Fighting the Fire

Fighting-the-Fire
Fighting the Fire

In the words of filmmaker Bobby Lacer, who is dealing with the film “Fighting the Fire,” the film is not merely about making profits, “but the true purpose is not necessarily to make money.”

The focus of the film “Fighting the Fire” is first responder Lieutenant Brian Cook and other firefighters like him and the daily burden of trauma they carry within every second of their existence.

Another goal of the film Lacer mentioned is the promotion of first responders and their mental health in particular. He stated that at the end of the picture, there’s a message for those people who may be suffering or know someone suffering that it is okay to seek help/support.

“Mental health is something which has become a passion for me since the last few years,” Lacer said. “(Every responder) has at least one run or call that goes on every time, it seems there’s one that always stays in their head.”

As written on the official website of the movie, Brian Cook who is portrayed by James Dickey starts showing signs of mental illness after an unforgettable incident he faced during his work as a firefighter. Even that particular occurrence along with 15 more years of other miserable events he experienced in his career all started causing pain within him.

As the film progresses, stories from the other first responders, police, EMS, and even dispatch, Lacer said, he did not want to “omit our brothers and sisters in other areas.” The narratives provided by the first responders are, “loosely based on actual stories I have heard over the years,” Lacer said.

Joe Whitledge who has spent 14 years with the Henderson Police Department and is the head of the Defending Heroes Project claimed there movie is, “critical for bringing awareness to what first responders go through.”

While most civilians go through a handful of (or few) traumatic events in their lifetime, a single first responder experiences on average 4 to 5 a month, according to Whitledge. Time that by 25 years career span and that number accumulates to over 800 and upwards of 900, according to him.

“For generations, it’s something that’s been tucked away and go onto the next call,” said Whitledge. “It’s just a matter of time before it comes out with force.”

The Defending Heroes Project assists first responders and veterans after such trauma or tragedy happens through loaning funds, according to Whitledge. It also provides assistance with mental hardships, he explained.

Whitledge asserted these are the worst kinds of secrets and expressed the desire that the film would inform even the first responders that it is ok to discuss their trauma and there are means and ways to aid them.

Lacer who wrote, directed, produced, and appeared in the film explains, the budget of the film was $100,000, and filming to post-production took around 13 months for them to finish.

Lacer has been around volunteer fire departments for quite a significant part of his life so he is familiar with the subject matter. In 2004, while living in Henderson, he was recruited into the Baskett Fire Department. He later became a member of Corydon Fire and Civil Defence. At the necropolis, is at the Shelby County Fire Department (residing in Shelbyville).

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