Because paramedics often encounter traumatic situations during their duties, the Augusta Fire Department introduced a program to support the mental health of its personnel. The peer support team was established in 2021 by Augusta Fire Chief Dave Gloder. “Morale was low and we didn’t know how to deal with it,” Gloder said. “We know the job is stressful, so we decided to look into peer support groups.” Gloder says it’s important for staff to have someone they can reach out to. “I’ve been traumatized for 37 years with various traumas and I’ve been in therapy,” he says. “If you can talk to someone, or even a coworker, every time you’re on a call and vent and talk about how you feel, you’re more likely to get through a 25-year career.” Department members could vote for the coworkers they wanted on the team, and those members could receive training to provide support or recommend further resources if needed. “We’re not therapists, and the peer support team isn’t psychologists or anything like that,” he explained. “But they’re there to talk to people.” These mental health resources aren’t just for fire department personnel. Families also receive support and training on how to respond when a loved one returns from a traumatic event. “We understand that when we hire someone, we’re not just hiring that person, we’re hiring their family as well,” Gloder said. “Employees are traumatized, but when they go home, their families see that too.” The fire department received a Best Practices Award from the Maine Fire and Protective Services Board for its work. Gloder is pleased with what they’ve accomplished, but plans to continue efforts to support the mental health of his staff. “I think we’re in a good place right now in terms of mental health,” he said. “We can always do more, believe me on that.”
Because emergency responders often encounter traumatic situations while on the job, the Augusta Fire Department has implemented a program to support the mental health of its personnel.
The Peer Support Team was established in 2021 by Augusta Fire Chief Dave Groder.
“Our morale was low, but we didn’t know how to cope,” Gloder said. “We knew our jobs were stressful, so we decided to find a coworker support group.”
Gloder says it’s important for staff to have someone they can contact.
“I’ve been in therapy for 37 years dealing with various traumas,” he says. “If I could just talk to someone, or a colleague, every time I got on the phone and vent and talk about how I feel, I’d be able to navigate a 25-year career.”
Department members can vote for colleagues they would like to join the team, who can then provide training and support or even recommend additional resources as needed.
“We’re not therapists, and our peer support teams aren’t psychologists or anything like that,” he explained, “but they’re there to talk to people.”
These mental health resources aren’t just for department employees: Family members can also receive support and training on how to respond when a loved one returns from a traumatic change.
“We understand that when we hire someone, we’re not only hiring that person, we’re hiring their family as well,” Gloder said. “Employees are traumatized, but when they go home, their families see it.”
The department received a Best Practices Award from the Maine Fire Services Board for its work, and while Gloder is pleased with the department’s accomplishments, he plans to continue working to support the mental health of his employees.
“I think we’re in a good place mentally right now,” he said. “We can always do more, trust me on that.”
