Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Professor Massey
2018-4-22
It is important for everyone to know the rates of Post traumatic stress disorder(PTSD) in
first responders and how it affects the lives of the first responders who help us during times of
emergency, As it can affect us when we may need them at a critical moment in our life. When
people think of first responders they usually think of police officers and firefighters, but it also
extends to those who work in the call centers taking the emergency calls or dispatch officers. It
is also those who work in the EMT/EMS (emergency medical technician / services) paramedics
registered as search and rescue. They need help themselves because the daily grind of their jobs
is difficult on the body and mind. It is crucial in how it affects their judgement when dealing
with a situation.
PTSD has been around since the beginning of man, it is not new. It has just always been
called something else. During and after World War One the effects of PTSD and what it is, was
first fully documented. Which was helped due to technological advancements at the time such as
cameras. It is not until the late 80’s and early 90’s did PTSD among police officers become a
topic of discussion. It is much more recent for fire fighters, Emergency Medical personnel which
only just started being a topic of discussion in the early to mid 2000’s especially after September
11th 2001. And even more recent the discussion into the mental health of those who answer and
dispatch our calls for emergency has been brought up in the last few years, they are our most
forgotten first responders the 911 phone operators and dispatchers. They are usually the first to
get word of a tragic event and listen in to the phone calls or the radio chatter between the first
responders. Sometimes 911 call operators have to listen to the last words of someone before they
pass away. These are not easy things to do, knowing they are the last person to talk to someone
Some of the most challenging calls or trauma events for first responders to deal with
involve children. With many first responders being parents themselves it is a difficult ordeal, as
well as the fact that children are too young to usually understand what is going on around them
or with them. Too quote a few sentences from research studies; “The most commonly identified
‘worst’ calls were those involving the unexpected injury or death of a child, followed by suicidal
callers, shootings involving police officers, and calls involving the unexpected death of an
adult.” (Heather 211-215). During times of mass casualty events such as the pulse nightclub
Vegas, Boston Marathon bombing, September 11th and Sandy Hook massacre many first
responder’s lives are changed, with many reliving those days for months to years after like it was
yesterday. Many police officers who were on scene during the Pulse nightclub and route 91
festival shooting still have trouble with ringing cellphones as they trigger emotional and physical
flashbacks to the massacres. Something as basic and normal to everyday life as a phone call,
something majority of people take for granted every day. Those who worked on September 11th
, even just average New Yorkers, can still smell what happened that day, just by seeing certain
You may ask how first responders are affected by post traumatic stress disorder
compared to the general population, well here are very basic statistics again quoted from
research; “Unlike the general population, many first responders will be exposed to traumatic
events numerous times during their career. Thus, possibly, as a result of multiple exposures,
lifetime prevalence of PTSD in first responders can be as high as 32 % , compared with estimates
in the general population of 6–14 %” (Walker 2-12) As you can see the average person in the
general population has a lower rate of dealing with mental health issues associated with
traumatic events in their lives. It is said that while on active service the average rate of
depression and PTSD related symptoms among first responders is between 15% to 35% at any
given time. With statistics this high we can expect faster burn out rates among personnel and it
Depression brought on by PTSD among first responders often leads to suicide. Previously
it has been the norm among those in certain jobs, especially first responders to not talk about the
things they’ve seen and how they make them feel.it is a stigma of showing weakness and the fear
of losing a job they love. But how can you perform at your full potential if you are not mentally
fit. Here are some frightening statistics from last year among first responders in the United
States, some people may look at these and say these numbers are small, but you have to
understand that those in these jobs make up a very small percentage of the population;
“in 2017 103 firefighters and 140 police officers committed suicide, and 93 firefighters and 129
officers died in the line of duty, which includes shootings, stabbings, drownings and car
accidents on the job.” (Miriam Heyman 19) . And the much less known world of those who pick
people up in ambulances; “one in 15 paramedics and EMTs has attempted suicide. That rate is
more than ten times higher than for the general population.” (Newland 32).
Programs to help first responders out there are growing, along with the better
understanding of the effects of dealing with trauma every day on the job. Programs to help those
that are first responders are usually small or within those cities, sometimes none exist at all in
some departments. Which is why organizations such as The Code Green Project came about
which are trying to provide universal help to all first responders, instead of relying on the
government and state institutions. To better understand the stigma of coming forth with mental
health issues from on the job experiences here is a quote from retired first responder Kupietz; “In
his more than 20 years of service as a firefighter and paramedic, Kupietz has yet to have a
troubled coworker approach him directly. “It’ll be the wife who calls up and says ‘I think there’s
a problem with my husband,’” he said. “Many firefighters think it’s a sign of weakness. Those of
us in leadership positions are trying to change that idea.” “ (Chua). The way forward is to talk
about issues facing those in first responder careers, bottling up all the negative emotions only
With better understanding of PTSD and Depression with how it affects the lives of
everyone, not just those in the military and first responder’s, better treatment is coming out on
how to deal with peoples broken minds. Resiliency is key in treating symptoms Before and after
they arise. Getting to know an individual, taking the time and effort needed to help mend the
mind is key. To quote retired fire fighter Kupietz from earlier; “But how do you teach resilience?
There’s not a one-size-fits-all solution and the best thing you can do is understand the individuals
you’re working with, believes Kupietz. For some, making time for a walk or committing to a
hobby might be important. For others, it might simply be spending time with their family or
playing with their dogs after a difficult day.” (Chua). Just being a better person to everyone,
especially those who you deal with on a day to day basis can go along way, especially in helping
deal with PTSD and depression. Again, to quote Kupietz in how he believes fire departments
should train new recruits; “In addition to regular debriefing sessions, it’s important to train
firefighters to look out for signs, both in one another and their own selves, that someone is
having a hard time. “Fire officers should know that what’s not being said is just as important for
gauging the effect of a call on their crews,” said Kupietz. “We have to teach resilience and how
To conclude, if society does not care about those who put their lives on the line for those
who need it the most, how can we expect people in the future to want to continue doing so.
Whether people believe money makes individuals become first responders or the thrill of the job,
it still takes courage, skill, and determination to do what needs to be done when your own life is
at risk even though you can walk away and save yourself. Selflessness is not something everyone
can do, it takes a certain kind of individual, and that is why we should take care of them after the