Speakers

Dr. Jeffrey T. Mitchell

Jeffrey T. Mitchell, Ph.D., is a Clinical Professor of Emergency Health Services, University of Maryland Baltimore County and President Emeritus, International Critical Incident Stress Foundation.

He is an adjunct faculty member in the Emergency Management Institute of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He developed a comprehensive, integrated, systematic and multi-component crisis intervention program called "Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)." He is a reviewer for the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and the International Journal of Emergency Mental Health. Since 1980, Dr. Mitchell has authored 16 books and over 270 articles on traumatic stress, Critical Incident Stress Management, and crisis intervention.

Dr. Mitchell, a recipient of the Austrian Red Cross Bronze Medal for his crisis intervention work, is a Fellow with the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and he is a co-director of the Resiliency Sciences Institutes of the University of Maryland Baltimore County. He is an Expert Consultant to the United Nations Department of Safety and Security Working Group on Stress.

Speakers

Platinum Sponsor:

Have a question? Call 1-888-288-8036

Paul MacKenzie, Halifax Fire and Emergency Services

Paul MacKenzie, CADC, CTR, CTSS, is a former Halifax Regional Police Officer, having served in Patrol Division, Mounted Division and as the Employee and Family Assistance Program Coordinator.

In 1999, Paul started his own consulting practice in Crisis Management and Employee and Family Assistance Program services. Paul is presently the Firefighters & Family Assistance Program Co-ordinator. Over the past 24 years, he has developed and implemented policies and programs pertaining to the delivery of Employee and Family Assistance Programs, Referral Agent Programs, Critical Incident Stress Management and Family Support Programs, not only for the Halifax Regional Police but also for other emergency service providers and community-based trauma response teams, including the RCMP, Emergency Medical Care Paramedics, 911 Operators, the Children’s Aid Society and Atlantic Support Services Association and the Canadian Coast Guard.

TOPIC: Vicarious Trauma

Vicarious Trauma (VT) is experienced by nurses, doctors, social workers, EFAP staff, police officers, firefighters, chaplains, paramedics, caregivers, and the list goes on. It is experienced over time when working in these rewarding and challenging fields.

Dr. Jeff Morley, C. Psych.

Dr. Jeff Morley is a Staff Sergeant in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, where has served as a police officer for over 20 years. Jeff holds a Ph.D. in Counselling Psychology, and is a Registered Psychologist, and Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress. In addition to his police role Jeff has an active private practice where he works extensively with police officers, military personnel, emergency responders. Jeff is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Counselling Psychology at the University of British Columbia, where he teaches Trauma Counselling.

TOPIC: Trauma and the First Responder

This presentation will focus on how exposure to trauma and unfixable suffering can pose risks to responders physical and psychological health. Key factors in reducing stigma and fostering personal and organizational resilience will be discussed.

Detective Inspector Chris Nicholas, Ontario Provincial Police, Major Case Manager, Criminal Investigations Branch

Detective Inspector Nicholas is a graduate of Algonquin College in Ottawa where he studied Law and Security and Police Foundations. With a career policing for the past 23 years,he has worked in the Westport and Arnprior detachments performing general law enforcement duties. He progressed through the organization working in Intelligence, Proceeds of Crime and Drug Enforcement Section, where he spent five years as an undercover operator.

He has been involved in excess of 135 homicide investigations, working in various roles from the Lead Investigator and Search Warrant Writer, to Supervisor and Major Case Manager. He was also selected and performed the duties of the Crime Management Coordinator for the 2007 North American Leaders Summit involving the Presidential visits from the United States and Mexico, as well as the 2010 G8 Summit in Huntsville Ontario.

Detective Sergeant Jim Smyth, Ontario Provincial Police, Criminal Behavioral Analyist

Detective Sergeant Smyth served as a member of York Regional Police for ten years, serving in Uniform, Plain Clothes, CIB and the Child Abuse/Sexual Assault Unit. He joined OPP in 1997 and served in the Crime Unit of Barrie Detachment prior to being assigned to the Criminal Profiling Unit of the OPP Behavioral Sciences Section in October 2000.

In September 2003, Jim completed the International Criminal Investigative Analysis Fellowship Understudy Program, resulting in certification as a criminal profiler. In 2006, he completed the Canadian Police College Polygraph Examiner’s course resulting in his certification as a forensic polygraph examiner and forensic interviewer.

