First responders offered help dealing with trauma in new course

A new program designed to help first responders handle stress symptoms is starting up in the fall at the College of Extended Learning at the University of New Brunswick's Fredericton campus.

The course is aimed at first responders such as paramedics, police, counselors and firefighters in the community, but the person responsible for the course's design and development says stress can affect many people.

"There's a lot of people exposed to a lot of stress in their lives, and it's all about giving them the skills they need to cope with these stresses in a proactive way," said Kelly O'Brien, who is the college's director of business development.

O'Brien said the idea for the course, which costs about $4,000, came from working on a coping skills course and now he's working with Langara College in British Columbia.

"As we were looking for partners to launch something here in Atlantic Canada, they stepped up to be a perfect partner to help us help our stakeholders in our community here," said O'Brien.

Workplace stress requires coping skills

Trauma from stress can affect people in different ways and the course is meant to not only pass along coping skills but help determine where different stress levels are.

"There's very tragic things that can happen to people. There's broken homes, there's drug abuse and there's suicide, which we read about all the time in the media, and it's the ultimate tragedy," said O'Brien.

The challenge of being a first responder is that high performance and decision-making is required despite what they may encounter on the job or in their life at home.

• First responders struggle with PTSD
• Ambulance New Brunswick responds to PTSD concerns
• Francine Landry pitches PTSD compensation bill for first responders

When a front-line worker is required to help others with trauma it has an effect on that worker's own resilience against trauma.

The president of Paramedics Association of New Brunswick is excited to see more programs giving paramedics the opportunity and help to talk about on the job problems.

Phil Comeau said paramedics have to "be ready in a heartbeat" and constantly performing their job at the top of their ability.

"It's hard on everybody, whether you're experienced or you're just coming into the field but it can be trying sometimes."

Front-line workers face uncertainty at work

Comeau said paramedics face unknowns in their regular 12-hour shifts and they have to be prepared for many different scenarios.

"You don't know what you're going to walk into, there is so many unknowns ... that's one of the biggest stressors we have, is walking into something you're not expecting," said Comeau.

"Anything from car accidents involving elderly, small children to heart attacks, strokes to gunshots to pretty well anything."

There are counseling services available immediately to paramedics after bad calls or tough situations and Comeau said support is improving in the province.

"Now people are starting to recognize that PTSD and stress is a huge part of reality so people are getting on board and with this recognition come these programs," said Comeau.

O'Brien said the best part about working on the course is helping to make progress for workplace mental health.

"If we can launch this program, engage these communities and have a significant impact, then that is the ultimate feedback for us, that's the ultimate goal."