Emergency medical services has historically drawn individuals to the profession who possess a strong desire to help others in their time of need. Over the past several years, however, the profession has seen an influx in turnover as a result of compassion fatigue and burnout. While much has been researched on the root causes of such conditions, there is little research on how to address such conditions and how to implement strategies to combat them and their subsequent turnover. As the American population continues to age, as our cities become increasingly dense, and as we continue to live longer lives, the need for emergency services professionals will continue to grow. Addressing this need means addressing the conditions of compassion fatigue and burnout in a manner that cares for the caregiver and maintains their physical, mental, and emotional health so that they may continue to care for others. This research is designed to provide a greater understanding of what compassion fatigue and burnout actually is, as the terms are often used synonymously and without regard for their clinical differentiation. The understanding of the various clinical differences is essential to understanding what is truly driving turnover amongst urban paramedics and is an essential first step in developing corrective action plans. The research also attempts to determine if there is a correlation between years of service and professional quality of life amongst urban paramedics. Identifying when and where professional quality of life begins to degrade amongst urban responders can help those who manage and lead those services begin to implement training, education, and treatment strategies to help combat the onset of the associated symptomologies that eventually lead to career termination.

This book familiarizes personnel serving as Emergency Managers, Safety Officers, Assistant Safety Officers, and in other safety-relevant Incident Command System (ICS) roles with physical and psychosocial hazards and stressors that may impact the health and safety of workers and responders in an All-Hazards Response, and ways to minimize exposure. This book provides knowledge on regulations and worker safety practices to the Safety Officer with an emergency responder background, and provides the tools for the Safety Officer with an industrial hygiene or safety professional background that help them be successful in this role. In order to work together effectively, it is important that anyone responding to an emergency be familiar with all standards and protocols.

First published in 1995. Traumatology, or the field of traumatic stress studies, has become a dominant focus of interest in the mental health fields only in the past decade. Yet the origin of the study of human reactions to traumatic events can be traced to the earliest medical writings in Kunus Pyprus, published in 1900 B.C. in Egypt. Many factors account for the recent emergence of this field, including a growing awareness of the long-term consequences of shocking events. Among these consequences are violence toward others, extraordinary depression, dysfunctional behavior, and a plethora of medical maladies associated with emotional stress. This is the latest in a series of books that have focused on the immediate and long-term consequences of highly stressful events. The purposes of the book, then, are (a) to introduce the concept of compassion fatigue as a natural and disruptive by-product of working with traumatized and troubled clients; (b) to provide a theoretical basis for the assessment and treatment of compassion stress and compassion fatigue: (c) to explain the difference between compassion fatigue and PTSD, burnout, and countertransference; (d) to identify innovative methods for treating compassion fatigue in therapists, and (e) to suggest methods for preventing compassion fatigue.

Firefighter and Paramedic Burnout was the first comprehensive book dealing with the recognition and treatment of burnout among firefighter and paramedic personnel. Today, this standard still serves to provide readers with a system of identification of early warning signs of excessive stress, its personal and social consequences, and interventions that have been proven to assist firefighters and their family members to return to a state of health and productivity.

"It's important for fire fighters and the behavioral health community to work together in a systematic approach to not only fight stigma, but develop alternatives to the traditional behavioral health services and interventions available. One such pioneer leading the fight to develop quality and culturally competent treatment for our fire fighters is Dr. George Lindenfeld, noted psychologist and accomplished author. In his fifth work, First Responders: Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, & PTSD, Dr. Lindenfeld dives deeply into the unique experiences of PTSD among the brave men and women who put their lives on the line every day to serve our communities. "Building on his expertise in treating active military and veteran populations who suffer from PTSD, Dr. Lindenfeld has developed a promising new intervention that uses sensory activation to reconsolidate traumatic memories without relying on the traditional talk therapy interventions that in some cases have been ineffective or even a deterrent for those seeking help. I am grateful for Dr. Lindenfeld's contribution to bring the critical issues of PTSD in the fire service to the forefront of our national and international awareness. We have an uphill battle to climb in addressing this crisis among our ranks, but when we work together to challenge versus accept what is, we are one step closer." Sincerely, Harold A. Schaitberger General President International Association of Firefighters