INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — It was, in a word, heartbreaking. The Community Church of Vero Beach swelled with an overflow crowd that spilled out into the lobby and courtyard as firefighters and members of law enforcement from around the state joined family members, friends and a grieving community last Saturday to bid an affectionate farewell to Indian River County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief David Dangerfield.
A motorcade with full pipe and drum band and the Station 2 engine conveyed his casket, which was guided into the church through an honor guard gauntlet. Tears flowed freely as mourners remembered a man whose ever-present, contagious smile belied the hidden horrors of the job that caused him to take his own life Oct. 15, ending a stellar 27-year career as a dedicated firefighter.
The 48-year old father of two had shared his struggle with post-traumatic stress only moments before his death, and family members and colleagues called attention Saturday to the fact that PTSD among their ranks is a serious condition that requires professional help. In memory of Dangerfield, they called for a review of the way PTSD and the everyday pressures of their demanding jobs are handled, urging those in the field to seek help when they need it and pressing those in power to recognize the condition as a serious, treatable illness.
At the family’s request, memorial gifts may be made to the International Association of Firefighters PTSD Charitable Fund, 1750 NY Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006.