He is currently assigned to the Criminal Behavioral Analysis Section of the OPP and is the Unit Co-ordinator for the four member Polygraph Unit. The unit is tasked with providing interviewing support and polygraph testing to OPP and municipal polices services.

TOPIC: The personal psychological effects of tracking a serial killer

Detective Inspector Nicholas and Detective Sergeant Smyth were instrumental in the investigation and arrest of Russell Williams. Williams is a convicted murderer, rapist, and former Colonel in the Canadian Forces.

Jim Bremner, Toronto Police Service

Jim is a twenty-five year veteran of the Toronto Police Service. Jim has served as a member of the Toronto Emergency Task Force and the Gun Gang Task Force. He was the tactical advisor to CTV/CBS's hit TV series "FLASHPOINT".

In 2010, Jim released "Crack In The Armour", his true story of strength and courage as an officer who fought to overcome Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and won.

TOPIC: "Crack In The Armour"

"One night, when I was a young officer, I picked up a drunk off the street. He told me he used to be a fighter pilot. I thought, 'Look at you, what a mess.' Then one day I woke up in the gutter and the light went on. Now I understand. this is what happens to people who have been traumatized. But remember, there is life after PTSD. You are never alone. There is help and hope".

Robin Young, Professor

Robin is the coordinator of the Conestoga College Paramedic program in Kitchener, Ontario. He has taught paramedic students in the community college setting since 1986. His education includes a M.A. in Adult Education in the Community College from Central Michigan University and an Honours B.Sc. in Health Studies from University of Waterloo. He has previously worked with Toronto EMS.

TOPIC: Paramedic Self Defence

Violence in Emergency Services can happen at any time. It is a constant concern as you arrive at unpredictable patient situations. Many Canadian paramedics and first responders have been intimidated, verbally threatened and physically assaulted at some point in their career.

Robin has been instructing paramedic students in methods of violence avoidance, self protection, self defense, crisis communication and non-violent crisis response since 1986. His company, Paramedic Self Defense, was established to educate and train paramedics in personal safety strategies and practical self defense. This session will examine strategies to increase your personal safety prior to a violent event occurring.

Peter Sells

Peter is president of NivoNuvo Consulting Inc., based in Mississauga, Ontario. Peter writes, speaks and consults on fire service management and professional development across North America and internationally. He holds a B.Sc. from the University of Toronto and an MBA from the University of Windsor. Peter is a board member of the Institution of Fire Engineers Canada Branch and a former member of the International Fire Service Training Association Administrative Committee. Peter retired from Toronto Fire Services with 24 years of service, last serving as District Chief of Special Operations. Peter authors a regular column and blog for Fire Fighting In Canada magazine.

TOPIC: Changing Behaviour Is Like Pushing A Rope

Educational theorists have identified three "Domains of Learning" in which learners exhibit knowledge, skills and attitudes. Emergency Services workers are very practical people, hands-on problem solvers who are trained to assess abnormal conditions and act in order to restore safety, security and health. Educating and training such people to resolve emergencies is a relatively straightforward process, but why is it so hard to get them to exhibit new attitudes in our changing workplaces? Peter Sells has spent over 25 years educating firefighters on such "soft skills" as interpersonal communication, supervision, performance evaluation and workplace diversity. Peter will bridge the gap between the idealogical theorists and the realities of changing behaviours 'on the floor', with a focus on CISM.

Debbie Bodkin, Waterloo Regional Police (Retired)

Debbie Bodkin didn’t expect her 24 year career in Policing to lead her where it did. While a Sergeant with the Waterloo Regional Police Service, she worked in a variety of areas, including sexual assaults, drugs, homicide, and intelligence.

Debbie is particularly proud of being a member of the Crisis Negotiation Team, and that she was the first female officer in her Police Service’s Intelligence Unit and Homicide Unit.

In 2000 the Police Service sent her to Kosovo to contribute her skills as a Scenes of Crimes Officer. This experience sparked her interest in work overseas and in 2004 she was hired by the Coalition for International Justice to go to The Republic of Chad where she interviewed refugees fleeing from horrible crimes occurring in the neighbouring African country, Sudan.

In 2005, the United Nations hired Debbie to continue interviewing witnesses and victims, but this time in the midst of the crime scenes, in Darfur, Sudan, in an effort to determine who was at fault. Debbie saw the worst of human cruelty and suffering first-hand, but was paradoxically inspired by Darfur’s victims themselves, as they shared kindness, hope and strength.

