Trauma support vital for emergency workers who respond to horrific scenes: union

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/02/2024 (576 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The recent slayings of a Manitoba mother, her three children and her teenage niece has highlighted the importance of trauma supports for emergency first responders, union officials say.

“Nobody who experiences trauma on the job should have to figure out for themselves how to cope,” said Jason Linklater, president of the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals.

Numerous members of the Shared Health Emergency Response Services team were impacted by the multiple slayings of the five victims from Carman, which took place at three separate locations in southwestern Manitoba last weekend.

Those involved are receiving care, Shared Health said Tuesday.

“There has been ongoing followup with staff in the days following the tragic events,” a spokesperson said.

Linklater acknowledged the health authority has improved it’s approach to traumatic incident supports, but said the union is asking for more.

First responders in rural locations typically have limited access to resources, and health outcomes worsen when people are left to navigate mental-health challenges without a dedicated care plan, he said.

“What we’re suggesting is that 24-7 access to a counsellor that specializes in trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder should be implemented,” he said. “These are things that have come to light in recent years as requiring specialized types of intervention, and we want to make sure paramedics working in the system have access to the best supports that are available.”

The union supported the creation of Shared Health’s Physical and Mental Health Safety Committee, which met for the first time in December. The group is tasked with drafting recommendations to improve supports for emergency-service providers, he said.

Its formation was precipitated, in part, by first responders involved in a catastrophic highway crash near Carberry who reached out to the union for help, Linklater said.

The June 15 collision between a tractor-trailer and a mini-bus killed 17 Manitobans.

Mounties — who not only respond to incidents but are tasked with investigating crimes — have access to a robust support network provided by the police force, but still suffer mental-health challenges as a result of their work, said RCMP Staff Sgt. Bobby Baker, who serves as director of the National Police Federation’s prairie region.

“Layer upon layer, it just builds up. You’re dealing with tragedy, pain, horrible family experiences… first-hand and soaking that all in,” said Baker. “It literally becomes the recipe for PTSD. It’s pretty much inescapable in this career.”

Baker, who previously oversaw the Pembina Valley region (which includes Carman), said conversations about psychological injuries have improved over the course of his 27-year career.

He expressed empathy for the the officers and others who responded to the slayings over the weekend, encouraging them to talk to their peers and superiors about what they are experiencing.

“You will pretty much will receive unlimited care,” he said, noting the RCMP staffs psychologists in the wake of traumatic incidents.

Baker said he intends to visit officers in Carman later this week.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca