Resilient Minds engages and informs first responders in four crucial areas relevant to their work: trauma, psychological distress, trauma-informed responses and building resiliency. Courtesy BCAA
BCAA helps fund vital wellness program for volunteer firefighters across British Columbia
B.C. firefighters understand the physical challenges that can accompany their work to protect lives and property from fire. Training and ongoing education work to keep them as safe as possible from the effects of smoke, heat, chemicals and structural damage they navigate.
But what about the mental health impacts of what they see and experience through the course of their work – whether as first responders for vehicle collisions and health emergencies, or as volunteer firefighters in rural areas of B.C. tasked with battling wildlfires threatening their own communities?
First responders are at four times greater risk of developing symptoms of psychological disorders, compared to the average population. BCAA and the Canadian Mental Health Association aim to change that through Resilient Minds, a mental health resiliency program co-written by Vancouver firefighter Steve Fraser and CMHA Vancouver-Fraser branch, that’s being presented across the province thanks to funding from BCAA.
“Resilient Minds is about recognizing when you’re struggling with some of the calls you’re dealing with and some of the stressors we have in our work, and then finding ways to mitigate that,” explains Fraser, a Vancouver firefighter for 25 years.
Launching with Vancouver Fire in 2017, the educational program quickly spread across B.C. and today is now in provinces and territories across Canada. Especially timely, as the province experiences one of its worst wildfire seasons on record, BCAA is focusing on sharing Resilient Minds with B.C.’s volunteer firefighters – including many who are on the ground now, protecting their communities.
The eight-hour program engages and informs first responders in four crucial areas relevant to their work: trauma, psychological distress, trauma-informed responses and building resiliency. Through four, two-hour modules participants learn to:
- Recognize effects of psychological stress/trauma in ourselves and our peers
- Understand trauma-informed practices
- Communicate with peers who may be struggling
- Respond safely and appropriately to distressed citizens
- Apply personal strategies for managing stress, mitigating trauma and boosting resilience
The first step is to recognize when you’re struggling, whether due to traumatic calls or wildfire threats to your community, and then to adopt some simple, effective responses, Fraser explains.
However, it’s also about knowing when – and how – to seek additional help when the need arises, and normalizing those conversations, he adds, noting that on top of their year-round firefighting responsibilities, volunteers are balance the additional stress of a full-time job outside of their department.
……
To learn more, or to inquire about bringing Resilient Minds training to your community, visit cmha.ca/resilient-minds or email resilientminds@cmha.ca
