After a disaster attack, the victims are affected emotionally, mentally and some physically. The first responders have to ensure that they are aware of the state of mind of an individual and establish how to assist them to avoid further mental complications in themselves. The responder should first hold their emotions so that they can support the victim of the disaster, despite how devastating the results are (Stone, 2013).
A first responder should be emotionally stable to enable them to respond to the needs at hand. They should be strong for the people affected by showing empathy and not sympathy. It would be wrong for a responder to show their tears in front of the affected person. There should be interventions addressing the trauma of disaster and ensure that first responders are prepared psychologically for what to expect in the field (Jr, 2015).
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The chances of first responders dealing with PTSD are high considering that witness first-hand the effects of a disaster attack. The example of Ross Beckley, as provided by Knowles, (2015), a firefighter who was diagnosed with PTSD due to what he faced as a first responder shows how traumatic their operations are. During his work, Beckley assisted in horrific fatal accidents and fires, and the traumatic events affected his mental health.
The mental effects are as a result of facing a disaster after it has hit and efforts of trying to save lives. At times, these individuals have to witness some people die, and they feel life failures since they must save them. When the emotional health of the first responders is addressed, it will help them avoid depression and concentrate on their work.
References
Jr., R. B. (2015, April 3). Psychological Trauma and First Responders. Retrieved September 10, 2018, from AMHF: http://americanmentalhealthfoundation.org/2015/04/psychological-trauma-and-first-responders/
Knowles, L. (2015, June 3). Former emergency services workers speak out about their experiences with PTSD. Retrieved September 10, 2018, from ABC News: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-03/former-emergency-service-workers-speak-about-ptsd/6518506
Stone, A. (2013, September 30). Beyond Debriefing: How to Address Responders’ Emotional Health. Retrieved September 10, 2018, from Govtech: http://www.govtech.com/em/training/Beyond-Debriefing-Responders-Emotional-Health.html
