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Firefighter shares PTSD message in viral song

Canadian country singer Kevin Davison has been a paramedic and volunteer firefighter in Nova Scotia for more than 20 years. He knows about post-traumatic stress.

Last fall Davison composed a song that details his experience of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a first responder.

“I’ve always wanted to write something about my job and about how the job affects your life when you get home,” he said. “It certainly has a lot to do with my career and things I have dealt with.”

The song called “When those sirens are gone” went public just four months ago, and has been viewed thousands of times on YouTube and Facebook.

Messages from fans who were touched by the song flowed in soon after.

“I get anything from ‘Thanks,’ to ‘I’m going to get help,’ to ‘I’m talking about my PTSD which I’ve never told even my family about,’” Davison said. “People need to know that it’s OK to talk about those feelings.”

The country singer hopes to bring his song and his message to fire halls across Canada this year. One stop planned is a performance at FDIC Atlantic in Wolfville, N.S., on June 6.

Listen to Davison’s song on his website, kevindavison.ca, and find it on iTunes.

May 4, 2015 
By Maria Church