ST. PETERS, Mo. — Firefighters came together to create a nonprofit mental health initiative for bystanders of traumatic events after seeing the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder firsthand.
Through the new Central County Fire and Rescue Community Crisis Assistance Program (CCAP), people can receive free counseling with licensed professionals in the aftermath of physical and mental trauma, according to a release from the department.
Training is underway to teach volunteers to identify situations that could cause post-traumatic stress and how to refer someone for assistance. Every CCFR employee can activate the program in the aftermath of an emergency incident.
CCFR said that firefighters came up with the idea after bystanders rescued two people from a burning home in June. Realizing that the bystanders were at risk of post-traumatic stress from the experience, the firefighters spent days brainstorming how to help them recognize symptoms and begin the healing process.
From that, CCAP was born. Since it launched on June 27, it already has helped six local residents who stepped into traumatic events to help their neighbors.
"Their acts of courage and valor in the face of adversity are nothing short of extraordinary and heroic," CCFR Deputy Chief and Public Information Officer Jason Meinershagen said in the release. "The least we can do is be there for them after the incident and provide support as they navigate the mental effects in the aftermath of their experience. This new program uniquely positions CCFR Community Outreach to do just that.”
Meinershagen said the new initiative was an extension of the department's commitment to support the community.
“The human mind is not meant to see and experience many of the things that we do, and it can be challenging to process those images and experiences in a positive and healthy way. In the firehouse, we have formal systems in place to help ourselves process those experiences, whether that be Critical Incident Stress Debriefings or Employee Assistance Programs," he said.
"Many times, the most helpful method of processing those experiences is when we’re around the kitchen table talking about the call with our firehouse family who share similar experiences. Knowing that those healthy avenues to process traumatic experiences may not be readily accessible by the public, we want to support the members of our community who experience a traumatic event in the course of serving their neighbors.”
The program is funded by donations and helps families in need, conducts community education and outreach efforts and supports local community organizations.
