BEHIND THE SEEN

08/11/2025

# TRIGGER WARNING #
This is a difficult Discussion Topic.
ROADSIDE MEMORIALS.
It’s an understandable and common practice for families / friends to erect a roadside memorial for loved ones who have lost their lives in a road accident.
Some memorials are discreet, and others can be quite elaborate, and I empathise with people who want to acknowledge the loss of a loved one through such a tragedy.
But I make the following statement as food for thought :
Myself and countless other emergency service personnel are often "Re-Traumatised" or "Triggered" when driving past these memorials as it often brings back our memories of that tragic incident or incidents.
Yes I can avoid that road and I often do, but years later I still don't like to be reminded of what happened at that location.
That’s the trouble with working in emergency services in the same area you live over a long period of time. There are certain streets and locations that definitely hold a dark and sad memory.
One comment made to me years ago was "How Come People Don’t Place a White Cross at the Shopping Centre or Beach, when Someone dies there"?
That's an interesting point…….. As it’s true.
Another interesting point is in some states of Australia, there are specific guidelines for the size and location of Roadside Memorials.
Queensland for example have a notification protocol for Roadside Memorials and in some countries memorials are only allowed for one month proceeding an accident.
So, I pose a few Questions :
1. Should roadside memorials be simply a small discreet plaque so family members and friends can commemorate the loss of their loved one without traumatizing others?
2. Should there be a time period for the Larger Memorials to be allowed?
3. Should there be a just a simple cross without such things as solar lights, teddy bears, chairs or anything else that draws attention to it ?

04/11/2025

PFAS Blood Testing
On 17 October 2023, the Industrial Relations Commission ratified the Crown Employees (Fire and Rescue NSW Permanent Firefighting Staff) Award 2023 and the Crown Employees (Fire and Rescue NSW Retained Firefighting Staff) Award 2023 and, as a result, PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) blood testing will be available on a voluntary basis to all FRNSW firefighter’s and fleet staff that are currently employed.

PFAS are a group of manufactured chemicals that were first produced in the 1940s and 1950s. These chemicals have unique properties that include water repellence and molecular stability, and as such they were used in the manufacture of numerous commercial and industrial products such as upholstery, textiles, hydraulic fluid, non-stick cookware and Scotchguard™. Two main groups of PFAS used in industry are perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).

Historically, Fire and Rescue NSW, along with many other Australian and international fire agencies, used firefighting foams that that contained perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and other types of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). PFOS was present in two types of firefighting foams previously produced by the 3M company: Aqueous Film Forming Firefighting Foams (AFF) and Alcohol-Type Concentrate (ATC). The manufacture of both products has now ceased. Chemical compounds that degrade to PFOA were present in Niagara and Tridol S, both manufactured by Angus Fire Armour.

PFOA has been listed by the Stockholm Convention as a persistent organic pollutant (POP), due to its persistence in the environment, widespread distribution, and toxicity in ecosystems. PFOS has also been proposed for listing as a POP by the convention.

PFAS exposure has been associated with:

increased levels of cholesterol in the blood
increased levels of uric acid in the blood
reduced kidney function
alterations in some indicators of immune function
altered levels of thyroid hormones and s*x hormones
later age for starting menstruation in girls, and earlier menopause
lower birth weight in babies.
However, the differences observed in the above associations have generally been small and unlikely to cause significant negative health outcomes. Potential associations between PFAS exposure and increased risk of two uncommon cancers, namely testicular and kidney cancer, have also been reported. Much of this evidence relates specifically to PFOA, rather than PFOS or PFHxS. PFOA is commonly found within the general community in Australia, studies of these cancers remain conflicting, and associations have mainly been observed in high exposure groups, such as workers in international factories where PFOA is produced. Based on the current scientific evidence in November 2023, PFOA was classed as a Group 1 carcinogen to humans and PFOS maintained its classification as possibly carcinogen to humans (Group 2B)

It is important to recognise an association between any chemical and a health issue does not mean that the chemical caused that health issue. To date, a causative relationship between the above health effects and PFAS exposure has not been established. It is because the health issues are unknown, and concern has been raised that there is now strong regulations around the use of PFAS.

Reference - https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-02/enhealth-fact-sheet-on-per--and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas_0.pdf.

