KERRVILL, Texas – First responders have been working daily since the deadly Fourth of July floods swept through parts of the Hill Country, organizing search and rescue efforts while helping affected neighbors and the community.
All of that work can take a toll on their mental health, peer support professionals with the Texas Emergency Medical Task Force (EMTF) say.
That is why they have been out and about between different sites all along the Guadalupe River, offering short debriefing conversations, attention from therapy dogs and a shoulder to lean on.
“It really takes a toll, you just kind of hear that stuff again and again as you work down the scene,” said Peer Support Team Member and STCC (Southwest Texas Crisis Collaborative) Division Director at STRAC, Kellie Burnam. “And so, really hearing a lot of that, how much they’re feeling it, a lot of our first responders grew up in this area.”
Crews from the EMTF have been out in the Hill Country area for weeks, on standby to travel to wherever is needed, along with some service animals.
They say their goal is to help first responders avoid repressing or ignoring emotions.
“It’s not good for our first responders. And you know first responders’ suicide rates increase all the time, and so we are really working in our community and definitely within our region and within the state to impact that as much as we can,” Burnam continued.
The groups will be in the Kerrville area through Sunday, July 27th, and available to first responders at the First Responder Assistance Center.
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