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Public safety communicators are the first point of contact for people needing immediate assistance from police, fire, or ambulance. Communicator operational stress injuries (OSI) are impacted by operational and organizational factors. While operational factors, such as continuous exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events, cannot be prevented, organizational factors can positively or negatively influence communicators’ well-being. Managers and supervisors are significant contributors to perceptions of organizational culture, as they sanction which behaviours are acceptable or intolerable. Though organizational culture varies considerably across agencies, negative cultures may impact treatment-seeking behaviours, potentially resulting in, or worsening existing OSIs.
January 19, 2023.