Police, fire, ambulance personnel face high PTSD rates
August 22, 2014
Efforts in Canada are underway to improve treatment access for emergency first responders who suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Two provinces, Alberta and British Columbia, have changed worker compensation laws so that first responders no longer have to prove their PTSD is related to their work experiences in order to receive benefits. Ontario and Manitoba may soon take similar action. Alex Forrest, a firefighter working to raise awareness about suicide among first responders, hopes such changes will reduce the stigma associated with seeking help. “Just the fact that it’s becoming part of legislation, it will become an education tool for firefighters to realize that it’s an acceptable issue…and not to be embarrassed, that you have the ability to come forward.”
Spark Extra! Read a new report on Breaking the Silence: Suicide Prevention in Law Enforcement.