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

Co-hosted by The Twin Falls Police Department and the Twin Falls Fire Department

Canyon Crest Event Center 330 Canyon Crest Dr, Twin Falls, ID 83301

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.

"You Are Never Alone"-A Personal Story of Survival, Courage and Vulnerability-Jared Nesary, Retired Officer, Yakima Police Department-Jared will share his personal struggle with PTSD, and what recovery looks like after residential treatment. His courage to ask for help, which in his words saved his life and career. “You are not alone” is a personal story of survival, courage and vulnerability and a great reminder to all that no matter how dark the darkness gets, there is help. Jared survived PTSD and won his life back. BIO- Jared is a United States Marine Corps Veteran with over 20 years in law enforcement. Jared worked the majority of his patrol assignment on a swing or graveyard shift. Jared spent 9 years on SWAT, handled two Patrol K9’s “Bruno” and “Yogi”, was a Gang Officer, School Resource Officer, is currently serving as the Training Officer for the Yakima Police Department and is the lead Active Shooter/Rescue Task Force Instructor and the Lead De-Escalation Instructor for his department.

"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"- Jonathan D Dickerson, 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. Born an Air Force Brat, educated with a focus on serving responders and trained and certified to provide healthy relationship development skills to civilian, corporate, military and emergency responder populations around the country, Jonathan looks forward to delivering science-based and research-backed tools to make the most of your relationships. When you meet him, ask him about performing on Broadway, playing professional football or his thesis “Bottle It: Depression in the Law Enforcement Community.” Jonathan and his wife, Stacy, are avid travelers and delight in sharing experiences with their daughter, Aliyah.

"Normalizing Mental Health Awareness to Reduce Stigma in First Responders”- Retired Officer Gary Taylor, Psy.D.- Gary discusses the culture, his personal experiences, resource network, and utilizes research data to demonstrate stigma concerns within organizations. He will discuss his personal experiences, the importance of help seeking behavior and education in the culture. Gary will also provide information on the importance of post traumatic growth, and various types of therapies currently being used, most importantly, there is no one size fits all therapy. Gary Taylor is a veteran, and retired police officer with nineteen years of service with Fresno and Clovis Police Departments beginning in 1994-2013. Gary is a member of the Society for Police and Criminal Psychology in order to network with mental health professionals that deal with law enforcement. He has his (M.S.) degree in Criminology from California State University, Fresno, and his doctorate (Psy.D.) in Organizational Development from the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, Fresno. He created an intervention program to help law enforcement officers, administrators and family members become more aware of the benefits of mental health treatment so they can get help sooner than later.

"Injured Officer: Marriage after a Critical Incident"- Sgt. Michelle Hatley, Kootenai County Sheriff's Office and Ofc. Charles Hatley, Coeur d’Alene City Police- Description and journey of both husband and wife after a critical incident (shooting) and the mental toll and turmoil it caused in their life after and how they overcame the bottom they had fallen in. Michelle and her husband are both in Law Enforcement. On his 18th day on the job, he was shot in the stomach while on training. They had a 7-week-old baby when this event occurred. Their lives turned into pure hell, not being able to get past the day that changed their lives. The two of them will discuss how they have grown, been educated, and now share their raw story to help others who might not know how to get the help they need. Charlie has worked as an Officer for the Coeur d’Alene Police Department since 2017. Michelle is a Sergeant at the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office since 2013. They enjoy their quiet living in the woods of North Idaho as well as boating, fishing, hunting, swimming and 4-wheeling with their four-year old daughter Aliyah.

“Psychological Body Armor: Building Resilience to Help You Thrive in Emergency Services”- Chaplain William Lotz, Chaplain Services Network- This will be a brief overview taken from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation course, Psychological Body Armor, Holistic Wellness for Emergency Services and Healthcare Professionals. Topics will include: 1. Understanding the human stress response 2. The Neuroscience behind Resilience 3. Six components of Psychological Body Armor. This presentation will be designed to provide an introductory understanding of resilience, piquing interest in further pursuit of the topic and related skills.
Bill is the founder and executive director of Chaplain Services Network. While serving as a firefighter/EMT, Bill began a chaplain program with BCFD#1 and Kennewick Fire which has grown to become Chaplain Services Network, serving emergency services agencies in Southeast Washington.
Bill holds a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Gateway Seminary, has a Certificate in Critical Incident Stress Management from the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation and teaches CISM courses throughout the US and Canada. He's a member of the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and also serves as an instructor and is past Training Director for the Federation of Fire Chaplains.

“Self Size-Up and Applying Situational Awareness Within." - Captain Justin James, Twin Falls Fire Department –As first responders we are constantly sizing up the scene and scanning for potential threats on incidents that could jeopardize our personal safety and that of our team. How often, though, are we applying those same tactics to what’s going with ourselves internally? What life experiences have we endured that directly or indirectly shape the way we process the stress of the job? Are we even processing the stress or are we self-medicating in our own way that may or may not be working? These are hard questions to face. Through his own personal life struggles and self-growth journey, Justin shares insight on how to navigate the mental challenges as we attempt to balance our career and personal life. He has been a member of the Twin Falls Fire Department for 20 years and began his fire career spending several seasons on the Sawtooth Hotshots as a wildland firefighter. Justin is a proud dad of five children and hopes that his message inspires others to conduct their own self-awareness pulse check on the battle within.

Speaker Video

14 hours of POST credits will be offered.

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 May 5th 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 Hilton Garden Inn. 1741 Harrison St. N. Twin Falls, ID.

Group block/discounted hotel rates available: We have a group block at The Hilton Garden Inn in Twin Falls. Rooms are $114.00 Wednesday-Friday nights. This rate will be available based on guest room availability). Guests must use this link to book their room: Book Here Please note only Queen rooms are available as of 03/21/22. If you try to reserve a King you will not get the group rate.

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.

*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) “social distancing” should be practiced and face coverings worn for those who are unvaccinated to reduce the risks of exposure to COVID-19. Because COVID-19 is extremely contagious and is spread mainly from person-to-person contact, 1st RC has put in place preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. 1st RC cannot guarantee that its participants, volunteers, partners, or others in attendance will not become infected with COVID-19.

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 changes due to unforeseen reasons.