SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) – One of the resources available is The Watch Wellness Center, an out-patient facility in Ludlow for those suffering from anxiety or PTSD after a job like this.
Following the horror they, and many others, endured Sunday night, it’s important these first responders know there are resources they can turn to.
“The calls don’t fade once the scene is cleared; they stay with people.” Said Lisa Knowles, the CEO of The Watch Wellness Group.
A deadly situation rocked the Bay State Sunday night when flames ripped through the Gabriel House Assisted Living Facility in Fall River, taking the lives of at least nine people and injuring dozens more including five firefighters.
While we’re able to see the physical damage after fires like this, what we don’t see is the impact to the first responders on-scene. That’s why organizations, like The Watch Wellness Center in Ludlow, is there to help those heroes to exhale.
“They’re not just witnesses to trauma, but they’re also partners in healing. And when we support their mental health, we’re also strengthening, we believe, the public safety system as a whole.” Lisa added.
Lisa Knowles, CEO of The Watch Wellness Center, made it clear, mental health is as critical as physical health. She said there are plenty of symptoms to watch out for: “Have you noticed changes in your sleep habits? Are you having trouble falling asleep (or) staying asleep? Are you sleeping too much? Are you having nightmares? …Is there an emotional numbness? Feeling distant or detached or shut down? Are you losing interest? Are you pulling away from family, friends, or hobbies that you used to enjoy?”
Springfield Fire Captain Drew Piemonte gave us more insight on the initiatives out there to help combat mental struggles our local heroes face. He said: “At the local level, we have the employee assistance system that we can utilize, we have levels at the state and the national level as well that can get people into professional counseling for whatever their needs are!”
And for any responder going through trauma right now, Knowles has this message for them: “There is a safe space for you. I know that making that call, that first call, is the hardest. But I can tell you that many people who have come through our door have said, ‘Boy, I wish I had come sooner.’”
Very important information and advice there from Knowles.
She also said that those first responders dealing with mental health struggles should know that they are not alone.
Obviously, the firefighters and overall community of Fall River will need all the support they can get following this overnight tragedy.
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