Dan DeGryse ’86 is a firefighter and stress management/grief counselor: “Captain/EMT with the Chicago Fire Department with 24 years of service. He is the Coordinator of the Chicago Firefighters’ Union Local 2′s Employee Assistance Program and a standing member of the IAFF Labor/EAP committee. Dan is a Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP), a Certified Labor Assistance Professional (LAP/C), a Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (CADC), and has advanced training in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM). He has written articles, given speeches, and collaborated with others on the behavioral health of members in the Fire Service. Dan has a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Science Management from Southern Illinois University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Wabash College” (quoted from Dan’s online bio).
Dan was recently interviewed for a news story about the increase in firefighter suicides. Dan is passionate in his outreach to first responders, offering encouragement and support as they deal with the daily toll of their jobs in saving lives and property.
In May, Dan and others will ride bicycles from Chicago’s Wrigley Field to Boston’s Fenway Park in 12 days. The goal is to raise money to assist Chicago Fire Department families in need and to support a fund to cure cancer research. Click here for the story about Dan and the ride to Fenway, which begins on May 26.
