Senior firefighter Brendon Pyne shows off the jaws of life.
One of the most difficult requirements of being a firefighter is dealing with the demons, but coming home to family or the camaraderie among the officers helps them do a job that is not for the faint of heart.
The Galt Museum is honouring civil servants by presenting We Are Here to Serve, the history of firefighters and EMT’s in Lethbridge.
The most devastating part of the job for Platoon Chief Ken Mercer has always been the loss of a life, but some hold a larger significance over others.
“Catastrophic accidents are certainly things that can keep you up at night, but anytime you lose a child is something that is really tough to recover from,” said Mercer. “It’s one of those things you think about in silence.”
Recognizing the nature of the work and what can happen if mental health goes unchecked, Mercer focuses on support for his officers.
“Everybody in our job does face post traumatic stress disorder. We take the steps to help our members. We teach it, recognize it and talk about it,” said Mercer.
Even though the scenarios might be unsettling and distressing, EMT and firefighter Ryan Ito feels how someone deals with it can show them if they’re cut out for the work.
“Probably my third day in, I lost a child. It was a difficult one to deal with. It’s one of those things where it happens and it gives you an indication on if you can do this. It’s always tough, it’s never easy to deal with,” said Ito.
Although the department supplies many services to help with the mental health of its officers, their brotherhood is another major part for senior firefighter Brendon Pyne.
“We get a lot of support from our loved ones, just being open with them. Even at work we’ll go for a beer, go golfing or hunting and just talk about it,” Pyne said. We’re very open here, that’s the most important thing I believe. If something is bothering you to talk about it, we’re family.”
In the fire department, they do not believe in failure and the word doesn’t exist among their ranks. They practice a motto of how they can do their job better and more efficiently next time.
