The President of NAPE is pleased to see the introduction of a mental health warmline for first responders.

Jerry Earle says it was about time that such a program was put in place, given the high number of first responders struggling with mental health issues.

The new warmline will allow anyone struggling to pick up the phone and get support from fellow first responders.

Earle, a former paramedic, says he’s seen the impact of mental health on the industry first hand.

He says most people don’t experience a traumatic event in their lifetime while paramedics experience them on a daily basis. “Unfortunately, there are some paramedics, because of things they experience, because of things they see, they never work again.” With the implementation of a warmline, Earle says now they know there is somewhere they can turn to.