Ottawa fire department's first 'family day' looks to expand mental health support
Ottawa's newest firefighter recruits brought their loved ones to an east Ottawa training centre Saturday to learn about the heat their mental health will be under in their new jobs.
A new employee at the Ottawa Fire Services training division came from a peer mental health background, and was eager to set up a "family day" where relatives and partners could come together to get a better understanding of the job's demands, said Terry Brennan, the divisional chief of training.
"We've got a tough job. Emergency workers see things they wouldn't wish on their worst enemies," he said.
"In this past week we've had four deaths in car accidents. Firefighters, police and EMS have been on scene and those things don't go away. They need support, they need their family members, they need their coworkers. They need their friends. These are things that are important."
The eight men and two women from the newest recruiting class sat down with their partners or family members in a classroom to learn about mental health support and warning signs.
After the session, the group went outside so that the new recruits could demonstrate how they put out a vehicle fire — all with the goal of making loved ones more comfortable and understanding of the job.
Venessa Pirone, whose boyfriend Daniel Deschatelets finishes training later this month, took part in the session.
"It is important to know what he's doing so we can understand it a little bit, if they're going through something we can help them the best we can," she said.
Deschatelets said family day was also a learning experience for him.
"I wasn't even aware of all the programs we had — it's really good information and comforting to know you're not just by yourself if something goes on," Deschatelets said.
Brennan said sessions will be held twice a year for future recruiting classes.
