1 year ago today (28 September 2023) we completed a monumental walk - 2670km over 90 days - walking from Lambert Centre of Australia, N.T. to Parliament House, Canberra raising awareness of mental health issues faced by first responders in Australia. Here is a short clip of some highlights, roads, events and things we did along the way. Very proud to have been part of the team that made this happen. In recognition of the Hot Debrief Podcast origins - the Heart 2 Heart Walk Podcast was born.
IN REVIEW: Hot Debrief Podcast Episode S1:E21 with Assoc. Prof. Dr Jacqueline Drew, Police psychology specialist with Griffith University and former QPS psychologist. (Podcast link: https://linktr.ee/hotdebrief ).
With a rising focus on the effect leadership and organisational factors have on personnel in the frontline agencies, I revisited this episode which raised so many issues that ring true for so many people in the police and emergency services. A must listen for current and former members of frontline agencies to better understand how leadership and organisational factors play such a huge part in the wellbeing of those serving on the frontline.
Dr Drew has conducted a research project into the predictive factors contributing to psychological injury faced by Police in the execution of their duties, with the view of implementing truly preventative strategies to support Police and first responders more broadly - which has already discovered some amazing outcomes. This research was done in partnership with the QPS.
Dr Drew's research has already shown that the organisational and operational stressors in Policing cause 3 times the harm compared to exposure to critical incident and traumatic event exposure when looking at psychological distress in Police officers. Further, the research has looked into the more recently coined 'Post Traumatic Embitterment' disorder and Moral Injury against instances which may have been somewhat incorrectly diagnosed as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder emanating from one or more traumatic event exposures.
Some of the more troubling statistics highlighted by Dr Drew are that over 80% of current Police Officers in Queensland are suffering burnout, compared to around 50% in the general workforce but more disturbingly 12% of Police in Queensland are suffering from extreme/severe levels of psychological distress (found consistent with the Beyond Blue research in 2018) against around 1.5% of the general Australian workforce.
Dr Drew al
Take the time to check out podcast with Officer B involved in the Melbourne terrorist attack in 2014. His story takes you from a ‘normal’ day at the office through to his Kokoda Track walk where he finds space to come to terms with the growth he has found from being stabbed in a terror attack, which still motivates him today harnessing his post traumatic growth. An amazing yet humble person we can all take a lesson or two from. officerbspeaks on the Hot Debrief Podcast - where we ask those critical debrief questions in the journey of our frontline personnel : What worked well, what didn’t work well and what would you do differently next time - all in the interests of sharing story, breaking down mental health stigma and promoting resilience.
Get it here: https://linktr.ee/hotdebrief
Out NOW! Hot Debrief #11. The first in a new series of the Hot Debrief Podcast following on from the H2H Walk Podcast. Find it here: https://linktr.ee/hotdebrief
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Officer B had his life changed in 12 seconds during a terrorist attack in the Melbourne Suburb of Endeavour Hills on 23rd September 2014 when he and his partner were stabbed during a routine day at the office. Attached to the Joint Counter-Terrorism Team - Melbourne Office, while meeting with Numan Haider, an 18 year old on an ASIO watch-list, a knife was produced and Officers A and B were both stabbed before the offender was shot and killed. An event that Officer B reflects on constructively during this episode.
Officer B started out in the Royal Australian Air Force as a photographer, before joining the ranks of Victoria Police. Utilising his photography skills, he moved into the world of forensic investigations, attending some of the most gruesome killings during the Victorian Gangland wars before making a transition to intelligence roles. This evolved into the world of Counter-Terrorism investigations, which saw him transition from Victoria Police to the Australian Federal Police, working out of the Melbourne Joint Counter-Terrorism Team with his former VicPol colleagues. Read about the 2014 incident on Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Endeavour_Hills_stabbings.
Officer B has been subject of an identity suppression order resulting from his involvement in this terrorist attack and its associated investigations.
In this amazing story of diversity, dedication to duty and survival, Officer B discusses the personal growth he has gained from enduring this critical, life changing event along with his new mission of promoting mental health awareness and acting with empathy.
Officer B is on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/officer-b-speaks-348250272
Web: https://officerbspeaks.com
Instagram: @officerbspeaks
Email: [email protected]
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The Hot Debrief Podcast is proud
One year ago today, a group of current and former Australian First Responders set off on a 2670km trek from Lambert Centre of Australia (NT) to Canberra on the Heart 2 Heart Walk.
In what was a definite strike of good luck, the access roads to the starting point opened this very day after being closed for more than a week due to unseasonal rainfall across the region.
