Firefighters are tasked with the job of helping their community, but who helps the firefighters?

In a joint research partnership between the Saskatoon Fire Department and the University of Saskatchewan, Dr. Camelia Adams will be evaluating the mental health of responders in one of the most trauma-inducing careers.

“The Fire Department is under a lot of pressure. They don’t just attend to fires, they attend to everything. There are days where they have hundreds of overdoses in the city they are called to help with.”

Through a series of surveys and interviews, Adams intends to find out how the firefighters cope, what issues they deal with most, and what supports they need in order to increase their resilience.

Adams says that PTSD can have drastic consequences on those suffering from it, especially if the person suffering does not have any support.

“It can complicate even more, with mood, anxiety, depression, suicidaility, suicide attempts, completed suicide, or they can be masked with substance abuse, there can be a lot of irritability and emotional dis-regulation with family, friends, co-workers, peers. That can impact relationships.”

Adams says the project has barely begun, but she is already impressed with the honesty and openness of Saskatoon’s fire crew.

“It was just incredible really, they were so open and so interested in seeing what’s working, what’s not working, exploring their own coping styles, access to their own professional supports.”

Throughout her research, Adams intends to work with all 300+ members.