Due to the relatively high level of exposure to potential stress and trauma, emergency service organisations have long understood the need for a resilient workforce.
In the past, welfare programs have aimed at providing support when a welfare issue becomes apparent. CFA has moved to providing services that are more reflective of the types of support that is required these days. For example, 60% of support is provided for personal matters not involving CFA and 40% of the support is provided for critical incident related matters. Welfare Services (formally Critical Incident Support Management) focuses on providing support in a more proactive way that supports a member’s psychological resilience.
CFA can contribute to members’ psychological resilience in the following ways:
- By providing an efficient and effective welfare program. CFA’s Welfare Service providers (Peer Support, Chaplains, Psychologists and Counsellors) understand and provide support with the knowledge that CFA is but one part of a member’s life. When providing support, they work with the person holistically and understand that stressors in CFA and personal life overlap.
- By fostering a ‘look out for your mates’ culture. The Chief Officers’ regular updates reinforce that we have a moral as well as legal obligation to look out for each other. Our research confirms that the positive benefits of giving social support actually significantly outweigh the benefits of receiving support. So when you look out and care for your mates, it’s good for you too!
- Peers (as members or the emergency service) have reported a very high level of satisfaction with their organisation and significantly higher levels of personal satisfaction than those who have not performed that role. This means that the Peers’ resilience is enhanced simply by supporting our members.
- By providing a well established and respected Peer Program. Support provided by a Peer in many cases, has a more productive impact on wellbeing than support provided by non-Peer sources such as psychologists. This means that members benefit a great deal from talking to somebody who has ‘walked in their shoes’ and really knows what life as a CFA member is like.
- By providing leadership skills via training and development e.g. Crew leader training. Once learnt, these leadership skills can be transferred into personal and employment areas.
- By ensuring that members have a good technical capability – their operational skills, their knowledge of procedures, span of authority and control – are clear and understood. The more ‘ingrained’ this knowledge and skill is, the better equipped an individual will be to manage the unexpected. This can have a direct influence on the individual’s emotional response to a potentially traumatic event.
In addition to what CFA does, it’s important what you personally think and do. The following will help you build and enhance your existing psychological resilience;
- Always remember that every CFA member is contributing to the provision of a vital service to the community.
- Focus on the jobs that have gone well. Remind yourself of what you personally did that made things go well.
- Realize and accept that vulnerability is part of strength; stressful life events are inevitable and make life worthwhile and interesting.
- Keep up your technical training and knowledge. This will help you to feel calm and confident when difficult jobs happen.
- Keep an eye on your mates and don’t be afraid to initiate a conversations about how they are (See our article on Social Support for some tips on how to help)
- Access support if you think it might help you (see contact details below)
CFA’s Welfare Services may be the first contact point for people who need support outside of their normal networks. Remember, any CFA member or immediate family member can access Welfare Services at any time.
Welfare services are short term in nature. Members with long term clinical or complex needs will be linked to appropriate services where relevant, such as internal services (WorkCover or Volunteer Compensation) and external community based agencies.
- Peer support can be accessed through the Regional Duty Officer, Officer in Charge, Line Manager, the Peer Coordinator or via the CFA Welfare line (ph 1800 628 616)
- Chaplains can be contacted directly or by contacting Converge International on 1800 337 068
- Psychologists/Counsellors can be contacted directly by contacting PPC Worldwide on1300 361 008
If you have any comments about the Welfare Services programs, please email welfareservices@cfa.vic.gov.au
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But there is no specific training that physiologically hardens or screens vols for dealing with trauma ect that is (thankfully) only occasionally found on scene.
The writer suggests that we should be up to date with training...a chance to be properly trained in the first place would be a fine thing.
For instance, in regard to car accidents there is no training for recruits
a) what is expected of them
b) how to mentally prepare themselves
c) technical training of what to do what not to do
Shock horror, recruits frequently attend incidents for which they have inadequate training and even if they are kept in the background on such incidents (not always the case) they can still be subjected to trauma.
CFA should look inward at this abysmal situation, rather than being reactive be proactive as prevention is better than cure!
Mike Brennan