(HEA6) Sociology of (forgotten) first responders, healthcare workers, and Public Safety Personnel
In recent years there has been a growth of research dealing with topics like stress and resilience, mental health, and wellbeing among first responders, healthcare workers, and public safety personnel. Some public safety agencies and services are beginning to hire staff psychologists and grow peer support group networks. Yet much of the existing research on these topics adopts a biomedical approach to these subjects which risks neglecting the sociological dimensions of the problems. This panel discussion will bring together researchers who deal with the broad theme of the sociology of these professions and who provide sociological perspectives to the institutional, structural, and cultural issues within these fields. Some discussions may include sociological analysis of paramedics at work, public health broadly, first responders, and any research dealing more broadly with a subgroup who are becoming known as forgotten first responders (victim services, tow truck drivers, emergency medical dispatchers, etc).