For a detailed timeline showing when PFAS-containing foam was phased in and out, as well as other milestones relating to this issue, please see: Timeline - FRNSW Historical Use of PFAS-Containing Foam

Is participating in the PFAS Program Mandatory?
No, the PFAS Blood Testing Program is not mandatory. It is offered on a voluntary basis.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals that are used to make products resistant to heat, stains, grease, and water. Learn more about PFAS, the potential effects of PFAS exposure, and what we’re doing about PFAS in Australia.

04/11/2025

02/11/2025

Labelled "combative" and "demeaning" by some Queensland police and academics, the WorkCover claims process leaves a former officer questioning her self-worth.

29/10/2025

These draft policies aim to support community members who wish to honour the memory of a loved one.

20/10/2025

https://rescuehelicopter.com.au/media-statement/

“The Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service (the Service) is committed to providing a safe, healthy and inclusive environment, a trusted workplace where everyone is valued and respected, and a workplace that everyone is proud of and feels safe in. We are deeply saddened that anyone in our community fee...

16/10/2025

Firefighters put their lives on the line to protect the community.

It's time the Minns Government protected our firefighters by expanding presumptive cancer legislation.

Chris Minns Sophie Cotsis Daniel Mookhey MLC Jihad Dib MP

13/10/2025

12/10/2025

Today we remember the emergency services volunteers who paid the ultimate sacrifice while protecting their communities, at the annual Emergency Services Volunteer Memorial Service.

Names of volunteers enshrined on the Memorial recognise personnel from the NSW Rural Fire Service, NSW State Emergency Service, Marine Rescue NSW and VRA Rescue NSW.

The event, held at Mrs Macquarie's Point at Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, will begin at 11am. A live stream of the service can be viewed on the website: www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/news-and-media/nsw-emergency-services-volunteers-memorial-2025

10/10/2025

World Mental Health Day,10 October 2025
Mental health in humanitarian emergencies
World Mental Health Day serves as a powerful reminder that there is no health without mental health. This year’s campaign focuses on the urgent need to support the mental health and psychosocial needs of people affected by humanitarian emergencies.

Crises such as natural disasters, conflicts, and public health emergencies cause emotional distress, with one in five individuals experiencing a mental health condition. Supporting the mental well-being of individuals during such crises is not just important – it saves lives, gives people the strength to cope, the space to heal and to recover and rebuild not only as individuals but as communities. That’s why it is essential for everyone, including government officials, health and social care providers, school staff and community groups to come together. By working hand in hand, we can ensure the most vulnerable have access to the support they need while protecting the well-being of everyone.

By investing in evidence and community-based interventions, we can address immediate mental health needs, foster long-term recovery, and empower people and communities to rebuild their lives and thrive.

On this World Mental Health Day, let us intensify our efforts to create a world where mental health is valued, protected, and accessible for all, especially in the face of adversity.

09/10/2025

Matt U’Brien was a lifelong public servant working to protect the people of this state, first as a police officer, a fire fighter and then as an inspector for the resources regulator. In the course of his work he experienced numerous traumatic incidents, which eventually resulted in him suffering a serious psychological injury. But rather than being supported and protected, like he had done for others throughout his career, he was faced with a gruelling and hostile experience as he attempted to navigate the workers compensation system, as past employers tried to avoid responsibility and shift blame for his injury. This hostile and needlessly adversarial approach by the insurer responsible for managing his claim saw his life, and the lives of his family, turned upside down and turned over by private investigators who trawled through his online presence in an attempt to disprove his injury. They even conducted social media surveillance of his then 15 year old daughter.

This is appalling and unconscionable conduct, but it’s all too common practice by companies and agencies who treat injured workers with suspicion and retraumatise them when they are supposed to be helping them recover and find stability in their lives.

I’m so grateful to Matt, his wife Sarah, and their daughter Lillian for sharing their story with the committee this week as we looked into who will be impacted by the Labor Government’s cruel cuts to workers compensation entitlements. Their evidence was so powerful, and shone the light on how the poor management of claims not only impacts injured workers themselves but has profound and damaging effects on their families and networks of support as well.

The evidence is clear. A compassionate and supportive approach to injured workers is not only the right thing to do, it’s actually better for the scheme itself by actually helping workers recover and get back to work if it’s appropriate to do so.