First responders are the medical personnel responsible for providing rescue and medical services during emergencies. They include law enforcement officers, emergency management officials, and emergency medical services, not forgetting people who provide fire extinguishing services. The conditions under which first responders work in make their duties risky since they are the first line of defense for communities. The nature of the work of first responders makes it risky as they are the primary line of defense in communities (Wild & Degli, 2020). First responders respond to a spectrum of natural and man-made threats that the community faces. In the United States, first responders work closely with the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate to enhance first responders’ safety and effectiveness (First responders, 2020). The working conditions of first responders work are dangerous, and at times cause physical or mental injuries resulting from trauma and risky activities. The first responders need adequate intervention to remedy any mental or physical harm associated with their occupation. Failure to address the stress that they face poses a risk to many other people including their families, colleagues, and the victims of different situations. The four continuums of intervention for first responders include setting, the types of intervention, the time frame of intervention, and the participants.
The four dimensions of the continuum of interventions of first responders are essential in managing the issues of physical harm and emotional concerns of first responders. The aforementioned continuum intervention measures should be incorporated together to ensure better results that are more effective and efficient. Failure to address one of the dimensions could lead to inefficiency of the continuum intervention processes (Regehr & Bober, 2005). For instance, the intervention method might be effective, but the setting of the intervention affects the process. It is important to ensure that all the dimensions of the continuum apply (Wild & Degli, 2020). Besides, the continuum dimensions should practically apply to other people not only the first responders. Secondary traumatization is common among first responders, and the intervention methods should consider the continuum processes to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of the interventions (Greinacher et al., 2019). For instance, they should consider the effect of the mental state of the first responder on their families and apply appropriate interventions.
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The first dimension of the continuum of intervention for first responders is the setting. It entails the type of situation that first responders are responding to. Although first responders are trained professionals with the skills required to respond to a situation, some incidences are extreme, making it challenging for the first responders. Some conditions under which first responders get exposed to are extremely traumatizing due to the extreme damages caused, including injuries caused to individuals (First responders, 2020). Also, first responders work under conditions that openly involve damaged properties which increases the chances of traumatization. An understanding of the exact setting of an incident is important in the intervention process since it helps formulate the process in which intervention processes will follow. Continuous exposure to extreme events could worsen the situation for first responders and lead to stress and depression. It is important to understand that some situations could increase the first responders’ vulnerability to stress (Regehr & Bober, 2005). The settings differ from one incident to another. For instance, having some technical hitches that undermine the rescue process can be quite frustrating and lead to stress for first offenders. Other settings can include the death of a colleague or partner in the course of duty or witnessing the death of victims helplessly. The type of intervention ought to consider the setting of the incidence to ensure that intervention measures consider all dimensional consequences of the incidence setting.
The second dimension is the type of intervention that the first responder will receive. The type of intervention that first responders receive is interlinked with the first discussed dimension since it depends with the incidence setting. The type of intervention needs to consider a person’s personality. When people are exposed to traumatizing events, they would react in certain ways and experience behavior change (First responders, 2020). The type of intervention chosen would determine the extent and speed of recovery of first responders while other interventions could elevate their stress level. The most successful forms of interventions include counseling, training, and education (Regehr & Bober, 2005). On extreme occasions, medication might be necessary for first responders to overcome the stress associated with their careers. A combination of counselling and raining interventions together with provisionary medication is crucial to first responders. These interventions combined together are likely to provide first responders with stress free working environment.
The third dimension of the continuum of first responders is timing. The time at which an intervention is introduced will determine the effectiveness of the type of intervention produced. Early interventions can help to curb the stress levels before they could escalate to dangerous levels (Lanza, Roysircar, & Rodgers, 2018). People that receive intervention early will deal with the stress and regain their health. However, failing to provide intervention to first responders within the required time could lead to stress escalation, making the problem worse. When the levels of stress become too high, it becomes challenging for the interventions to work appropriately (Regehr & Bober, 2005). Resilience levels are different among individuals, and some people might need a short time to recover while others need adequate time and a process to get better. Apart from determining how soon an intervention is required, it is important to understand how long it would need to successfully regain the mental and physical state of the first responder.
The fourth dimension of intervention for first responders is participants of the intervention process. Successful intervention requires that the people involved in the process be trained and knowledgeable officials that can diagnose the problems and provide solutions to problems arising. For instance, trained social workers can understand the types of interventions that can apply in different situations affecting first responders with diverse personalities (First responders, 2020). Effective interventions of first responders’ problems should be continuous and involve professionals that can help in their preparedness for different situations, provide continuous education to give them skills for coping with stress, and healthcare professionals that can provide mental health treatment (Lanza, Roysircar, & Rodgers, 2018). An adequate supply of professional participants in the intervention process is extremely necessary for successful interventions for first responders.
The dimensions of the continuum of interventions for first responders highlights four main areas that can help to attain effective intervention of traumatic events that occur to rapid response professionals. The nature of the work of first responders exposes them to different kinds of risks, key among them stress and physical harm (Regehr & Bober, 2005). However, stress is the main issue affecting first offenders, and having effective intervention mechanisms is important to ensure the safety of the responders, their families, and the victims they should rescue. Different situations pose diverse levels of stress and affect the vulnerability to stress for the responders. The successful intervention also needs to consider the dimensions of setting, type of intervention, timing, and the participants required to make successful interventions. The dimensions are essential in ensuring that emergency staff members can deal with the situations they face. Social workers and other professionals can intervene to ensure that the responders can perform their duties effectively to safeguard their lives, the lives of others, and property. The dimensions are interconnected, and the interventions for first responders should adhere to the four elements to safeguard their mental and physical health.
References
Regehr, C., & Bober, T. (2005). In the line of fire: Trauma in the emergency services . Oxford University Press.
First responders . (2020, November 8). Department of Homeland Security. https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/first-responders .
Greinacher, A., Derezza-Greeven, C., Herzog, W., & Nikendei, C. (2019). Secondary traumatization in first responders: A systematic review. European journal of psychotraumatology , 10 (1), 1562840.
Lanza, A., Roysircar, G., & Rodgers, S. (2018). First responder mental healthcare: Evidence-based prevention, postvention, and treatment. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice , 49 (3), 193.
Wild, J., El-Salahi, S., & Degli Esposti, M. (2020). The Effectiveness of Interventions Aimed at Improving Well-Being and Resilience to Stress in First Responders. European Psychologist .
