The Emergency Services Foundation 'Better Together' Podcast

Aligning with National PTSD Awareness Day (27 June) we speak with Tracey Varker, Associate Professor and Director of Research at Phoenix Australia along with Michael White, a former Police and SES call taker and dispatcher.

Guest host Deb Martindale speaks with Victoria Police Chaplain Jim Jung and Fire Rescue Victoria Chaplain and ESF scholarship 2024 supported by rotary recipient Jesse Winter.

Natalie MacDonald CEO at CFA and Michael Morgan Deputy Commissioner at FRV speak about their recent visit to New York to attend the 68th annual Commission on the Status of Women, the UN’s largest annual gathering on gender equality and women’s empowerment.

In this latest episode of the ESF Better Together Podcast ESF CEO Siusan MacKenzie sat down with PhD candidate Helen Frazer, to discuss her work around the effects and causes of trauma on women first responders.

Alongside guest hosts Hunter, Gavin, Ella and Fredy from WPI, we speak with experts and people on the ground about vicarious trauma. This episode features Sue Driver, a Team Leader from ESTA, Lauren Kew, a Team Leader at DEECA, Erin Smith, CEO of the Dart Center and former Ambulance dispatcher, Marianne Messer, an Emergency Chaplain with VCCEM, and Dale Bower, a call taker from the Major Collisions Unit at VicPol.

We speak with Peter Brick from Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) Nicole Conway from Country Fire Authority (CFA) about the recent deployment of Australian firefighters' to support Canadian emergency services.

We speak with Victoria's Emergency Management Commissioner, Andrew Crisp, as he reflects on his and others' well-being while he prepares for retirement.

We speak with Tony Pearce - ESF Chair and Inspector-General for Emergency Management, Shane Peach - Omeo SES, Paul King - CFA, Erika Lind - CFA and Forest Fire Management (DEECA) about Tony's 1500km trek to raise funds and awareness of ESF and the work we do for the sector.

We speak to the program manager, facilitator and participants' of ESF's Well Beyond program, a pioneering and best practice program designed to address a gap in support for emergency service workers as they transition from their agencies to retirement.

We speak with Megan Teychenne; Deakin University, Grace McKeon; University of NSW and Rick Nugent, Deputy Commissioner for Victoria Police, about the link between physical activity and mental health.