How is Winnipeg addressing psychological injuries among first responders?
Psychological injuries caused Winnipeg firefighters and paramedics to miss more than 17,600 hours of work between January and October 2024, according to a report from CBC.
Citing data from the City of Winnipeg, the report noted that Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) members filed 189 claims for psychological injuries with the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) during that time, with 41 resulting in extended leave. Paramedics accounted for 14,730 hours off the job, while firefighters logged 2,896 hours.
The number of hours lost due to mental health claims is the highest recorded since 2019.
Source: CBC
What causes psychological injuries among first responders?
Ryan Woiden, president of Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU) Local 191, which represents Winnipeg paramedics, said the lost time equates to over 1,100 12-hour shifts. He blames increased workload, exposure to traumatic events, and understaffing as key factors.
"We're talking about two to three shifts per day being lost," he said in the CBC report. "Unless they're being staffed with overtime, we shut those trucks down, and we have a decrease in the amount of ambulances available to respond to 911 calls."
Dealing with frequent overdoses, volatile patient behavior, and repeat cases are also taking a toll on paramedics, said Woiden.
“You're going out the door, and you're doing CPR on somebody who you did twice on the day before,”he said in the CBC report. “People stop looking like human beings."
Firefighter staffing levels in Winnipeg have not kept pace with growing demand, according to Tom Bilous, president of the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg.
Bilous said the number of firefighters on duty is lower than in 1981, even though call volumes have increased significantly.
"To keep fire trucks running, more firefighters are working overtime, but it’s coming at a cost to their mental health," he said in the CBC report.
The WFPS logged 104,000 overtime hours by October 2024, exceeding the city’s budget by more than $7 million. Bilous said the strain is unsustainable.
"They're getting burnt out … they may be off for several months, the other members start taking overtime, they're not recuperating, and this cycle goes on and on," he said.
A spokesperson for the WCB confirmed that 35 claims for psychological injuries filed by firefighters and paramedics were disallowed between 2020 and 2023. Data for 2024 is not yet available.
How is Winnipeg addressing psychological injuries among first responders?
The rise in mental health claims is “concerning,” said Coun. Vivian Santos, chair of the community services committee, according to the CBC report.
But efforts are underway to address the issue. Measures include a motion to work with the WCB to reduce claims and hiring 24 new firefighters to staff a new fire station.
However, Santos acknowledged that more needs to be done.
"The city is seeing a huge spike in mental health injuries among employees," she said in the report.
