Hon Martin Aldridge asks the Minister for Emergency Services when the government will expand presumptive PTSD protections to fire and emergency service volunteers, given their high risk of suicidal thoughts. The Minister acknowledges the work of firefighters and commits to providing resources, but doesn't directly address the PTSD protection question.

AnsweredQoN 1054Legislative Council
Asked
14 September 2023
Portfolio
Emergency Services

QuestionView source ↗

EMERGENCY SERVICE
VOLUNTEERS — R U OKAY? DAY
1054. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to R U OK? Day today and the
''Are They Triple OK?'' campaign. Emergency services personnel
are more than twice as likely to experience suicidal thoughts than the general
population and three times more likely to have a suicide plan.
When will the government recognise
the trauma experienced by fire and emergency service volunteers and expand
presumptive post-traumatic stress disorder protections to them?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for the
question. I appreciate every person who goes out there to try to save lives,
particularly at this time of year, when the fire season is about to hit us.
This year, we will have heatwaves. We will have tough weather, and I urge Western
Australians to have a bushfire plan. I am very conscious of the work that both
our career and our volunteer firefighters do. I am certainly committed to
providing the best facilities and equipment to enable them to do their job to
keep Western Australians safe.

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