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

Co-hosted by Arizona Fire Chief's Association

Endorsed by Gilbert Fire Department

Venue: DoubleTree by Hilton Phoenix-Tempe 2100 South Priest Drive Tempe, AZ 85282

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.

"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/

"MAKING SENSE OF TRAUMA AND POST TRAUMATIC STRESS- Matt Quackenbush, LCSW – In this presentation, Matt teaches us some of the latest research and techniques in Neuroscience, Traumatology, and Psychology. You’ll learn the basics of the neurobiology of trauma, how it changes the physical structure of the brain, and the way the body responds to threat and stress. You’ll learn about the new and cutting-edge treatments being used in the field of Traumatology. And when we’re done, you’ll walk away with easy-to-use take-home tools and techniques, more capable of changing the way your brain works and how your body responds to threat and stress.
Matt has nearly two decades of experience in the mental health arena. He is the owner and creator of Finding Strength and the Finding Strength Method, a cutting edge therapeutic treatment approach. As Deer Hollow’s Director of Education and Trainings he travels the Nation with a team of fellow passionate healers, on a mission to educate all who are willing to listen that there is hope available to any who suffer from trauma. Using many different mediums to accomplish this aim, Matt is also the host of the critically acclaimed podcast the Finding Strength Podcast, available anywhere you get your podcasts. A Certified Mind-Body Bridging Therapist, specializing in a variety of evidenced based trauma treatment models including EMDR, Internal Family Systems, CPT, Psychodrama, and mindfulness. He is currently working on obtaining a PhD in Psychology studying Traumatology and the neurological effects of trauma on the brain. With over 10,000 hours of trauma focused therapy, Matt is considered an expert in the field of trauma treatment by many of his peers.

"Heart Disease- What First Responders Should Know"- Craig Bettis, Director of Development, 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. Craig Bettis is currently the Co-Founder and Director of Development for SIGMA Tactical Wellness, a company founded in 2017 that has pioneered Cardiometabolic Screening for 1st Responders across the nation. SIGMA has worked with hundreds of agencies and screened thousands of First Responders in the pursuit of educating, reducing and preventing Heart Disease - the number one killer! In 2021, Craig retired as a Commander from the Vail Police Department located in Colorado. With over 22 years in Public Safety & Operational assignments in law enforcement, 15 years as executive leader and 13 years of tactical experience. Craig is credited with leading/managing a world-class police organization through expertise in Change Management, Organizational Team Building & Intelligence Based Policing. Craig also brings extensive experience performing in stressful operational and administrative environments. As original board member of ResponderStrong and active partner of the All Clear Foundation, Craig is a dedicated leader in the Responder Wellness. Craig received his BA Colorado State University in Sociology with an emphasis in Criminal Justice. Craig continued his education in leadership by attending the Colorado Command Staff Institute, the FBI Command College, the Senior Management Institute for Police at Boston University, and the Daniels School of Business: Public Safety and Leadership Development at the University of Denver.

"Tactical Blueprint for a Grounded Life"- Jennifer Gastelum, Thin Blue Line Coaching- Tactical Blueprint for a Grounded Life was developed specifically for first responders. Unique stressors and the demands of the job can create havoc both on and off duty. Using the tools gained in this training, officers will be able to take back control of their lives, both personally and professionally. In this session, the following areas will be covered:• Nutrition• Exercise• Sleep• Hobbies• Self-care• Negativity bias. “It’s time to go beyond getting through the day and become the high performer you want to be, both on and off duty.” Jennifer is a retired probation officer from southwest Arizona with over 25 years of experience in law enforcement. During her tenure, she supervised thousands of defendants ranging from minimum to intensive caseloads and she served as a defensive tactics instructor for many years. Jennifer earned a Bachelor of Psychology from the University of Arizona and a Master of Social Work from Arizona State University. She is a certified life coach with International Coach Academy and has dual nutrition/health coaching certifications from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and NASM. She is also a Certified Personal Trainer and Behavioral Change Specialist with NASM. She enjoys writing and is a contributing author for PoliceOne.com. Jennifer is the owner of Thin Blue Line Performance Coaching (www.ThinBlueLineCoaching.com) where she works solely with first responders. Her coaching program is designed to help first responders create a life they love - both on and off the clock. Her passion is helping clients develop a personalized plan to increase performance and optimize their lives.

