LA GRANGE – Fayette County EMS is at the forefront of redefining how first responders implement trauma-informed care for their personnel in Fayette County.
In light of the Red Door Fund for Mental Health's February Campaign to spread mental health awareness in our rural region, the Fayette Community Foundation engaged in a conversation with Josh Vandever, chief of Fayette County EMS, to gain insights into the impact of trauma-informed care on how the local EMS station manages job-re - lated trauma. Acknowledging the perva -
sive effects of trauma on first responders, Fayette County EMS has joined forc - es with Tonya Glenn and Associates, a counseling firm specializing in military and first responders. Their approach to trauma-informed care involves extensive peer support classes, branded as Resilience Training, covering topics such as the brain's re - sponses to trauma, healthy coping mech - anisms, and effective communication methods.
Vandever has made significant ad - vancements in implementing trauma-in -
formed care within the Fayette County EMS station, ranging from initial train - ing to providing ongoing support after distressing events. The EMS team consistently checks in with one another, ensuring that everyone feels supported and is able to process any traumatic events they may have en countered. While not every profession encoun - ters the traumas faced by EMS workers, Vandever believes that aspects of this program could prove beneficial for every business.
"If you're running a sales business and you've got a salesman who's going through a terrible divorce, or whose kid has cancer, or any of the terrible things that people go through every day," Van - dever said, "You can't just leave that at the door. If you're going through that with no help, are you really doing the best work you could be doing?" While our daily experiences may not mirror those of first responders, ev - eryone carries aspects of their lives that cannot be left at the doorstep.
As we observe Red Door Month, let's collectively make an effort to check in with and support our friends and neigh - bors. To learn more about or to support The Red Door Fund for Mental Health, visit www.faycofoundation.com/rdf.
