Randy Reinholdt spent Saturday flipping a 400-pound tire around the Vancouver seawall to raise awareness about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD.
The tire’s weight is symbolic of what the Victoria paramedic carries home after every shift.
“The classic question is to all of us what is the most horrible thing you see? So you want me to relive the worst day of my life?” said Reinholdt.
The 17-year paramedic has spent much of his time on the front lines responding to calls on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. What he’s seen has taken its toll on his mental health.
READ MORE: Report finds first responders experiencing PTSD rates similar to combat veterans
Reinholdt is not alone in his struggles, about one third of Canada’s 40 first responder suicides in 2015 were in B.C.
“We compare it to the drug epidemic right now with heroin and fentanyl. Same thing, it’s taking lives like over and over and over every day,” said Reinholdt.
Other B.C. first responders are pushing the road to recovery in the ‘First Cause Ride’ where participants tackle an up to 140 kilometre cycling route to raise awareness and money for a unique treatment program.
“When you see something or experience something it doesn’t go away,” said Shea Hobbis, Lead Coordinator of First Cause Ride. “It’s just on how you deal with it and it could be one incident or an accumulation of incidents…it affects all of us.”
- Solar eclipse eye damage: More than 160 cases reported in Ontario, Quebec
- 3 women diagnosed with HIV after ‘vampire facials’ at unlicensed U.S. spa
- ‘Super lice’ are becoming more resistant to chemical shampoos. What to use instead
- Canadian man dies during Texas Ironman event. His widow wants answers as to why
READ MORE: Internal report shows 1 in 3 VPD officers dealing with PTSD
The goal of the First Cause Ride and fundraiser is to support an easy to access online service for PTSD diagnosis and treatment developed by Kelty Online Therapy Service and mental health professionals at Vancouver General Hospital.
The PTSD mental illness program is specifically designed for B.C. first responders and with an internet connection, anyone on the front lines in our province will be able to receive help.
“I think we’re getting there. More people are starting to reach out and definitely more people are starting to be aware of the issues we all deal with,” said firefighter and First Cause Ride participant Brent Ziefflie.
At the ‘Break the Chains of Silence’ event on the Vancouver seawall, Vancouver-Hastings NDP MLA Shane Simpson urged first responders to keep their voices strong in support of PTSD awareness.
READ MORE: B.C. first responders need help with PTSD: ‘we’re there 24/7, 365’
In February, Simpson introduced an amendment to the Worker’s Compensation Act to have first responder PTSD deemed occupational – unless there was evidence outlining otherwise.
But the legislation stalled after the B.C. government said it already expanded workers’ compensation in 2012 to include PTSD coverage.
“As a paramedic, greatest job in the world I don’t want to do anything else, but I know it also takes a piece of my soul with it too,” said Reinholdt.
Comments