Oklahoma has first responder training to address mental health issues. Tuesday was the second day of a course offered to rural Oklahoma first responders to ensure that those who help others have the tools to help themselves and each other. One of the first responders who made these sessions possible said he needed to act because he was tired of seeing his friends die after dealing with mental health issues.”Myself, as well as a friend of mine, was actively suicidal at the same time, I made it out and he didn’ t, and I knew something needed to be done,” flight paramedic Eddie Rice said. Six months ago, Rice started working with Dr. Bill Worden, the medical director of Heartland Medical Direction. Heartland now provides education and training for 80, mostly rural, agencies across the state now thanks to a grant from the state. They are now able to train a team of medics that can deploy across Oklahoma when a smaller agency might need someone for their staff to talk to about stress or trauma that they themselves are experiencing.”If they don’t take care of themselves, they ‘re not going to be able to take care of everybody else like they want to,” said Kathy Thomas, of Warrior’s Rest Foundation.Thomas is a psychologist with a non-profit that uses peer support and crisis intervention training to teach first responders how to help their fellow paramedics, firefighters, officers or dispatchers when they’re struggling.”When we’re teaching them about how to respond to people in crisis, it also is very eye-opening, people tend to realize, oh gosh I’ ve experienced that, or I’ve had that, or I’ve had that call or that incident that I never dealt with and I’ve just been carrying around,” Thomas said.Luther firefighter Fawn Tibbetts took part in the training, something she believes is crucial.”I think it was a fossil fo r a while, it was something that was buried and people didn’t really talk about it and now it’s being exposed because we are mankind, we are humans,” Tibbetts said. Those conversations, no matter how small, can make a difference.
OKLAHOMA CITY —
Oklahoma has first responder training to address mental health issues.
Tuesday was the second day of a course offered to rural Oklahoma first responders to ensure that those who help others have the tools to help themselves and each other.
One of the first responders who made these sessions possible said he needed to act because he was tired of seeing his friends die after dealing with mental health issues.
“Myself, as well as a friend of mine, was actively suicidal at the same time, I made it out and he didn’t, and I knew something needed to be done,” flight paramedic Eddie Rice said.
Six months ago, Rice started working with Dr. Bill Worden, the medical director of Heartland Medical Direction.
Heartland now provides education and training for 80, mostly rural, agencies across the state now thanks to a grant from the state. They are now able to train a team of medics that can deploy across Oklahoma when a smaller agency might need someone for their staff to talk to about stress or trauma that they themselves are experiencing.
“If they don’t take care of themselves, they’re not going to be able to take care of everybody else like they want to,” said Kathy Thomas, of Warrior’s Rest Foundation.
Thomas is a psychologist with a non-profit that uses peer support and crisis intervention training to teach first responders how to help their fellow paramedics, firefighters, officers or dispatchers when they’re struggling.
“When we’re teaching them about how to respond to people in crisis, it also is very eye-opening, people tend to realize, oh gosh I’ve experienced that, or I’ve had that, or I’ve had that call or that incident that I never dealt with and I’ve just been carrying around,” Thomas said.
Luther firefighter Fawn Tibbetts took part in the training, something she believes is crucial.
“I think it was a fossil for a while, it was something that was buried and people didn’t really talk about it and now it’s being exposed because we are mankind, we are humans,” Tibbetts said.
Those conversations, no matter how small, can make a difference.
source https://www.bisayanews.com/2022/03/02/oklahoma-first-responder-training-to-address-mental-health-issues/
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