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Resiliency in Emergency Services
I am wondering how does everyone keep themselves strong and resilient against all the stressors and traumas that you encounter in the course of doing your emergency service jobs?
How do you stay emotionally present and nurturing while keeping yourself sane?
What skills have you developed to make yourself more flexible internally?
I am also wondering what skills you utilize to help keep those around you strong and resilient?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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For me personally, a sense of humor is key for survival. I like the saying that it's not over until the fat lady sings... and I just can't hear her singing yet. Oh... wait a minute, I'm kind of deaf from the sirens... and yes, my humor is sometimes a little twisted at best. Can you tell I'm a native Southern Californian? :D
Aloha,
CBz
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Permalink Reply by Fabulous Heather Days of Summer on
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huh... whaddja say?
all I ever hear anymore is sirens...
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LOL - you are sooooo gonna end up in FFN jail for posting nekkid ladies...
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Permalink Reply by Mark McShane Jr on
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Forget sanity juat live a life scared by insanity. Its more fun
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Permalink Reply by J. D. Rinard on
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Sense of humor, Positive thinking, wind-down time at the station after run. Look at the situation as, "I am here to help, I did not cause this." Good training is also good so that you don't beat yourself up over mistakes. I know we all make mistakes. And the way to not make so many is train, train, train. Know your rig. Talk about what is bothering you. Don't keep it in. we are always ready to listen and help to learn.
Stay Safe,
J.D.
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Nice reply.
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You sound like a fun guy to wok with which of course is a lot different than working with a fungi... Just sayin'
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Nonsense. Sounds like a great way to get a heart attack.
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Explain your rationale further, please. I think it is important to examine this question further...
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no exercise means that when your body is stressed, e.g. active firefighting OPS, going from zero to sixty when your system has not been prepared through regular consistent exercise can and often time does lead to heart failure, or other cardiac related issues that unfortunately all to often result in a LODD...
no new news here LHH, just the sad facts.
not to mention that things like weight lifting can do irreparable damage if too much weight is attempted.
Like Clint Eastwood said in Dirty Harry, "a man's got to know his limitations...".
To not exercise routinely, preparing your body and most importantly your heart is adding too much stress on the body.
My saying, Failure to Prepare is Preparing for Failure applies here. The preparation is both mental and physical to survive this gig. To not do so could mean something really bad could happen to you, like losing your arms! Is that what you want? I think not. It's better off exercising routinely.
On a side note, it's also a good idea not to abuse alcohol and drugs. Just ask Amy Winehouse... Oh wait a minute, you can't. She died today of a presumed overdose on alcohol and drugs... What a loss. She was only 27 years old. This was the same age as four other music legends. Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison each died of drug overdoses when they were 27. Kurt Cobain was 27 when he committed suicide, soon after his release from rehab, just like Amy Winehouse.
CBz
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Permalink Reply by Brian J. on
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Being the Captain of the youngest crew in my department, I try to lead by example. If we get back from a run and I notice one of the guys is a little shaken up I'll pull him aside and talk to him. I've seen a lot of messed stuff in 20 yrs. The images are always going to stay with you, there's nothing you can do about it. My friends outside the fd ask me this all the time. I worked a fatal fire a few years ago and found the body with another member. Did it mess me up? Yeah, but I went and pounded out laps on my dirtbike at my local track to clear my head. My guys look up to me and I look up to them.
But at the same time we do exercise together. We mountain bike when we can as a company. I play soccer sometimes three times a week. You have to keep things in perspective. If you start thinking you know it all you better check your ego at the door! Training is the key to everything!
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Very healthy perspective and work ethic. Leading by example... Gotta love it!
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It can be tough at times! I have a 12 member crew and there's only 4 of us over 40! The rest are between 22-31! The training pays off big time, we had a structure fire a few weeks ago and were assigned RIT. Normally it would've been the second due rescue but their manpower was low and we had 5 as a crew coming into the scene. That's where the training and leadership comes in. I make.sure my crew trains on RIT, MAYDAY, and firefighter survival skills as well as all the other stuff that engine companies train on.
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