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Quick Clip: Why EMS must advocate for trauma counseling

Hosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson discuss the need for more resources to help paramedics deal with mental health issues

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In this week’s Inside EMS quick clip, hosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson discuss a demand for more trauma counseling from the union representing paramedics in Western Australia following recent suicides by two of its members.

Grayson said that based on his research, it’s been a problem for a while at St John Ambulance, and the suicide rate is significantly higher than the average suicide rate of the Australian population.

“They’re working these guys to death and the people who are not being worked to death are suffering physiological trauma from the sheer volume of calls,” Grayson said.

Cebollero agreed.

“Sometimes it’s not about the all mighty dollar,” he said. “It’s about being compassionate and delivering the highest level of patient care.”

The Inside EMS podcast is a regular expert discussion of hot topics, clinical issues, operational and leadership lessons for EMTs, paramedics and chiefs