20/11/2016
"When You’re Now ASH"…..From Firefighter to now Medical Retirement.
Interestingly you spend your whole career in the firefighting world being told to hurry up, quickly access fires and generally rush around BUT when you retire and time is no longer a matter of urgent importance, your colleagues generally present you with a watch.
BUT when your medically retired you receive neither an official send off or wrist watch from either management or your colleagues, due to the drawn out process of being medically assessed and subsequently medically retired.
Interestingly throughout ones career there is lots of “ Back Slapping” and “Well Dones” from the day you join the job, saving a property, rendering a dangerous incident safe, congrats for saving a life in a burning building, rescuing a trapped driver, receiving a long service medal or a commendation for your efforts BUT when your medically retired your treated without such fanfare or celebration of your efforts and service.
One thing when your placed on medical leave is the isolation, you come from an industry that prides itself on the teamwork / comradeship / brigade mentality that places the huge importance of those aspects BUT you soon learn that team spirit and your supposed valued members of your team simply aren’t there.
Strange reality is that you worked and was part of an organisation that responds post haste to people in their time of need BUT we don’t reach out to our own people within the organisations with the same “Post Haste” we do for complete strangers.
So, does one simply reach OUT to the team or should the team reach IN to ensure your OK ? The reaching IN would tend to happen with a workplace injury such as a broken leg sustained whilst on duty BUT what about a psychological injury such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ?
It’s a sad fact that with a mental health injury there tends to be a shroud of secrecy to why you’re on leave, the organisation is obligated to protect your privacy HOWEVER often the individual affected would encourage and welcome their workmates concern and compassion. Even more disturbing is the PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder statistics for retired emergency service workers, as current figures are around 18% of all retired personnel.
Something to think about……….OR simply to take action and reach out to a fallen “Brother” today.
I know I'm ringing a fellow emergency service worker who is in the same position as me.
Who are you going to reach out to.
