Under-pressure first responders urged to reach out for mental health support

As British Columbia first responders continue to battletwo simultaneous public health emergencies, one of their own is reminding his colleagues in the field that mental health help is only a click away.

Matt Johnston is a Lower Mainland firefighter, a registered clinical counsellorandthe co-founder of First Responder Health an educationalcompany that specializes in training health care providerson how to work with public safety personnel experiencing mental health issues.

By accessing the company's website,first responders can connect with a directory ofspecially trained mental health professionals across the province.

The directory is open to the public, meaning partners and children of first responders can also access the resource.

With the stress of the opioid crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic taking its toll on B.C. first responders, Johnston hopes those suffering from the stresses of the job will reach out.

First responders from all fields are twice as likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder than other Canadians, according tothe Centre for Suicide Prevention. The suicide rateamong paramedics, according to Statistics Canada, is five times higher than the national averageof 11.3 deaths per 100,000 people.

Johnston says the B.C. government has to step up with more support for first responders.

"It's a pandemic and if the trend of suicides across public safety personnel doesn't do it, I'm not sure what needs to be in place for that to happen," Johnstontold CBC's The Early Edition Wednesday.

Clinicians listed on the website were immersed in training classrooms to understand the pressures and culture of first responders. For example, in one two-day seminar, the clinicians would listen in to the calls coming in on the speakers in a fire hall.

"First responders are trained in a stoic paramilitary work system [that]many civilian health-care providers have no idea how to deal with," said Johnston. "That's a major gap that I really hope the province of B.C. can address in the coming years."

To access mental health resources for B.C. first responders, visitfirstresponderhealth.org.