- Joined
- May 29, 2004
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- 3,017
This post is directed to all of the First Responders out there.
I don’t care if you’re in Law Enforcement like myself, a Paramedic type, a Lifeguard, or even a hose dragger
. If you have decided to work to help people in emergency situations, in whatever capacity, and you take this job seriously, you are one of my favorite people, and I’d like to say thanks. Thanks very much for what you do.
If you’ve been doing this kind of work for some time, you’ve likely noticed some large changes in both your calls and your clientele - especially since Covid (and the death of George Floyd for Law Enforcement in particular).
In my area, we have seen a general decrease in public cooperation and a significant increase in homelessness and suicides/apparent suicides each summer since 2020, Unfortunately this summer is shaping up to be yet another “Summer of Death” as my partner likes to call it, and I’ve already been on several fatals since it started warming up.
Besides just saying thanks, I also want to acknowledge that your job is difficult and more stressful than most folks even begin to realize. I’m impressed and often surprised that so many people are willing to endure potential physical stress and 100% for sure mental stress on a regular basis.
I’ve also been doing this long enough to know that nobody is immune to trauma, and that it’s effects are cumulative to some extent.
I’m lucky to be eligible for retirement, and hope to take advantage of it soon. I’m also lucky enough to have been able to move to a much less crazy patrol area for the most part, which has allowed me to still get some enjoyment from the job - I’m able to be a professional “Good Samaritan” most of the time, and not just write people tickets and take them to jail.
Having said that, I definitely don’t enjoy the job the way I used to. Some of this is certainly due to getting older, slower, and slightly more jaded, but I feel that it’s primarily due to low staff and generally worsening conditions for the average working class citizen.
A good friend and partner of mine recently had to stop doing the job. He had witnessed too many bad things, had a mother slap his face when he wasn’t able to save her child, and was involved in more than his share of other dynamic fatal incidents. Unfortunately he didn’t understand what was happening to his mental health, and his response was essentially to withdraw from the job and his friends and family. He happily landed on his feet, and I think he’s going to be ok, but he certainly took a hard road.
I’m sure all of you have gotten tons of emails from HR/EAP telling you how to relieve stress, etc., but they don’t tell you something else that’s also very important: You can stop doing it whenever you want.
I’m here to tell you that unless you’re an actual sociopath who doesn’t feel empathy, this job is wearing. Only you know how much it’s wearing on you, and nobody experiences exactly the same things.
As one of my personal heroes, I hope you will reflect on the good you have done, and realize that you don’t owe it to anyone to continue doing a job if it’s giving you significant traumatic stress injuries.
Whew!
Ok - let’s see some First Responder “duty knives” and cutting tools!!
These are some of mine:
I don’t care if you’re in Law Enforcement like myself, a Paramedic type, a Lifeguard, or even a hose dragger
. If you have decided to work to help people in emergency situations, in whatever capacity, and you take this job seriously, you are one of my favorite people, and I’d like to say thanks. Thanks very much for what you do.If you’ve been doing this kind of work for some time, you’ve likely noticed some large changes in both your calls and your clientele - especially since Covid (and the death of George Floyd for Law Enforcement in particular).
In my area, we have seen a general decrease in public cooperation and a significant increase in homelessness and suicides/apparent suicides each summer since 2020, Unfortunately this summer is shaping up to be yet another “Summer of Death” as my partner likes to call it, and I’ve already been on several fatals since it started warming up.
Besides just saying thanks, I also want to acknowledge that your job is difficult and more stressful than most folks even begin to realize. I’m impressed and often surprised that so many people are willing to endure potential physical stress and 100% for sure mental stress on a regular basis.
I’ve also been doing this long enough to know that nobody is immune to trauma, and that it’s effects are cumulative to some extent.
I’m lucky to be eligible for retirement, and hope to take advantage of it soon. I’m also lucky enough to have been able to move to a much less crazy patrol area for the most part, which has allowed me to still get some enjoyment from the job - I’m able to be a professional “Good Samaritan” most of the time, and not just write people tickets and take them to jail.
Having said that, I definitely don’t enjoy the job the way I used to. Some of this is certainly due to getting older, slower, and slightly more jaded, but I feel that it’s primarily due to low staff and generally worsening conditions for the average working class citizen.
A good friend and partner of mine recently had to stop doing the job. He had witnessed too many bad things, had a mother slap his face when he wasn’t able to save her child, and was involved in more than his share of other dynamic fatal incidents. Unfortunately he didn’t understand what was happening to his mental health, and his response was essentially to withdraw from the job and his friends and family. He happily landed on his feet, and I think he’s going to be ok, but he certainly took a hard road.
I’m sure all of you have gotten tons of emails from HR/EAP telling you how to relieve stress, etc., but they don’t tell you something else that’s also very important: You can stop doing it whenever you want.
I’m here to tell you that unless you’re an actual sociopath who doesn’t feel empathy, this job is wearing. Only you know how much it’s wearing on you, and nobody experiences exactly the same things.
As one of my personal heroes, I hope you will reflect on the good you have done, and realize that you don’t owe it to anyone to continue doing a job if it’s giving you significant traumatic stress injuries.
Whew!
Ok - let’s see some First Responder “duty knives” and cutting tools!!
These are some of mine:
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