Turning the Tide Against Suicide: Retired Fire Chief at Annual Games in San Diego

No one seeing retired Fire Chief Matt Shobert standing poolside would ever suspect he once contemplated jumping off the Coronado Bridge.

Shobert, 62, was one of 24 swimmers in the 57th annual U.S. Police & Fire Championships this weekend at Mater Dei Catholic High School in Chula Vista.

While there to compete in freestyle and breaststroke competitions, he also was looking out for “folks who may be struggling in silence.”

Since he has been one of those “folks,” he has written a “firefighter suicide prevention memoir,” hoping to save lives of fellow first responders.

The annual competition began Saturday and continues through Saturday, June 15, at more than 25 locations throughout the county.

The games — an Olympic-style event for public safety personnel across the United States — feature more than 35 sports including bench press, dodgeball, air pistol, pickleball, rowing, baseball, bowling, golf, tennis, CrossFit and track and field.

Starting out as a means for first responders to improve their overall fitness, reduce stress and increase their professional abilities, the USPFC has grown substantially since its inception in 1967.

While the competition has been physically beneficial for Shobert, he’s also looking out for his fellow entrants’ mental and emotional well-being.

Shobert has been active in this effort since a 2014 near-fatal accident. The right side of his face sustained a blow that tore a large hole in his jaw and caused traumatic brain injury while he was fire chief in Murrieta.

At first, he thought he had been shot. But it was discovered that a brush clearing mower kicked up a fist-sized rock and struck Shobert, standing next to his SUV.

Able to radio for help, he was flown to Loma Linda University Medical Center. He reportedly stopped breathing a few times while being transported by Life Flight.

Half his teeth were knocked out, and the bottom third of his face had to be reconstructed

With the care of hospital staff and the Loma Linda School of Dentistry, no scars are immediately evident.

During his three-year recovery, he had low spots.

“Everyone was calling me a hero and a miracle, and I was about to kill myself because I missed my career and was in such physical, mental and emotional pain,” Shobert told Times of San Diego.

The excellent facial reconstruction hid the trauma inside, he said.

“I lost my career in a split second,” the former fire chief says. “I went from an adrenaline junky to a couch potato in a split second.”

Ten years into retirement, he still misses the drama and excitement, “the feeling of making a difference,” he said. “There’s nothing like it. It was gone in a flash.”

While a lot of people gear up for retirement, his transition was instantaneous.

But now Shobert is in a good enough space that his focus is on his fellow first responders, who he fears may be where he used to be psychologically.

Even those who do prepare for retirement, find themselves bored and lonely, he said.

Some turn to alcohol or drugs, he said.

“It’s stunning to me,” said Shobert, who now lives in Tucson. “Everyone I talk to, I give them the book and ask if they know any firefighters or police officers who killed themselves. And to a person, everyone of them says, ‘three or more.'”

“It’s becoming an epidemic and I want to save one life with my book,” Shobert said.

In his book, “A Little Help Here,” he writes that many people don’t know that firefighters are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.

So Shobert writes about the series of solutions he tried from cognitive behavior therapy to religion to equine and dog therapy.

His Dalmatian, named Butters, beckoned him to go outdoors for walks and “brought me out of the dark.”

Asked his advice for first responders who are struggling, Shobert said, “If you find yourself having evil thoughts, self harm, depression, everyone says, ‘Reach out. Get help.’”

“The secret is no one really knows who to call, and they don’t trust who they are told to call,” he said.

He advocates surrounding yourself with compassionate people, people who know in advance who will help you at 3 a.m.

“I believe that being vulnerable is being strong,” said the retired fire chief.

And call 911, the 988 suicide hot line, or an employer assistance program, he said.

In his book, Shobert admonishes: Killing yourself really messes up your relatives, friends, loved ones and colleagues. “Remember that,” he said.

He recommends exercise and meditation, nature and sunlight. He also expresses great appreciation for the loving care of his wife, Tami.

The event, founded by San Diego police Lt. Veon “Duke” Nyhus as the “California Police Olympics,” was first held in San Diego in 1967.

The annual games now draw thousands of athletes from law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, custom and correctional officers, as well as full-time employees (active and retired) of any eligible agency.

“The United States Police & Fire Championships have grown to be one of our most popular events for athletes across the country and truly exemplify our efforts to unite public safety personnel from varying backgrounds and cultures,” Larry Collins, president of the California Police Athletic Federation, said in a statement.

Two other swimmers hailed another event — the World Police & Fire Games.

Jennifer Martin, 43, won eight gold medals and one silver at the 2023 world games in Winnipeg, Canada, Her favorites are the shorter, sprint swims.

Martin is sports coordinator for the U.S. games. She said: “It brings people together from all over the United States and puts an emphasis on health and wellness for our first responders.”

She enjoys the competition, training and being healthy and fit — and also the challenge it provides.

Martin — recently inducted into the USPFC Fire & Police Hall of Fame — is a sergeant in the traffic unit and supervises the dive unit of the Pembroke Pine Police Department in southern Florida.

She plans to swim in the Canadian-American championships later this summer.

Doug Barker, a retired firefighter of 40 years, says he travels the world to swim. He worked for the City of Vernon Fire Department (southeast of downtown Los Angeles) and San Clemente Fire Department.

Barker swam freestyle and backstroke events Saturday and competes in the Fire & Police competitions and Masters Swimming.

Last year Barker, who now lives in Temecula, took first in the 50-meter backstroke, second in the 50 breaststroke, first in the 100 breast stroke, second in the 50 freestyle and first in 100 freestyle at the world games.

He began swimming at age 4 and competed for Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.

“It says on our medals: Commitment, Camaraderie and Competition,” he said. “It keeps younger and older guys in shape.”