Becky Stuart’s jacket hangs waiting in a Clinton fire station, one of several physical reminders of the firefighter-EMT left behind after her unexpected death on Tuesday.
Clinton Fire Rescue and the Clinton Professional Firefighters Association announced the loss Wednesday, according to reporting by WABI. Stuart served as a firefighter-EMT for Clinton Fire Rescue and was also a member of West Forks Volunteer Fire and Rescue, which confirmed her service on Facebook.
Fire Chief Rick Barton urged the public to keep Stuart’s colleagues, relatives, and fellow firefighters in their thoughts. Barton’s statement included contact information for crisis support but did not specify a cause of death.
Jason Mills, co-owner of Resilient Responder Wellness Center, works with first responders across Maine.
“We try to normalize that mental health, it’s part of occupational readiness,” Mills told WABI, comparing psychological maintenance to routine physical fitness and skills training.
“We’re trying to really drive home that point of you’re one of the people that are worth taking care of, and you’re one of the people that people want to help,” Mills said.
Wally Fraser, co-founder of the Toned Out Project, added that specialized treatment programs exist outside of local departments so responders can seek help alongside peers who understand the unique pressures of the job.
“There are lots of treatment programs throughout the country that are designed specifically for first responders. And when you go to treatment, you are there with first responders, you’re not there with people that you just transported to the hospital or were working with in some capacity,” Fraser told WABI.
Clinton Fire Rescue is organizing a procession Thursday to transport Stuart from Veilleux Funeral Home in Waterville to the medical examiner’s office in Augusta.
Supportive community members, relatives, and emergency response personnel are welcome to stand along Route 201 between Winslow and Augusta to show their respect when the procession gets underway at 9:45 a.m.
Anyone needing immediate support can call or text 988 to reach the Maine Crisis Line 24/7.
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