# "PTSD affecting Ottawa's emergency responders"



## mariomike (8 Dec 2011)

CTV
6 Dec., 2011:
"It's estimated that as many as one quarter of all front-line workers (which also includes police and firefighters) are suffering from PTSD.":
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Health/20111206/OTT-ptsd-paramedics-emergency-rates-ottawa-111206/
"About half a dozen Ottawa paramedics are on stress leave"

In 2005, stress leave for Toronto paramedics, "without loss of pay or benefits and without penalty to their sick bank, lieu bank and/or vacation bank", was written into the collective agreement.


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## Wookilar (9 Dec 2011)

It's the same in Edmonton. I've got close family in emergency services out there and this is becoming a critical issue for them, both from a staffing and administration issue. Add to the mix, for them specifically, a not nice labour/management relationship and it's not a good situation.

Wook


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## mariomike (9 Dec 2011)

Wookilar said:
			
		

> It's the same in Edmonton. I've got close family in emergency services out there and this is becoming a critical issue for them, both from a staffing and administration issue. Add to the mix, for them specifically, a not nice labour/management relationship and it's not a good situation.
> 
> Wook



As far as labour relations go, I believe ours are still good. Although, certainly not as good as they used to be. However, almost nobody leaves, and almost nobody gets fired.
I credit four things that have not changed since the Department was created in 1967: 
1) You are on a permanent schedule. There are no part-timers, everyone works a 40-hour week. ( Twenty 12-hour shifts every six weeks. ) The schedule never changes, so you can plan your time off. 
2 ) Permanent station. There's about 55 of them ( TFS has about 80 ) in all the neighborhoods. You always book on and off at "your" station. You can bid for one close to home.
3 ) Permanent partner. Until death, retirement or "divorce" do you part. 
4 ) Permanent supervisor. You don't see them often because they book on at District offices and have nine other stations to look after. 
Also, if you feel like a change, special teams and programs are available.


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