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Monday, October 10, 2022

First Responder Trauma



I know a Professional who counsels First Responders who suffer from on the job trauma. She was very busy during the hight of the pandemic. It’s important work and I only wish there were more mental health professionals in that field. 


Recently the things they deal with have changed. They aren’t complaining so much about dealing with death and destruction. The ones still working emergency services are handling that aspect better. There’s a new wave of complaints and it’s something the trauma professional didn’t train for.


The big complaints now are things like low wages, long hours, under staffing, excessive overtime, lack of respect from superiors, and things of that nature. When the blood and guts part of your job isn’t the worse part something is definitely wrong. 


The counselor is even hearing from people in upper management. There was a Fire Chief practically in tears because the city refused to budget basic safety equipment. He didn’t want to send people into harms way without proper gear. It broke his heart. 


It’s shameful how we treat people who put themselves in harm’s way to help others. 


-Sixbears


7 comments:

  1. Our grandparents/ancestors would be laughing their asses off at how so many people these days can't cope with things. Life's tough. Get over it.

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    1. So . . . you are in favor of needless suffering for the people sworn to help you? Seems more than a little mean. We could deal with trauma the way our grandparents did, with booze and domestic abuse.

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    2. Dan, to you I use your own words, "Life's tough, GET OVER IT." How many of my brothers have lost it and gone on a rampage due to lack of the assistance that would have done them and their victims much needed assistance. Training, equipment, and Mental health services are all in short supply. And remember young man, your ancestors probably didn't live long enough to suffer from such trauma.

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  2. Dan at least your comments are always consistent. Glad you're not my neighbor.

    Asking EMS to go into harm's way without basic safety equipment is like telling a bunch of soldiers to draw rifles WITHOUT Ammo and "Fix Bayonets" before going into a well-armed Burn Loot Murder crowd.

    Telling folks who serve the emergency needs of a county "Tough *hit" work for low wages and complain that we cannot hire enough folks to do the required jobs is also a typically non-thinking comment.

    Dan maybe you should man up and go over to your EMS Firehouse and tell them face to face such awesome thoughts. You might get on their do not resuscitate list.

    Never bite the hands that pull you from car wrecks and respond to your home is ablaze.

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    1. Never suggested that someone attempt a job without the proper equipment. AM saying that people need to toughen the hell up and stop whining over seeing ugly things on the job and then wanting cash and prizes from their "disability"...and sympathy for having a thin skin. Been working in the ER for DECADES. Seen all manner of horrors. And I CHOOSE to not let it affect me in a negative way. Just like happiness is a choice how you deal with the stress life tosses at ALL of us is a CHOICE.

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    2. Sounds like it's time to retire.

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