They say words and ideas can change the world and thanks to a few individuals that may be the case.

The concept of 'Project All In' came to be from a 'literal' board meeting. Floating down the Bow River on paddle boards, Chad Guenter, Canmore Firefighter and Founder of KC/PO 'Keep Calm/ Paddle On' and a few other firefighters from Rockyview and Calgary departments came up with the idea that may very well transform and remove the stigma surrounding mental health issues for first responders and beyond.

After attending a growing number of firefighter funerals, Guenter and crew decided to get serious about fighting back against a silent demon that often goes undetected, untreated and in many cases not discussed at all. "There have been a few suicides, to say the least in Alberta, so we have been having discussions lately. We are really close, and we have been discussing why this is happening and how come the person and the resources can't get hooked up easier."

For the past eight years, Guenter has been involved with KC/PO and actively looking for a way to fix what is broken. "I just kind of brought up the idea...what if we could make the conversation easier when it comes to asking for help. I have been thinking about this for a long time, but I never knew what that connection could be."

The connection, as simple as it sounds, may very well be a two-sided coin. "Within the fire service, police, military, and many other agencies we have this coin that we get upon being hired or after a certain number of years of being within the agency, and while it's a nice thing to have and makes you feel part of something, it doesn't get much use beyond that. I thought what if we used something that was already in place but changed its function and so we decided to create a coin to be a tool to start that conversation."

The coin is designed to encompass all those working the front lines including EMS, Firefighters, Police Officers, and Military Personnel, but it doesn't stop there. From the men and women who are first on the scene to the 'hidden heroes' like therapists, counsellors, and call centre representatives, the inclusive design covers them all. "We used the maple leaf to be a good representation of being all-inclusive, and then all the veins and points on the maple leaf represent all the different first responders. In the background is the word 'HELP' in as many different languages that we could put on there and at the top is 'I CAN' which is the start of any positive first step."

The acronym for I CAN has a whole other meaning as well, states Guenter, one that is well known amongst first responders. "Identified, conditions, actions, and needs... those are very familiar terms to people in this kind of world, and it's something that really rings true for people looking for help. I need to identify what's going on with myself and maybe that includes a friend or someone we use in this program to help us do the identification. The conditions; what is surrounding me that is putting me in this state of mind?! Is it job stressors, divorce, bankruptcy or is it work related?! Actions are what are we doing to try and fix this?! This could be positive or negative; is it self medication, not sleeping, or even prescribed drugs by the doctor? Needs refers to the resources required, both present and future, based on the conditions and actions identified."

If a coin is laid down, Guenter is hoping the message is clear and concise for the receiving party. "What we are hoping, is a senior member or an officer in the group can now be more accountable to its people in the platoon, ambulance, squad car, or whatever that looks like, by putting this (the coin) on the table and we're going to start our debrief. If the blue side is up I need to get something off my chest but if for whatever reason the flag side is up, that means something is really up and I need help getting to that resource. The saying goes there are two sides to every coin and we're hoping that this will help bridge the gap between me asking for help and you knowing there are some questions you need to be asking me because the likelihood of me not being able to come up with the right words is high. Now you as the recipient can start asking, how bad are you?!"

Currently, 35 agencies in three different provinces are on board to receive coins with no slow down in sight. "They are doing their thing; that includes RCMP detachments, Regina STARS, the majority has been fire departments  because there seems to be an overwhelming need from fire services."

With the latest stats stating that somewhere between 45% and 65% of fire services staff are facing occupational stress, the time to make a move is now. "If we catch and recognize operational stress sooner then maybe we won't ever get to that PTSD part, or maybe it's inevitable, but at least it's identified."

The best part about the program is the whole agency doesn't need to be on board, says Guenter. "If you, I, and the ambulance want to buy in, we can run this program between ourselves and we don't have to wait for the agency to buy in or take over. We want this to be accessible, affordable and portable to the people that need it."

If we continue to be unwilling to talk about the 'why' issues, the stigma surrounding suicide will never go away. "We are almost helping the stigma win every time we don't address this. If someone died by it, we need to acknowledge, be aware, and identify why it's happening and then maybe we will be able to help that next person."

There are 2100 coins already spoken for and at a minor cost of $8 a coin, Guenter is finding it a challenge to keep up with demand. "It's a tool that needs to be in the hands right away and not something that can wait two weeks so we are trying to get ahead of the game but it's not easy."

While there is no real measure for success, Guenter shares at a minimum 'Project All In' will make those who partake in the program more accountable for their co-workers and hopefully make resources more readily available, to fix what he feels is broken. 

Lastly, when I asked Guenter why?! This is what he shared; because of his answer I hope, personally, to see 'Project All In' adopted from coast to coast.

"After almost a decade of asking the question to thousands of people... why is this conversation so hard to start? It's because we're embarrassed, we don't want the people around to us feel like we can't do the job, we don't want to be called crazy or psycho or any other describing term we use when someone is sick. There is a lot of fear behind it, but I am hoping, by the things I am doing, I am able to put myself out there, even if it's a vulnerable spot to be."

Besides the coins, Guenter is looking to launch a website with information, resources and an anonymous chat area for users to share stories and information whether in crisis or not.

If you are a first responder, in a related field, or would like to get on board of 'Project All In,' please contact Guenter at info@kcpo.ca