Western North Carolina Peer Support Network

10/16/2023

https://www.ems1.com/health-wellness/articles/in-your-darkest-days-know-you-can-weather-the-storm-W9NV1HpZkviNO0r7/

Grounding techniques, peer support and your physician can help manage a mental health crisis – a real danger for EMS providers

08/24/2023

08/24/2023

WNC Peer Support is so thankful to Ridin' on Faith Ministries for their support of our team! Several of the riders are first responders or children of first responders. Thank you so much for the donation

08/24/2023

WNC Peer support is so thankful for this group making a donation to assist our team with helping first responders! This team has some awesome riders and some of the are first responders and children of first responders! They are amazing to watch!

04/03/2023

https://www.fireengineering.com/health-safety/firefighter-stress-resilience-and-increasing-emotional-bandwidth/?fbclid=IwAR1L9ILdQXLmh1G5WxfLn9hG6TeBJjWZv8H3zXeQC0SmakAMkO7Hn9fO5aM

Dena Ali considers polyvagal theory and heart rate variability and how they might account for firefighters' emotional resilience and response to stressors.

01/30/2023

https://www.cordico.com/2020/05/21/the-impacts-of-ongoing-traumatic-exposures/

It’s said that over half of individuals experience a potentially traumatic event over their lifetime. Consider what that might be for our first responders? I think it’s safe to assume 100% of them are exposed to such events considering that their job involves responding to violent events, severe...

11/29/2022

https://www.firehouse.com/safety-health/article/21284253/helping-firefighters-after-painful-emergency-calls

Brian Crimmins' explanation of triggering events for firefighters paves the way for his urging departments to be alert to the need to facilitate immediate and follow-up discussions.

07/19/2022

Targeted for Elimination

Last week I listened to a presentation by my friend Joseph Brigandi from The Counseling Center of Texas. He presented on emergency services stress, sanctuary trauma and PTSD. As he spoke on sanctuary trauma, he used the phrase “targeted for elimination.” He mentioned how this sometimes happens once a diagnosis is made or the signs of trauma start to present themselves in the workplace. I’ve heard this happening from many of my peers living with trauma and still working as first responders.

We’re told we’re part of a family, a brotherhood and sisterhood. However, once the signs of a psychological injury appear, many of us are labelled as the “toxic ten percent” and “targeted for elimination.” This is how sanctuary trauma occurs; in many ways, this is more damaging than the primary causing trauma and may be a more accurate predictor of long-term disability.

A trauma-informed employer would recognize signs such as increased sick time, isolation, decreased productivity and anger as potential signs of trauma and should be able to differentiate between the toxic and injured employee.

Have a safe week, everyone,
DanSun

01/19/2022

🔺 Don't miss this! 🔺
🔺NCLEAP is sponsoring this very special seminar in March for our first responders who have experienced a critical incident.
🔺There is no registration fee for this course and most meals are provided. There is a maximum enrollment of 20 persons, including spouses.

🔹For more information & to register, follow the link below!

hopecommunitychurch.wufoo.com/forms/post-critical-incident-seminar-registration

01/03/2022

https://www.firerescue1.com/stress/articles/the-most-important-work-hack-for-your-job-and-life-how-to-sleep-RXQ4vBSV7vsln5yA/

While lots of people talk about the importance of sleep, they often do not address how to get to sleep

11/29/2021

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