The Province

When death is an occupation­al hazard

Spike in suicides and cases of PTSD among first responders spark calls for improved compensati­on laws

- Glenda Luymes gluymes@postmedia.com Twitter.com/glendaluym­es

On Christmas Eve, Lisa Jennings received word of another suicide.

She waited until Boxing Day to update the grim tally she keeps on a website devoted to first responders struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder. Then, with a quick keystroke, 18 suicides in 2016 became 19.

Jennings, a former paramedic, began tracking suicides by B.C. first responders last year after a fire chief called to tell her about one at his hall. Before that, the Victoria woman maintained her website, You Are Not Alone PTSD BC, to provide support and resources to first responders, as well as to draw attention to what she sees as inadequate workers’ compensati­on laws that make it tough to get help.

B.C.’s suicide rate among first responders, which rose from 14 last year, is higher than any other province, according to the Tema Conter Memorial Trust. It strengthen­ed Jennings’ belief that it should be easier for such staff to make a mental illness claim with WorkSafeBC.

Jennings has been fighting to have her own PTSD recognized as work related since 2014. The decision on her final appeal is due Jan. 17.

“I thought it was a clear-cut case,” she said. “But here I am, more than two years later, still waiting.”

Jennings became a paramedic in 1993 when she was living in Calgary. She quit law school after a thrilling ride-along with an ambulance crew made her realize her calling.

She moved to B.C. in 1997 and saw a counsellor for “transition­al issues” related to the move, she explained. She went to counsellin­g again when her parents died in 2007. Two years ago, while out on a routine call, she was assaulted.

“I worked for a month after that,” she said. “I remember going onto the night shift, and I was about halfway into it when I drove through a stop sign. I knew I wasn’t myself.”

Jennings suffered a breakdown and spent time in the hospital. Her WorkSafeBC claim for PTSD was denied.

“They determined that I had a well documented psychiatri­c history for accepting some counsellin­g,” she said.

While going through the appeal process, Jennings met others who were also fighting to have WorkSafe claims accepted.

Jennings wants the government to add a presumptiv­e clause to the workers’ compensati­on legislatio­n. That means if a first responder is diagnosed with PTSD it would be assumed to be an occupation­al illness unless proven otherwise.

Several provinces have added the clause to their legislatio­n but B.C. has not, despite a private members’ bill and a resolution at this year’s Union of B.C. Municipali­ties meeting.

In a statement, Labour Minister Shirley Bond said B.C. has some of the “broadest workers’ compensati­on legislatio­n for mental disorders in Canada.” She said she examined the issue of workplace mental health, including PTSD, at a meeting with provincial labour ministers this fall and they agreed to “take steps to reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues in the workplace.”

WorkSafe told Postmedia that paramedics filed 95 mental-disorder claims in 2015, while police filed 12 and firefighte­rs filed four. Paramedics had 13 PTSD claims accepted — less than 14 per cent of those filed — compared to four for police and two for firefighte­rs.

Bob Parkinson, director of health and wellness for the Ambulance Paramedics and Emergency Dispatcher­s of B.C., told Postmedia in an earlier interview that depression and anxiety are the most common mental-health issues among paramedics, but some are dealing with PTSD, family problems and their own addiction issues.

The union is warning that the current fentanyl-related overdose crisis is putting even more strain on an “over-stressed” workforce.

Jennings said the 19 suicides in 2016 don’t appear to be linked to the overdose crisis, but she fears for her former colleagues in 2017.

While out of work, she’s struggled with homelessne­ss, sleeping in her car for a time, and she is now living in a transition house. Her social assistance cheque is not enough to pay for the counsellin­g she needs.

“I don’t want anybody to have to walk the path I’ve had to walk,” she said, breaking into tears. “I look at my life and I wonder how did I get here?”

 ??  ?? Paramedics respond to a call in the Downtown Eastside Saturday. Almost 100 paramedic mental-disorder claims were filed in 2015. JASON PAYNE
Paramedics respond to a call in the Downtown Eastside Saturday. Almost 100 paramedic mental-disorder claims were filed in 2015. JASON PAYNE
 ??  ?? Former paramedic Lisa Jennings runs a website supporting first responders suffering from PTSD.
Former paramedic Lisa Jennings runs a website supporting first responders suffering from PTSD.

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