You've likely seen the warning before disturbing footage airs: “Some viewers may find these images upsetting.” Police officers, firefighters, EMTs and other first responders don’t get that warning.They walk into the horrific accident.They enter the home where a child has died.They see the victims of violence. They arrive at fires, suicides, murders and tragedies most Americans will never witness firsthand. Then the emergency ends.The television cameras leave.The public moves on. But what happens to the first responders who can’t forget what they saw? What happens to the officers emotionally? How do they deal with this?
I had a chance to share this Q&A with Lance J. LoRusso, a former law enforcement officer, founder of the Blue Line Lawyer Institute, and author of Serve Others Live Without Fear. He says says there are some things first responders simply cannot unsee - and leaving the profession or retiring doesn’t necessarily leave those memories behind. The public often calls first responders “fearless.” LoRusso says that misses an important point. They aren’t fearless.Courage is doing the job despite the fear - and then finding a way to live with what the job has exposed you to.What inspired you to write Serve Others. Live Without Fear, and why did you feel this was the right time to write it?
I have always been inspired by the courage shown by our clients under extreme circumstances as they put their lives on the line for strangers. Given all of the criticisms of law enforcement officers in the past decade, this was a story that needed to be told now.
The title brings together two big ideas—serving others and living without fear. How are those two ideas connected?
Putting your personal comfort and safety aside are necessary steps to putting others first. That requires a certain amount of courage and applying that message of living your life without fear is the only way to ensure success in your efforts.
You describe fear as something that can be turned into motivation. How can someone recognize when fear is motivating them versus controlling them? You’ve worked in law enforcement and represented public-safety professionals facing extremely high-stakes situations. What have those experiences taught you about courage that most people may not understand?
Fear takes many forms and often creeps into our decision making incrementally when we least expect it. However, some circumstances will involve fear as a natural human reaction. It is essential to prepare for those moments to avoid allowing fear to control you.
Is living without fear actually possible, or is the goal really to learn how to act despite being afraid?
You will always be afraid. Human beings have fear embedded into their DNA and their biological structures. The goal is to avoid letting fear control your decisions.
Your book emphasizes that courage isn’t limited to police officers, firefighters, soldiers, or people facing physical danger. What does everyday courage look like to you? \ You introduce the idea of T.I.T.O.—“This Is The Opportunity.” What does that mean, and how can someone use that mindset when facing a difficult situation? What is one story in the book that you think best captures the message you want readers to remember?
Recognizing that every moment in your life is an opportunity is the best way to move through struggles and prepare for them in advance. The foreword describes one man's journey from a soldier to police officer to special forces soldier to retirement and then to nursing as an example of how each opportunity can only be maximized by facing your fears and moving forward.
Can serving other people actually help us deal with our own fear, anxiety, or uncertainty? If so, why?
Absolutely. When we put ourselves second and put others first, not only do we put our own struggles into perspective, time and again we realize that through service we manage our own insecurities.
How do you distinguish genuine fear—which can warn us about danger—from the kind of fear that unnecessarily holds us back?
Often, they are the same. Biologically and chemically they are absolutely the same. The fear of an exam that raises your blood pressure and heart rate is the exact same fear that a law enforcement officer feels going into a building after an armed subject. That is the point of the book: recognizing that every part of your body may be telling you not to move forward but your heart and your brain can override that fear.
You’ve seen people make decisions under tremendous pressure. What separates people who move forward despite fear from those who become paralyzed by it?
Often, very little. It may be faith, training, dogged persistence, or just a desire to achieve a goal. The soldiers and law enforcement officers and firefighters who commit incredible acts of bravery are no different than anyone else.
How have your own ideas about fear changed from your early days in law enforcement to where you are today?
Yes. I learned that a certain amount of fear is normal and to be expected in just about every challenge and human interaction.
Was there a particular experience in your own life when you realized that fear was keeping you from doing something important?
No. I really learned early in my life to manage that fear although I have become much more proficient in doing so with age and experience.
What role does preparation play in courage? Can people actually train themselves to respond better when fear hits?
Absolutely estimation point this is the basis of public safety training and even self-defense training. First-aid and CPR classes are taught to average individuals who may not have any idea what to do in a crisis but who will respond predictably and admirably following their training.
For someone who finishes the book and says, “I want to live this way,” what is one thing you would challenge that person to start doing tomorrow If readers remember only one sentence, principle, or lesson from Serve Others. Live Without Fear, what do you hope it will be—and why?
Fear will always be with you. Expected, prepare for it, and never feed it!
What led you to write Serve Others Live Without Fear?
I was inspired by the amazing courage and resilience I saw in my clients and others.
What was a challenge when writing the book?
My research pointed up so many examples that I had to choose which to include in the book. Our public safety and military professionals are truly amazing!
Why is it important for first responders - and the public - to be aware of some of the mental impacts of the job?
There is no way to serve without experiencing a severe burden on your mental health. First responders are aware, increasingly so of this fact. However, the public can be lured into believing that the people who show up to save their lives are immune from the impact of the devastation and suffering they see.
Why is it that the public never think about the mental health aspects of the job?
I believe this is the impact of television and movies as well as anti-cop rhetoric. It is much easier to portray law enforcement officers as unfeeling or heartless than to recognize they are true human beings tasked with incredible burdens from society.
How do first responders deal with some of the challenging things they see?
