EMERGENCY WORK EXPERIENCE AND REACTIONS TO TRAUMATIC INCIDENTS

The present study examined the association between volunteer emergency work experience, personality, and reactions to a past traumatic incid ent. Participants from randomly selected State Emergency Services and Volunteer Bushfire Brigade Units in New South Wales (Australia) comple ted four questionnaires. The data did not support the idea that emerge ncy workers are hardier than most, or have particular coping styles. L ength of volunteer emergency service was associated with both severity and length of reaction to a past traumatic incident. The number of em ergency callouts and current general symptom severity were associated with severity of reaction to a past incident.