Surrey firefighter Ernie Dombrowski took his own life but died in the line of duty according to a WorkSafe B.C. The decision, according to Surrey Firefighters Association president Mike McNamara, will make it possible for other first responders to make claims related to mental health. McNamara was attending a ceremony where Dombrowski's name was added to a memorial list of firefighters who have died in the line of duty. In 2013, he responded to a hit and run call where a victim had been left on the roadside. Meanwhile, a public safety personnel peer support organization called TEMA.CA reports that 63 first responders died by suicide in Canada in 2016, including 19 in B.C.

Source: CBC News March 07, 2017 02:03 UTC