First responders coping with increased stress
TOPEKA (KSNT) - From the police department, sheriffs office and Kansas Highway Patrol on the front end, to the medical response and fire department on the back end, these are stressful times for first responders.
With the current environment where some of the calls turn out to be real, first responders have to be ready. No matter how hard it can be on them and the community.
"They start out as high as they can be as far as a stress level for an active shooter in progress for the entire public safety team for any region," Topeka Chief of Police, Bryan Wheeles said.
Recent school threats, such as the false call of an active shooter at Hayden High School in Topeka, have many first responders on high alert.
"It does heighten, or bring about a different stress level, but it's also one that we train for, and I also feel that our personnel are well prepared to deal with," Topeka Fire Chief, Randy Phillips said.
When a situation as dire as a possible school shooting is called in, it's all-hands-on-deck, even if it turns out to be an example of swatting.
"I have no since of humor in regard to these kinds of hoaxes, or these kinds of swatting calls," Wheeles said. "We will use the investigative resources of local state and federal partners to identify the people and they will be held accountable because this is a tremendous waste of resources and it puts everybody in our community at risk."
Wheeles adds from fire, police, to EMS, he believes they have some of the best in the business and he couldn't be prouder of all the men and women on the front lines.