First Responder Wellness: How One Team is Reinventing Support in the Face of a Mental Health Crisis
A growing mental health crisis is impacting first responders across Canada, and one British Columbia-based team is pioneering a new approach to support, prioritizing wellness alongside critical care.
The weight of life-and-death decisions, coupled with exposure to traumatic events, takes a significant toll on those who dedicate their lives to serving others. Paramedic Miles Randell knows this firsthand. He still reflects on a January 2014 call involving a friend, Tim Jones, who suffered a cardiac arrest on Mount Seymour in North Vancouver. Randell, then a ground ambulance paramedic, was prevented by provincial service policy from reaching Jones quickly enough. “I’ll never know for sure, but I feel like we would have given him a better chance at survival if we’d have gotten advanced care to him sooner,” he said.
This experience, and the subsequent struggle with his own mental health, fueled Randell to create a different kind of first response organization. In 2018, after being deemed disabled and unemployable due to post-traumatic stress injuries, Randell co-founded Technical Evacuation Advanced Aero Medical (TEAAM), a non-profit providing advanced medical care in remote areas of British Columbia via helicopter.
A System Under Strain
Randell’s story is not unique. Across Canada, union officials representing paramedics are raising alarms about rising rates of burnout, stress, and post-traumatic stress injuries. The president of the Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. union recently described a “profound mental health crisis” within the profession. Research confirms these concerns, demonstrating that first responders are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress injuries, depression, and anxiety at higher rates than the general public.
Dr. Margaret McKinnon, a professor at McMaster University, explains the root of the problem. “That can have a widespread impact upon how they perform their daily duties, impact on their family life, impact on their own mental health and well-being,” she said, highlighting the constant exposure to stressful situations inherent in the job.
TEAAM: A New Model of Support
TEAAM isn’t just about delivering advanced medical care; it’s about fundamentally changing the workplace culture for first responders. Randell intentionally built mental health support into the organization’s core structure. Each TEAAM member selects a “wingperson”—a trusted colleague they feel comfortable working alongside. Each base also designates a point person for regular check-ins with team members.
“Working in the medical field is hard on the soul, but TEAAM prioritizes mental wellness and supporting one another through any way possible,” shared Dan Roddick, a paramedic with the provincial ambulance service who also volunteers with TEAAM. He recounted a recent challenging mission where Randell personally followed up with him later that evening to ensure he was coping well.
TEAAM also addresses a critical gap in B.C.’s healthcare system by providing advanced care in areas inaccessible to ground ambulances. “When it comes to wilderness air ambulance work in Canada, we’re the first and only that are actually doing that type of work,” Randell stated.
The Importance of a Supportive Workplace
Experts emphasize the crucial role organizations play in supporting first responders. Dr. McKinnon stresses the importance of creating environments where concerns can be raised without fear of reprisal and where feedback is acknowledged and implemented. “What TEAAM does with the wingperson program and other supports is an encouraging development,” she noted.
B.C. Emergency Health Services (BC EHS) acknowledged the challenges faced by paramedics and outlined existing mental health supports, including an employee and family assistance program and debriefing teams for challenging calls. However, the organization declined to comment on specific cases due to privacy legislation.
Looking Ahead: The Need for Investment
While acknowledging the positive steps being taken, Dr. McKinnon cautions that lasting change requires sustained investment. “If we don’t have the resources, then we can’t enact these changes, right? That’s a pragmatic response, but I think it’s one that’s really important because we need those supports,” she said. Addressing the mental health crisis among first responders demands a commitment from both provincial and federal governments to ensure these essential workers receive the support they deserve.
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