Essex-Windsor EMS collaborated with Wounded Warriors Canada to host Peer Support training for local responders this week.

The three-day training session at the Essex County Civic Centre was attended by 21 Essex-Windsor EMS, Lakeshore Fire Department, Essex Fire and Rescue Services, and LaSalle Fire Service staff members who provide peer support.

Wounded Warriors Canada instructors provided information and opportunities for experiential learning to help participants recognize and respond to signs of stress and trauma in themselves and others. The training also included education on managing the crucial transition between “responder mode” and “home mode.”

Essex-Windsor EMS has been a leader in the region, launching its Peer Support team in 2015. Paramedics who volunteer to be on the team help co-workers through emotional rough patches by listening, and when necessary, illuminating options for professional support and counselling. It is an innovative program that recognizes mental health challenges can be just as debilitating as physical injuries and illnesses.

Wounded Warriors Canada is a national mental health service provider dedicated to serving ill and injured trauma exposed professionals. Its programs support veterans, first responders and their families.

“Essex-Windsor EMS is grateful to all who contributed to putting this training together,” said District Chief Mechelle Murphy, one of the leaders of the service’s Peer Support team. “The staff, their patients and the communities in which they serve will all benefit from the partnerships and collaboration that this training provided.”