Chicago Fire Department looking at suicides

The Chicago Fire Department is trying to figure out why more firefighters have committed suicide or attempted to take their own lives in the last year.

Fire officials say there have been about a half-dozen suicides and an undisclosed number of attempted suicides, which is an above average number.

Union president Tom Ryan says there's no obvious reason he can point to for the spike. But he says that being a firefighter or paramedic is stressful and people who take the jobs tend to keep their feelings to themselves.

In response, union officials are organizing open counseling sessions and a family day to talk about the issue.

Ryan also says the department has sent personnel workers and counselors to suicide prevention and awareness seminars.

The fire department has about 5,000 firefighters and paramedics.