Rock Church Point Loma to host documentary

Rock Church Point Loma will hold a documentary screening on PSD911 to raise awareness about the suffering of first responders. (Photo taken from the official website of Rock Church)

Rock Church Point Loma will hold a documentary screening on PSD911, a film about first responders and their struggles due to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The event will be held on Thursday, Jan. 12, at 6:30 p.m. They added that there would be a Question and Answer portion with Director Conrad Weaver and other characters in the film.

Besides, they highlighted that the board of directors members of the Public Safety Peer Support Association (PSPSA) would be there at the event.

In addition, there would be a meet and greet before the screening starts at 5:30 p.m., as posted on the website.

The church also said there would be a $10 registration fee for those interested. They explained that a part of the ticket fee would proceed to first responders experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

About PSD911

According to the PSD911 website, they documented real people in the film. They said they showed familiar, average individuals who have decided to work in professions that need a high standard of heroism.

Moreover, they stated that these men and women have occupations that demand willingness to deal with things people could not even imagine. But, they revealed that these workers still maintain a high dignity and professionalism.

First responders repeatedly witness and experience things that most people would never see. They added that these situations could cause them to compound concerns related to post-traumatic stress injuries and diseases.

Showing Up

Weaver emphasized that people expect the responders to show up when they call and take care of them when they are in their worst situation.

The film director added that they are first responders and are heroes and expect them to be there when people need them, but they are also human beings. He said that they also have families, husbands, wives, kids, parents, and siblings.

He identified the first responders are firefighters, police officers, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and 911 dispatchers.

Suffering from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

On the website, they revealed that 18 to 24 percent of dispatchers have PTSD, according to Dr. Michelle Lilly. They added that The Ruderman White Paper on Mental Health and Suicide of First Responders emphasized that 35% of police officers experience PTSD.

Moreover, the website stressed that 37% of fire and EMS professionals have thought of committing suicide. They based this date on the SAMHSA Disaster Technical Assistance Center Supplemental Research Bulletin.

Purpose of PTSD911

According to the PTSD911 website, the film aims to raise awareness. They believed that they should help ordinary people understand the concern. They revealed that most people are unaware of or do not understand the problem of post-traumatic stress in first responders.

In addition, they said that average citizens need to understand the issue's depth. They seek to educate the viewers and advocate change in their behavior and attitude toward the nation’s first responders.

More importantly, they pointed out that the film producers feel that first responders are heroes who deserve more than applause but access to support groups. These networks could help them deal with the ongoing stress that trauma could bring.