Aidan Jaager
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Joel McNair wants to use his past trauma to make a difference in his community.
McNair — a firefighter who’s worked in Saskatoon for 22 years — suffered work-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He said it’s partly why he was interested in joining a City of Saskatoon and University of Saskatchewan research project that explores how local firefighters deal with trauma.
Just seven years ago, McNair ended up in a treatment centre in Powell River, B.C. for alcohol addiction, where he said he received a lot of support.
“The attitude years ago — and I was a part of it — was that when you have a bad call, you go drinking with the boys to flush it out and you’re all better.
“That just isn’t true. These young firefighters are more willing to talk about it and willing to accept help a lot sooner than they used to be.”
Dr. Camelia Adams, a professor in the U of S psychiatry department, is working with McNair to examine the state of mental health among members of the Saskatoon Fire Department (SFD).
“I know that firefighters and police officers are some of the professions that have high risk of developing trauma-related disorders and mental health conditions due to the stress they are under. They are faced with significant stress and trauma, which makes them more vulnerable,” she said.
“Unfortunately, they are also the kind of professions that do not come to clinical attention. It’s a culture of helping rather than asking for help, even though I would say that is improving over the last decade or so, with more of an advocacy against trauma, so that’s wonderful.”
Adams noted that firefighters are often the first to respond to suicides and overdoses, which can contribute to trauma and burnout.
The project will evaluate around 300 SFD workers through a survey, with the goal of finding what is working for mental health supports already in place and how to fill any gaps that might be identified, according to the research group.
Adams said so far, working with members of the SFD has been an “incredible experience.”
“I’ve been able to explore the work being done in the department and the prevalence of mental health conditions, along with the coping mechanisms, the use of their own kind of professional support, and how those are functioning to them,” she said.
In addition to conducting interviews, McNair and Adams will also speak with family members of firefighters.
“It’s specifically about what I would really like to see in the long run come out of this … an effort toward building resiliency in first responders and specifically with my colleagues that I worked with,” McNair said.
“I’d like to build out resiliency so that people recognize it earlier and can deal with the issues so that they don’t have to get to the extent that I did.”
He said the goal is to keep firefighters healthy and working.
So far, the research project experience has been one McNair will not forget.
“Seeing that different side of it from their lens coming towards us, and their desire to help and to be open to ask us what help they need, has been wonderful.”
McNair has now started studying psychology at the U of S. He said he eventually wants to become a psychologist so he can continue helping first responders.
