Police, Firefighters, Paramedics, and Military Join Forces to Launch BC "Tour of Honour" for Post-Traumatic Stress

VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - April 28, 2016) -

Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this press release.

Police, firefighters, paramedics, and members of the military today joined forces to launch a provincial tour to raise awareness of Post-Traumatic Stress (PTSD) and mental health injuries which emergency services and military members have a greater risk of developing. The Tour of Honour will visit more than 38 communities across British Columbia over 10 weeks to bring local awareness to emergency services and military personnel and their families about PTSD and Honour House.

"Suffering from any form of serious illness or critical incident is a very stressful event in anyone's life," said Al DeGenova, President of Honour House Society. "Consider a person who's day to day job involves some of the most tense and stressful situations imaginable and then include this kind of personal event for them or a member of their family. Providing a free, safe, comfortable and relaxing home away from home for some of our bravest Canadians is the very least that we can do," said DeGenova.

The Tour of Honour is being organized by Honour House Society, a non-profit dedicated to providing support and accommodations to members of the Canadian military, police, fire fighters, paramedics, corrections officers, sheriffs, coast guard, search and rescue, border guards, conservation officers and retired members of all of these groups along with immediate family members. Honour House is a home away from home for brave Canadians and their families where they can recuperate and forget about the financial stresses associated with their need to leave home for treatment.

"When I received a phone call that my girlfriend, who was battling forest fires, had been very seriously injured in an explosion and was being sent to Vancouver for treatment via air ambulance, I was lost," said John Salewski, a firefighter from Quesnel, B.C. "At the time, I did not know if she would live and I had no place to stay while in Vancouver but I knew that I needed to be there, by her side. Honour House gave me new friends, caring conversations, security, and most importantly at that time, a home."

Tour of Honour is being made possible by the generous support of many sponsors including WorkSafeBC. "WorkSafeBC is pleased to support the Tour of Honour to raise awareness of Honour House and its continuing role in assisting first responders, military personnel and their families," said Scott McCloy, Director, Community Relations, WorkSafeBC. "We are committed to the health and safety of all BC workers and the work of Honour House is well aligned with that overall commitment."

For more on the Tour of Honour, to make a donation or become a member of the Honour House visit: honourhouse.ca

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