Presented by 1st Responder Conferences in Partnership with First H.E.L.P.

Co-hosted by Alaska Department of Public Safety

Endorsed by the Anchorage Fire Department, Matcom and Alaska Peace Officer's Association

Venue: Marriott Anchorage Downtown, 820 West 7th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska, 99501, USA

This training is for all 1st responders, police, fire, military/veterans, corrections, dispatchers, chaplains, retired 1st responders, spouses, professional staff, clinicians, spouses and all who work in the public safety field.

1st Responder Conferences presents a multi-faceted two-day seminar and networking event for improving the mental health and wellness of our first responders. By discussing the real 21st Century issues that are consistently facing our first responders and their families, our conference will provide awareness, resources and action items to combat PTSD/PTSI, depression, suicide, addiction, stress, and overall mental health.

1st Responder Conferences proudly introduces a line-up of credible nationally recognized speakers who will address matters that impact the personal and professional lives of first responders and their family members through dynamic and engaging presentations for the entire first responder community. This two-day seminar is unique in that your spouses or significant others who support you are invited to come learn with you.

With a progressive and forward message of optimism and sustainability, 1st Responder Conferences goal is pushing past traditional silence and bringing first responder wellness to our Everyday Heroes.

Register now, seating is limited.

Speakers and Topics

“Building Financial Strength in First Responder Families”- (Ret. Sgt.) Nicholas Daugherty, FinancialCop- Building Financial Strength in First Responder families is the premier financial wellness class designed for first responders, taught by first responders. We will cover the importance of financial wellness for your personal and professional lives. Topics include budgeting, how to avoid debt and pay off debt, the importance of will & estate planning, and how to build a plan to begin to win with money. Taught by instructors that have the heart of teachers to over thousands of first responders from over 2,000 agencies nationwide. Nick Daugherty began his career with the Grand Prairie Police Department (GPPD) in 2003 before semi-retiring in 2017 as a Sergeant. He continues to serve as reserve officer for GPPD. Nick operates FinancialCop, the largest financial wellness training provider for first responders nationally as well as providing comprehensive fiduciary only financial planning for first responders. FinancialCops have coached hundreds of first responder families through almost every type of financial crisis and scenario possible. He also works with several first responder nonprofit organizations, focusing on financial wellness for those suffering from PTSD and suicidal thoughts.

"You Are Never Alone" -A Personal Story of Survival, Courage and Vulnerability- Officer Jared Nesary, Yakima PD (Ret.) -Jared will share his personal battle with PTSD, and what healing looks like after residential treatment. His courage to ask for help, which in his words saved his life and career. “You are never alone” is a personal story of survival, courage and vulnerability and a great reminder to all that no matter how dark the darkness gets or how far you have fallen, you are never alone in this battle. Jared survived PTSD and won his life back. BIO- Jared is a United States Marine Corps Veteran with 22 years in law enforcement. Jared worked the majority of his patrol assignment on a swing or graveyard shift. Jared spent 9 years on SWAT, 10 years on Honor Guard, handled two Patrol K-9’s “Bruno” and “Yogi” (Da-Bear) was a Gang Officer, School Resource Officer, Peer Support Officer, and was the Department Training Officer, Lead Active Shooter/Rescue Task Force Instructor and the Lead De-Escalation Instructor for the Yakima Police Department when he retired in December 2020. Jared’s story was featured in Police 1 on March 5, 2022: https://www.police1.com/health-wellness/articles/i-want-to-be-jared-again-an-officers-story-of-trauma-and-the-process-of-healing-BucyfHhHMku4SfJ2/

"Peer Support Teams - Leading from Your Strengths"- Noel Meador, Stronger Families President & CEO, and Tim Sears, Director of First Responders for Stronger Families- You were created with unique strengths. These strengths were meant to be leveraged together on your team to create unity, better outcomes, and overall increased performance. Without a proper understanding of this concept, many leaders build a team of people most like themselves and miss out on a larger vision. Leading From Your Strengths empowers team leaders and teams to discover their unique strengths and the power of differences that leads to building close knit teams. This builds a culture of leadership excellence where relationships thrive. In this session we will be covering how to… -Better understand yourself through a uniquely generated report -Help yourself and your team appreciate the strengths each of you bring to the team -Learn how different people communicate and how to leverage these differences -Define areas of tension and learn to resolve conflict without “winners and losers” Noel Meador serves as President & CEO for Stronger Families in Seattle, Washington. In this role, he is dedicated to strengthening families and marriages and ultimately, affecting the community at large. Noel is the lead author of the Oxygen for Your Relationship seminar, which provides couples with tools and resources that help them promote authenticity and renewed vitality in their relationship. Over the past 5 years, 14,000 couples have gone through OXYGEN program and 300 + facilitators have been certified to teach the program. Noel received his Master’s Degree in Education and is trained in many relationship enrichment and counseling tools and part of the John Maxwell Leadership Team. Tim Sears joins Stronger Families with 45+ years in the fire service, having served in 4 different fire departments. Tim was actively involved in water rescue, tillered ladder truck ops, safety committee, fire investigator, hazmat, PEER support, board member on KFFBA Benevolent Fund and active in his IAFF Union Local 2545. Tim retired in 2021 from the Kirkland Fire Department in Washington State with many department accommodations for his 30 years of service.

