Alberta’s heroes and their families will be receiving a helping hand a during difficult time.
On Nov. 6, the province announced extra support will be launched starting April 2020 for first responders and their families, which includes firefighters, police officers, paramedics, sheriffs, and correctional officers.
“I think it’s a wonderful step forward for all first responders in Alberta, especially for the families of fallen first responders,” said Bonnyville RCMP Sgt. Kim Hillier.
The commitment will see $9-million in provincial support over the next three years to implement the Heroes Fund, along with money to improve mental health services for first responders diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
The Heroes Fund will be a one-time, tax-free $100,000 payment to eligible families of first responders who die as a result of performing their duties.
“In the unfortunate event where a first responder does pass away due to injuries that are obtained on the job, or if they die in the line of duty, it’s a positive to see that there’s financial compensation for the families,” expressed Alicia Krawchuk, division chief of Bonnyville EMS. “Although that doesn’t help the families heal from the loss of their loved one, it will help with any financial burdens that come their way.”
Hillier agreed.
“Making that available to the families during a very difficult time will certainly help alleviate some of the immediate issues after someone dies in the line of duty.”
In the 2019 budget, the province also committed $1.5-million per year over the next three years to improve services for first responders diagnosed with PTSD.
In a press release, Minister of Labour and Immigration Jason Copping said, “There’s no higher form of public service than to risk one’s life to maintain public safety. Albertans who do so are heroes, and deserve our respect and support.”
When Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority (BRFA) chief Jay Melvin started in the firefighting services 25 years ago, mental health wasn’t a topic he heard much about.
“It was something that everybody just tucked away, and thought we would deal with at a later date if you needed to deal with it,” he said. “But, right now, we’re seeing a lot of families that are going through a crisis because a spouse or family member is having challenges doing their job because of the mental trauma that they have seen on scene. It can be very difficult to witness a lot of these events.”
With the increase in awareness of PTSD and other mental health issues, Krawchuk believes there’s still “more that needs to be done to help first responders recognize when they themselves are going through a crisis, what to do, what the next steps are, how to reach out, who to go to, and where to get the help when they need it.”
While administrative details for both the Heroes Fund and PTSD funding are being developed over the coming months, a focus Hillier hopes to see is making everything more obtainable for those who qualify.
“A lot don’t step forward and get the help that they need, and hopefully, the government will use this money to make the services accessible to use and efficient for any first responder that has developed any mental illness,” she noted.
According to the provincial government, the funding is the first of its kind in Canada.
“I think other provinces will take notice and look into what they can do to match what Alberta’s doing,” Krawchuk detailed. “I know that across the country, the concern is the same. We see rising numbers of suicides of first responders across Canada, and it would be great for all provinces to take the same initiative that Alberta’s taking.”
