Tagged: EMTs

PTSD in Emergency Workers

This is the first of a series of posts which will cover post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

EMTs, Paramedics, Fire Fighters, Police Officers, Emergency Department Personnel. These brave individuals serve to protect, to save, and to heal us in times of our greatest need. Aid workers are dispatched around the world to respond to natural and man-made disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and war. Just as our nation’s soldiers and veterans battle the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), so do our first responders. Worldwide 1 in 10 emergency workers have PTSD. Ambulance personnel are the hardest hit, with over 1 in 5 ambulance personnel meeting criteria.

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/sep/01/news/la-heb-911-illness-mental-physical-20110901

Image courtesy of the LA Times

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