Henderson firefighter to be honored with line-of-duty death memorial ceremony

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — The Henderson Fire Department announced Monday, Sept. 30, the death of Henderson firefighter and paramedic Robbie Pettingill.

Pettingill suffered from job-related post-traumatic stress disorder and took his own life at home on Sept. 17.

He was with the department for 13 years and was a second-generation firefighter after his father, Scott, served with the department for 22 years.

“Robbie was an exceptional firefighter who loved the job and was well-liked by his colleagues throughout the department,” said Fire Chief Shawn White. “Firefighters face unique challenges from repeated exposure to traumatic and stressful events and often respond to situations where they can feel helpless, making them more vulnerable to suicidal thoughts. Our hearts go out to the Pettingill family and we urge anyone who is contemplating taking their own life to reach out to family, friends or community resources for help.”

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On Friday, Oct. 4 at 1:45 p.m., a motorcade of Henderson Fire and Police personnel will escort Pettingill’s remains from the Henderson Fire Training Center to Central Christian Church where a celebration life service will be held at 2:30 p.m.

The procession will include family members and representatives from other fire departments and EMS providers.

The ceremony at Centra Christian Church will be open to anyone in the community who want to pay their respects.

In a release, the City of Henderson says that Pettingill’s death is a reminder about the chronic workplace stress that first responders face throughout their careers.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is free and confidential for those in distress. It can be reached at 800-273-8255 or on the website.