We Were All There
I remember the early days of the pandemic in 2020, when my father refused to give up his daily coffee outings. Then the coffee shops were closed and that choice was gone; his world had become smaller.
We didn’t know how long the lockdowns would last and we were being told to brace for “the new normal”. But there is nothing normal about a world without community.
The pandemic brought to light the importance of community. One of the greatest harms to humanity during the pandemic was not the threat of contracting the virus but the limits it placed on our ability to come together. We didn’t fully appreciate what we now know—that the camaraderie of community is more than just fun; it is part of what makes us feel safe in the world.
Why Community Matters for Our Health
As more closures were mandated, Dad could no longer go to church, a Sunday ritual for him. People could no longer go to their gyms. On the surface, these were inconveniences, but they disrupted people’s routines—and the sense of belonging they created.
Then I learned that my uncle had died—a healthy, extroverted man living in a seniors’ home in California. Though he didn’t die of covid, his world, too, had become smaller.
Our health and vitality depend more than we realize on the connections we share with others.
Strengthening Community in First Responder Workplaces
For the past two years, I have been meeting with Chiefs, Directors and Supervisors in emergency services —fire, police and ambulance. I have lost count of how many times one has shared incidents of suicide among their members.
There is no way to sugar-coat this work. Anything can happen on a call. First responders know this and that’s why they move into high alert when the calls come. It’s the job they have taken on.
The challenge is that the body doesn’t always recognize when the danger has passed. The nervous system doesn’t switch off immediately when first responders return to the station.
But imagine that when they do return, there are first responders there to listen as they talk about what happened, colleagues who help them process—by listening, by presence—so their nervous system can regulate again.
And more than that, imagine a station where connection and camaraderie create steadiness before the day even begins. This is what community brings to the first responder world.
Community Regulates the Nervous System
Nervous system regulation does not rely solely on professional supports. In a first responder community, people naturally understand and care for one another.
The community culture is their support system.
Photo by Jacob Narkiewicz on Unsplash