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How do you handle it?
Juniors, how do you handle the bad things you see out there?
Whether it is on MVA's or the fire ground.
Being younger, as we are, I guess we process things differently and may be more vulnerable to that type of thing.. Me, i usually dont think about it, until after the call, when we're all sitting in the lounge, it hits you, that , what you just saw, is real, and it was a real person..
Some of the stuff ive seen, still sticks with me today.
How do you deal with it?
Whether it is on MVA's or the fire ground.
Being younger, as we are, I guess we process things differently and may be more vulnerable to that type of thing.. Me, i usually dont think about it, until after the call, when we're all sitting in the lounge, it hits you, that , what you just saw, is real, and it was a real person..
Some of the stuff ive seen, still sticks with me today.
How do you deal with it?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Deanna on
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Brandon,
This is coming from my first call as a FF, some things will never leave you. I had to help pull a 3 year old out of a pond. The only thing that helped me was to not bottle my feelings inside. You have got to TALK about it.
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Permalink Reply by Brandon on
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Thanks, Deanna, and yeah, talking about it, especially with a timid person like me, sounds like the best bet,
They told us Juniors at our department
that if we saw something we didnt think we could handle, or they thought it was something we couldnt handle
To just walk away from it.
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That is your best bet. Sometimes if you force yourself to do something that you are not comfortable with, it could cause very damaging effects. That night it didn't hit me until I got home, then I cried for hours. I almost quit, 2 years later and I am a stronger person and I am going to school for my EMT. Just do what you feel is right and you will be o.k. TCSS =)
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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on
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Right you are Bro.
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Brandon, no matter what your age or gender, the stuff we see or are exposed to is trauma. Sometimes really bad trauma. Yes, we all process it differently but we all have one thing in common. We are human. We care and hurt too. Important to know and remember that cause you WILL hurt sometimes because of the calls you are exposed to. To process it or deal with it sometimes takes a lifetime while others its just a moment. Bottom line is if it bothers you know that you are not alone and find someone to talk to about it. Most agencies have a support system where they call upon a Post Incident Stress Debriefing team to come i and meet with those who are having troubles. Been through many of these myself. Sometime I have attended them just to support other members of my Department. Just know that you are human and that its ok to feel the way you do about these calls.
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Permalink Reply by Mick Shelley on
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That is exactly correct Chief, we are all human, and it effects everyone different, but in most cases, it will be with you the rest of your life.
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Permalink Reply by Corey Uranker on
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I just close it out and do what i have to do to get the job done. I really try not to talk about it. My department had someone die rite beside the station and none of us talk about it the best thing to do is just try to forget about it.
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Permalink Reply by Tim on
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Everyone deals with it diffurently After a big med call or MVA I usually talk about it with some of the older members and they put things into prospective and usually it ends up giving me a greater appreciation for the life and things i have. All i can say is try to keep your emotions off the fire ground. I and even some of the senior members have just totally broken down and cried but if you can try to hold it off its easier to deal with later.
stay safe, and dont let it get to you
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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As usual, I have a different take on this as far as someone being younger, processing things differently and being more vulnerable... If someone takes the time and shows the interest in doing this gig then they need to find out if it is something that they can or cannot handle. There is no difference in how one processes the visual, audible, olfactory and other senses that are hammered into you at an intense MVA. The only difference is that we have a pretty good idea of what we are going to have to deal with it verses the person off the street who has never been exposed to the nastier things in life. And most importantly, we are dealing with it as a team. This is one of the key things that we have going in our favor is the camaraderie of working as an engine company. We help each other get through tough times and if they are really bad, then we can put together critical incident stress debriefing sessions and provide counseling. You are never alone.
In the case of a young person getting a first hand look at not only what happened, but how the incident was safely resolved then the issue is a different mindset and sense of reality for the person. It kind of fills in the blanks and helps bring mental order to what was witnessed. If an accident scene bothers you as junior, or as a firefighter to the point where you feel traumatized and unable to handle the job then you need to seriously ask yourself if this is the right place for you. It is not meant for everyone. It takes a very special person to do this job.
You will never loose the memories, especially when they are traumatic in nature. But what does happen over time is the blending together of all the calls... One becomes no different than the other in some ways. A key difference between the general public and firefighters is that we tend to help each other heal. This is done by means of joking or other traditions that go on in the firehouse that snap us back into having the proper perspective to handle the next call.
Control - Alternate - Delete: You must develop the ability to re-boot sometimes. This is what happens both at the firehouse and when you go off shift. Hug your kids, love your wife, mow the lawn, putz around in the garage, whatever... it's all about returning to what you call normal and remembering that you did not cause the problem, only dealt with the aftermath. Did you make a difference for the positive? Yup, that's what we do...
Someone needs to be at these incidents, ready to physically and emotionally help people in their time of need. You either can or cannot bring something to the table and for those who have the opportunity to do this as a junior firefighter, well, they will have an incredible advantage by getting experience and visual snapshots in their memories to help them deal and handle the next one...
Train as if your life depends on it... because it does...
CB
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Very well said Capt.
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Permalink Reply by Captain Kevin C. Ross on
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Hi Brandon;
As many here have told you everyone handles it differently. Remember that you do the best that you can on every call and sometimes we win and sometimes we don't, but we all try and that is what is important. If any particular call keeps bothering you don't be afraid to talk about it, even if there is no official debriefing and no one else is talking about it, talk to the chief or a chaplain, another firefighter or someone don't ever keep it bottled up inside or it will eat at you and you will be gone before you get started in this business, I am not saying by talking about it you will be all better and will be able to forget everything, but it helps to talk to others. It don't get any easier I have been in the fire service over 35 years and some calls just stick in your mind, we just had a structure fire yesterday where someone died, and I thought about last night what we did what we could do better and kept coming back to the same answer we did our best and sometimes your best is just not going to change the outcome. So I hope this helps & you have a long and safe career in the fire service!!! Captain Kevin C. Ross Pembroke NY Fire Department
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Permalink Reply by Ryan Cullen on
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Everyone deals with stuff differently. I know for me the best way is talking about it. It dosent usually hit right away it will hit you when you lay down at night or are just sitting at the station or where ever. As a junior in my dept i have experienced things that have kept me up many sleepless nights but once i talked about it n time went on it got better. The feelings or pictures and memories in my opinion never go away there always gonna be in the back of your mind some just stick out more then others.
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