Self-Care & Responder Trauma

Trigger Issues

Some situations will be so charged for you that you will not be able to stay calm, focused, and neutral. A trigger issue is something that makes you lose your ability to be objective and Ranger effectively.

Trigger issues are not the same as generally stressful situations. Some situations we encounter as Rangers are likely to be stressful for everyone involved (e.g., sexual assault, violence, serious injury, death), but may not cause you to lose your ability to Ranger the situation. Trigger issues are those that are unusually difficult for you, based on your personality, belief system, or life experiences.

Not everyone has the same triggers, so it’s important to know your own triggers and know your partner's triggers. Share your trigger issues with your partner at the start of your shift. Notice what it feels like when you’re triggered; notice when your partner seems triggered.

If it seems like you or your partner are getting triggered, you may need to kick it sideways to your partner, to other Rangers, or to Khaki. Signs that you may be getting triggered include an intense emotional response (especially anger or anxiety), an inability to focus, sweating, flushing, increased heart rate, cold hands, shaking, hair standing up on back of neck, and finding yourself taking sides in a conflict

Self Care and Responder Trauma

As a Ranger, you will see a side of Firefly that you never knew existed. Some of it is really cool, and some of it is very ugly.

Mostly, we do nothing. Often, we do something. Rarely, we do very, very intense things. For example, we might deal with injuries, injury, sexual assaults, violence, even death.

Mostly, that's not a problem for the Rangers involved; sometimes, it can have unpleasant psychological effects. Having a very strong response to intensely stressful situations is common in people who deal with emergencies (EMTs, firefighters, ER docs, etc.) This is called "responder trauma."

Be aware of the warning signs of a traumatic response. Responder trauma symptoms may be immediate, or you may only notice them after a few days or weeks. Symptoms include re-experiencing vivid memories of the situation (“flashbacks”) or having nightmares about the situation. You find yourself avoiding things/places/people that remind you of the situation or notice that you have an inability to remember important aspects of the situation. You might become hypervigilant and experience unexplained anxiety, irritability, or anger. You might find that you’re easily startled, or have trouble calming down after being startled. You may also experience a “fight-or-flight” response that doesn’t go away including sweating, shaking, nausea, increased heart rate.

If you’re noticing these signs or symptoms practice self-care by eating, sleeping, exercising, meditating, having a beer, whatever works for you.Talk it out with you partner, friends, Rangers, or Sanctuary. You can talk to your campmates about what happened and how you feel about it, but you need to keep participant information confidential. Strip out all identifying information.

If it's not resolving, contact the OOD, Ranger Lead or Ranger XO or Sanctuary.

There is no stigma attached to responder trauma in the Rangers - you will not get in trouble, and no one will think less of you as a result of talking about what happened.

Remember, intense situations are rare and even very intense situations do not usually result in responder trauma. Most traumatic responses resolve on their own with time. However, if it's not getting better, there are simple, effective counseling interventions that can help. The Rangers can guide you to outside resources for help year round. If things get weird, we’re here for you.