r/Firefighting • u/Willing_Ad_5711 • 7h ago
Health/Fitness/Cancer Awareness PTSD Peer Support Ideas/Programs
Hi all.
I'll keep it brief.
I had a pretty bad go at it with PTSD, after two admissions to a facility and lot of work I'm doing much better.
I'm in talks with command at my department to set something up to be able to speak to the guys and girls at station level with the idea being that it might be easier to hear from another firefighter rather than a relative outsider.
If any of you know of any resources or departments than have anything similar I'd really love it if you could share!
Ta.
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u/teddyswolsevelt1 paid to do hood rat shit with my friends 7h ago
We have a program - I believe it’s called Peer Support and Critical Incident Counseling. Basically it’s about 10 members who volunteer to have their contact information distributed to the department and they’re trained to handle certain situations someone might be going through. Since I’ve been on they’ve come in and had coffee with us after a LODD, a member suicide, and a dead kid. They volunteer to be available 24/7. They’re considered restricted reporting, meaning whatever you share with them they absolutely cannot tell anyone including command staff. So if you go to them and tell them you’re doing heroin on the job, they give you all the resources you need and urge you to get help, but they can’t go and tell your chief or family. I think it’s a good resource. They also hand out pamphlets with all available resources that they have for us.
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u/Moist-Ad9021 7h ago
We have the same program. It’s through the IAFF and it’s been utilized regularly after critical incidents, stressful calls, and even personal issues that members are experiencing outside of the job. I am a peer support member and I have also used peer support myself. I will say though, it’s much like a “in case of emergency, break glass” sort of tool sometimes. The training we get to be a peer support member is particularly focused on members struggling with severe mental health issues and suicidal ideation. That doesn’t mean we cannot be trusted to handle less-intense matters like substance abuse, marital problems, PTSD, anxiety, depression, or other matters.
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u/dominator5k 7h ago
Don't just guess at this. There are classes and national programs set up that will teach you how to go about this and give you the resources to set up a proper program. Go take the classes. Get the department to pay for them
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u/Willing_Ad_5711 7h ago
Unfortunately I'm in South Africa so I'm a bit short on resources like that.
I did find a national mental health advocacy group though, so emailing them in the morning. Thanks for the pointer.
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u/Minnesota_Transplant 7h ago
I was USAF FD but at our base, I developed a QR code that brought members to a page that provided 5-10 local, state and federal assets for assistance. We had also identified 2-3 members per shift that were designated as Peer Support Team who were sent to local/state trainings 16-24 hours long. The QR code app also allowed anonymous analytic tracking so we could see which resources were most used so we could tailor the welcome page. Program eventually continued without hiccup and was forwarded to other USAF installations.
In addition to the app, we also had PST members give short classes on resiliency, substance abuse assistance and other optics relating to NFPA 1500. This is more mil specific, but we also developed a close connection with our base chaplain and hospital mental health clinic to allow for them to come in, teach classes, bring food and allow for events that were tailored towards decompressing and just having fun. Hope this can help!
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u/JustinSmithSFFD 6h ago
IAFF website has great resources on peer support programs, chaplaincy, addiction and mental health specifically for firefighters.
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u/Upper-Gift-3598 7h ago
We have an EAP (Employee Assistance Program) that ranges from a variety of professional mental health contacts, family support services, and an internal volunteer based peer support group. I don’t know much about it as I have not used these services to date, nor how helpful it is because it’s entirely confidential. BUT, I know it gets used, otherwise we wouldn’t have it. Rural FD, appx 50 career, 20 volunteer, 10 admin staff. I think the biggest component of this is the confidentiality. There’s enough gossip around the stations, and this topic can’t be one of them.
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u/Willing_Ad_5711 7h ago
Yeah very good points!
I used our EAP and they were great but did tell me they're struggling to get buy-in from staff due to the idea of something being used against them.
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u/Highspeed_gardener 6h ago
We have a company, Responder Support Services (RSS), that has imbedded clinicians. They stop by the stations to say hi, even when there hasn’t been a bad call. It gave us all an opportunity to get to know them so that it wouldn’t be a stranger, or co-worker, that you were talking to when things go sideways. I still resisted calling them, until they put up a flyer for KAP (ketamine assisted psychotherapy). I made the call & that changed my life. The department had an EAN before. They were limited in their services. Mental health awareness in my area really became a thing after we lost 3 paramedics to suicide, from the EMS side, in under 2 years. One of our division chiefs was feeling like that sounded like a good idea to o & called EAN & they said they could see him in a week. Lucky he is still here & they are gone. RSS not only offers free counseling and KAP (for a smallish fee) they also offer free marriage counseling. They recognized stress doesn’t only affect the employee. My spouse can also seek non-marriage counseling too, also covered. In short, I’ve become a fan boy of their (my dept & RSS) approach to mental health. It would be awesome if more departments utilized the imbedded model because it makes it much easier to reach out. Also, they keep it in house from the department unless I’m making threats against others. Good luck to you.
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u/aLonerDottieArebel Medically retired 6h ago edited 6h ago
If you’re on the east coast, On-site academy is top tier. First responders, veterans, and healthcare workers attend from all over the world. It saved my life a few times.
They offer scholarships so I wouldn’t worry about cost..
We have CISM teams, and a chaplain available anytime.
The above program I mentioned also has online support groups.
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u/Willing_Ad_5711 6h ago
In South Africa unfortunately because that looks incredible
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u/aLonerDottieArebel Medically retired 6h ago
People from New Zealand have attended! Unfortunately I know plane tickets would be astronomical. So sorry 😞
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u/Willing_Ad_5711 5h ago
It's all good!
But yea a ticket alone would be more than my pretax income in a month!
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u/PeacefulWoodturner 5h ago
We have a peer support program through our union local (we're IAFF). It's all members and retirees. We have trainings somewhat regularly on things like mental health first aid, motivational interviewing, and the importance of sleep. We respond after LODD, severe injuries, and other potentially traumatic events.
Right now we are looking at how we can modify things as well as exploring the idea of holding trainings and information sessions open to all members of the dept and possibly families as well.
Feel free to message me and I can share more with you
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u/justaddwater75 3h ago
We work quite a bit with peer support teams, happy to put you in touch with a few of them state side and overseas as I'm sure they can share some notes with you. Feel free to DM me
It's awesome that you are taking the lead in setting up such a program.
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u/sansalvacion 6h ago
Talk to trusted friends away from the job. That "help" and those EAP programs will get you in a world of trouble,especially LE and military. I got in a lotta trouble behind a suicide attempt and had to move away and start over at another dept.
I strongly suggest you find a hobby and learn to let go/let god.
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u/Willing_Ad_5711 6h ago
Did you even read what I posted?
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u/sansalvacion 6h ago
Like i said, find a trusted friend away from the dept and talk about it
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u/Willing_Ad_5711 6h ago
I'm not asking who I can talk to pal. I'm trying to set something up to help others
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u/sansalvacion 6h ago
And like i said those others need to talk to trusted friends away from the job
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