The walk set out to raise awareness and call for action on First Responders unacceptably high rates of PTSD, suicide and early mortality that were highlighted in a 2019 Australian Senate Inquiry Report called “The people behind 000: mental health of our first responders” that had gone basically un-actioned to date. While there has been some movement since the walk on adopting presumptive legislation for PTSD in first responders for federal employees, many states such as NSW have done effectively little to better help and support our amazing first responders.
Anyway, when you get 3 minutes spare in your day, take a look at Day 1 of this 90 day walk.
Senator Anne Urquhart
David Pocock
EP25: The Final H2H Walk Podcast - Out Now!
Well it is long overdue, and that's on me as I haven't been travelling too well since getting home from the epic walk, but finally a group of the walkers ( Greg, Bats, Billy and Matt ) got back together for a final episode recording at the Purple Rain Cafe studio in Canberra.
We talk about our individual experiences on the walk and post-walk, reminiscing about the wide open spaces in Central Australia right through to politics of workers compensation reform. It's a great chat between mates, and we even dial a few others in for a cameo appearance! Very importantly, I need to give a huge shout out to 3zeroscoffee , the Print Laundry (https://printlaundry.com.au) and @fightingspiritfitnessnutrition for their support of me and the podcast throughout this epic journey and beyond. You guys have been just amazing with your generosity for this great cause.
THANK YOU! Standby for a rebrand of this account soon too: the 'Hot Debrief Podcast' will be coming soon.
Well it’s been a long time between posts. Coming home from the walk has been harder than I ever expected, however I’ve managed to put a 12 minute snapshot into our 90 day walk together, so when you’ve got the time to spare, please have a look at this short video of a tiny slice of our walk and our cause. We have some amazing first responders in Australia. Check out the YouTube version at: https://youtu.be/kkCcODfvTtQ?si=86FTyRaUMPSmHMBD
Thanks for watching. Matt.
Hot Debrief#10: [link below] Australian Federal Police Sergeant Greg Corin has led an amazing career, deploying into some of the most dangerous operations the AFP has ever done. This outstanding first responder has achieved so much in his career with a personal story that shows his own resilience is even more outstanding. h2hwalk.podcast. Heart 2 Heart Walk 2023 https://linktr.ee/h2hwalk #police #mh17 #ptsd #heart2heartwalk
Day 87 of 90 and we’ve passed the NSW-ACT border. It’s quite hard to believe that this awesome team has travelled all the way, on foot, from Lambert Centre of Australia in the Northern Territory to the ACT. The crew spotted the outskirts of Canberra from the ranges today! Amazing to think we are nearly there. h2hwalk.podcast #onestepcloser
HD#10 - Sergeant Greg Corin APM - Australian Federal Police 36 years. Such a diverse career from General Duties Policing, Specialist Response Group (SRG) - Discreet Operations Team through to Team Leader, Close Personal Protection team for the Governor-General and Prime Minister. International service in Timor, Afghanistan and Ukraine (MH17)
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Listener discretion is advised; this episode raises issues such as child abuse, suicide and other emotive issues that might not be suitable for all listeners.
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In this Hot Debrief episode, Matt talks to Sgt Greg Corin APM during the Heart 2 Heart Walk. Greg has led an amazing career within the Australian Federal Police (AFP) since commencing in 1987 currently in his 36th year of service that has taken him all around the world. A service that has taken a huge toll on both him and his family with a level of resilience that you need to hear to believe.
Greg has specialised in various operational roles including Tactical Operations within the Specialist Response Group, Surveillance Operations, Close Personal Protection, Witness Protection, Police Rescue and even Water Police. This unique array of capabilities has seen Greg also an operational member of the ‘Discreet Operations Team’ - conducting both domestic and international operations.
If hunting Columbian Drug importers in remote parts of Australia’s west coast sounds intense, you need to hear the stories of being held at gunpoint during UN operations in East Timor, surviving a massive Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) attack just 300 metres away in Afghanistan and being shot at by Russian separatists while deployed to Ukraine soon after the downing of flight MH17. Greg’s role as a Ceremonial and Protocol Officer saw him involved in the ramp ceremonies for the repatriation of 24 Australians killed in the crash.
