North Charlotte Today

Charlotte Fire Engineer Kyle Shank has been named the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) First Responder of the Year by NAMI North Carolina, in recognition of his commitment to mental health and community wellness initiatives. Shank's dedication highlights the crucial role first responders play in bridging emergency services and mental health support.

"Everybody struggles and your struggle might look different than my struggle. Just being there, serving people, helping people, and being present makes a difference," Shank said.

The CIT program aims to improve interactions between first responders and individuals experiencing mental health crises. This initiative involves comprehensive training that equips police officers and firefighters with skills to manage such situations effectively. Locally, CIT training was initially available only to police officers; however, Shank participated in the inaugural class offered to Charlotte firefighters.

"A big thing that I came away with is to be present. Respect that person as a person and don’t label them. And listen well," Shank noted.

Shank is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who has served as a firefighter in Charlotte for fifteen years. He currently works as an engineer at Firehouse 32, where he drives Engine 32.

“We usually see people come into people when they’re freaked out. The same thing when people call 911. For somebody who’s in a mental crisis or they have mental illness, that’s usually either when they’re in fight or flight [mode]. You sit and listen, ask questions and acknowledge them. Respect them, love them well,” Shank said.

John Osborn, CIT Coordinator for Mecklenburg County, praised Shank: “Kyle is a model first responder, both responding to mental health crises in the community and advocating for wellness initiatives within his department. Since completing his CIT training as a member of the first CIT class specifically for Fire, Kyle has utilized his skillset to respond to all types of calls.”

In addition to his CIT work, Shank completed veterans’ crisis intervention training (VCIT) in 2023 and serves as a "Struggle Well" trainer at Charlotte’s Fire Training Academy. He also contributes significantly as part of Charlotte Fire’s Peer Support Team.

Fire Chief Reginald T. Johnson emphasized the importance of advocacy: “Whether you are a firefighter, first responder, mental health professional, or someone directly affected by mental illness, we can all become advocates for changing the way our community responds to mental health crises.”

“We all should have a commitment to people being well and to people being loved and to people being heard and respected as humans,” Shank added.