We teach first responders to talk to peer counselors or professionals and also to exercise on a regular basis. The positive benefits of exercise cannot be overstated.
What are some ways that people can support the mental health of first responders that they know?
Simply say hello. You never know what a :-) can do to change the course of an otherwise horrible day.
How do you see serving others impacting a person’s life?
It is my hope that people will identify with some of the stories that I've told, some of the examples I've given, and recognize that if they feel fear, they are normal. I hope they would understand that as a human being, they can manage their fear, live full lives, and serve others in the process.
I have always been inspired by the courage shown by our clients under extreme circumstances as they put their lives on the line for strangers. Given all of the criticisms of law enforcement officers in the past decade, this was a story that needed to be told now.
The title brings together two big ideas—serving others and living without fear. How are those two ideas connected?
Putting your personal comfort and safety aside are necessary steps to putting others first. That requires a certain amount of courage and applying that message of living your life without fear is the only way to ensure success in your efforts.
You describe fear as something that can be turned into motivation. How can someone recognize when fear is motivating them versus controlling them? You’ve worked in law enforcement and represented public-safety professionals facing extremely high-stakes situations. What have those experiences taught you about courage that most people may not understand?
Fear takes many forms and often creeps into our decision making incrementally when we least expect it. However, some circumstances will involve fear as a natural human reaction. It is essential to prepare for those moments to avoid allowing fear to control you.
Is living without fear actually possible, or is the goal really to learn how to act despite being afraid?
You will always be afraid. Human beings have fear embedded into their DNA and their biological structures. The goal is to avoid letting fear control your decisions.
Your book emphasizes that courage isn’t limited to police officers, firefighters, soldiers, or people facing physical danger. What does everyday courage look like to you? \ You introduce the idea of T.I.T.O.—“This Is The Opportunity.” What does that mean, and how can someone use that mindset when facing a difficult situation? What is one story in the book that you think best captures the message you want readers to remember?
Recognizing that every moment in your life is an opportunity is the best way to move through struggles and prepare for them in advance. The foreword describes one man's journey from a soldier to police officer to special forces soldier to retirement and then to nursing as an example of how each opportunity can only be maximized by facing your fears and moving forward.
Can serving other people actually help us deal with our own fear, anxiety, or uncertainty? If so, why?
Absolutely. When we put ourselves second and put others first, not only do we put our own struggles into perspective, time and again we realize that through service we manage our own insecurities.
How do you distinguish genuine fear—which can warn us about danger—from the kind of fear that unnecessarily holds us back?
Often, they are the same. Biologically and chemically they are absolutely the same. The fear of an exam that raises your blood pressure and heart rate is the exact same fear that a law enforcement officer feels going into a building after an armed subject. That is the point of the book: recognizing that every part of your body may be telling you not to move forward but your heart and your brain can override that fear.
You’ve seen people make decisions under tremendous pressure. What separates people who move forward despite fear from those who become paralyzed by it?
Often, very little. It may be faith, training, dogged persistence, or just a desire to achieve a goal. The soldiers and law enforcement officers and firefighters who commit incredible acts of bravery are no different than anyone else.
How have your own ideas about fear changed from your early days in law enforcement to where you are today?
Yes. I learned that a certain amount of fear is normal and to be expected in just about every challenge and human interaction.
Was there a particular experience in your own life when you realized that fear was keeping you from doing something important?
No. I really learned early in my life to manage that fear although I have become much more proficient in doing so with age and experience.
What role does preparation play in courage? Can people actually train themselves to respond better when fear hits?
Absolutely estimation point this is the basis of public safety training and even self-defense training. First-aid and CPR classes are taught to average individuals who may not have any idea what to do in a crisis but who will respond predictably and admirably following their training.
For someone who finishes the book and says, “I want to live this way,” what is one thing you would challenge that person to start doing tomorrow If readers remember only one sentence, principle, or lesson from Serve Others. Live Without Fear, what do you hope it will be—and why?
Fear will always be with you. Expected, prepare for it, and never feed it!
What led you to write Serve Others Live Without Fear?
I was inspired by the amazing courage and resilience I saw in my clients and others.
What was a challenge when writing the book?
My research pointed up so many examples that I had to choose which to include in the book. Our public safety and military professionals are truly amazing!
Why is it important for first responders - and the public - to be aware of some of the mental impacts of the job?
There is no way to serve without experiencing a severe burden on your mental health. First responders are aware, increasingly so of this fact. However, the public can be lured into believing that the people who show up to save their lives are immune from the impact of the devastation and suffering they see.
Why is it that the public never think about the mental health aspects of the job?
I believe this is the impact of television and movies as well as anti-cop rhetoric. It is much easier to portray law enforcement officers as unfeeling or heartless than to recognize they are true human beings tasked with incredible burdens from society.
How do first responders deal with some of the challenging things they see?
We teach first responders to talk to peer counselors or professionals and also to exercise on a regular basis. The positive benefits of exercise cannot be overstated.
What are some ways that people can support the mental health of first responders that they know?
Simply say hello. You never know what a :-) can do to change the course of an otherwise horrible day.
How do you see serving others impacting a person’s life?
It is my hope that people will identify with some of the stories that I've told, some of the examples I've given, and recognize that if they feel fear, they are normal. I hope they would understand that as a human being, they can manage their fear, live full lives, and serve others in the process.
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