Emergency workers often underappreciated

The holiday season is an appropriate time to think about the gifts that we have already received during the year. As one individual recently said to me “Christmas comes everyday of the year for those who simply stop and think about the many gifts they are receiving on an ongoing basis”.

An often overlooked gift that we all benefit from is the services provided by the Fire Department, Police Department and Emergency Medical Service. These very dedicated men and women protect our lives and property 24 hours a day/seven days a week, including all holidays. Because they do not often enter into our awareness except during times of crisis and emergency, we tend to forget about the security and guardianship they provide on an ongoing basis.

Let us today look at some of the psychological stresses that these individuals must endure in their careers:

• Part of their work includes dealing with life and death scenarios. This includes not only our lives but theirs too. How many of us leave for work each day and face the dangers and decisions of these often unheralded heroes? Their work also involves having to help people resolve complicated, emotionally charged and threatening situations. They must stay alert during long periods of boredom and often must perform their duties while exhausted and fatigued from lack of sleep. Shift work can further complicate the picture as many firemen and policemen must modify their sleep-awake cycles to meet the need of around the clock coverage.

• While fighting a fire, rescuing someone from a tragic automobile accident, trying to apprehend an armed suspect or dealing with aftermath’s of natural disasters such as tornadoes and floods, the fight or flight response of these protectors bodies produce stress hormones resulting in elevated heart rate, blood pressure, respiration and emotional reactivity. This stress response often occurs over prolonged periods of time and can produce emotional and physical challenges leading to potential physical and psychological difficulties.

• Many individuals work in stressful environments. A lot of noise, pressure to produce a product or service, difficulties arising from relationship or communication difficulties, etc. However, another type of stress, often potentially much more difficult to deal with, arises when an individual is exposed to the trauma of injury or death. Firemen, Policemen and E.M.S. personnel are frequently involved in this type of stress which often requires a special type of assistance called Critical Incident Stress Debriefing.

• Another source of stress for firemen is that of being away from home and on duty every third day for 24 hour periods of time. This can produce a feeling of helplessness if something occurs at home that needs their attention.

• Finally, the pay, benefits and recognition of firemen, policemen and E.M.S. professionals is often too low. Fortunately, many communities are improving these financial and benefits packages.

Let us all think more broadly about the many gifts we receive during the whole year and include these real heroes.

Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 2000