"I am You, You are Me, a Post Traumatic Growth Story"- Mike Washington, Ret. Seattle Firefighter- Mike recently retired from the Seattle Fire Department after 27 years where he was a firefighter and Team lead with the Seattle Fire Departments Critical Incident Stress Management Team for 25 years which provides basic and immediate mental health assistance to firefighters, military, and civilians in the wake of high impact stressful situations. Mike will take you on his life journey and describe how he grew from the traumatic incidents he endured throughout his life and how you can make a positive change for yourself and others. Mike was recently featured in "Upstanders", a collection of short stories created by Starbuck's, showing various courageous people in America.

"Responder Readiness-Addressing the Elephant in the Room"- Joe Willis, US NAVY Training and Development Specialist and Chief Learning Officer at First H.E.L.P.- In this presentation I will share a simple five step, Results Oriented Communication (ROC) Practice that will help participants address concerns and have difficult conversations. This segment provides a framework for structuring a conversation to address early warning signs and changes in behavior. We will use a video simulation developed in cooperation with AXON to practice addressing behaviors that may be a result of operational stress and trauma. Joe is a retired US Army Military Police First Sergeant who currently serves as a Training and Development Specialist for the US Navy. He is also the Chief Learning Officer at First H.E.L.P. and an Adjunct Instructor for Team One Network. Since his retirement in 2016 he also served as a Training Specialist with the Center for Army Profession and Ethic (CAPE) and as the Director of Training and Business Development at Team One Network. Prior to retiring from the Army Joe served as the Operations Sergeant Major for a Combined Arms Training Brigade, Senior Enlisted Advisor and Tactics Instructor for the Department of Military Instruction at West Point, US Military Academy Equal Opportunity Program Manager, First Sergeant for a Military Police Company, and Special Investigator for the incidents at Abu Ghraib.

"Resilient First Responders and Families" – Branden Forst, Alaska Department of Public Safety and Teri Forst, LPC- The first responder’s career has a daily impact on not only the first responder, but their family members. In this session you’ll hear from a first responder and spouse who will focus on the daily and ongoing impacts of the job, compounding trauma, and critical incidents. The presenters will focus on how families can build resilience to withstand the impact of this work, improve their well-being, and maintain happy, healthy relationships. Recognizing signs and symptoms of stress, trauma, and grief and knowing how to respond are the first steps to building resilience within first responder families.
Branden and Teri Forst were both born and raised in Alaska. Branden has been a Trooper since 2012 and has been stationed in Fairbanks, Bethel, and now Juneau. He has worked in both the Wildlife and Patrol divisions. He was a member of the Northern Special Emergency Reaction Team and is currently a department pilot and vessel operator. Teri is a former EMT. She is now a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified First Responder Counselor, and Master Addiction Counselor. As a therapist, she specializes in working with first responders and their families. The Forst’s are both on the Alaska State Trooper Peer Support Team. Together they raise two young children and work diligently to maintain health and wellness on and off duty. They spend their free time fishing, hunting, hiking, and exploring the outdoors.

"Peer to Peer Saved My Career"-Sgt. Troy E Shuey, Alaska Department of Public Safety- There are individuals who know what you are going through and can help. – Troy Shuey, Sgt, Alaska Department of Public Safety / Alaska State Troopers. Troy shares his story of trauma over his career and personal life. The moments he realized something was not right but had no idea what to do. What happened, how and who showed him he was not alone. A reminder that trauma is real, it changes us, but we can grow from it in a positive way. Troy has been in law enforcement for 34 years; he has been in the USAF, a Deputy Sheriff in Wyoming and an Alaska State Trooper. He served the majority of his career in patrol. He was an Assistant Team Leader on AST’s Special Emergency Response Team (SWAT for everyone else), AST’s Drug Recognition Expert Coordinator and currently is the departments Wellness Peer Support / Critical Incident Response Team Coordinator.

"Getting Well, and Staying Well as a First Responder"- Cassie Sexton -Ret. Dispatcher -Newport Beach PD -Public Safety Advocate for First Responder Wellness- Cassie will share her story of coming full circle, of having a successful law enforcement career, to struggling with PTSD, and now working an amazing career paying it forward in wellness. She knows first hand how trauma effects the brain, and how it can destroy someone's life, career, and family. Cassie is a recently retired Police Dispatcher after 14 years of service in Law Enforcement, was a member of the peer support team, has supervisor experience, and was also a trainer for her division. She is here to share what it looks like to get well, and how to stay well.

