Stories of Survival…The Silence has Broken

600 Main Street,Evansville IN 47708

04 March, 2023

Description

The stresses faced by public safety throughout the course of their careers – incidents involving children, violence, inherent dangers and other potentially traumatic events – can have a cumulative impact on mental health and well-being. According to national data, many within public safety are struggling with mental health issues in silence. We are proud to present Chris Fields and Chris Scallon. Both speakers have experienced these struggles first-hand, suffered in silence, and nearly broke under the strain. They now tell their story, and talk of the importance of mental wellness and support, suicide prevention and recognition, and PTSD in the public safety arena. This event promises to be extremely entertaining, truthful, raw…even comical at times, and will drive the message home perfectly. (For mature audiences only.) Date: March 4, 2023, 6:00pm Location: Victory Theatre Admission: Free admission to area public safety and their significant other About the Speakers: Chris Fields is a former member of the Oklahoma City Fire Department. Chris was captured in a photo that became an iconic symbol of the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995 when he was cradling the body of 1yr old Baylee Almon. He now travels to discuss the brutal realities of a life spent responding to citizens in their darkest hours. Chris tells the story of his life, his 31yrs of public service, and how that day in 1995 all combined to take a toll on his life and his family, as he suffered in silence for many years. Chris Scallon retired as a 24+year veteran with the Norfolk (VA) Police Department. Chris is also a U.S. Navy Veteran. Having been involved in multiple shootings he is intimately familiar with trauma and the consequences of trauma exposure. Chris was directly involved in multiple traumatic incidents, in addition, to multiple deadly force encounters during his tenure, both directly and indirectly. He has first-hand experience with the primary, secondary, and tertiary, effects of trauma related to personal and professional relationships. As an international speaker/trainer, he is often sought out to provide services in the wake of significant critical incidents. Chris has worked with victims of numerous mass shootings (e.g., Pulse Night Club, Sandy Hook/Newtown, Virginia Tech, Virginia Beach…etc.) Information tables will be available before and after the event. Interest and questions should be sent to Tony Knight at [email protected].