"Nobody seems to be offering assistance"

Firefighters in the Gatineau Valley Struggle with Lack of Psychological Support

Firefighters in the Gatineau Valley and small towns are facing a growing need for psychological support, but resources are falling short.

Michael Gainsford, a part-time firefighter in Gracefield and a farmer, has been a fire department director for 38 years. He had a harrowing experience in 2022 when he responded to an ATV accident involving two young women, one of whom died. Gainsford started experiencing flashbacks and sought psychological help, but found that the needs for support among firefighters in the region are not being adequately addressed.

Gainsford is not alone. In 2024, he was called to a road accident scene with his neighbor and friend Eric Lacaille, director of the Blue Sea fire department. The ambulance left after confirming the young woman's death, leaving the firefighters to wait for the morgue for nearly four hours. This traumatic event, like many others, took a toll on the firefighters' mental health.

In 2023, the CNESST, in the city of Blue Sea, noted that "several firefighters had health problems associated with post-traumatic stress following difficult interventions." This problem is not unique to Blue Sea. Alain Caron, president of the Quebec Firefighters and Firefighters Syndicate, stated that several small towns have no resources or peer support programs for firefighters dealing with post-traumatic stress.

Martin Lafrenière, assistant director of the Lac-Sainte-Marie fire department, had to intervene in a suicide at a hydroelectric dam site in the past. He, too, has witnessed the impact of traumatic events on his fellow firefighters.

The Association of Fire Safety Managers in the Gatineau Valley tried to finance a partnership with the Urgent Intervention Aid Organization La Vigile for free and anonymous psychological help for firefighters, but the Quebec Alcohol, Racing and Gaming Commission deemed the project not concrete enough.

However, there is hope. The organization offering free and anonymous psychological help to all firefighters in the Gatineau Valley is the "Association des pompiers professionnels du Québec" (APPQ). This organization is already present in 18 fire departments in Quebec.

Sam Lefebvre, a firefighter, had a similar experience with a man who had a heart attack in the winter, leaving the firefighters with the body until the morgue arrived. He, like many others, felt the impact of these traumatic events without adequate training or support.

Gainsford's story is a poignant reminder of the needs for psychological support among firefighters in the Gatineau Valley and other small towns. Despite his efforts to seek help, he was sent to multiple CLSCs over a year and a half, but none provided adequate help. His father passed away three days later, adding to his emotional burden.

Firefighters in the Gatineau Valley and small towns are putting their lives on the line every day to help others. It's time that we ensure they have the support they need to cope with the traumatic events they often encounter.