ThereB次元官网网址檚 a culture shift taking place in the Saanich fire halls.
With a new wave of mental health awareness, which accepts how damaging trauma can be on people over the long term, there is a new program to help firefighters and other first responders to deal with the traumatic experiences right away.
B次元官网网址淲e see things other people donB次元官网网址檛 want to see,B次元官网网址� said Tom McConnell of the .
As first responders, itB次元官网网址檚 accepted that firefighters will be called to the most disturbing scenes and experience some of the worst of human tragedy. If not properly dealt with, research shows the trauma can quickly burden a firefighterB次元官网网址檚 mental health, and often leads to marital problems and, in some cases, suicide.
Which is why Saanich is the latest fire department to undertake the Canadian Mental Health AssociationB次元官网网址檚 Resilient Minds training. Fifteen members enrolled in the Resilient Minds program last week. Those 15 will soon turn around and train up to 20 more members, until the Saanich Fire Department is fully on board with the program.
In recent years, awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder () has become a growing concern, which is why the is taking a proactive approach to arm our members with important skills, said Saanich Fire Chief Michael Burgess.
B次元官网网址淚t gives us the ability to recognize if someone is struggling and not behaving as their normal selves so we can get them the help they need,B次元官网网址� said McConnell, whoB次元官网网址檚 the Saanich Fire peer-to-peer mental health co-ordinator and co-ordinator of Saanich FireB次元官网网址檚 Critical Incident Stress Management Team. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e trying to deal with it properly instead of masking and pretending you didnB次元官网网址檛 see it.B次元官网网址�
McConnell, like all firefighters, has responded to some horrific and tragic incidents. But when he started there were few, if any, mechanisms for dealing with the trauma that firefighters and first responders endured. The Resilient Minds course, led here by Steve Fraser from Vancouver Fire and Saeri Roots from CMHA, helps firefighters recognize the signs of mental illness, or trauma, so they can get the support they need as quickly as possible. This comes just a decade or two from a time when all you could do was share your story with someone else in the department who would one-up you with something similar, but worse, to make you feel heard, McConnell said.
B次元官网网址淲e are ending the stigma behind the B次元官网网址榮uck it upB次元官网网址� attitude, and not just dealing with things through dark humour, but by creating a safe environment,B次元官网网址� McConnell said. B次元官网网址淎t the start of my career I saw things and this piqued my interest to make sure everyone knows itB次元官网网址檚 normal [to be affected by it].B次元官网网址�
The CMHA Resilient Minds course is a comprehensive four-module prevention program designed specifically for first responders to support them in areas of psychological trauma and workplace stress.
B次元官网网址淪tudies are showing that nearly all firefighters want to deal with it through their peers initially,B次元官网网址� McConnell said. B次元官网网址淭his also gives us the ability, when weB次元官网网址檙e going on calls, to deal with members of the public who are enduring traumatic stress.B次元官网网址�
McConnell added that while PTSD is the big word of the day, thereB次元官网网址檚 different types of trauma.
B次元官网网址淚t can be cumulative, people could go to 500 calls but itB次元官网网址檚 call No. 501 that sets you off and you donB次元官网网址檛 know why after you dealt with the previous [issues],B次元官网网址� McConnell said. B次元官网网址淥ur team helps firefighters debrief from a specific incident, ultimately allowing them to return to their daily routines with less likelihood of developing PTSD.B次元官网网址�
