The string of NYPD suicides in the news tells you all you need to know in terms of first responder wellness. Post-traumatic stress disorder among police officers is a serious issue, and it's become something that police, fire, EMS, and others in the emergency services community need to focus upon.
This week multiple agencies and organizations hosted an intensive day of wellness training for first responders in Southington, to help prevent another tragic incident from occurring.
More than 140 people from 66 different agencies attended. Some came from as far as Boston and upstate New York to attend.
The day included presentations from Baltimore’s Police Wellness Unit, an FDNY counselor who is a 9/11 veteran, and many others.
First responders learned about awareness strategies on how to deal with the effects of critical incidents, cumulative stress, and trauma experienced by dispatchers to people who take the first 911 call all the way to those at the scene.
A survey of almost 8,000 officers on PTSD by the Fraternal Order of Police and NBC owned stations, which included Connecticut officers, took a deeper look at the issues officers reported experiencing after stressful calls.
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The event also featured an update on the legislation that lawmakers passed this session that provides mental health benefits for police and firefighters. It also calls for a study to include EMS workers in the legislation.
