"Taking Care of Yourself While You Take Care of Others"
2016: to date, 12 first responders and 3 military members have died by suicide.
2015: 39 first responders and 12 military members have died by suicide.
Between April 29 & December 31, 2014: 27 first responders died by suicide.
In 2014: 19 military personnel died by suicide.
TORONTO, March 30, 2016 /CNW/ - Take a moment to ponder those statistics, they are the men and women who dedicated their lives to being first responders.
In 2014 as a result of the many military PTSD-related related suicides and the increase in work-related PTSD within the ranks of Canada's public safety, correctional, and military personnel, The Tema Conter Memorial Trust created the Heroes Are Human PTSD Awareness Tour. This highly successful tour has led to greater awareness about PTSD and its impact on the first responder community.
In February 2016, MPP Kevin Flynn, Ontario Provincial Minister of Labour, announced a new PTSD Strategy for First Responders. Bill 163, will finally ensure that first responders, correctional, and communications officers who have been diagnosed with an occupational stress injury will get the help they need more efficiently and effectively.
To meet the demand for information following the success of the 2014 tour, Tema Conter Memorial Trust will be going on the road again with the 2016 Heroes are Human Resiliency Tour. The cross-country tour will begin in beautiful St. John's, Newfoundland on May 2nd and will travel coast to coast and end in Toronto, Ontario on July 22, 2016. With the help of local correctional, emergency services, and military organizations, The Trust will host two-hour community-based educational events in forty-eight towns and cities across Canada. Attendees will hear from a panel of experienced first responders who will share their stories and best practices about how to deal with acute cumulative and post-traumatic stress and how they came out the other side of that darkness.
The events are open to anyone who is interested in learning more about operational stress injuries. Frontline communications, correctional, emergency services, and military personnel are welcome. We also encourage family members and friends, mental health professionals, nurses, physicians, and human resources professionals to attend.
"These men and women see tragic events every day," said Vince Savoia, founder and executive director of the Trust. "They witness human suffering up close and it sometimes becomes very difficult to cope with the aftermath. Smells, sounds and reliving witnessed events create lasting painful memories that sometimes haunt these men and women for life".
A panel discussion discussing operational stress injuries will be held at each event. There will be A NOMINAL FEE of $5.00 to attend these sessions.
Tour sponsors include the Wounded Warriors Canada, the friends and family of Cpl Ken Barker, Humber College Health Sciences, CUPE 905, Saskatchewan Government and General Employees Union, The Mental Health Commission of Canada and the Ontario Provincial Police Association.
For more information please visit the tour website at: www.heroestour.ca
About The Tema Conter Memorial Trust Celebrating 15 years in 2016, The Tema Conter Memorial Trust was established to offer resources and support to emergency services and military personnel. Through research, education, training, and through the provision of peer and psychological support, we aim to help these men and women when they need it most. www.tema.ca
Connect with us: @HeroesAreHuman @TemaTrust
SOURCE Tema Conter Memorial Trust
Image with caption: "Tema Conter Memorial Trust (CNW Group/Tema Conter Memorial Trust)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160330_C2347_PHOTO_EN_654060.jpg
please contact: Colleen McCourt, Strategy Plus Communications, [email protected], 705-358-2006
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