Helping first responders a life-long mission for Savoia and foundation

January 14, 2014 · 0 Comments

By Mark Pavilons
Discussing post-traumatic stress disorder has become easier in recent years, but getting front line emergency personnel to open up about their experiences still remains a challenge.
But that hasn’t stopped King’s Vince Savoia one iota. The founder and executive director of the Tema Conter Memorial Trust has made tremendous inroads in education and awareness of critical incident stress among emergency workers and the general public. And his message has spread far and wide – literally from coast to coast.
Savoia is passionate about his cause and has devoted his full attention to the foundation after giving up a lucrative career in the financial industry. Operating under the radar out of King, Savoia deals with issues and organizations across Canada, spreading the word and building a network of support services.
The Tema Conter Memorial Trust was created by Savoia, who in 1988 was the first paramedic to arrive on the scene of the murder. On Jan. 27, 1988 at the age of 25, Tema Conter was murdered by a convicted serial killer.
That one event would change his life forever.
Thirteen years later he set up this Memorial Trust in her name as a scholarship fund to help other paramedics and create awareness for Critical Incident Stress.
With Canadian actor Enrico Colantoni as national spokesperson, the organization is getting its name out, and garnering a renewed interest. Colantoni is best known for his role as Sergeant Greg Parker on the Toronto-based television series Flashpoint.
“When people recognize a face, it definitely helps,” Savoia said. With Colantoni delivering the simple yet powerful slogan – “Heroes Are Human” – the Trust has been able to spread awareness across the country and beyond.
“When simply doing their jobs means sustaining a life-altering trauma themselves, we owe our emergency workers and military personnel the respect and the dignity of first-rate care, understanding and support,” Colantoni states on Tema’s website.
Colantoni has a long list of acting credits – Elliot DiMauro in the sitcom Just Shoot Me!; Keith Mars on the TV series Veronica Mars, and Sergeant Greg Parker on the television series Flashpoint. He has also had supporting roles in such films as The Wrong Guy, Galaxy Quest, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, and Contagion, and guest appearances on Monk, Numb3rs, Stargate SG-1 and Bones. Colantoni currently plays a recurring role on Person of Interest as crime boss Carl Elias.
Savoia said the issue of PTSD has been gaining attention since the arrival home of forces from Afghanistan and some unfortunate suicides as a result of their service. The suicide of a Hamilton police officer Dec. 18 also indicates there is a real issue with on-the-job stress.
The fear, hopelessness and frustration experienced by our first responders is exacerbated by the very work they do.
High on the Trust’s efforts is a growing annual scholarship program which offers $30,000 a year to students across the nation.
The Tema Conter Memorial Trust Scholarship Awards are presented to the emergency services or military students who best discuss, in an essay or journal, the psychological stressors of Acute, Cumulative and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the effects that these stressors may have on their personal and professional lives.
The Trust also operates a peer and family support assistance phone line, receiving on average 50 calls per month. Primarily, staff is there to ensure callers’ safety in a peer-to-peer format. They will get them the help they need and help facilitate contact with mental health professionals if required.
“They have someone they can turn to,” Savoia noted.
Currently, the Tema website has celebrity testimonials and will soon have personal stories from first responders.
With the hope of reaching communities large and small, they are organizing a first-ever “Heroes Are Human Tour” across Canada in 2014 that will include various celebrities and speakers. The tour will hit 48 cities in 75 days, starting this May. They’ll be making stops in Newmarket and Brampton.
Savoia said they’re partnering with local emergency services in each province and they’ll provide sessions to front line workers and the public to raise awareness on PTSD, signs, symptoms and red flags. They will also highlight community resources that are available.
The response has been amazing and in Ontario they will be hitting 22 cities.
The message, passion and volunteer support is in place. The only thing missing is more funding. Savoia said they’re lucky to have several committed corporate sponsors, but they’ve never received any government funding or charity grants. Admittedly, PTSD isn’t a “sexy” charity, but the need is widespread.
They’re hoping to raise roughly $100,000 to help cover the costs of the tour, which starts May 5.
Savoia helped develop and deliver a two-day psychological first aid course. They’ve trained more than 200 individuals since it was introduced last May. Tema also offers training in crisis intervention, suicide awareness and intervention programs.
Intervention training, to de-escalate tense and potentially dangers situations, should be mandatory, but the reality is very few first responders receive any such training.
Tema is also promoting psychologically healthy workplaces.
There’s a lot on Savoia’s plate, but he’s not slowing down.
The responders, whether they’re military, police, fire or EMS tend to have high values and morals. They’re constantly put to the test.
“It’s hard (for them) to walk away unscathed,” he pointed out.
Savoia is also a proponent of making chaplaincy services available. Again, the reality is this service is simply not available and even large urban services do not have dedicated chaplains.
While there are more mental health programs spreading awareness, Ontario’s OHIP doesn’t cover psychological fees.
This, Savoia says, is a “tragedy. Only the rich can afford it.”
As well, our health care system in general tends to be reactive, not proactive.
Savoia is constantly speaking at conferences, schools, colleges, etc. He teaches crisis intervention in the 911 emergency services program at Seneca College.
They will host their 13th annual “Heroes Tribute Gala” Feb. 22 at the Royalton Banquet and Conference Centre in Woodbridge. Many special guests will be on hand, including Colantoni. Individual tickets and corporate tables are available.
For more visit, www.tema.ca or contact Savoia at 1-888-288-8036 or vsavoia@tema.ca.