For most Jasperites, the sound of the town alarm is nothing more than a cause for curiosity and a slight twinge of concern. But for Jasper’s first responders, it’s a call to service.
That monotonous whirring is a reason to jump out of bed and rush to the firehall; it’s a reason to get on the radio and find out where to go and what to do.
This summer, like most summers in Jasper, the town alarm has blasted out over the community dozens of times, signalling a fatal accident on the highway, a fire in a hotel laundry room or a vicious injury on the side of a mountain.
And every time it does, our first responders spring to action, running straight into the line of fire, as the rest of us run the other way.
It’s a selfless act; one that puts a high value on the wellness and safety of others and that puts our firefighters, RCMP officers, paramedics and Parks Canada visitor safety personnel at risk—both physically and mentally.
Because traumatic events take a toll.
No matter how many years on the job, there is no way to mentally prepare for the things that you might see, smell or hear while responding to a violent crime, fatal accident, domestic dispute or severe health emergency.
And all of those sights, sounds and smells add up—and they have their effects.
That has never been so clear as it was this summer. Over the course of a 10-week period, 13 of Canada’s first responders committed suicide. That stat—a startling one—comes from the Tema Conter Memorial Trust, an organization that promotes mental health awareness among emergency workers.
With so many unnecessary deaths in such a short period of time, it’s clear that the job—and all that it entails—is taking its toll.
In Jasper, a team is trained to the standards of the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation. Their job is to ensure the mental health of Jasper’s emergency crews.
That means getting everyone together to talk about what they saw and what they did and how it made them feel. These conversations are critical.
Responders need to know they’re not alone. They need to be able to drop their egos at the door and talk honestly about how each event has affected them.
It’s heartening to know that those opportunities exist in Jasper and that the opportunities are seized.
Kudos to the community’s first responders for making mental health a priority.
