People who serve in the various emergency services, such as police, fire, EMS and other rescue personnel are at a heightened risk for traumatic stress and other powerful emotional reactions in the wake of a major disaster. New Jersey has a long history of proactive involvement in developing peer-support programs to help first responders cope with the emotional aftermath of disasters and other traumatic events. There are programs that offer such services as peer-debriefing, telephone support, referral information and education about first responder stress management.
