Rescue 1 Emergency Training
Survival Skills for the First Responder
Covid 19 Response and the Mental Health of the First Responder
Being a first responder can be mentally draining at the best of times. During the current Corona Virus outbreak being a first responder, especially emergency medical dispatchers, paramedics and firefighters who provide medical first response or may be pressed into service to provide medical support to ambulance services or in the health care system can weigh heavily on your mental health. First responders by their nature will go the extra mile to help people in need but who is helping the first responder?
During this national emergency first responders may:
Be asked to work extended hours.
Be asked to work extra shifts.
Be denied vacation time or days off to meet operational requirements.
Be asked to go into environments known to be a hazard or health risk.
Worry about what is going on across the country and North America where friends or relatives may live.
Worry about dwindling supplies needed to do their jobs especially personal protective equipment.
Worry about bringing the virus home with them and infecting their family.
Worry about call volumes that may overwhelm their systems especially in more remote areas.
Be asked to do additional tasks with minimal training to do these tasks.
See friends, relatives, immediate family or co-workers come down with the Corona Virus.
See increased levels of loss of life to the virus that may include people known to them, friends, family and co-workers.
Worry about their own health especially if they have any underlying medical conditions e.g. asthma, diabetes.
Be bombarded with questions from the general public or media about how the response is going with their agency.
During this crisis it is especially important that our first responders look after themselves. The old adage about whose oxygen mask goes on first in the unlikely event of a depressurization in an airplane has never been more true. We need our first responders to stay physically, emotionally and mentally strong so that they can help the people they serve. They won’t be able to help anybody if they do not help themselves first. With this in mind here are ten strategies to help maintain your mental and emotional health which in turn will also help maintain your physical health during these difficult times:
Limit your time on social media. All social media exposure will do is ramp up your own emotions. Stay connected with friends and family but avoid the doomsday philosophers! They are out there!!
Limit your time watching the news and watching news from other regions e.g. CNN, Fox News, BBC etc.
Understand that you have no control on what is happening in other parts of the country, North America or worldwide. Right now you have more than enough going on in your own jurisdiction without being worried about what is going on in areas devastated by the virus.
If you are feeling overwhelmed then talk to somebody about it. During this crisis it will be very easy to catastrophize which is normal during a situation like this. Playing “What if, What if, What if” over and over again in your head is a ticket to nowhere. Talk to a peer trained in crisis intervention or a mental health professional if you are feeling the strain. It is not a sign of weakness to be overwhelmed by the stress of what is happening in the world right now, it is a sign of being a caring human being.
Good sleep patterns will be especially important during this time. Limit your caffeine intake, eat foods that are healthy and avoid the quick sugar rush snack food.
Make exercise and fresh air a priority while maintaining Social Distancing. Getting out into nature is a huge stress reliever.
If your brain is going at 10,000 miles an hour thinking about all the things that are going on then learn some skills to shut your brain down. Meditation is a skill that slows down your thinking. There are lots of great apps on your cell phone and computer that can help you learn this skill.
Go and do something that you enjoy doing that is just for you e.g motorcycle, bicycle, snow machine, kayaking etc . Now is the time to be selfish about your own mental wellness.
Do some pet therapy if you have a pet. Pets do pick up on your stress level and can be of great comfort right now.
Ask your agency to bring in some mental health support either via telephone or Skype or one on one while maintaining Social Distancing. Does your agency provide an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)? Remember that EAP providers and other mental health workers will be in high demand right now and will need to look after their own mental health.