ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando firefighter Jimmy Reyes remembers heading to Pulse nightclub and hearing the shake in the dispatcher’s voice as gunfire echoed in the background. Upon arriving, he began categorizing the victims: Red meant “very critical.” Black meant deceased.
“It was more about, suck it up and keep going, just ball your emotions and your feelings together,” Reyes said, describing the mentality that allowed him to keep working despite the horror around him. “... But sometimes, deep down, it still hurts.”
The chaos of June 12, 2016, left lingering trauma for those who tried to save the lives of those wounded at Pulse, and led local agencies to reexamine the services and preparation available to local rescuers, with the Orlando Fire Department expanding mental health services and Orlando Regional Medical Center amplifying training protocols.
