Shaun Taylor is a working Ontario paramedic and the co-founder, alongside Jill Foster, of #IGYB911, one of Canada’s most recognizable and trusted grassroots peer support movements for first responders.
In this episode of The Other Side of the Call, Shaun joins hosts Amelia Thornton, Rebecca Rafuse, and Kathy-Ann Laman for an honest, trauma-informed conversation about the realities of frontline work, the limits of traditional support systems, and what actually helps people stay in the job — and stay alive.
Shaun reflects on his path into paramedicine, the culture he entered, and the long-standing gaps in mental health support across emergency services. He shares how #IGYB911 began in 2014 as a simple act of solidarity and grew into a nationwide movement — from wristbands and conversations to funding peer-led organizations, service dogs, retreats, and crisis interventions across Canada.
A major focus of this conversation is the launch of the #IGYB911 Peer Support App, a confidential, anonymous platform designed specifically for first responders. Shaun explains how the app removes barriers to care, protects anonymity, supports peer teams, includes retirees and families, and allows services to respond proactively to emerging trends rather than reacting years later.
This episode also explores:
Why EAP alone is not enough for chronic trauma exposure
The importance of peer-to-peer support and trust
How stigma still shapes help-seeking in emergency services
Why families and retirees must be part of the mental-health conversation
What it means to create a “new standard” for first responder support
This is not a surface-level discussion of resilience. It’s a grounded, practical look at how systems fail, how peers step in, and what meaningful support can look like when it’s built by people who live the work.