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. 2021 Jun;33(3):572-574.
doi: 10.1111/1742-6723.13754. Epub 2021 Mar 2.

Forgotten first responders: Australian surf lifesavers and lifeguards

Samantha Fien  1 , Jasmin C Lawes  2 , Ian de Terte  3 , Pamela Simon  2 , Nancy Joseph  2 , Shane Daw  2 , Murray Drummond  4   5 , Talitha Best  6 , Robert Stanton  7   8
Affiliations

Forgotten first responders: Australian surf lifesavers and lifeguards

Samantha Fien et al. Emerg Med Australas. 2021 Jun.

Abstract

First responders often face traumatic and emotionally-taxing incidents in their role. Understanding their mental health and coping capacity is important for wellbeing and continued service delivery. Surf lifesavers and lifeguards are an under researched yet a vital part of the first responder workforce. The recent Senate Report on first responders explored mental health in the leading emergency services personnel in Australia and found a high incidence of mental health difficulties in those who worked or volunteered as emergency responders. However, a significant literature gap exists regarding mental health of surf lifesavers and lifeguards in both the international and Australian context. Here we propose a strategy to address this gap, at the individual, organisational and community level.

Keywords: emergency responder; lifeguard; lifesaver; mental health; volunteer.

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References

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