“When Helping Hurts” Dr. Katherine Platoni, Psy.D., DAAPM, FAIS- This presentation highlights the underlying causes and manifestations of the terrible epidemic of trauma among first responders, the emotional response too often relegated to silence and to burial deep inside the psyche so that one can no longer feel. This has a tremendously high cost to those charged with saving the lives and the souls of those who provide all levels of emergency services to those seeking them on the worst days of their lives, yet these suffering souls are often the last to recognize or to seek psychological intervention. For too many, there is a belief emblazoned upon them that if they ask for help, they will be disallowed to save the lives of others--a career-ender. The truth is quite the contrary. This requires an enormous cultural shift throughout the first responder community and infusion with that piece of knowledge that there are viable and acceptable solutions to prevent coming apart at the seams. Mental health intervention may be the one variable that saves a career and a life. In this presentation, attendees will come face to face with this reality and come to understand that enormous courage is called for to undertake the willingness to confront mental health challenges, as they find those psychological interventions that may pull them back from the edge and bring some and even a great degree of normalcy back to their lives.

Certificates of Attendance Available- All attendees will receive a certificate of attendance upon completion of the conference evaluation that can be used for self-submittal.

Registration is $300.00 (plus Humanitix platform fees) and includes the following:
A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided on both days. The venue has limited food choices so if you have dietary restrictions or allergies, please be advised. There will be a Networking Social on October 6th from 4:00-6:00 pm @ the venue. This is a great opportunity to get to know others, ask questions and share your ideas and thoughts with other like-minded professionals. Appetizers will be provided and beverages will be available for purchase.

*You must register to attend. Seats are limited for this conference.

A limited amount of scholarships are available for those with financial hardships. Please contact Amanda at amanda@1stresponderconferences.org for more information.

Please note our 30 Day Refund Policy:
There are a lot of costs involved in organizing a conference. The reason we list our 30-day nonrefundable statement on the registration website when an attendee registers, is due to having to purchase everything in advance. We will allow registrations to be transferable, so food and other items don't go to waste. There will be no exceptions to this policy.

*Accommodations: Group block/discounted hotel rates available: We have a group block at Marriott Anchorage Downtown, 820 West 7th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska, 99501

Rooms are $199.00 Wednesday-Friday nights October 5-7, 2022. This rate will be available based on guest room availability and must be reserved on or before September 5, 2022. To book your rooms, please call Marriott reservations at 1-800-228-9290 or 907-279-8000.

Discount valet parking a $12.00 a day and $24.00 for overnight parking.

Airfare Discount on Alaska Airlines:

Alaska Airlines is pleased to confirm the following arrangements for our conference travel.

Meeting Name: 1st Responder's Mental Heatlh Conference

Meeting Fare Code: ECME141

Departure City(s): Any Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air US city

Meeting City: Anchorage, Alaska

Not Included: Prudhoe Bay, Alaska; Hawaii, Canada, Mexico or Central America

Beginning Travel Date: September 29, 2022

Last Travel Date: October 6, 2022

Blackout Dates: None

Book online at alaskaair.com to book travel for the dates and cities specified above.
Meeting Fare Rules:

· Your group is entitled to a 7% discount off Alaska Airlines published fares (except companion and other promotional fares).

· You may book and ticket on the blackout dates but no discount will apply.

· Any change or cancellation after ticketing is subject to a service charge. All fare rules and additional blackout dates of the fare apply.

· All tickets must be issued online or the Alaska Airlines Group desk.

· A $15.00 service fee will apply to any tickets issued by the Group Desk.

Please advise all travelers to verify all current baggage allowances and fees as well as travel policies on Baggage policies | Alaska Airlines prior to travel.

*Disclaimers*

Photograph/Video Disclaimer Statement

1st Responder Conferences (1RC) reserves the right to use any photograph/video taken at any event sponsored by 1RC , without the expressed written permission of those included within the photograph/video. 1RC may use the photograph/video in publications or other media material produced, used or contracted by 1RC including but not limited to: brochures, invitations, books, newspapers, magazines, television, websites, etc. No video recording by attendees permitted.

Waiver of Liability

Some of the material presented at this event may cause emotional triggers. We will have onsite assistance if needed. There will also be additional resources available if needed. This conference is not intended to provide counseling services, whether medical, psychological or of any other kind, nor to diagnose, prevent, cure or treat any disease, disorder or injury. This conference is certainly not intended to replace the advice of a physician. If you need expert advice, please consult a competent professional. This conference is only intended for “educational” use and it should only be used as a guide.

RECORDING OF CONFERENCE OR SPEAKERS IS PROHIBITED

Written consent may be given by speakers, but 1st RC staff will need to be informed prior.

At registration we will have a waiver of liability and a photo release form that must be signed. If you have any questions regarding the waiver please contact us, so we can be of assistance.

COVID-19 SAFETY INFORMATION

Currently there are no mandated restrictions related to COVID. However, the CDC recommends masks for anyone who have not yet been vaccinated, and are in an area of high transmission. 1st Responder Conferences suggests following these guidelines and will also have disposable masks available at the registration desk, if needed or wanted.

At registration we will have a waiver of liability and a photo release form that must be signed. If you have any questions regarding the waiver please contact us, so we can be of assistance.

To download a flyer please visit www.1stresponderconferences.org or contact us for flyers, basic info letters, and sponsor/industry partner/vendor forms for your organizations to share.

Please note, sometimes we have last minute speaker changes due to unforeseen reasons.

Contact the host of First Responder Mental Health and Wellness, Anchorage, AK