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

Co-hosted by The Middlesex Sheriff's Office

Endorsed by LODGE 20 NE MA FOP

Location: The Crowne Plaza Boston-Woburn Middlesex Canal Park Dr, Woburn, MA 01801, 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.

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.

"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.

"Fuel Your Tank: Strategies to Avoid Running on Empty"- Allison Flenning, The Center for Relationship Education Facilitator- High stress environments and high-stakes calls require responders to spin multiple plates, often at the same time. The demanding work environment regularly leaves us running on fumes. Help prevent burnout, and fuel yourself with skills for living with a full tank. You will learn tools that will help minimize conflict and maximize your relational health. Alison Flenning, MSW, LISW-S, LMHC, CCTP, EMDRt began working in the mental health field over a decade ago. Alison holds a bachelors in social work from Ohio University and Masters in social work from The University of Cincinnati. She is a former K9 handler with Campbell County Search and Rescue. In the past decade, Alison has had a variety of experiences making her a well rounded clinician. In late 2017, she opened Pinpoint Behavioral Health Solutions. She specializes in providing behavioral health services to the first responder and military communities. She is licensed to see individuals in Ohio, Kentucky and Florida. She is the wife to a firefighter and is a certified IAFF peer supporter (spouse) certified in CISM (group & individual), facilitator with Great Oaks Career Campuses, instructor with the Center For Relationship Education and trained in teaching Mental Health First Aid. She and the Pinpoint team provide several departments clinical support and is the expert spouse consultant for On the Job & Off.

"SURVIVING PTSD: A Success Story"- Keith Hanks, FF/EMT (ret.), Advocate, Author, Peer Support, National Speaker, Director of Promotions at First Responder Coaching- Keith Hanks is a retired Firefighter and EMT that dedicated 21 years of his life to the service of others. He serviced his community as a training officer, certified educator, and field training officer. Keith worked both inner-city EMS as well as fire. Like many in the first responder community the job has its cost. From childhood trauma, traumatic calls, the traumatic passing of his first wife and sexual abuse Keith has faced many trials and tragedies that resulted in self-harm, substance abuse, lies and multiple suicide attempts. After decades of damage Keith began to put the pieces of his life back together. Keith was diagnosed with Complex PTSI in 2015. The job, the service, his dedication caused this injury, and consequently his retirement. What PTSI didn’t change was the love and devotion to his community and to his fellow first responders. Keith has since dedicated his life to advocating for mental illness, substance and alcohol abuse recovery, and suicide awareness. Since starting this mission Keith built an international support group through Facebook for First Responders and Veterans for PTSI and other job-related mental health issues. Keith was asked to be a part of the Deconstructing Stigma Project and has a Billboard that hangs in the International Terminal at Logan Airport in Boston MA. In March 2022 he completed the filming of his feature length documentary focusing on PTSI in the first responder community. Keith is a public speaker and soon to be published author. Keith’s transparency in his own life has led him to share his story through social media and many other platforms to reach the most people he can. He is known for saying that his life goal is to reduce suicide in the first responder community through education, support resources and to make it OK to not be OK. Keith is currently a life coach and employed as the Director of Business Development for First Responder Coaching based in Massachusetts. He resides in New Hampshire with his wife and is the proud father to three incredible children.

"Heart Disease- What First Responders Should Know"- Benjamin Stone, Sigma Tactical Wellness- Being a First Responder is incredibly stressful and the current health culture is, in some cases, non-existent. Additionally, most wellness programs offered to our profession do not have the diagnostic capabilities to isolate high risk individuals and/or provide a quality system of cardiac screening low-risk individuals before they become critical. Using evidence-based data shows us a need for more wellness initiatives within law enforcement, first responders, corporations, municipalities and other high-risk clinical populations that focus on cardiac health//nutritional programming with minimal interference to normal daily operation. Upon graduation from the University of Arkansas, Dr. Benjamin Stone attended Exeter College of Oxford University through the United States Air Force Institute of Technology. At Oxford, Dr. Stone developed a keen interest in cardiovascular physiology. He completed his PhD and related coursework for his medical doctorate and also coordinated research at the British Olympic Medical Institute, Oxford Nutraceuticals Group, and Cambridge University. Dr. Stone served as Assistant Professor of Exercise Physiology at the University of Central Arkansas, Sr. Tutor at Oxford University, and designed curriculums for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. In 2017, Dr. Stone co-developed Sigma Tactical Wellness, an organization intent on determining the causes-of and reducing the prevalence of coronary disease in First Responders throughout the United States. To date, his program has screened more than 7000 responders and the derived data and methods are being used across the nation to save countless lives.

