Adelaide University. Australia: The University of Adelaide is conducting the first study of its kind
into the mental health of professional firefighters at South Australia’s
Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS). The
six-month study is focusing on the health and wellbeing of currently
serving and recently retired firefighters, systematically investigating
the effects of regular exposure to traumatic events.
“Currently
there is insufficient understanding of the burden of traumatic exposures
experienced by firefighters,” says Professor Sandy McFarlane, Director
of the University’s Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies.
“This
project will provide valuable information about the current fitness of
firefighters and assist in developing strategies to maintain longevity
of service, as well as assisting those with any emerging impairment.
“The
critical issue is the impact of the cumulative burden of traumatic
exposures over the lifespan of a professional firefighter, and how this
impacts on their fitness for duty,” Professor McFarlane says.
MFS
Deputy Chief Officer, Mick Smith, says it's hoped the groundbreaking
University of Adelaide study will further help the fire service with
supporting the mental health needs of firefighters.
“We believe
this study will not only help the MFS, but other fire services and
emergency services across Australia, with meaningful data about the
effects on personnel of repeated exposures to potentially traumatic
events.
“We hope the data collected will help us shape future
policy and procedure surrounding recruitment, early intervention, health
maintenance, career planning, workforce structure and the management of
occupational health and safety risks,” says Deputy Chief Officer Smith.
Study participants are being drawn from three areas: currently
serving full-time MFS personnel, currently serving retained (part-time)
MFS personnel, and ex-serving MFS firefighters who transitioned out of
the service between 2007-2014.
The study is being conducted by
the University of Adelaide’s Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies in
collaboration with researchers from the University of New South Wales
and Monash University.
“At the conclusion of this study, there
will be a well-mapped model of the transition points in a firefighter’s
career that need to be managed. These issues are important for planning
the occupational health services needed for the MFS in order to ensure
that firefighters, whose work puts their health at potential risk, are
given adequate protection and security in the performance of a role that
is critical to the protection of society,” Professor McFarlane says.