It is quite hard to believe that this high risk, high tempo diverse service was given despite personal adversities that you ne
It might have taken more than 2500km walking since we started at Lambert Centre of Australia back on 1 July, but we have finally seen a signpost to Canberra ! It’s only 124km to Canberra on the sign we passed today, albeit a large mountain range in between. It’s hard to believe how far we’ve come since we were we walking through the Central Australian desert. Check this out….. #onestepcloser
7NEWS Australia 7NEWS Sydney Sunrise 9 News TODAY Channel 9 10play Channel 10 ABC Australia ABC News Radio ABC News icare NSW
The highest OPSEC levels held tight to see Bat's reunited with his K-9 mate 'Archie' in a surprise visit at our camp in Wagga Wagga. You don't often see the big guy smile, let alone anything beyond that but today was different. Amazing the companionship between people and dogs, particularly those of us doing it a little tougher than we should be. Amazing to be there for this. h2hwalk.podcast Heart 2 Heart Walk 2023 #firstrespondermentalhealth #Companiondog
The Heart 2 Heart Walk 2023 has hit Wagga Wagga after walking more than 2300km!! Thank you to 7NEWS Riverina for covering this epic walk and these critical issues for our First Responders. Key issues such as the introduction of presumptive legislation for those suffering PTSD as a result of their service will help protect our Police and Emergency Services workers from further harm caused by repeated intrusive psychiatric assessments.
Channel 7 7NEWS Australia 7NEWS Sydney Sunrise, Channel 7 7NEWS Melbourne icare NSW NSW Police Force NSW Rural Fire Service Fire and Rescue NSW NSW SES NSW Ambulance
EP24: OUT NOW. Living alongside PTSD - A family perspective with Janine and Sarah.
https://linktr.ee/h2hwalk
In this episode, Matt takes a step back from the microphone and lets two of the Heart 2 Heart walkers, Sarah and Janine have a 'self interview' by the waters edge not far from our camp at Urana, NSW. After setting up the recording equipment and hitting the red button it was over to them.
However this is no ordinary chat between these ladies. Both Sarah and Janine were 'Police wives' and everything that goes along with it. From living in small communities with the local Policeman to now looking after their partners that both suffer PTSD.
We hear all too often about the action packed, drama filled lives Police and emergency services workers lead however what is often left out is the 'behind the scenes' part of those stories; the partners, the children and the consequences.
In this episode, we are changing that. You will hear about the tragic effects on both them as partners, but even more devastating, their children who are just so innocently involved in not only the chaos of service, but the effects of having a parent suffer a mental health condition as a result of that service.
You can also watch this waterside chat between Sarah and Janine on YouTube. https://youtu.be/ZojBgZ0-HTw
h2hwalk.podcast , ABC Australia , 7plus , Channel 9 , Channel 7 , Channel 10 , Heart 2 Heart Walk 2023 icare NSW
#ptsd #firstresponder #firstrespondermentalhealth #firstrespondersuicide #ptsdrecovery #firerescue #emergencyservices #firstresponders #ruralfireservice #ambulance #PTSD #police
EP23: Nicky Skinner - Paramedic - London Ambulance Service to the ACT Ambulance Service.
In this episode, Matt talks to Nicky Skinner, a Heart 2 Heart Walker who joined us on a short break from her role as a Paramedic with the ACT Ambulance Service (ACT Emergency Services Agency)
Nicky talks all about what it is like to join as an Ambulance Paramedic, both here in Australia and with the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust where she started her career. As a 23 year old Paramedic, Nicky was a single unit responder in the rough streets of Romford in London's East, where stabbings were the favourite tool used by the gangs of the area and being surrounded by a group of men with no backup in an ambush-setup response call.
As you can imagine, as a newly qualified paramedic thrown into the deep end in East London, Nicky tells of the daily pressures learning her craft as the clinical lead responding to emergencies throughout the area. She also reflects on how poor management practices and organisational pressures can sometimes be more difficult to deal with than responding to traumatic scenes - and just how important positive, supportive organisational culture can be in the emergency services.
So enjoy this small insight into one of the Heart 2 Heart Walkers, as we mention, these humble people rarely tell their stories so enjoy this chat with another one of Australia's fantastic first responders!
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Listener discretion is advised; some episodes raise issues regarding mental health, suicide and other matters that might not be suitable for all listeners.
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Get it now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and others: https://linktr.ee/h2hwalk
www.heart2heartwalk.org
Heart 2 Heart Walk Playlist:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/500AfSlcyKvlKyKl1yl239?si=a6883f90017d469f
#H2hwalkpodcast #heart2heartwalk2023 #triplezeroalliance #heart2heartwalk #firstresponderfamily #firstrespondermentalhealth #firstrespondersaustralia #firstresponder #firstrespon
