Letter from the Editor…
Lynn Sciberras
T
he molecular representation of ethanol, the type of alcohol found in beer, wine and liquor, is pretty simple. It is made up of hydrogen, carbon, and hydrogen atoms, and can also be represented as CH3CH2OH or C2H6O. While this chemical formula seems fairly simple, having an excess amount of alcohol in one’s system, essentially consuming it faster than the body is able to break it down, follows with it, long-term effects and can even be fatal. The same can be said for the outcome of living with untreated and with prolonged substance use (drugs). The longer it is left untreated, the more detrimental it becomes. I recall when I first started my career with TFS almost 30 years ago, and my work with the Peer Support Team that followed, I would hear stories that brushed situations ‘under the carpet’, led firefighters to ‘suck it up’, and created a culture that hid the infractions encountered by firefighters with relation to their mental health. Today, while the stigma still exists, it has lessened, as we live in a society that is much more open to talking about mental health and destigmatizing it. No longer do firefighters feel they have to suffer, or suffer alone – there is help within our organization for staff to get through these most difficult times. Further, there are a plethora of professionals and programs; people who care, both internal and external, so that it is no longer an ‘us against them’ scenario. It’s a “We’re in this together, how can I/we assist?” environment.
TORONTO FIRE SERVICES EAP/CIS NEWSLETTER Fire Watch Volume 14 Issue 4_v29.indd 31
The founding members of the group, originally known as the EAP Team of the 1970s, had nowhere to turn back then and they found themselves struggling along until they created the group now known as the Peer Support Team of 2020 – peers helping peers. Gone are the days where members had to feel they were alone and had to hide their illness. Today, steps are available to confront and, ultimately manage their illness in a healthy manner with the support of other members, family AND the job. As we continue with this “Old School” edition of FireWatch, here’s a story in “The Mask”, of one man’s journey from then to now and how his life has changed for the better.
VOLUME 14 | ISSUE 4 | FIRE WATCH
12 2020-12-15 3:08 PM
