Stayin' Alive
It is an accepted theme that the average First Responder, whether EMS, Fire, or Police, is considered an “adrenaline junkie”. And why not? First Responders routinely run toward danger, not away from it.
The average EMT or Paramedic greets their patients, many of whom are often facing possible life-ending consequences. Mentally they don their “superhero capes” as they begin, hopefully, life-saving treatment, keeping stoic faces on in front of grieving family members and feeling like tired heroes if they revive the patient, and seeing themselves as failures if they do not.
Maybe the call wasn’t a medical emergency, maybe it was a trauma on the side the side of a busy highway, or at the bottom of a cliff. And once again those imagined superhero capes are donned as they work to pull a trapped victim out of a mangled car or carry an injured hiker to safety. Worse, if you listen to recent news stories you can imagine those who run into active shooter scenes to rescue victims or try to revive victims of structure fires.
While many of us sit at home watching our televisions and gasping at news reports of suspenseful movies, some are actually on the frontlines and living through those scenarios in person. After being exposed to so much trauma and sometimes feeling superhuman, sometimes feeling disappointed, it is not unusual for a First Responder to be careless with their own lives – either because they believe they are invincible, or because they believe they deserve blame.
Lack of sleep, PTSD, the use of alcohol and drugs, and even suicide is higher among First Responders than the average population. Many First Responders will often take risks such as speeding and choose recreational activities that might involve higher threats such as motorcycle racing, rock climbing, and such. There is a fine line between feeling like a superhero and needing to chastise oneself that makes an individual put their own lives in peril.
While Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) is often available to First Responders who have faced an unusually stressful call, many do not partake of it… they may see themselves as weak if they consent, or they may feel that they simply are above the “pain” and do not need it. Too often, management suggests bringing a team only when there has been a single traumatic call. Responders witness illness, traumas, deaths, and bear the brunt of a family’s pain and accusations over multiple calls. It all builds up.
Supervisors and management at these agencies need to encourage healthy outlets to help balance the stressors that their members face every day. They also need to keep open lines of communication among all their personnel and learn to recognize when one of their own is “suffering” and encourage them to speak with a professional. Above all, they must remove the stigma of needing to hide one’s pain.
If several members of an agency are involved in a traumatic incident, professional CISD should be offered in a group setting. First Responders must take care of themselves first to keep caring for others.
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