Construction on the first cabin for Honour House PTSD project kicked off today at Fire Hall one.
A challenge issued by both Honour House President Al De Genova and New Westminster Fire Chief Tim Armstrong for all military and first responders to build a cabin in their communities. The cabins will then be transported to Kamloops for the new Honour House Ranch to aid people recovering from PTSD.
Genova told a story about how serious PTSD can effect a person.
“A fire Chief in the province was on his last, virtually hours, of feeling that he can’t contribute any longer and he was at the suicide rate of killing himself. We got that one call and he exhausted a lot of his funds and a frontline firefighter who has given so much, over 20 plus years of service, to know that feeling that it’s time for him to end it was just I’m glad they reached out.”
“We got him down to Honour House, we got him into a program that was tough to get into, almost impossible, and we saved another life.”
Genova added that was the reason they decided to get this program up and running faster and to get more cabins built.
The organization is hoping 10 or more cabins will be built by various communities. With Prince George being the first to start building
The Honour House provides a temporary home for members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Veterans and Emergency Service Personnel and their families while they travel to receive medical treatment in Vancouver.