New partnerships promote mental wellness for first responders

Essex-Windsor Emergency Medical Services, the Canadian Mental Health Association of Windsor and Essex County and LaSalle Police and Fire Services announced partnerships with Wounded Warriors Canada Tuesday to raise awareness and provide first responders access to innovative programs promoting mental wellness.

“The more services and programs our paramedics can access the better,” said Essex-Windsor EMS Chief Bruce Krauter. “From group therapy to individual counselling to animal assisted therapy for PTSD, Wounded Warriors offers a variety of programs that can provide great benefit to our paramedics and their families.”

Warden Gary McNamara attended the announcement at the Essex County  Civic Centre along with representatives from the Town of LaSalle, the CMHA and Wounded Warriors. County of Essex employees showed their support by wearing red.

“This promises to be a powerful and productive partnership that will provide our paramedics with the support they need,” said McNamara. “Kudos to Essex-Windsor EMS and the LaSalle Fire and Police Services for embracing this progressive partnership.”

Scott Maxwell, Executive Director of Wounded Warriors Canada, thanked the County of Essex and Town of LaSalle for their support and said partnerships with municipalities and first responders were helping to raise awareness about the mental wellness issues first responders confront.

“We’re all in this together,” said Maxwell. “This partnership recognizes the fact that no one service, association or government agency can work effectively in isolation when providing mental health support to first responders. It needs to be a team effort.”

Wounded Warriors is a national mental health charity that provides mental wellness support and offers programs to Canadian Armed Forces members, Veterans, first responders and their families.

Essex-Windsor EMS was the first EMS service in Canada to support the organization’s red epaulette campaign, which sees first responders wear the distinctive shoulder markings on Fridays and on special occasions. LaSalle Police and Fire have now signed up for the red epaulette campaign as well.

“The first step in helping first responders deal with mental wellness issues is encouraging them to talk about it,” said Karen Gignac, Manager, Mental Health Promotion, Canadian Mental Health Association of Windsor and Essex County.

“Partnerships like this will make it easier and the red epaulette campaign is an excellent vehicle to raise not only funds but awareness.