Photo Courtesy https://botgalberta.com/

By Lisa Parent

Peer support organization for first responders launches in Alberta

Sep 25, 2023 | 4:00 PM

ALBERTA – An independent Canadian peer support organization run entirely by volunteers has opened its doors in Alberta today. Boots on the Ground is a phone line open 24/7, run by first responders, for first responders and military members.

Boots on the Ground originated in Ontario and since it’s opening in 2018, has received 2,400 calls for support. The call takers are not therapists, but retired and serving first responders that work from home. Their goal is to provide callers with an outlet to share struggles with someone who can relate to them.

Mo Shaukat is the president of Boots on the Ground in Alberta. He says calls are anonymous and confidential, and they will never turn one away. However if someone has a mental health emergency, they will direct the caller to someone who can provide appropriate assistance, like counsellors or emergency services.

Shaukat believes offering this resource in Alberta can challenge the stigma that prevents many first responders from seeking help.

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“So hopefully people come and talk to us, people find that safe space where they could open up and hopefully talking takes some burden off of their shoulders,” says Shaukat.

The Boots in the Ground Alberta phone number is 1-866-724-2684.

More information on the services they provide can be found here.

Anyone experiencing a mental health emergency should dial 911.