Major Concerns for First Responders Regarding Family Stress

Major Concerns for First Responders Regarding Family Stress
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Major Concerns for First Responders Regarding Family Stress
Abstract
Research regarding first responders and stress issues is often narrow and never stretches to include their families. However, according to new research, family stress can also be a hindrance to the humanitarian work that is often done by first responders. Family stress can interfere with one’s proficiency if not dealt with appropriately, and for first responders, this would result in loss of lives as well as the escalation of once minor disasters. It is natural for one to worry about their family’s well-being especially if one’s actions or daily activities have the potential to cause direct or indirect harm. Issues of PTSD in children, being absent during important occcasions, heightened concern as well as exposure to second-hand accidents, fires, and accidents have been identified as the major family stress concerns for first responders. Dealing with the above could be hard, but the repercussions of letting the status quo persist could hamper the entire first response mechanism.
Introduction
The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines the phrase first responder as “a person (as a police officer or an EMT) who is among those responsible for going immediately to the scene of an accident or emergency to provide assistance.” The phrase was first used in 1970 and primarily includes police officers, the firefighters as well as medical practitioners or Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). These people make their way to accident scenes, fire breakouts, and any other emergency incidents that warrant their presence. Their significance in the society should never be taken for granted because they often put themselves in harm’s way for people that they do not know, and on most occasions, their actions go unnoticed. The first responders’ bravery is something that only a few people are blessed with, and unlike the larger society that chooses to call for help if an accident or incident occurs, they rush to the scene and immediately salvage the people in danger. Humanity has its vices but what first responders do embodies everything that is good about being human. However, the work that they do often affect them and in her article titled First to respond, last to seek help, Shallcross (2013) illuminated on some of their problems.
Stress and trauma have been cited as the major issues that affect the first responders, and psychologists and medical professionals have proven this to be true. In her piece in the True Jersey, Forland (2013) revealed that when interviewed, first responders often have the following to say after an incident: “People think you’re trained for that, but you’re not.” The above line speaks volumes of the expectations that the community has and the challenge that faces the first responders to live up to these potentials. The community, however, needs to understand that they are human first and are thus affected by the scenes of the incidents that they rush to. Conversely, there is one thing that is almost never mentioned and is thus never given the weight that it deserves and it includes the impact of a first responder’s job on their families. Few have examined this issue, but according to the limited research that has been done, it is apparent that families with direct relatives as first responders often feel the weight of the job. Below are some of the major concerns for first responders regarding family stress.
Major Concerns for First Responders Regarding Family Stress
* Posttraumatic stress in children
According to Duarte et al. (2006) “high levels of exposure and occupational stress of first responders may have caused children in first-responder families to become traumatized following the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attack.” According to the National Institute of Mental Health, posttraumatic stress disorder or PTSD develops in people who have had direct experiences with shocking and dangerous incidents and events. However, Duarte and his colleagues believe that PTSD can also develop in children whose immediate relatives are first responders. According to the argument by Duarte and his colleagues, the traumatic effects of the 9/11 attack on the first responders trickled down to their children. The implication of the above statement is that children in first-responder families often negatively respond to their parents/guardians/relatives’ stress and trauma.
PTSD is indeed a major concern because it impedes normal behavior and induces habits and behaviors in the victims. People who suffer from it often go to large extents to quench it and some even embrace the idea of drugs. Unlike grownups who may know of PTSD, its effects, and also diagnose themselves, few children hav...