Helping Hands: Massage Therapy’s Role in Emergency Response Performance

Helping battle the aftermath of disasters can be an extremely stressful job. Emergency responders such as firefighters and police officers are often called to serve the community by putting their own health and safety in danger, and the distress this may cause on their bodies and minds can carry a heavy toll. They may go through fatigue, burnout, and experience traumatic distress as a result of emergency medical situations or major disasters. Some may even experience post-traumatic stress disorder, which is a serious condition caused by experiencing overly harrowing events. Because these workers have to deal with these situations for a living, they may have the most stressful jobs available.

The main goal of emergency massage therapy organizations is to give these public servants some relaxation in times of great stress. Organizations like the American Massage Therapy Association provide trained masseuses, many of which are volunteers, that make themselves available in times of need, such as after large natural disasters or damaging fires. Emergency massage therapists are dedicated to help those that are helping the victims of disasters, including ambulance workers, firefighters and law enforcement officers.

Massage emergency responders also contribute to the well being of administrative personnel contributing to the battle against natural disasters. Organizations that provide disaster relief from their office may experience mass amounts of stress as well. While it may seem like a less stressful experience, the victims of disasters rely on administrators as much as they rely on on-site personnel. Administrative disaster personnel still feel the responsibility they have for protecting the fates of thousands of people in need even if they are not working directly in the field.

The earthquake in Haiti that occurred in early January 2010 reached a magnitude of 7.0 on the Richter scale and was followed by more than fifty aftershocks that reached up to 4.5 on the Richter scale. Some estimates claim that roughly three million people were affected in some way by the earthquake, either through death, injury or displacement. Many countries and organizations took immediate action to bring relief to the people of Haiti. To people around the world, stress reached unhealthily high levels.

Partners in Health is a Massachusetts based organization that provides help to those in need that cannot afford it. They use their bountiful resources to do whatever possible to contribute to the solidarity of the world. They believe that all people have a moral obligation to help those in need, and through great acts of selflessness have contributed to the well being of countless victims of natural disasters.

Emergency Response Massage International worked with Partners in Health for three weeks during their disaster relief efforts in Haiti. They provided stress-relieving massages to the staff members working hard to help the victims of the earthquake. These massages gave the employees of Partners in Health a moment of relaxation, allowing them to be more productive in helping the well being of those affected by the disaster. According to a representative of Partners in Health, the emergency massage therapy was extremely beneficial to employee morale, and was an important factor in the success of the project.

Similar emergency massage foundations have helped public servants and disaster reliever workers deal with stress for the past several years. Decreased stress almost always causes increased morale, and increased morale means increased productivity. In times of need, emergency massage therapists are intricate to the recovery of both emergency workers and the people those workers are trying to help. Though trickle-down economics may not work, trickle-down humanity does.