Ignite Podcast - Ignite the Conversation

Content notice: This episodeincludes discussion of trauma, PTSD, crisis support, grief, mental health and emotional wellbeing. We are not mental health professionals. We share lived experience and signposting to encourage open conversation. If you need support, please speak with a mental health professional, your GP, a trusted colleague or a support service.
Episode 3 of Ignite the Conversation features Avon Fire & Rescue Service Chief Fire Officer Matt Cook in a powerful and deeply human conversation with Lee and Warren.
Matt talks openly about his journey through the fire service, the incidents that have stayed with him, the weight of command, and recovery. He shares how talking, professional support, peer support and The Fire Fighters Charity helped him recover, stay in the fire service and continue serving his community.
This episode explores what resilience really means, why asking for help can be the hardest but most important step, and how support from The Fire Fighters Charity can make a life-changing difference for members of the fire service community and their families.
If something in this episode resonates with you, please do not carry it alone. Speak to someone you trust, contact your GP, reach out through workplace wellbeing support, or if you or a member of your family works for the fire service contact The Fire Fighters Charity.
New episodes released every three months.

Content notice: This episode includes discussion of stress, trauma, and emotional wellbeing. We are not mental health professionals. We share experiences and research to encourage open conversation. If you need support, please speak with a mental health professional or your GP. 
Episode 2 of Ignite the Conversation brings our first guest to the mic; Louise a Crew Manager whose honesty, strength and vulnerability set the tone for the series. She talks with Lee and Warren candidly about the realities of being a woman in the fire service, her job, and the moments that pushed her to reflect on her own wellbeing. 
This conversation shines a light on the power of sharing, the importance of checking in with ourselves, and the role of supportive teams in breaking down stigma around mental health. 
New episodes released every three months. 
We reference some research in this episode, read more below:  
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0161749 
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0317615 
https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12020211 
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s004210050065 
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2005.01624.x 
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062593 
https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsv136 
https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsaa042 
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.795055/full?fbclid=IwY2xjawRpONJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETB0M2RZd2prb1JrdEhvYkgwc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhnklQdzm-qeq-h5Ldy7cQJ3RbVHbaf8uou20233OGQsJXta169hwZacOVJm_aem_LuyGWbRE_0RBFBBumvamGA 
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240084278

Content notice: Discussion of mental health andemotional wellbeing.
We are not mental health experts or professionals.We are sharing information and opening up the conversation based on our experience and research. If you need support, please reach out to a mental health professional or your GP.
Ignite the Conversation is a podcast produced by Avon Fire & Rescue Service, hosted by firefighters Lee Ralph and Warren Shepherd. Although rooted in the fire service, it is for anyonewith an interest in emergency services.
 This episode explores mental health and the impact the job can have on and off the fireground, aiming to encourage openness, reduce stigma and remind people of the importance of talking and supporting one another. 
References:
Fireand rescue incident statistics: England, year ending September 2023 - GOV.UK