Louisville firefighters took part in a mental health training course this week to learn how to cope with the daily challenges they encounter while battling fires in the community.On Monday morning, the Louisville Fire Department responded to a devastating house fire on Cecil Avenue in the Chickasaw neighborhood that killed two people, a 65-year-old man and a 7-year-old boy. It’s a situation the Louisville Professional Firefighters president said weighs heavily on the department. “We had fire crews that, you know, recovered bodies of children from a working house fire. That’s not normal stuff,” Jeff Taylor said.Capt. Sam Pierce was one of the firefighters who responded to the deadly fire. He said the tragedy is just one example of the difficulties those in his industry face every single day.”We see lots of things that aren’t ideal for anyone to see, and it’s difficult sometimes to not take that home,” Pierce said.He said that’s why he volunteered to complete a mental health training course to help his fellow firefighters cope with the job’s challenges.The International Association of Fire Fighters visited the Louisville Fire Academy on Monday and Tuesday to teach 30 firefighters and other first responders to have tough conversations within their department and connect others who are struggling to the right resources.”We can have our Superman cape on, but we can’t be Superman all the time,” peer support trainer Danny Adams said during the training.According to the association, 20% of all U.S. firefighters suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder — 47% consider suicide, with 15.5% actually attempting suicide.Taylor said several members of the Louisville Fire Department have attempted or died by suicide in the last few years, which is why they wanted to bring in this training.”The ultimate goal is to intervene before somebody takes their own life or attempts it,” said Taylor.The mental health training course is specifically for individuals in the fire service. Adams said it’s the most sought-after program of its kind in the U.S. and Canada. The training is designed to change the perception that firefighters have to tough it out and get them the help they need.”Now we have resources to point them toward,” Pierce said. “We have a better way of handling that information as it comes in and how to navigate it.”Currently, 130 first responders in Kentucky have gone through the program. The fire department said the goal is to have 60 more firefighters complete the course by next year.