“You are so much more than a first responder. There is a whole big world out there, look after yourself. Get a good resume together. Back yourself and apply for whatever jobs you like. We have so many skills, Fortem helped me see this.”
Traumatic loss refers to the sudden, unexpected, and often violent loss of life under traumatic circumstances that are experienced as tragic, horrifying, and senseless. This is commonly experienced by first responders.
First responders may experience moral injury, a psychological, social and spiritual wounding that can occur in high-stakes situations that deeply challenge the integrity of personal values, expectations, and social norms.
After a 32-year career working as a police officer in a wide variety of positions, Mike was looking for a role with new challenges, so he reached out to Fortem’s Career Management team.
Bill spent 27 years in the Police Force. He eventually left to pursue a career which aligned more with his lifestyle, allowing him to spend more time with family and experience different aspects of life.
First responders are often exposed to repeated and prolonged trauma which can lead to cumulative trauma. The effects of this can be so slow and subtle that they don’t immediately show up on your radar.
We were delighted to provide two presentations at the recent 2023 Disaster and Emergency Management Conference on the Gold Coast.
The second article in our clinical team’s trauma series is on vicarious trauma; the exposure to trauma experienced by others, which can lead to mental health outcomes like anxiety, depression and PTSD.
“Be proud of your service and know that now is the time for you. Its time for you to follow your heart and find what lights you up, but also what serves you, because you are important.”
“If you’re struggling at work, put your hand up. There’s no shame in it. Lean on your support network, I couldn’t have gotten where I am without the support of my family, friends and Fortem.”
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be hearing from the Fortem clinical team about the various types of trauma impact that first responders can experience. Trauma has traditionally been defined as a threat to physical safety.
Tony Walker speaks about his work as Chief Executive Officer of Ambulance Victoria during the COVID-19 pandemic and how he prioritised mental health in the organisation.
