VIDEO: From tragedy to greater support, first responders team up for mental health
Oak Bay NewsSep 11, 2018
First responders face off in a friendly game of ice hockey to raise awareness and support for those struggling to cope with depression and PTSD – side affects of the daily trauma faced as part of their professions.
"We thought it would be a good way to raise awareness about mental health, especially for first responders who wind up seeing terrible things. We want people to know there are people to talk to and resources to access," said
In
"My department had back-to-back suicides within about a seven-week time period and it was at that point when my department and the provincial firefighters association said enough is enough," said
Since then they have been creating a lot of positive initiatives at a wide variety of levels, from
"We know that these mental health challenges are riddled throughout every first responder profession in the province," said Johnston. "We all have to work hard at maintaining positive healthy lifestyles to minimize the impact the stressors of our jobs are going to have on us.
The hockey game on
"You know, there are a lot of people hurting from some people they've lost. There have been some tough times, for
"There is a larger cultural aspect to this. Whenever we lose a member either active or retired there are all 4000 firefighters and a number of chiefs affected at a very deep level," said Johnston. "Not only from a friend standpoint but also from an organizational standpoint and a personal standpoint because it throws you into this introspective state where you wonder if that is going to happen to you because of all the rocks in your own personal backpack."
But the future is looking brighter for first responders. "A lot has changed just in the last year in the Victoria region. There wasn't a lot of support out there in the past but in the last year and a half, WCB has completely changed and done an about face. It is awesome. There has been tons of support," said Serbic.
ÂFirst responders on the ice and warming up for the First Responders Hockey Game at theArchie Browning Sports Centre . A friendly game of ice hockey to raise awareness and support for those struggling to cope with depression and PTSD. @OakBayFireDept@oakbayfire@EsquimaltFirepic.twitter.com/3pERCITApm--Oak Bay News (@OakBayNews)September 8, 2018