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GBEMDA Hosts Webinar on Suicide and First Responders
Growing up, Wayne Zygowicz, MS, EFO, EMT-P, says he had minimal experience with suicides. As a firefighter in Colorado, he wasn’t so lucky. After a senior citizen drove onto fire station property and committed suicide using a handgun, Zygowicz decided to look into the issue of suicide and ways to prevent it.
One June 26, Zygowicz presented the webinar “Until Death Do We Part—Suicide, a Silent Epidemic” through the Greater Broward EMS Medical Director’s Association. The webinar touched on a number of different topics relating to suicide.
Understanding the scope of the issue of suicide was one of the running themes of the program. According to data from the CDC, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, and the second leading cause of death in U.S. residents ages 15 to 35. And Zygowicz also says the rate of suicide among first responders is alarming.
Identifying risk factors is important to preventing suicide, Zygowicz says, as is having a working knowledge of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention plan given by the surgeon general. This plan gives a toolkit and baseline for agencies to work to prevent suicide.
A large portion of Zygowicz’ webinar discussed procedures for emergency responders, and he gave first responders an overview of procedures that should be taken when working a scene where someone has committed suicide. He discussed securing the scene, protecting all evidence, writing medical reports and how to talk to and comfort survivors.
Zygowicz also provided support systems for first responders who may be feeling suicidal, and discussed a plan for how to prevent first responder suicide. Zygowicz says it is important to have critical incident stress management procedures, peer support programs or employee assistance programs. He also says fire department chaplains or administrative leave can be effective tools.
Implementation of behavioral health training at all levels is also a goal that Zygowicz says should be achieved, as is developing a comprehensive curriculum to education public officials on how to recognize the stress of the job first responders do.
Crisis support systems such as safecallnow.org are also a valuable resource for helping first responders, Zygowicz says.
To view this webinar or to watch other programs from GBEMDA, visit www.gbemda.org.
