By Tamara Leigh Young, PhD, Public Information Director for the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village
It’s time for more “reel” talk from the Mayor and me. This time, the City of Destin’s Mayor, Bobby Wagner, and I sat down for a somber talk about Veteran suicide.
TY: You’re on a mayoral mission to decrease the number of Veteran suicides in our area. With 18-34 year-old Veterans leading the number of suicides in Okaloosa County, it’s a community crisis.
BW: Yes, it is a crisis, and I am calling on our Okaloosa County community to join us on this mission. We can’t just stand by and watch this happen. These are men and women who have served our country, and now they need our help. By becoming more aware and involved, we can make a difference and potentially save lives.
TY: You recently introduced me to a free program called The Fire Watch, which focuses on training individuals and businesses to look for the warning signs of Veterans in crisis and help them with the resources they need. When did you first get involved as a “Watch Stander”?
BW: I got involved with The Fire Watch earlier this summer. The stats were a wake-up call for me—learning that Okaloosa County had such a high rate of Veteran suicides, especially among younger Veterans, hit me hard. I knew I had to do something. Becoming a Watch Stander was a way for me to not just talk about the issue, but actively contribute to a solution. It’s about being present, being informed and being ready to help our Veterans when they need it most.
TY: Well, I was impressed enough with the organization and inspired by you that I went online to the organization’s website and spent an hour to learn more and become certified. The SAVE acronym and model was introduced, and it’s an easy way to go through the training. S—Know the SIGNS of a veteran in crisis; A—ASK the tough questions; V—VALIDATE the Veteran’s experience; and E—ENCOURAGE treatment and EXPEDITE getting help. I was a little hesitate to become certified because I’m absolutely not an expert on the topic, but I understand now it’s more about support and knowing what resources are available to pass along to someone who is hurting.
BW: That’s exactly it. None of us have to be experts—we just have to care enough to take that first step. The Fire Watch makes it easy and, as you mentioned, the training is straightforward. It’s about being a bridge to the local resources Veterans need. The more people we have trained, the safer our community becomes for those who have sacrificed so much.
TY: Tiffany Orner, Air Force Veteran, military spouse and Founder and CEO of IGY6 Company, shared with us the importance of destigmatizing suicide and working to ensure the Florida Panhandle becomes a Veteran Safe Place. So, it’s not just individuals that can become certified. We, as an entire community, can send a powerful message to our Veterans that we care.
BW: Our goal is ambitious—we want Destin to be the first city in Florida designated as a Veteran Safety Community. We’re kicking off this campaign in September to align with Suicide Awareness Month. We’re aiming to certify a majority of City of Destin staff, 10 businesses and at least 150 citizens who live in Destin. Our target is to have this all completed by Veterans Day, November 11, 2024. This isn’t just about checking a box; it’s about creating a culture of awareness, support and safety for our Veterans. After all, the only number that really matters is seeing our suicide rates in our county drop to zero. If we can come together as a community and achieve this, we’ll be setting a powerful example for the rest of Florida and the nation.
TY: For anyone reading this and interested in learning more about the free training or certification process, please call me at 850-428-6274 or email me at tyoung@cityofdestincom. If we work together, we can show in full force how much our area appreciates and supports our Veterans.
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