Stress taking toll on Sudbury emergency services

First responders attend to stressful situations to help the public on a daily basis, and that stress can take its toll on paramedics, police and firefighters.

At the emergency services committee meeting this week, the public learned that Sudbury's emergency services had 31 reported psychological incidents since 2012. 

Of those, 27 referrals for psychological care came from paramedic services and four from fire services.

"It's personally not surprising," chief of the paramedic and fire departments, Trevor Bain, said.

"I think that our society has gotten better at recognizing these types of things and is trying to deal with them in a more proactive, intelligent way."

The department has been working with a third party psychologist to deal with these cases.  

It has also put together a peer support team to help affected employees.

Chief says cases need both proper professional and peer support 

Bain said it is important for management to keep a distance from the mental health response.

"That allows for us to provide the support to the employee, but not be standing on top of one, looking over top of people when they really need to have that true peer support combined with professional support," he said.

Back in February, the province said it was putting in place a number of new initiatives to help prevent or mitigate the risk of post-traumatic stress among first responders.