“Schedules, Relationships and Family”- Iliamari Houston LMSW, With An Open Heart, LLC-How to navigate the work schedule, relationship schedule and family activity schedule. First responders don't have the "traditional schedule" as many community members and are sometimes away from their families 24 hours plus. Iliamari Houston is a professional Social Worker specializing in trauma, and individual and family therapy. Her areas of expertise are family issues, depression, anxiety and stress, perinatal and postpartum journeys, and first responders and their families. She also has experience in crisis stabilization as well. Iliamari has worked the last 15 years in a variety of settings with diverse communities. Her expertise allows others to feel heard and validated, in order to make positive changes. Her focus in therapy is to provide a safe experience with a person-centered approach. This can have elements of CBT, talk therapy, solution focused and motivational interviewing. She also provides support through EMDR. Each plan is personalized for each client. She is a huge advocate of self-care. If you aren't taking care of yourself, you aren't able to care for others.

"(Sur)Thriving Loss and Cumulative Trauma: Before, Behind & After the Badge"- Daniel Torrez, Volunteer Coordinator for Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry, Inmate Programs & Reentry Division- Daniel was born and raised on the Westside of Phoenix and always knew he wanted to be a Phoenix Police Officer. He joined the Army as an MP to gain experience until he turned 21 and could then apply for the police academy. Tragedy struck prior to departing for Fort McClellan, AL; Daniel’s Father passed away. This workshop will discuss how Daniel’s loss and early training desensitized him before earning his MP Badge. It will describe how this desensitization affected his response to critical incidents such as: LODD; medical emergencies; traffic accidents; death/dismemberment; team member suicide, and military deployments (combat, peacekeeping, and disaster relief operations) throughout his career. It will also discuss how cumulative work/life trauma affects physical/mental health and how healthy coping strategies can help. Daniel will emphasize how through his AAR/R method he was able to process his past traumas with vulnerability, resilience, and strength as a retired U.S. Army Military Police Officer, Combat Veteran, former Federal LEO, and current Corrections worker. Daniel is a U.S. Army retiree and currently works for the AZ Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry. He served 21 years as a Military Police Officer and has participated in Humanitarian Aid/Disaster Relief, Law & Order, United Nations Peacekeeping, and Combat Operations. Daniel served as Patrol Officer/Supervisor, Sexual Assault Victim Advocate, SRT (SWAT) Member, Instructor/Trainer, and was a member of the 3rd U.S. Infantry, The Old Guard. Daniel’s non-military positions include Corporate/K-12 Security, Federal Law Enforcement, and University Public Safety. He is a member of the AZ Statewide Peer Support Association, the Military Police Regimental Association, the International Law Enforcement Educators & Trainers Association, the International Association of Correctional Training Personnel, and he is the former Board of Directors Vice-Chair, for the National Association of Victim Assistance in Corrections. Daniel earned his Master’s degree from Webster University and his Bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University.

"I got this...Wait, maybe not"- Bryan Willingham, President of the Local 493, United Phoenix Firefighters Association- This presentation will cover Bryan's history of sexual, physical, and mental abuse combined with 30 years of Public Safety trauma that lead to PTSD and Suicidal Ideations. When Bryan awoke on March 19th, 2021 out of a dead sleep at 0230am, his life was no longer the same. PTSD had disrupted his life in a way that caused him to change nearly everything about himself just so he could survive. As he placed a Springfield XDS 45 in his mouth, he knew if he didn't change and put some serious work in, he wasn't going to be able to live any longer. Bryan will discuss some of the tools that helped him like, EMDR Therapy, Pharmaceutical and Alternative treatments. Bryan is a 51 year old husband and Father of 5. He grew up in the East Bay near Oakland California in Section 8 housing. Bryan was raised by his grandparents. He excelled in several different sports growing up, played football in college, and became a Firefighter in 1991. As a Captain Paramedic with the Phoenix Fire Department and the President of Local 493 - The United Phoenix Firefighters Association.

