Padfield honoured to MC Invisible Wounds Conference in Kincardine

Kincardine fire chief Kent Padfield was honoured to act as MC for the Invisible Wounds Conference held in Kincardine, Friday, Oct. 27.

Organized by Deborah MacDonald, the conference provided education and peer support for First-Responders and those who work in high-stress environments. There were almost 90 attendees from across the province.

“The event was well-run, with engaging speakers,” said Padfield. “This is a topic that is very important to emergency services.”

He said the group was well-informed, and individuals said they were glad they attended. “It was an opportunity to meet emergency services and mental-health experts from all over the province. Since the conference, I have been E-mailing with attendees from Sudbury and Peterborough – contacts and sharing information are important.”

In reference to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Padfield said that recent years have changed how supervisors prepare and respond for staff after an incident.

“We were doing okay in the past, but now we have a better understanding that emergency workers may struggle post-incident and the importance of assisting workers in dealing with the stress before it reaches PTSD,” he said. “After call-debriefings, knowing the signs and symptoms of stress, peer support, and deployment of Critical Incident Stress Management teams, are all tools in preventing PTSD.”

Padfield said that over 30 years as a First-Responder, there have been many incidents he remembers.

“Many are happy stories but many had a tragic ending,” he said. “My coping mechanism is working with people who support each other as peers, and knowing that incidents will sometimes affect sleep and moods, but also knowing that if these continue over a long period of time, that’s when they can become an issue. Everyone deals with work-related stress differently.”

So, as the fire chief, what programs would he put in place to help First-Responders deal with PTSD after major incidents?

“I am thankful that our team has championed mental-health awareness,” said Padfield. “Our fire department has great peer support through our firefighters and our chaplain, an educational session for new firefighters and their spouses on emergency services mental health, and a county Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team. Two of our team belong to the county CISM team.

“In 2017, all emergency services in Ontario had to create a PTSD Prevention Plan which we will follow to ensure our staff is prepared.”

One of the guest speakers at the conference was Randi-Mae Stanford Leibold, a professional speaker, facilitator and author of “Searching for Meaning.” She has worked with the York Regional Police Service, York Regional District School board, and other community organizations. Her presentation, “Practice Mindfulness for First-Responders,” focused on elevating wellness in the workplace, illustrated grounding techniques, and promoted self-care.

“I believe healing in the workplace is important to consider for First-Responders who are experiencing and observing horrific tragedies and circumstances on a daily basis,” said Leibold. “First-Responders are exposed to vicarious trauma on a daily basis. Healing and self-care is an ongoing journey throughout one's career. Finding a wellness practice that resonates with you is valuable - one that allows the body and mind to enter a state of relaxation and decreases high levels of adrenaline.

“Mindfulness has several great tools that can be used throughout the day. Whether it is a three- to five-minute breathing exercise that can be used throughout the work day or the body scan which has been studied and proven to assist veterans who are impacted by PTSD. What the body scan does is strengthen the mind-body connection, allowing the individual to be present with the body and listen, and noticing where the body may be holding pain or tension.”

Leibold said she engaged audience members by having them practise a few tools and techniques with her, creating an opportunity for individuals to begin to explore what tools and strategies may work for them, while trying something new. 

When asked what are the best methods for dealing with PTSD and other stresses involved in being a First-Responder, Leibold offered the following three valuable things to consider:
 

• Support from family, friends, peers and the workplace that the individual is connected to is important. “I believe it's important that First-Responder organizations create a safe space for individuals to have discussions about the impact of the job and mental-health-related symptoms that may arise as a result of the job.”
• Engaging in a holistic practice that engages the senses and encourages self-compassion and exploration, such as mindfulness, meditation, tai chi, art therapy, horticultural therapy, etc.
• Support from a health-care professional to be able to talk to and assist with finding resources that best support your healing journey. 

Leibold said the conference was wonderful. “Deborah McDonald did an amazing job of organizing an event that I believe created a safe space for discussing PTSD and the journey of First-Responders.”

Other speakers included Bill Burton, a social worker; Captain Jeff Balch of the Barrie Fire Department; Natalie Nowkawalk, a registered social worker and internationally-certified Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) therapist; and Sergeant Douglas Pflug of the Guelph Police Service.

MacDonald said that Mark Leslie of Leslie Ford is sponsoring the production of the documentary, "Overcoming Obstacles," by Adam Olivero, Wightman-Bruce Telecom, based on the conference.

She said that in response to positive feedback from attendees, there are tentative plans to host the third Invisible Wounds Conference for First-Responders in Kincardine, in the fall of 2018. There are also tentative plans to host an Invisible Wounds Conference for Health Care Professionals in the summer of 2018. Details about these events will be released at a later date.




Kincardine fire chief Kent Padfield (left), MC for the Invisible Wounds Conference held in Kincardine, is joined by speakers Randi-Mae Stanford Leibold, Bill Burton, Natalie Nowkawalk, Bryan Stevens, Shaun Taylor and Jill Foster of #I'veGotYourBack911, Sergeant Doug Pflug, and Captain Jeff Balch; photo by Barb McKay of the Kincardine Independent