From Amber:

All for one and one for North .. it’s not just the line we’ve been using, it’s the entirety of our why. We will give our all for even just one.  By the time this posts I will be in flight with one of our team members on our way to the Center of Excellence in Maryland - the IAFFs Treatment and Recovery Center. This was made possible simply because the IAFF already recognizes us, they already respect us and they already saw the need for help. The video posted today on our social medias  shares the story, or as much as I am comfortable with sharing at this time. This team member would like to tell their story .. some day. But as first responders we know that timelines are fluid, but caring for each other is not. So. They wanted me to share the beginning of this chapter.  

 I want you to read this part and really hear what I am saying. This Organizing Team cares about you. Every. Single. One. Of. You. We have already spent hours helping some of you through challenges and finding resources for situations that we have quickly become familiar with regarding policy, legal, workers rights, maternal rights, disability and accommodations .. The list goes on and on. And no matter the outcome of this unionization effort … we are all better together.  

So now that one of our own is in safe and healing hands ..  the team will continue to work and we are putting aside our union efforts for a while to focus on continuing to help this team member in any way that we can. Unfortunately, that includes costs which have been clearly laid out below. But for now I will remember to be grateful .. because if, in the end, all of this was simply for just one of us .. we will all be better for it. Our mission remains the same .. we will leave it better than we found it.  And we will continue to ask you to help us care for every single one of us.

From the Team:

In 2024, North Memorial lost an incredible Paramedic who succumbed to the mental burden that so many of us in this field carry with us every day.

At the MPFF conference, the NMAS Union Team was able to spend time with coordinators from the IAFF's Center of Excellence. The Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Treatment and Recovery is a one-of-a-kind treatment facility specializing in PTSD for IAFF members who struggle with trauma, substance use, addiction and other related behavioral health challenges. "I know the North unionizing team has a long way to go, but in the mean time if anyone needs anything, please don't hesitate to reach out and I can help connect you with resources." Little did we know how soon we would need that connection.

That same night, Amber got a text message from one of our union team members, a North paramedic, letting us know they were in the middle of a very significant mental health crisis. Even after being admitted to the hospital and then discharged, they were continuing to struggle. In this moment, their biggest concern was how this might affect their employment at North. To make the situation even worse, someone that responded to them reaching out for help in a crisis shared their protected health information, violating their privacy during a deeply vulnerable time. They reached out and asked for help. And yet, they now have to fight to keep their job in a moment where they should be able to focus on healing. The circumstances were complicated, but there was nothing else to do but try.

Amber sent back a text. "We aren't unionized yet. We don't have lawyers, we don't have resources, but let me see what we can do for you. It is too soon for us to lose another coworker."

The next morning, Amber was able to reconnect with the representative from the CoE to ask for resources for this person to help them through an incredibly difficult situation. The priority was to find something (or somewhere) that offered safety and support for a fellow first responder.

The next day, the CoE representative reconnected with Amber to let her know that the IAFF's 5th District Vice President pushed through the approval for the North Paramedic to go to the CoE in Maryland for free. IAFF will cover the cost.

This team member will be going to the CoE with the support of the IAFF, who will cover the room, board, food for the entire duration of stay, no matter how long it is. Medical care, therapy, and any other services will be covered by UMR, which is in network. The CoE and IAFF team worked over the weekend to complete all of the insurance pre-screening to make sure our colleague could get the resources they need as soon as possible.

As of today, Friday October 9th, Amber is in Maryland with our fellow North Paramedic, making sure they've arrived at CoE safely and with the support of the union organizing team they are such an important part of. They will then complete their care at the CoE. There's no time limit, and they'll be at the CoE for as long as they need. By the time they come home, they will have already completed a partial outpatient program. The CoE will help set up providers and appointments here at home, ready for them when they get back so nothing is too overwhelming or falls through the cracks. They will also have a lawyer referred by the IAFF to assist them with the larger OEMS process, so they can return to the work at North they care so deeply about.

At this time, we ask that you respect our beloved colleague's space and privacy so they can get the help they need. They have promised to share when they are ready.

We haven't even voted yet, and these are the consequences of the actions of coming together. We fight so hard to have people trust that everything we are doing is for us to collectively be in a better place. And we are already doing that.

Our fundraising goal is set at $10,000

$3,500 for retainer

$2,500 for legal fees

$1,500 for travel expenses to and from the Center of Excellence

$2,500 for rent and bills to ease the financial burden

Any unused or excess donations will go into the union team's "Solidarity Fund," which will be used to help any North Memorial Ambulance Service EMTs and Paramedics in crisis or in need. Never hesitate to reach out. We are here for you, for all of us, and for a better future.

One North.