Joy C MacDermid1,2, Goris Nazari1, Coomal Rashid3, Kathryn Sinden4, Nicholas Carleton5, Heidi Cramm6. 1. Physical Therapy, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada. 2. Roth McFarlane Hand and Upper Limb Centre, St. Joseph's Hospital, London, Ontario, Canada. 3. McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. 4. School of Kinesiology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. 5. Anxiety and Illness Behaviours Laboratory, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada. 6. School of Rehabilitation Therapy & Canadian Institute for Military & Veteran Health Research (CIMVHR), Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Firefighters have high rates of exposures to critical events that contribute to physical and mental stress, resulting in high rates of injury and work-injury compensation claims. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of critical incidents in firefighters from a single fire service, and whether the number of critical events varied based on age, gender, years of service and/or rank. METHODS: We recruited 300 full-time firefighters. Firefighters were asked to complete a self-report Critical Incident Inventory survey that included questions on exposure to critical events during firefighting duties, with a time reference point of the past two months. RESULTS: Among the 293 firefighters, 252 (85%) indicated exposure to some type of critical incident. More specifically, 187 (64%) reported a respond to incident involving one or two deaths, 155 (53%) indicated a direct exposure to blood and body fluids, and 98 (33%) reported a response to an incident involving multiple serious injuries. Age, gender, years of service and rank accounted for only 1% of the variance in the number of critical incidents among firefighters. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, 85% of firefighters had been exposed to some type of critical incident in the previous 2-months and this did not vary by age, gender, years of service and/or rank.
BACKGROUND: Firefighters have high rates of exposures to critical events that contribute to physical and mental stress, resulting in high rates of injury and work-injury compensation claims. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of critical incidents in firefighters from a single fire service, and whether the number of critical events varied based on age, gender, years of service and/or rank. METHODS: We recruited 300 full-time firefighters. Firefighters were asked to complete a self-report Critical Incident Inventory survey that included questions on exposure to critical events during firefighting duties, with a time reference point of the past two months. RESULTS: Among the 293 firefighters, 252 (85%) indicated exposure to some type of critical incident. More specifically, 187 (64%) reported a respond to incident involving one or two deaths, 155 (53%) indicated a direct exposure to blood and body fluids, and 98 (33%) reported a response to an incident involving multiple serious injuries. Age, gender, years of service and rank accounted for only 1% of the variance in the number of critical incidents among firefighters. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, 85% of firefighters had been exposed to some type of critical incident in the previous 2-months and this did not vary by age, gender, years of service and/or rank.
Authors: Jordana L Sommer; Renée El-Gabalawy; Tamara Taillieu; Tracie O Afifi; R Nicholas Carleton Journal: Can J Psychiatry Date: 2020-04-10 Impact factor: 4.356
Authors: Heidi Cramm; Rachel Richmond; Laleh Jamshidi; Megan Edgelow; Dianne Groll; Rose Ricciardelli; Joy Christine MacDermid; Michael Keiley; R Nicholas Carleton Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-12-16 Impact factor: 3.390