Grad's Focus on Firefighter Mental Health Inspired by Her Dad, Milwaukee Fire Chief

Armed with a degree in occupational science and technology, Bella Lipski is planning to respond to assist firefighters. But, her mission doesn't involved donning turnout gear or picking up a hose.

"For firefighters, they're working every day, and they're experiencing all of these different traumas. They're seeing all these things, and while they're responding to traumas," Lipski told WISN after graduating Sunday from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Her unusual career path was inspired by her father, Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski.

"I was touched that, you know, she's been watching..." he said.

"We lost, like, I think almost 30 people just retired mid-career. They weren't at pension or nothing. You know, there were six or seven years in there. Just put their hands up and said, 'I can't keep doing this.' And, that, that really got our attention," Lipski said.

Bella said she hopes her work will help people better understand the emotional toll firefighters endure.

"I think I just want people to take away that firefighters are human too. They're the people that we look to when there's a problem and when we're in pain or we're scared, but they have feelings too," she said.