Today I had the honor of talking with Retired LT. Of the FDNY Steve Gillespie. Steve is retired out of E43 and also was a Fireman for 13 years in Squad 41, out of the South Bronx and Harlem. He was assigned to E63 out of probie school. Steve retired in 2015 and became a Captain in the North Charleston, South Carolina, Fire Department. He is now a Current Battalion Chief , in the Goose Creek Fire Department, in South Carolina. Steve was also a volunteer Fireman and Police Officer in Ridgefield New Jersey for over 7 years, before he got on the FDNY in 1994.  Steve has been through some very difficult, Fireman Line of duty death fires. Aside from 9/11, Steve worked the Black Sunday fire on 1/23/2005, ( Meyran, Bellew, Dibernardo). (Scalfani was lost in a separate Brooklyn fire on the same day). The Walton Ave 99 cent store fire, in the Bronx, on 8/27/2006.( Carpluk and Reilly). And finally the Deutsche Bank Fire on 8/18/2007. (Beddia and Graffignino).
       Steve is very outspoken about his mental health and dealing with these incidents. Since moving to South Carolina, he has become a peer counselor in the low country firefighter support team, that was established after the Devastating Super Sofa Store fire in Charleston, where they lost 9 members in a collapse. 6/17/2007.  Steve has become an advocate for mental health services in the first responder community and conducts lectures on the subject and provides information, for any first responder,  to get the help they need. Steve has and is willing to travel to provide support and lectures in your area. All his contact information will be provided below.           Thank you Steve for what you do and thank you for choppin’ it up me on The Kitchen Table! 
  If you are someone in need of counseling. There are numerous resources available to you.  Take the first step and reach out to someone, even if it’s just to talk.  Get help!


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