Ontario Minister of Labour and Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs President to mark first 'Road to Mental Readiness' training session in Mississauga

MISSISSAUGA, ON, April 5, 2016 Ontario Labour Minister Kevin Flynn, Mental Health Commission of Canada Director of Mental Health First Aid, Micheal Pietrus, Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs President Matt Pegg and Mississauga Fire Chief Tim Beckett will attend the first Road to Mental Readiness training program (R2MR) for the Ontario fire service on April 8, 2016.

Date:	Friday, April 8, 2016
Time:	8:00am
Location:	Garry W. Morden Centre, 7535 Ninth Line, Mississauga

Occupational stress and mental illness, including post-traumatic stress disorder, affects many firefighters and first responders in Ontario. In the summer of 2015, the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs partnered with the Mental Health Commission of Canada to make the Road to Mental Readiness program available to fire services across Ontario.

In February, 40 fire personnel from across Ontario completed a five-day "train-the-trainer" course, certifying them to teach the primary course to firefighters and a leadership course to fire service officers. Friday's group from the Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services will be the first to receive the R2MR leadership course. A key component of R2MR is to have all employees, at all ranks, speaking the same language when presenting an assessment of a mental health concern. R2MR also addresses stigmas around mental illness, and identifies the signs and symptoms of occupational stress injuries.

The R2MR program was originally developed by the Department of National Defence, and has been used successfully within the military and police sectors. The goal of the OAFC is for every firefighter and officer in Ontario to be able to recognize situations where they, their peers or family require intervention and/or assistance. Additional information about the course is available at http://www.oafc.on.ca/r2mr-course-and-booking-information

The Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs represents the chief fire officers of the 454 municipal fire departments in the Province of Ontario. Our mission is to lead innovation and excellence in public and firefighter safety. 

SOURCE Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs

Media contact: Richard Boyes, Executive Director, OAFC, 905-484-4476, [email protected]