Lessons in Post-Disaster Self-Care From 9/11 Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians.
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine · 2019-06-01 · Qualitative study
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to explore preferred self-care practices among paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) who responded to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack (9/11) in New York City (New York USA). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Qualitative research methodology with convenience and subsequent snowball sampling was utilized. Participants were adult (at least 18 years of age) paramedics or EMTs who self-reported as responding to the 9/11 terrorist attack in New York City. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Preferred self-care practices; participant characteristics; indications and patterns of self-care use; perceived benefits and harms; and views on appropriate availability of support and self-care services were the main outcome measures. RESULTS: The 9/11 paramedic and EMT participants reported a delay in recognizing the need for self-care. Preferred physical self-care practices included exercise, good nutrition, getting enough sleep, and sticking to routine. Preferred psychosocial self-care practices included spending time with family and friends, participating in peer-support programs and online support forums, and routinely seeing a mental health professional. Self-care was important for younger paramedics and EMTs who reported having less-developed supportive infrastructure around them, as well as for retiring paramedics and EMTs who often felt left behind by a system they had dedicated their lives to. Access to cooking classes and subsidized gym memberships were viewed as favorable, as was the ability to include family members in self-care practices. CONCLUSION(S): A range of physical and psychosocial self-care practices should be encouraged among paramedic students and implemented by Australian ambulance services to ensure the health and well-being of paramedics throughout their career and into retirement.
Abstract © the authors or publisher, via PubMed. Reuse and removal
Tags
Terror attacks & active shooter events · Paramedics & EMTs · Clinician perspective
Related articles
- Paramedic and Emergency Medical Technician Reflections on the Ongoing Impact of the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks. (Prehosp Disaster Med, 2019)
- Working towards Wellness: Lessons from 9/11 Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians for Australian Ambulance Services (Paramedicine, 2018)
- World Trade Center-related physical and mental health burden among New York City Fire Department emergency medical service workers. (Occup Environ Med, 2016)
- Enhancing organizational resilience of emergency medical services through a designated intervention program. (Isr J Health Policy Res, 2026)
- Paramedics at risk? How responding to a terror attack affects mental wellbeing (Journal of Paramedic Practice, 2024)
- A systematic review of occupational stress and burnout in emergency medical technician and paramedic populations and associated consequences. (Int J Qual Health Care, 2025)