In the wake of recent tragic events in and around Anderson County, Anderson County Sheriff Wes McClain recognized the 10-33 Foundation on his weekly Team Work Tuesday social media post. The 10-33 Foundation is a network of current and former first responders, military personnel, their spouses and mental health professionals. They provide free peer support and mental health crisis intervention for first responders and their families. 10-33 in police code stands for ‘emergency’.
Mental health is crucial in the first responder community. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 70% of adults in the United States experience 3 to 5 traumatic events in their lifetime. The average law enforcement officer and first responder is exposed to a significant number of traumatic events throughout their career, with estimates ranging from 178 to 800. McClain says the deployment of the 10-33 Foundation has been a valuable asset to their office and personnel as they support each other through the tough calls in ways that only members of the first responder family truly can. 10-33 Foundation has multiple members in Anderson County, including Colony Fire Chief Eric Seabolt, who is an Executive Board Member for the organization!
