Volunteers providing physio, chiro and massage therapy for Vernon based firefighters
A number of registered massage therapists, physical therapists and chiropractors are volunteering their time and skills to support firefighters stationed at the camp in Vernon.
Anna Van De Vosse, a registered massage therapist (RMT) who launched the initiative, told Vernon Matters that the volunteers have been going to the camp at Kin Race Track every night since Friday, Aug. 27, to offer their services to the members.
As of Monday morning, there were six chiropractors, 11 physical therapists and 19 RMT’s volunteering their time.
Van De Vosse said their first few nights of operation were very well received.
“It’s been really good. There’s not a lot of resources and I don’t think they have a single extra tent in all of B.C. at the moment for their camp, so we just set up outside and work outside under the stars each night, it’s pretty awesome,” said Van De Vosse.
“We just go in, we set up, they come over, we have a sign up sheet, it’s a lot of enthusiastic and very appreciative, very happy firefighters. They don’t get this anywhere else and they’ve never had it before, so they’re really stoked.”
The way the initiative has been set up sees the volunteers offer half-hour sessions for the firefighters between 6:30 and 10:00 p.m., though not all of them are able to attend each night and offer the full range of their services.
Van De Vosse says she and the other volunteers feel very grateful to be able to provide these services to the firefighters.
She adds there is one or two full-time therapists in the camp, but they don’t have enough services to go around for the hundreds of firefighters in the camp.
“So [the therapists] have been able to facilitate finding the injured within the crews, prioritizing them to get into what is most beneficial for them whether it be physio for the sprains or chiro for the jammed up SI (sacroiliac) joints or whatever it is.”
She adds these services are much needed for the firefighters and support crews as they do hard, physical labour in order to protect the public.
“We all know how hard [firefighters] work and they have big long 12 hour days and they’re sleeping in tents on the ground. And as therapists we know just how incredibly hard that is on the body, and for us, that’s how we can give back is to try to help them cope with that a little bit.”
Van De Vosse goes on to say that by the end of a 14-day shift, those firefighters are really noticeably suffering, adding that the therapist’s work not only has positive physical benefits but mental benefits as well.
“We’ve been working with some of them with acute bilateral ankle sprains or wrist sprains, and just trying to keep going each day, give them enough therapy, enough taping, enough support that they can get back out to work. For some of them it’s really critical and for others it’s just really nice to have. They’re going to make it out to work again no matter what but they feel better for having some attention and care given towards them.”
Van De Vosse’s involvement in organizing these services for the firefighters will end Saturday, and at this point of time is not actively pursing the idea of extending the services she and others are volunteering.
“It’s pretty hard on everybody because they’re working a full day then coming [to the camp] and working another full day in the evening, so it’s not a long term sustainable endeavor, but I think everyone who is coming out is trying to find a way to give back a little bit.”
However, she did say there likely will be a need for this level of care at firefighter camps in the future, and hopefully it won’t just be volunteer based. Van De Vosse told Vernon Matters that B.C. Wildfire Services is setting up a QR code for firefighters to rate the service and see if it’s possible to have these services funded and provided in camps in the future.
“So we’re kind of collaborating with the organizers of B.C. Wildfire Services for that purpose, to try and see how that goes, see what kind of impact it makes.”