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Paramedic and Emergency Medical Technician Reflections on the Ongoing Impact of the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 February 2019

Erin C. Smith  and
Frederick M. Burkle Jr.
Erin C. Smith*
Affiliation:
Edith Cowan University, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia James Cook University, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, Division of Tropical Health and Medicine, Cairns, Australia
Frederick M. Burkle Jr.
Affiliation:
Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University and Harvard T.C. Chan School of Public Health, Cambridge, MassachusettsUSA Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, DC, USA
*
Correspondence: Erin Smith, PhD, MPH, MClinEpi School of Medical and Health Sciences Edith Cowan University 270 Joondalup Drive Joondalup, Western Australia, 6027 E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Introduction

In the years following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City (New York USA), otherwise known as 9/11, first responders began experiencing a range of health and psychosocial impacts. Publications documenting these largely focus on firefighters. This research explores paramedic and emergency medical technician (EMT) reflections on the long-term impact of responding to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Methods

Qualitative methods were used to conduct interviews with 54 paramedics and EMTs on the 15-year anniversary of 9/11.

Results

Research participants reported a range of long-term psychosocial issues including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, insomnia, relationship breakdowns and impact on family support systems, and addictive and risk-taking behaviors. Ongoing physical health issues included respiratory disorders, eye problems, and cancers.

Discussion

These findings will go some way to filling the current gap in the 9/11 evidence-base regarding the understanding of the long-term impact on paramedics and EMTs. The testimony of this qualitative research is to ensure that an important voice is not lost, and that the deeply personal and richly descriptive experiences of the 9/11 paramedics and EMTs are not forgotten.

SmithEC, BurkleFMJr.Paramedic and Emergency Medical Technician Reflections on the Ongoing Impact of the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2019;34(1):56–61.

Keywords

9/11emergency medical technicianEMTparamedicSeptember 11 terrorist attack
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 34 , Issue 1 , February 2019 , pp. 56 - 61
Copyright
© World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2019 

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Footnotes

Conflicts of interest/disclaimer: The authors report no conflicts of interest. Names within the manuscript have been changed to protect the identity of research participants and their colleagues.

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