up in Westerville, worked many cases with Westerville police and, having many close friends in that department, he was asked to join the funeral procession for Westerville police officers Eric Joering and Anthony "Tony" Morelli. The officers were killed in 2018 after responding to a domestic violence incident.

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"It was an incredible honor for me and my family to do that. But in doing so, it brought back so many memories and so many emotions of all the friends I'd lost over the years, both in the line of duty and to suicide," Yinger said. "That funeral hit me hard - probably as hard or harder than all the funerals I've been to over the years."

The following day, Yinger said he got together with his childhood friend, Mike "Pav" Pavolino, who serves as vice president of First Responders' Bridge. They talked about the incredible turnout for the funeral, but also how first responders take care of families and departments when a first responder dies in the line of duty, but fall short at addressing single traumatic events and cumulative stress that builds up overtime from things first responders see daily.

"Pav and I learned that more police officers and firefighter commit suicide than all of the line-of-duty deaths combined," Yinger said.

So they created the First Responders' Bridge, which provides a free, confidential three-day retreat to first responders and their spouses to help heal first responders and their families. Yinger said their team includes first responders, clinicians and more.

Heading into their 10th retreat, Yinger said 850 people have attended their retreats from multiple states. Their next retreat will be held in December. According to Yinger, their team holds a one-day follow up retreat at a church for attendants, and have a 30, 60, and 120-day checklist for their attendants as well to see how they're doing as a group.

For more information about First Responders' Bridge or to make a donation, visit their website at FirstRespondersBridge.org.

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Newark rotarian grateful for impact of central Ohio first responders' retreat