Latest News

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Firefighting one of the most stressful jobs

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 01/4/2013 4:31 PM | Comments: 0

Firefighters have the third most stressful job according to a new survey. (KEN GIGLIOTTI / FREE PRESS ARCHIVES)

Your friendly neighbourhood firefighter has the third most stressful job, according to a work-stress survey conducted by Harris Interactive for Everest College in Ontario.

Running into burning buildings is very stressful, the study says. Also, the bursts of stress between lulls that a firefighter experiences is more stressful than a steady stream of stress, it says.

"It doesn't surprise me at all," said Alex Forrest, president of United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg, Local 867. "That's why post traumatic stress disorder is common among firefighters, police officers and emergency service workers," Forrest said.

There's also a high rate of heart disease and heart attacks among firefighters, he said. "Every time you're in fire hall and get an alarm, your level of stress goes up, and your adrenalin fight or flight reaction."

The most stressful job is military personnel in the front lines, followed by the military generals who send personnel to the front, according to the survey. Fourth on the stress list is a commercial airline pilot bearing the responsibility of so many people's lives. Fifth is a public relations executive. Part of the problem is public relations "is a very thankless job," the study said.

The survey used 11 criteria to determine stress including physical danger, how much you work in the public eye, and having responsibility for other people's lives.

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More Latest News

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.