Gone are the days when firefighters would only put out fires.
Today, they respond to all kinds of urgent calls.
“We assist B.C. Ambulance with all kinds of medical calls, we have several specialty teams, we have a high-angle rope team, we do swift-water rescue, ice rescue, we have a hazmat (hazardous material) team, that helps the whole regional district with hazmat issues,” said Kelowna firefighter Ryan Corsi.
“We have a marine rescue boat for issues on the lake, so everything, motor vehicle accidents.”
Many of the calls are difficult, and, over time, can and do take a heavy toll on a firefighter’s mental health.
“We deal with a lot of the sadder types of calls, a lot of death, a lot of injuries, Corsi said. “Anything to do with children, it’s never a nice thing. Those are the ones … it’s usually a little quieter on the way back to the hall.”
Trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is said to be prevalent among first responders.
“A recent study that came out suggested that 40 per cent of firefighters are struggling with PTSD or some kind of a stress injury,” said Troy Mamchur, union president of local 953. “And I think that number would be higher if you actually calculated those that are coping in silence.”
PTSD can be so severe for some, it has led to suicide.
In 2015, two longtime Surrey Fire Department members, Kevin Hegarty and Ernie Dombrowski, took their own lives, just seven weeks apart.
Both deaths were linked to psychological injuries suffered on the job.
“Doing our job, what we see every day, the trauma that we deal with, it affects you, it affects everyone,” said Mamchur. “And in order to do our job we have to package up those emotions, we have to suppress our basic instincts. And that can become . . . those packages become heavy.”
Kelowna fire chief Travis Whiting said mental health is a critical component in today’s workplace.
“As a fire chief, I feel responsible for each of my members and I care deeply about their safety and their health and about their mental health,” Whiting told Global News.
He added that the department is constantly adding tools to its toolbox to help firefighters cope, including debriefings after traumatic events and peer programs.
“We’ve certainly seen a cultural shift occur within the fire service, where more and more it’s becoming a commonplace type of conversation,” Whiting said. “Twenty years ago, it wasn’t something that was talked about at the table. Now you’ll see members talking about the programs, talking about calls and having an open, honest conversation about where they are at.”
It’s all in an effort to have the trauma dealt with before it develops into something debilitating or worse — potentially claiming a life of those who carry the heavy burden of protecting our community.
B.C. also has a one-of-a-kind, four-day program that provides firefighters with the support and resources needed to recover from PTSD.
Global News will have more on the B.C. Firefighter Resiliency Program on Thursday.
Comments