Sufferer - Watching Others Deteriorate In A Situation

[Venusian]

I just had a thought about this, concentrating on the people affected is really important but family members and people that are in daily contact with the firefighters don't know how to help either. Some people can do it naturally but as we have all experienced here, they can be few and far between. Empathy right after the events from the people closest can change the course of a life. For instance, small things like a silent hand on the shoulder can make all the difference. If I had that at the right moment I wouldn't be here.

Maybe in the long term a public education could help for future events.

 

[AS1975]

One thing I have noticed with this particular event(s) is that the public is expressing their thanks. It makes a noticeable difference to my mood and how I regard the public for whom I take the risks.

 

[Abrasky]

I think as a survivor of PTSD it is important to feel the support after a trauma. And there is a lot of support within the general community for the good fire-fighters in Tasmania at the moment so that is good. Having support from your own circle of family and your fire-fighting team would be very important.

There was a study once which showed that Post trauma which determines whether a person from a trauma develops PTSD or not. The support is the most important PTSD thing. If you are supported in the few months after a trauma you are not likely to develop PTSD I believe this study showed.

I also was in a fire-brigade once around my trauma (non fire-brigade related) and a team member in my brigade letting me down by not turning up to an emergency because he was sleeping in really wasn't supportive. I had to be on my own in that emergency running the situation. It turned out to be a false alarm luckily. So important in a brigade to support your team members I think, and remember leaders have a lot more stress and can feel the lack of support too.

 

[Abstract]

AS,
I saw the thread I meant. Here is the link: [DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/threads/preventing-helping-ptsd-in-the-ct-school-shootings.30136/#post-485659[/DLMURL]
It's called:
Preventing/helping Ptsd In The Ct. School Shootings

Very glad people are expressing thanks. It's an important service you provide.

 

[sbump]

I would suggest if you have a Fire Chaplin with your group you may mention to him/her that their may be enough talk in the department to do an extra debrief and they could offer additional help for those who need it then.

 

[AS1975]

One more day, one more event (cricket match, free tickets for ES Personnel), nice to feel appreciated.

I do worry however, that the general public is becoming somewhat jaded with the constant warnings, alerts and the rest. Every one that doesn't eventuate, means that something went right, or more likely, someone went out of their way to make sure it didn't impact as hard as it could have.

We aren't even through January yet, tomorrow and Friday could be an absolute shitfight in Victoria (Ash Wednesday style), large numbers of uncontrolled fires, high temperatures, high winds, with a late 90 degree wind change coming through (and quite probably with gusts of cyclonic strength), turning the long flanks of uncontrolled fires into huge headfires of unimaginable proportions. For those who believe in god, pray for the firefighters, because that is when they die (statistically 95% of all deaths in bushfires happen within 1 hour of a cool change).

Keep safe, listen and act as required.

AS

 

[Spiderallis]

Thank you AS for working so hard to keep others safe- much love and respect for those who take up such a challenging task.

As you mentioned people are telling you about their reactions, perhaps a more casual approach would work well? For example when someone says they can't stop thinking about it, ask if they've talked about it with someone they trust. That listening person can be anyone they're comfortable speaking with. Suggesting that they write about it may be helpful too, any way that they can process through their thoughts and feelings will resolve the thought and help them to move forward. Offering a bit of advice on a person-to-person level sidesteps the hierarchy concerns, and depending how it's said you can dodge the stigma of treating it as a mental health issue.

 

[safenow]

For those who believe in god, pray for the firefighters,

Done