DrParasite
The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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I saw the post from @NomadicMedic and his crew that had a really bad call... Many of us have had those really bad calls... if you haven't, you likely will sometime in the future. And saw the post from @ChrisMed1 about some of the mental health issues he was experiencing... and some older stuff that others have posted about over the past few years. And had one of my EMS academy-mates commit suicide shortly after graduating.
One of my former coworkers used to say "you need to be crazy to do this job," and knowing many of my coworkers, he's not entirely wrong; Mental health issues are all too common, and EMS workers are not exempt from experiencing them. But like many in the military, and other public safety areas, we get the added bonus of seeing stuff that many people wouldn't ever want to deal with. And like many, in our field, we ignore them and pretend they don't affect us, and our employer's management when it comes to crews who experience those seriously bad calls has, historically, been piss poor, especially when the system has calls holding. Thankfully, some places are making progress in that area due to better leadership, but it's still the rarity, not the norm.
As a result, I did want to share some resources, for anyone who might need them... or thinks they are the only person to ever go through this. It's a lot more common than many want to admit.
www.jems.com
and a few Jason Patton Videos
www.ems.gov
ncoae.org
www.jems.com
and one thing about cancer
One of my former coworkers used to say "you need to be crazy to do this job," and knowing many of my coworkers, he's not entirely wrong; Mental health issues are all too common, and EMS workers are not exempt from experiencing them. But like many in the military, and other public safety areas, we get the added bonus of seeing stuff that many people wouldn't ever want to deal with. And like many, in our field, we ignore them and pretend they don't affect us, and our employer's management when it comes to crews who experience those seriously bad calls has, historically, been piss poor, especially when the system has calls holding. Thankfully, some places are making progress in that area due to better leadership, but it's still the rarity, not the norm.
As a result, I did want to share some resources, for anyone who might need them... or thinks they are the only person to ever go through this. It's a lot more common than many want to admit.
It Is Not OK to Be Not OK - JEMS: EMS, Emergency Medical Services - Training, Paramedic, EMT News
“We are in a war against death and disability,” writes Dr. Chris Caulkins.
www.jems.com
and a few Jason Patton Videos
- EMS Helpline – +1 (888)-731-FIRE (3473)
- Service provided by the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) to prevent suicide and provide free resources, confidential support, and other tools to improve mental health.
- Safe Call Now – +1 (206)-459-3020
- Safe Call Now is an organization initially founded in the state of Washington, that extended its operation nationwide. Staffed by public safety professionals and former law enforcement officers, the organization provides simple and confidential way to ask for help for a wide range of issues. Safe Call Now works collectively with a variety of unions, public safety groups and various mental health and substance abuse professionals to support first responders and those in the line of trauma around the nation.
- The Code Green Campaign
- First responder oriented mental health advocacy and education organization. Also known as Code Green, they serve all types of first responders. This includes firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, dispatchers, police, corrections, air medical, and search & rescue. Their name is a combination of the color for mental health awareness (green) and the “code alerts” used in emergency services. If someone is having a stroke or heart attack first responders will call a “code stroke” or “code STEMI”. The idea is that Code Green is calling a code alert on the mental health of first responders.
First Responder Mental Health and Suicide: An Evidence-Based approach
EMS Update Newsletter - Fall 2021 - First Responder Mental Health and Suicide: An Evidence-Based Approach
www.ems.gov
Maintaining Resilience and Mental Health in the EMS Profession - National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education
The suicide rate among emergency medical service (EMS) professionals rose a shocking 38 percent since 2009, according to a study published in the Western
ncoae.org
A Frontline Battle: The Mental Health Crisis in Emergency Medical Services - JEMS: EMS, Emergency Medical Services - Training, Paramedic, EMT News
Taylor Shearer reviews mental health issues in EMS, its factors and offers suggestions on how to better manage mental well-being.
www.jems.com
and one thing about cancer