“Building Mental Muscle Memory”- Lindsay McCall Long, LML Consulting, LLC and Peer Support Advocate- This presentation is about the importance of having solid coping skills to manage trauma and stress and why a good peer support team is beneficial to a department. The coping skills I learned while dealing with my postpartum depression diagnoses in late 2017, helped me in the aftermath of my shooting in late 2018. Being shot three times and having to take care of a family had its ups and downs but my strong support system is what keeps me going. As a peer support advocate, I also offer resources for first responders and their families. Lindsay McCall Long is a retired law enforcement professional from Arizona. Having survived multiple gunshot wounds during a critical incident, she credits her mindset, resiliency, and peer network ahead of the incident for helping her to create the environment from which to recover from the injuries and continue her path toward helping others understand the necessary path of peer support and mental health in law enforcement. Lindsay engages executive leadership to provide encompassing programs for officers as she herself provides critical training and response for officers in crisis. As a wife, mother and valued member of her community and family, Lindsay instills the importance of clarity, perspective and healing in her training and presentations. She is a recognized public speaker and presenter on mindset, resiliency and peer support, as well numerous law enforcement topics in which she maintains her expertise. Lindsay is actively pursuing better education and support for law enforcement prior to critical events and following trauma to sustain the lives of officers, their families and the communities who need them!

"Yoga"- Paige Arnone E-RYT 500, YACEP- Paige will be offering two morning Yoga sessions from 6:00 am-7:00 am on both mornings. You must sign up separately to attend. Limited space is available. Paige Arnone is a highly sought-after yoga teacher in the Phoenix area. She began practicing in 2012 to manage her anxiety and heal from past traumas. Once she realized yoga's physical and mental benefits, it soon became a part of Paige's life purpose. Paige received her 200-hour teacher training certification. She later received her extended 300-hour certificate (RYT 500) and her continued education provider certification (YACEP). Her extensive knowledge and expertise in yoga bring a transformative experience to students of all backgrounds and levels of understanding. She is deeply committed to providing her students with the instruction and tools to build inner strength and confidence to achieve their full potential. Today Paige is a full-time yoga instructor. She teaches public classes at studios throughout the Phoenix Metropolitan area and private lessons, workshops, and group events. In addition to her local instructions, she is the founder and visionary behind The Wellness Collective - a virtual yoga program she developed over years of experience working directly with first responders. The Wellness Collective lays a foundation that promotes calm and effective decision making, stress management, and physical fitness -promoting greater mobility, muscle recovery, and injury prevention.

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.

The National Association of Social Workers, Arizona Chapter has approved this conference for 12 credit hours. Sign in both days will be required. A sign-in sheet will be available at the conference to log your attendance.

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 December 1st 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.

Please note Everyone will receive a registration confirmation email from our registration platform Humanitix. There is a possibility your agency's email security system may block those emails or send them to your junk folder. If you do not receive a confirmation email after registration or an email two weeks prior to the conference, please contact Shawn at shawnt@1stresponderconferences.org

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: Conference specials/discounted hotel rates available: Group block/discounted hotel rates available: We have a group block at the Doubletree by Hilton Phoenix-Tempe. Reservations will be made by individuals calling the Hotel Reservations at 1-800-HILTONS (1-800-445-8667). Individuals must
identify themselves as being with the group 1st Responder Conferences, (Group Code CDT1ST) the time the reservation is made in order to receive the special group rate of $135.00 a night for November 30th and December 1st. You may also book online by using the group link.

Booking Link: https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/deeplink/?ctyhocn=PHXMPDT&groupCode=CDT1ST&arrivaldate=2022-11-30&departuredate=2022-12-02&cid=OM,WW,HILTONLINK,EN,DirectLink&fromId=HILTONLINKDIRECT

Please book before November 11, 2022 to receive the group rate. All unreserved rooms will be released for open sale to the general public after this date. Any reservation requests received after the “Cut off Date” will be subject to a higher rate. Modifications, name changes and additions for the group will be accepted on a space and rate available basis.

*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 AND 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.