"Suicide: Stigma, Statistics and Solutions"- Karen Solomon, Co-Founder of First H.E.L.P.- After collecting more than 20,000 points of data over the last five years, Blue H.E.L.P. continues to share information on the law enforcement mental health crisis. In 2020, President Trump signed the “Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act” (LESDCA) directing the FBI to establish new data collection of suicides and attempted suicides among current and former LEOs. This presentation will tell the story of the data that was collected and review its effect on the creation of new wellness programs for all first responders. This will be an interactive discussion which challenges you to think about using data woven into stories of first responders we have lost and those who continue to suffer to change the culture among first responders. Legislation will be reviewed and how we can leverage the changes made by the military and the US Coast Guard. Karen is the creator of www.1sthelp.net and the author of Hearts Beneath the Badge and The Price They Pay as well as many articles about law enforcement suicide. Her focus is the stories of the families who have lost an officer to suicide and the officers who suffer with the feeling that they have nowhere to turn. Karen was a member of the 2018 Officer Safety and Wellness Group Meeting, the co-Chair of the Data and Research Committee of the National Consortium on Law Enforcement Suicide Prevention and is currently on the FBI task force to implement the Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act. Karen is also the wife of a police officer.

“Psychological Health and Resilience: What is it, and how do we get it?” Jeffrey H. Zeizel, Executive Director, for the Center for Health Resources, Inc.- This presentation will discuss issues related to job stress for first responders. The focus will be on what are the elements that can contribute to promoting psychological wellness and resiliency. Jeff will discuss how to create resilience, mindfulness and psychological health. Participants will learn a variety of strategies, based on research and best practices. This will include, cognitive behavioral techniques, mindfulness, and Roman Stoicism. Jeffrey H. Zeizel LICSW, MPH, BCD is the Executive Director of Center for Health Resources, Inc. He has been providing psychological services to the law enforcement and correctional community for over 30 years. Columbia University awarded him both a Masters in Social Work as well as a Master's in Public Health. He has been the Area Clinical for the DEA for over 20 years covering both New England and NYC. Academic appointments included at Boston University, Boston College, Simmons College, UMASS Boston, and Lesley University. He has served as a staff instructor at the DEA Academy at Quantico, Northern Essex Police Academy and the correctional training academy at the Middlesex Sheriff's Department. He has been sought out as a consultant on psychological and law enforcement issues by CBS News, USA Today, and The Boston Globe. Providing critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) is one of his specialties, and he has responded to events including 9/11, the Boston Marathon Bombing, US Airways crash on the Hudson River, and the Sandy Hook school shooting. Staying fit and active is one of his approaches to being healthy and resilient, having run the Boston Marathon 20 times, and traveling to over 55 countries.

"Planning 2 Thrive: Reflections from the rearview mirror"- Marc Junkerman, International Critical Incident Stress Foundation - I was once told by a wise man to think of my public safety journey as a marathon, not a sprint. He was so right! Emerging both personally and organizationally “better” and not “bitter” is a choice which requires mission focus, commitment, and strategic decision-making. This installment of the Planning 2 Thrive (P2T)® series is intended to introduce Perspective Predicated Planning (P³)© and to share some of its lessons through the eyes of a recently retired cop. Marc is faculty member with the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation in Ellicott City, MD as well as board member for Behind Lines, Inc based on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. He retired as a law enforcement commander after 28 years of service which included over 14 years in various peer support leadership roles at the local, state, and regional levels. During his tenure, he placed a special emphasis on advocating for resilience centric management primarily within the public safety and public service arenas. This has led to the development of his Planning to Thrive (P2T)® program designed to assist individuals and organizations in creating successful organizational achievement and resilience with the help of an adaptable, proactive, strategic planning blueprint. He has been fortunate to serve as a presenter, trainer, and consultant for various national and international clients. Marc holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Lebanon Valley College (PA) as well as a graduate degree in Management and a graduate certificate in Leadership Studies from Johns Hopkins University (MD). He serves as an instructor for various outreach models to include CISM and Mental Health First Aid and has also taught a variety of leadership development topics to first line supervisors and administrators in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. He is a US Army veteran who served as both an enlisted soldier and commissioned officer. Additionally, he is an active volunteer in his community with organizations such as the American Legion, and Horses in Public Service. Most importantly, he is a proud Dad who salutes his daughter Sarah for selflessly serving as a critical care nurse in an urban hospital during the COVID pandemic.

“Modern Trends in First Responder Health, Wellness, and Resiliency“- Jason Shea, Statewide Health and Wellness Coordinator for the Massachusetts Municipal Police Training Committee- Modern Trends in First Responder Health, Wellness, and Stress Resiliency delves into the physical side of stress. How does unchecked stress not only affect your body, but also your brain? What about sleep deprivation? Diet? Vitamin and Mineral deficiency? Variations in your heartbeat? What about your posture? Did you know that if your signals from your brain to your body and vice versa are off, your posture can become altered? Altered posture can lead to changes in breathing mechanics, increased stress hormone levels, and greater standing energy expense.In this presentation Jason will discuss these and several other Modern Trends in First Responder Health, Wellness, and Stress Resiliency. The presentation will include practical demonstrations on restoring the brain body connection, as well as practical tips on improving the body and brains resiliency to stress. Jason Shea is a CSCS/TSAC certified NSCA Professional who has served as the Massachusetts Municipal Police Committee’s (MPTC) statewide health and wellness coordinator since 2010. In this role he has had the opportunity to work with officers, tactical teams, recruits and all branches of law enforcement statewide including State Police, Department of Corrections, Sherriff’s Departments, Regional SWAT Teams, Court Officers, and more. He has also had the opportunity to develop and present In-Service, Specialized, and PT Staff curriculum including the MPTC 2-Day Health and Wellness Certification Course, the MPTC Stress Resiliency Coordinator Course, Longevity in Law Enforcement In-Service class, MPTC Entry Level Standards Coordinator Course, Building A Winning Culture in Law Enforcement Course, and Advanced Program Design and Exercise Technique for Law Enforcement Course. After earning his Master’s in Human Movement, Jason began traveling around the country and Europe, learning under world renowned strength coach Charles Poliquin. Here was able to earn his PICP Level IV International Strength coach recognition through his work athletes, law enforcement, and high school and college athletic programs and teams. As a strength and conditioning coach/educator for over 20 years, he has written a few books, had a newspaper column called Make a Muscle, and currently operates Karbon24 and 9D. As a proud father of two kids, Jason also shares his time working with various charities including The DROP IT Challenge, the YMCA Integration Initiative and LiveStrong Programs, Special Olympics, Dana Farber, and locally in youth sports and school health and wellness programs.

