EMS Today 2019

Dan DeGryse
Director, Rosecrance Florian Program
Battalion Chief, Chicago Fire Dept.


Daniel DeGryse - BA, BS, CEAP, CADC, LAP/C, CAI, Director, Rosecrance Florian Program, Battalion Chief, Chicago Fire Department, has received several awards throughout his career. One that he is most proud of is the “Illinois Firefighter of the year” award he received in 2009 from the Illinois VFW. As Dan began his firefighting career he also worked in a private psychiatric hospital for 6 years providing individual, group, and family therapy for adolescents and adults in addictions and behavior management. Following that, he applied his education and experience working as the Coordinator of the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for fourteen years. While in this position he started the Chicago Fire Department’s first peer support program, “Gatekeepers”. Through the program he provided training for fire personnel volunteers on mental health issues that may impact first responders on the job and how to be a support to members. During that same period, he became and remains a member of the International Association of Firefighters Labor/EAP Committee since 2002. In 2014, Dan created and is the Director of the Florian Program with Rosecrance Health Network. Florian is a fourteen-bed unit within Rosecrance that began providing inpatient treatment for firefighters and paramedics dealing with substance abuse and co-occurring issues such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. This program was expanded in 2017 to include all first responders and military personnel. Dan holds degrees from two universities; A Bachelor of Science in Fire Science Management from Southern Illinois University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Wabash College. Dan is a Certified Employee Assistance Professional, a Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor, a Certified Labor Assistance Professional, a Certified ARISE Interventionist, and holds advanced training in Critical Incident Stress Management.

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