Impact of Trauma Exposure on Firefighters' Psychological Distress

This report summarizes the Psychiatry Research article by Milligan-Saville et al. (2018), which investigates the impact of trauma exposure on Australian firefighters, particularly volunteers from the New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS). The study surveyed 459 firefighters, revealing that a significant percentage experience PTSD and psychological distress due to their exposure to traumatic events. These events include witnessing injuries, near-death experiences, and recovering victims from precarious situations. The research highlights the lack of support services for volunteer firefighters and the need for increased after-care facilities. The study concludes that increased exposure to distressing and traumatic experiences often leads to an increase in PTSD among firefighters. The report emphasizes the need for future research to enhance support and mental health services for these emergency responders.

Running head: TRAUMA EXPOSURE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
TRAUMA EXPOSURE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AMONG AUSTRALIAN
FIRE-FIGHTERS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1TRAUMA EXPOSURE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
Counselling should be mandatory for Australian fire-fighters
Milligan-Saville et al. (2018) in the article entitled “The impact of trauma exposure on
the development of PTSD and psychological distress in a volunteer fire service” highlights that
fire fighters often have to face situations like psychological distress as well as PTSD due to
regular exposure to trauma. Milligan-Saville et al. (2018) claim that psychological distress
among volunteer fire fighters of Australia have increased due to exposure to a greater amount of
trauma that firefighters face in due course of their duty.
Milligan-Saville et al. (2018) state that volunteering firefighters in the emergency
departments have to deal in the traumatic experiences due to exposure to a plethora of situations
like adults or children who were highly injured or even being trapped in precarious situations
that involved near death experiences as well (Milligan-Saville et al., 2018, p. 1111). Milligan-
Saville et al. (2018) surveyed over 459 members who had been serving at New South Wales
Rural Fire Service or NSW RFS, one of the Australian volunteer fire services (p. 1112).
Milligan-Saville et al. (2018) argued that one of the major reasons behind the issues faced by
individuals refer to the lack of the support services that should be provided to the volunteers
serving as firefighters. Milligan-Saville et al. (2018) report that there has been a rise in the
traumatic experiences that affect volunteers active in traumatic rescue missions. These
experiences include captivity of firemen in buildings that are on fire or even conditions when
they have to recover victims who have been charred by fire or are almost dead by the time
volunteers reach them (p. 1111).
Milligan-Saville et al. (2018) analyzed that around 23 people (almost 5% of the
participants) have been suffering from PTSD and around 45 people (over 10% of the
participants) suffering from psychological distress (p. 1112). Milligan-Saville et al. (2018) opine

2TRAUMA EXPOSURE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
that fire fighters are affected due to high amount of “psychiatric morbidity” (p. 1112). The
outcomes further suggested that volunteers to fire-fighting services tend to face a greater amount
of trauma as compared to other individuals. Milligan-Saville et al. (2018) further highlighted that
volunteering firemen who have frequently been subjected to a certain type of critical incidents
tend to develop a risky situation of “psychiatric symptomatology” (p. 1113). Milligan-Saville et
al. (2018) further noted that incidents involving deaths of children or adults might not affect the
fire fighters like those that involve extreme violence or mass devastation. Milligan-Saville et al.
(2018) concluded that increased exposure to distressing and traumatic experiences often lead to
increase in PTSD among New South Wales volunteer fireman.
In conclusion it can be stated that increase in traumatic experiences like captivity of
firemen or recovering victims from affected buildings often lead to increase in trauma and
mental breakdown of volunteering staff. The future researchers are advised to deal in the
researches that would help in increasing the after-care facilities for the volunteers who have been
serving at the New South Wales Rural Fire Service or NSW RFS.

3TRAUMA EXPOSURE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
References
Milligan-Saville, J., Choi, I., Deady, M., Scott, P., Tan, L., Calvo, R. A., Bryant, R.A., Glozier,
N. & Harvey, S. B. (2018). The impact of trauma exposure on the development of PTSD
and psychological distress in a volunteer fire service. Psychiatry research, 270, 1110-
1115.