YEARLY, more than 100 firefighters seek counselling from the chaplaincy branch of the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) to cope with the traumatic experiences they witness on the job.

Head of the welfare and chaplaincy branch of the JFB, Senior Superintendent Garey Swaby, who shared that not all affected personnel of the more than 2,000 staff members report trauma, said these figures could be concerning for the brigade.

“A consistent number of firefighters seeking help suggests that there may be underlying issues related to mental health or job stress within the brigade. High rates of seeking help could indicate that firefighters are facing significant challenges that need to be addressed to ensure their well-being and maintain operational effectiveness,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

The Welfare Department is an arm of the JFB that is tasked with providing, supporting, and catering to the legal, social, religious, and welfare matters of its members — both uniformed and non-uniform personnel.

Swaby shared that when firefighters experience something traumatic on the job that affects their mental health the general protocol is immediate access to counselling services, peer support groups, and critical incident stress management (CISM) resources.

Annually, eight to 10 people a month seek these services, he shared. Additionally, at least two group counselling sessions are held, with resources available to staff members for as long as they want.

However, under-reporting and a lack of visibility — since the department is not always notified of the scenes that may impact firefighters — make it challenging to provide adequate support.

“For those struggling who refuse to seek help, it’s important to emphasise that reaching out is a sign of strength, not weakness. We are encouraging them to talk to someone they trust or to consider the benefits of professional support… We are reminding them that they are not alone and that many others have faced similar challenges,” he stressed.

Compounding the issue is a severe staff shortage within the chaplaincy branch. With only three persons serving the over 2,000 staff members and their families, the department is stretched thin.

If all trauma-exposed firefighters were to report their experiences, Swaby told the
Sunday Observer that the current team would not be able to handle the demand. This would pose significant risks to their own mental health and raise ethical concerns.

Acknowledging this reality, the senior superintendent said the brigade is currently undergoing a restructuring exercise to address the issue. While he could not share the specifics, he said it is his hope that methods will be implemented in short order.

Earlier this month, young firefighter Shahine Nelson died in a car crash and the firefighters who responded to the accident were her colleagues she’d worked closely with when assigned to the Spanish Town division.

According to reports, many of the first responders broke down on the scene when they learned that Nelson was the person trapped under the truck at the intersection of Brunswick Avenue and Angels Toll Plaza in Spanish Town, St Catherine. It was also reported that firefighters from other stations came to the scene to mourn the loss of one of their own.

Dr Cheril Thompson, a clinical psychologist specialising in trauma cases, said that based on research, first responders are at a higher rate of developing post-traumatic stress disorder due to repeated exposure to traumatic events.

She stressed the need for psychological intervention for first responders, recommending various methods that should be implemented to protect their mental health.

“Those who are working in these high-stress crisis situations may actually need a day off, like a mental health day once a week that could probably help them to balance and deal with what they are seeing. I would suggest that in their benefits, some kind of mental health day is included so that they can access that resource as needed,” Dr Thompson told the Sunday Observer.

She added that debriefing sessions after traumatic response calls, a method already implemented in the brigade, is also a great form of psychological support. Group counselling sessions were also lauded by the professional.