Paramedic Mindset

The Story Shared:

Brad opened up about a time when a friend and fellow paramedic tragically died in a helicopter crash. The experience of dealing with another paramedic’s death on the job struck a nerve in Brad as he had to deal with his own mortality. Later on in his career, he would come to work and operate out of the same helicopter service for over 14 years. He shares how he was able to overcome the grief of his friend dying and do the same thing that killed him.

About Brad Norris:

Brad “Nobby” Norris started working for the ambulance in 1988 at the tender age of 18. He has worked as a paramedic for the past 34 years and continues to this day.

Working as a critical care paramedic for 17 years, Brad has vast knowledge and experience in the profession demonstrated by having worked as an Urban Search and Rescue Officer, special response team leader, rescue helicopter paramedic, officer in charge, educator, and operation supervisor.

He describes having a fantastic career with lifelong friends, and brotherhood and loved helping people. He has gone from a shy boy at school to a confident man who takes charge of challenging scenes. After all these years still going strong mentally, physically, enthusiastic and focused as a clinician is a testament to his nature.

He is now looking forward to the next few years mentoring the younger generation and guiding them through their initial challenging years.

Career Highlights:

→ Responding to Earthquake in New Zealand.

→ Operating in fires, floods and cyclones as a special response team leader.

Expertise:

→ Real-world application of paramedic skills.

→ Leadership under pressure.

Follow me on Instagram and YouTube.

For more, go to https://www.paramedicmindset.com.au/

Music by Ehrling Music.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been chasing “success” and running from “failure”. I’ve had super high highs and incredibly low lows. Mine is an interesting story – and for a long time it was a story I didn’t want to tell because I felt like I’d failed.

As a kid dreaming of performing on stage, I had the life I’d always wanted by the age of 21. I was touring internationally with Savage Garden, later securing my own record deal, releasing a hit single, which became the most played Australian song on commercial radio in 2001. Success came early, but was short lived.

By 27 I was dropped from my label, broke with no job or prospects. And then on top of it all, I lost my mum unexpectedly, and my life fell to pieces. I was lost in grief, scared shitless, and left to start again.

This moment wasn’t fearless. It was messy and full of fear – but I made myself take just one tiny step. I went back to study and found a new outlet for my creativity.

And I began to untell the stories I had told to myself about who I was and what I was capable of. I redefined my fucked up definition of success and started on the journey of becoming the kind of person who could make it happen.

For more on Jen Jeavons visit her website - https://jenjeavons.com/

Follow me on Instagram and YouTube.

For more, go to https://www.paramedicmindset.com.au/

Music by Ehrling Music.

The Story Shared:

Sam Bloom spoke about a time when her best friend was killed by a grenade in Africa and how she should have been with him at the time of the accident. Sam suffered from survivor’s guilt, wishing that it was her instead of her friend. She also goes on to describe the effects of the tragic accident that led to her being paralysed and in a wheelchair.

About Sam Bloom:

The blink of an eye, a heartbeat, a split second in time. That’s all it took for Sam Bloom’s life to change forever.

Sam had everything she had always dreamed of. She’d travelled extensively, fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming a nurse and was a happily married mother of three young boys.

Without warning, the dream turned into a nightmare when on a 2013 family holiday in Thailand, Sam fell through a rotten balcony railing and crashed six metres onto the concrete below.

Lucky to be alive, she’d suffered devastating injuries, including severe damage to her spinal cord that left her paralysed from the chest down.

Broken and hopeless, Sam reached her outer limits of physical and mental suffering. But with courage, determination and a little help from an unlikely feathered friend, she made her way back from the edge, scarred but undefeated.

Career Highlights:

→ World Para Surfing Champion.

→ Paralympian representing Australia.

→ Her story has now been transformed into a major film produced by Naomi Watts.

Expertise:

→ Inspirational speaker.

→ Ambassador to multiple not-for-profit organisations.

→ Sam Bloom: Heartache & Birdsong shares Sam’s personal perspective on facing and overcoming adversity.

For more on Sam Bloom visit her website - https://sambloom.com.au

Follow me on Instagram and YouTube.

For more, go to https://www.paramedicmindset.com.au/

Music by Ehrling Music.

The Story Shared:

Cameron Hardiman detailed a story of a time when a rescue attempt nearly killed him. Whilst hanging from a helicopter in 40+ knots of wind and 50-foot high waves, Cameron was taken under by the giant wave. He was trying to save a sailor whose vessel was stricken by the severe weather, but he almost lost his life. This experience may not have killed him, but it changed his life forever.

About Cameron Hardiman:

As a member of Victoria Police's Air Wing, Cameron Hardiman felt like he was ten feet tall and bulletproof. The air wing brought him plenty of excitement and drama - from searching for missing aircraft to accidentally discovering marijuana crops to working with paramedics. But it also brought him plenty of trauma ...

He saw his fair share of trauma and dealt with it like most coppers would: he quickly put each dangerous job out of his mind as soon as it was over. But one particular rescue in Bass Strait brought about a reckoning - and Cameron was never the same again.

Career Highlights:

→ Victorian Rescue Helicopter as a Policeman.

→ Australian Federal Police.

→ A distinguished police officer.

Expertise:

→ Dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

→ Inspirational speaker and presenter.

→ Active promotor for improved mental health for all emergency service workers.

For more read Cameron’s book - 10 feet tall and not quite bulletproof.

Follow me on Instagram and YouTube.

For more, go to https://www.paramedicmindset.com.au/

Music by Ehrling Music.

For Russell Manser, robbing a bank felt like parachuting out of a plane. The adrenaline, the rush, the risk.

Crashing through the doors, sizing up the room, hoping the security guard in the corner didn't decide to be a hero. Leaping over the teller counters to empty the drawers where the big bank notes were kept.

And yet, in spite of the balaclava and the weapon, he was regarded by his peers as "a gentleman" bank robber. Polite. Professional. The guns were rarely loaded. "You don't want people panicking because that will cause you problems."

Sometimes he would even apologise and tell them to "have a good day" on the way out. The real thrill was getting out the door without being blasted in the head, holding a big bag of cash.

But there is no such thing as a gentleman bank robber. There is just a criminal. He knows that now. He knows he traumatised and damaged people, terrified them.

Manser, about to turn 17, was sentenced to 12 months in an adult prison to deter "kids from Mount Druitt stealing Porsches from affluent areas".

At Long Bay he was put into One Wing — a protection wing — which often housed sex offenders who would otherwise be killed in the main prison. He was skinny, young, blonde and blue-eyed. A "pretty boy".

Manser says as he was put into a cell with two paedophiles, the prison officer said, "have fun, boys".

"I was just a kid," Manser recalls.

Follow me on Instagram and YouTube.

For more, go to https://www.paramedicmindset.com.au/

Music by Ehrling Music.