Turning the Tide Against Suicide: Retired Fire Chief at Annual Games in San Diego [Video]

No one seeing retired Fire Chief Matt Shobert standing poolside would ever suspect he once contemplated jumping off the Coronado Bridge.

Shobert, 61, was one of 24 swimmers in the 57th annual U.S .Police & Fire Championships this weekend at Mater Dei Catholic High School in Chula Vista.

While there to compete in freestyle and breaststroke competitions, he also was looking out for “folks who may be struggling in silence.”

Since he has been one of those “folks,” he has written a “firefighter suicide prevention memoir,” hoping to save lives of fellow first responders.

The annual competition began Saturday and continues through Saturday, June 15, at more than 25 locations throughout the county.

The games — an Olympic-style event for public safety personnel across the United States — feature more than 35 sports including bench press, dodgeball, air pistol, pickleball, rowing, baseball, bowling, golf, tennis, CrossFit and track and field.

Starting out as a means …