Latest news with #MikeBouchard
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Wayne State hosts first responder support program to help with mental health
The Brief Mental health is a big deal for first responders who see traumatic scenes almost every day. Oakland County officials say officer suicides eclipse line-of-duty deaths. Officials have created a free and confidential 24/7 support program through Wayne State. DETROIT (FOX 2) - They protect and help communities small and large, but first responders see many things that can affect their mental health. This is why many were at Wayne State University for counseling, over the horrific things some experienced. Why you should care Retired Detroit Assistant Police Chief Steve Dolunt saw a lot in his over thirty years of service. "I had five officers shot one night and one lost their life," he said. "I made sure they all went to counseling and I didn't go because, oh, I'm in charge and I don't need this." But he tells FOX 2 he did need it, as he says it's needed more now than ever, with police officer suicides becoming a growing concern. The backstory The issue came up Monday during a bi-partisan roundtable discussion on increasing public safety funding at Detroit Police Headquarters. State lawmakers and the top brass from many Metro Detroit police departments were talking about the issue in detail, including Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard. "You are seeing officer suicides that eclipse the line-of-duty deaths," Bouchard said. "We're at a high line-of-duty deaths but the number that's higher is suicides, because there's so many pressures on the men and women in law enforcement. There's so many challenges they face." Former Warren Police Officer Scott Taylor is part of the team counseling fellow First Responders at Frontline Strong Together, a free and confidential 24/7 support program through Wayne State assisting First Responders with trauma and stress. "The average person sees 8 to 10 traumatic events in their lifetime," Taylor said. "A police officer or a firefighter or other First Responder may see that in a month, may see that in a shift depending on where you work." What's next In part, virtual reality-type technology helps officers, firefighters and others deal with and overcome their job-related PTSD. "Say you are fearful of dogs. A safe way to get you unfearful of dogs is to put you into a controlled environment and make you think there's dogs around you. There's no dogs but in your head cause you got the goggles you are petting dogs. You are getting more used to spiders, if you're afraid of spiders. If you have anxiety of going out in public because you are a First Responder. We can put you in public, and you don't ever leave the room. It's a safe environment." It's the type of training and support Steve Dolunt says we need more of as soon as possible, just knowing he's been there. "You know what? I had PTSD for a while. I screwed up," he said. "But you have to accept the fact that you are not invincible."
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Yahoo
Oakland County Sheriff Bouchard reflects on D.C. tragedy during flight home
OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - The tragedy in Washington D.C., where a plane crashed into a helicopter near Reagan National Airport, has already hit close to home for many, including Southeast Michigan. Local perspective Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard was in the air—flying from D.C. to Detroit as the deadly collision happened at Reagan National Airport. Bouchard said his time in D.C. this week was memorable as he was named 'Sheriff of the Year' by the Major County Sheriffs of America. When the meetings wrapped on Wednesday, Bouchard headed to Reagan National Airport to catch a flight to Detroit. "Actually, kind of in a bizarre, chilling way, I was headed to the airport and I looked at the Potomac River and I thought 'oh it's got an icecap over it.' It's probably unusual here because they're a little more temperate than Michigan," he said. As he was on his plane heading, American Airlines Flight 5342 and a military Blackhawk helicopter collided over the Potomac. Bouchard says his loved ones and colleagues were texting him when it happened. But he had no idea what happened until he landed back in Metro Detroit. "I think there were a lot of people that were relieved to receive a response back. You know I imagine if you had a friend or a loved one on that plane that did go down and you'd send them a text it would be radio silent," he said. "That's not a great feeling." He says the crash is hard to wrap his mind around as they've got two helicopters at the sheriff's office and wonder how the tragedy occurred with all the safety technology. "Even when you're coming into different sections or landing it senses or knows certain things are in the area, and you'll hear it audibly bark. I think the words it uses is traffic, traffic, traffic," he said. Bouchard says he expects the National Transportation Safety Board and other investigators to examine the black boxes and determine what happened. "Why that helicopter and that plane were both in the same spot at the same time which is obviously rule 101 for air traffic safety, is not to have that happen," he said. What we know Hundreds of responders have removed at least 28 bodies from the icy waters of the Potomac River. According to the Associated Press, the crash occurred in some of the most tightly controlled and monitored airspace in the world, just over three miles (4.8 kilometers) south of the White House and the Capitol. The Blackhawk helicopter involved in the crash was reportedly based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, according to a defense official speaking on condition of anonymity.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mike Bouchard left Reagan National Airport just before plane crash
An American Airlines plane headed to Reagan National Airport carrying 60 passengers and four crew collided with an Army helicopter Wednesday night over the Potomac River, leaving what appears to be no survivors, including competitive ice skaters. "Wow, very sad crash at Washington DC airport," the Oakland County Sheriff's Office posted to social media. "Sheriff Bouchard literally just flew out of there an hour ago after finishing meeting with Major County Sheriffs' of America. Prayers." Mike Bouchard, who spoke to WDIV-TV (Channel 4), said even though he is in a profession that sees its share of tragedy, the airplane deaths were chilling to him. He added that "every day is a blessing." A list of who was on board the plane and chopper had not yet been released. The midair collision just before 9 p.m., prompted network TV stations to break into regularly scheduled broadcasts to offer the latest on Flight 5342, which took off from Wichita, Kansas, and was preparing to land. The helicopter, military officials said, was a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, flying from Fort Belvoir in Virginia during a training flight with three crew members. The Army is investigating the collision. By 8:30 a.m. Thursday, USA TODAY reported that John Bonnelly, the chief of Washington's fire department, said 28 bodies had been found and authorities were moving from a "search-and-rescue operation to a recovery operation." Among those on board were Russian-born ice skating coaches and former world champions Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, according to Reuters, which attributed the news to the Kremlin and state media. Other passengers, Reuters also reported, included American skaters, their coaches and families, who were returning from Kansas, where the National Development Camp was held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The crash grounded all flights at National Airport, and by Thursday, there were a dozen cancellations and delays in and out of Detroit Metro Airport, according to FlightAware, which tracks airline data. More: DC plane crash: what to know about deadly incidents since 2001 Officials from Kansas, including U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, called the crash a tragedy. The crash was reminiscent of another more than 40 years ago, when on Jan. 13, 1982, a jet headed to Tampa, Florida, collided into a bridge over the Potomac River, killing 78 people including some on land in cars. Five of the 79 aboard the jet survived. Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mike Bouchard left Reagan National Airport just before plane crash
