“Being able to speak to industry leaders, to other researchers, to agency leads to government about the importance of mental health and wellbeing in the emergency service sector is a really important but rare opportunity typically.”
This topic was a key theme of Alexandra Howard’s presentation at last week’s Natural Hazards Research Forum 2026, sharing important research findings and launching a new guide focused on improving mental health in the emergency management sector.
Ms Howard – a researcher from Phoenix Australia and lead researcher of the Best practice for tracking and responding to potentially traumatic event exposure project – said she and the research team are creating “arguably the first guidance globally for tracking exposure to potentially traumatic events in emergency services”.
She and the research team unveiled the project’s Australian-first Good practice principles for tracking potentially traumatic event exposure and organisational responses in emergency services guide, which is formally endorsed by Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council (AFAC).
“I think for us what has been a real highlight is working very closely with the emergency services. Because there was a lack of evidence both nationally and internationally about how to best track exposure to potentially traumatic events, we really had to rely on what current practice was and what was working well and not well,” Ms Howard said.
“One thing that has been really interesting is kind of understanding some of the really good work that is being done already around this but also trying to understand some of the gaps that will give services something to work on,” she said.
After presenting at the Forum, Ms Howard said she believes one of the event’s strengths is “truly how interdisciplinary it is”.
“I know a lot of places speak about being interdisciplinary, but there aren’t many opportunities for someone like myself, who’s speaking about mental health and wellbeing to speak to such a broad audience, knowing that it is actually relevant to everyone – but that not everyone would have those topics front of mind,” she said.
Read more about the guide and how it can be used to promote a safer and healthier emergency management sector here.