Survey Reveals Alarming Rates of EMS Provider Stress and Thoughts of Suicide

Courtney Smith, 54, drove to a desolate country road on a cold winter morning. It was three hours from the city where she worked as a medic for 28 years. Courtney pulled to the side of the road and sent a text to her three children. She told them she was proud of them and that she loved them. She then walked out into the field beside the road, pulled out a pistol and succumbed to the memories that had been nagging her for years of shift work, responding to countless horrific calls. The flashbacks of a mother’s wail when she’s told her child has died, the vision of bodies mangled in a vicious car wreck, and the memories of all the suicides—the smells and the sounds—would plague her no more. Courtney always seemed to be able to manage the stress that accompanies the critical calls—the type of calls that haunt most people. It was all a facade. Courtney was able to hide the pain and subdue the effects of the nightmares and flashbacks she had almost every day. She knew if she showed any weakness, she would be pulled off the truck and possibly lose her job. The thought that she would lose the respect of her partner, her boss and her co-workers was more intimidating than addressing her issues. The idea that she may need counseling was even scarier. Courtney’s co-workers, friends and family were surprised by her suicide. They said everything in her life seemed fine. She was happy, vibrant and excited about her future. They said she loved her job, loved her children and loved her husband. She was the person they could all count on when they needed help.