It is accepted that you can be inflicted with signficant emotional and psychological trauma from experiencing or witnessing a tragic event .
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Part of the process these days is the provision of immediate, appropriate counselling services that continue for as long as the issue remains.
The terrible events of Melbourne's Bourke Street in January, 2017, when a man drove his car through pedestrians, killing and maiming many, is a case in point.
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Help was provided to witnesses immediately.
It is a routine procedure too when, for example, a young life is lost that classmates - in fact, any other students at the school - are offered counselling.
It can be easy though to forget those who face this kind of trauma day-in, day-out.
We think of our emergency workers as those most able to bear this burden, their training and years of experience placing them in a better position than most.
It is clear when they are on scene.
No matter the nature of the event they are attending, they are calm and methodical, professional and reassuring.
It's like it is all part of the job description.
But while they do receive training to help them deal with the stresses, they are still human and like anyone their experiences can build-up in the background to the point where it can become impossible to cope.
It is what makes the work of Behind the Seen so important.
The awareness organisation wants put in place a one-stop support network across all emergency groups in Australia.
The thinking is that this will be a way of dealing with the high rates of suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder among first-responders.
As is is now, each organisation - from the police to the fire services to paramedics and rescue groups - does this work for themselves.
But Behind the Seen, which outlined its work at the inaugural First Responders Mental Health Symposium in Albury, wants a shared approach as a way to share the load.
It's a tremendous idea that deserves the greatest of support to bring about.
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