"Line-of-Duty Injuries: The Forgotten Population"- Tom Greenhalgh, Executive Director of NPSS, Inc and Hayden Duggan, President and Co-Founder of the Onsite Academy- You have plans for your life and career. The milestones are all laid out…relationships, buying a home, vacations, retirement. Over a career of years, we work towards accomplishing these goals. Then one day a line-of-duty injury…now what? What if the injury isn’t service related? What happens to those well laid plans? Can I recover from this or is it career ending? What will my next steps be? This presentation will explore these issues and more. Broken relationships, addictions, and suicidality are only a few of the potential scenarios you may face in supporting these people. Having worked with uniformed personnel for decades who have experienced this issue, the presenters will provide insights in how to best support this often-forgotten population. Tom Greenhalgh, LICSW, has been involved in the Public Safety field since 1982. Retiring from full-time public safety work after just shy of 35 years as a Police Lt./NRP. A former full-time Firefighter/Paramedic, he has been involved in Public Safety Diving for over 30 years as a team leader and trainer of a regional volunteer dive rescue team, a Corporate Trainer for Dive Rescue Int’l, and as an author/technical advisor on educational programs in this field. Tom is the Co-Director for the Greater Lowell CISM Team in Massachusetts (MA), an ICISF Faculty member and approved trainer in multiple disciplines, co-author of the From Battlefield to Street: One Uniform to Another program, and is a Peer/Staff clinician at the On-Site Academy in Gardner, MA. Tom also serves as the Director of Education for the MA State Peer Support Network, the Clinical Director for the MA State Police Peer Support Team, a Wellness Advisor for the Fire Chiefs’ Association of MA, a member of the National FOP Wellness Committee training group, and as an advisor to various other local through international agencies. He continues to author, train others, and contribute to publications on various programs in these fields. Tom serves as the co-founder and Executive Director of the 501(c)(3) non-profit agency National Public Safety Solutions Inc. and serves clients through his clinical/life-coaching service Quantum Wellness Concepts, Inc. Currently pursuing a Doctorate in Natural Medicine, he holds both a MACJ and a MSW with an emphasis on public safety, hospital/medical, and military issues such as critical incident stress, PTSD, addictions, resiliency, and overall wellness. Dr Hayden Duggan is the president and founder of the On-Site Academy which is a residential and out service program that treats first responders and their families only (trauma and addictions). He is also the lead clinician for the peer support team at Boston Police and served as lead clinician at Boston EMS for twenty-seven years in addition to serving as the Clinical Director for various teams across Massachusetts. He is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist (earning his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and Public Practice from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1977), is a Designated Forensic Psychologist in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and maintains a private practice. He has published two books on empathy and crisis intervention. Dr. Duggan is also a Faculty member and certified instructor for the International Critical Stress Foundation (ICISF) I various disciplines. He has been practicing EMDR for the past twenty years and incorporates other modalities such as hypnosis in his clinical work. Although now retired from the Hubbardston Fire Department, he still responds as an EMT and has enjoyed working as both a first responder and clinician for almost his entire adult life. He has been lauded as a great instructor sharing years of experience with varying audiences.

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 September 8th 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.

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 The Crowne Plaza Boston-Woburn. Rooms are $104.00 Wednesday-Friday nights, September 7-9, 2022. This rate will be available based on guest room availability and must be booked by August 8, 2022 to receive the group rate. Please Click Here to book your room.

To download a flyer please visit our website or contact us for flyers, basic info letters, and sponsor/resource partner forms for your organizations to share.

*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.

*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.

COVID-19 SAFETY INFORMATION:

While participating in events held by 1st Responder Conferences (1st RC), face coverings are recommended for those who are unvaccinated to reduce the risks of exposure to COVID-19. COVID-19 is extremely contagious and is spread mainly from person-to-person contact. 1st RC cannot guarantee that its participants, volunteers, partners, or others in attendance will not become infected with COVID-19, but we will follow the venue guidelines to ensure the safety of everyone in attendance.

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.

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