When she returned home Debbie felt the need to tell everyone what was going on in Darfur and how it is our responsibility as humans to help others around the world who are not as fortunate as we are in Canada. Debbie chose to retire early from Policing to pursue a new career focused on global issues, and has delivered hundreds of speeches about Darfur, Global Citizenship and Mental Health.

Debbie’s work has earned her accolades including the Ontario Women in Law Enforcement - Law Enforcement Professional of the Year Award in 2006, the Officer of the Year Award from the International Association of Women Police in 2006, the 2009 Fanshawe College Distinguished Alumni Award, and the 2010 Premier’s Award for Ontario College Graduates for Community Services.

TOPIC: Mental Health: My Personal Experience

As a female in the male dominated career of policing, Debbie thought she had mastered the art of being tough and keeping it together. She had gained the respect of her male colleagues and had withstood heart breaking case details while investigating sexual assaults and homicides. She thought that she had heard and witnessed the worst of the worst. On a couple of occasions Debbie had some trouble holding it all in.

In 2004 & 2005 Debbie travelled overseas to investigate Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide in Darfur, Sudan, and when she returned, her carefully monitored tough shell crumbled. Debbie will share the personal stories, and the thoughts and feelings that shook her world, and how she took control of this assault on her mental health.

S/Sgt. Rodney Koscielny, Detachment Commander, Whitecourt, Alberta

Bio to follow shortly.

TOPIC: The Mayerthorpe Tragedy

The Mayerthorpe tragedy occurred on March 3, 2005 on a property 11 km north of Rochfort Bridge, northwest of Edmonton near the Town of Mayerthorpe, Alberta. Four RCMP offers were shot and killed as they were executing a property seizure on the farm. This was the worst one-day loss of life for the RCMP in 100 years. Rodney will discuss the incident and the pschological fallout of the event.

Blair Bigham, Advanced Care Paramedic

Blair Bigham is an advanced care flight paramedic for York Region EMS and Ornge, and an associate scientist at Rescu, based at S. Michael’s Hospital. Rescu is part of the Resuscitations Outcomes Consortium, a large, multinational research collaboration of 10 sites across the United States and Canada, studying how promising new tools and treatments can improve survival rates among people who suffer cardiac arrest or life-threatening traumatic injury outside of hospitals.

TOPIC: Violence towards Paramedics

Blair will discuss the recent findings of Canada's first ever research dealing with the violence experienced by Canadian paramedics. The research was conducted in two provinces and surveyed about 1400 paramedics.

Vince Savoia, Founder and Executive Director, The Tema Conter Memorial Trust

Vince is best known to the EMS community for actively raising awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder. In 1988, having been a paramedic for six years, Mr. Savoia attended to the homicide of Ms. Tema Conter. That call was the catalyst that created life-changing symptoms of post-traumatic stress in his life.

Vince eventually stepped away from paramedicine and with counseling and time, the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder subsided.

In 2001, and with the blessing of the Conter family, Vince established the Tema Conter Memorial Trust to honour Tema’s memory and to improve the understanding of acute, cumulative and post-traumatic stress and the effects of these psychological stressors have on police officers, firefighters, paramedics and military personnel.

TOPIC: Where do we go from here?

Vince will discuss the various research projects that TEMA has been involved in and how this research will shape the future of the Trust.

Dr. Lori Gray, Toronto Emergency Medical Services

Dr. Lori Gray has strived to tackle the issue of trauma from multiple angles by working with first responders, trauma victims, and perpetrators. Dr. Gray provides assessment, therapy, and crisis intervention to first responders and their families. Her research has focused on the prevention of traumatic stress by utilizing existing factors in the emergency services environment. For her work with first responders, Dr. Gray has received awards from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Canadian Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, University of Windsor, and Ontario Graduate Scholarship Program. Most recently, she received the Future Pioneers of Psychology Award from the American Psychological Association and was nominated for the Governor General’s Academic Gold Medal. Key experiences include employment and collaboration with emergency service organizations, the Psychological Trauma Program and Law and Mental Health Program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Detroit Receiving Hospital (level one trauma centre in inner city Detroit), and private practice settings.

TOPIC: The Ripple Effect of Life in the Emergency Services

Life in the emergency services is more than a job - its a lifestyle. This session will look beyond symptoms and diagnosis to focus on the broader scope of the impact of life in the emergency services, including issues of resilience, outlook on life, relationships, marriages, and so forth.