HD1 - Bruce Cameron AFSM [Hot Debrief] - 42 Years FRNSW - Aceh, Christchurch and much more

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This is not a sugar coated account of life in the emergency services, and listener discretion is advised.

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Bruce Cameron AFSM. Recently retired as a Superintendent with Fire Rescue NSW after an amazing 42 year career.

This is the first of our special edition 'Hot Debrief' episodes, where we talk to Bruce about his career, family and life through the Hot Debrief, or Hot Wash mantra:

1. What worked well;
2. What didn't go so well; and
3. What would you do differently if you could give your 18 year old self some advice.

Bruce talks about starting out in 1980 with (the then) NSW Fire Brigades as a Retained Fire Fighter at Glenbrook in the Blue Mountains of NSW and working through the ranks while specialising in all things rescue. Bruce's career saw him do multiple international and interstate deployments for both training and emergency responses. Bruce is a highly decorated career firefighter, who has given everything he could during his amazing career, so listen on to hear this story.

DEPLOYMENTS - Incidents

• Base of Operations Commander Northern Rivers Floods (Lismore) 2022.
• Strike Team Leader, Northern Rivers Floods 2020.
• Strike Team Leader, NSW bush fire season. Numerous locations. 2019/20.
• Team Leader, NSW Field Hospital - South Coast bushfires (Batemans Bay) 2019.
• Safety Advisor, Tasmania bushfires. North West Coast 2019.
• Strike Team Leader, Northern NSW Floods, Rapid Damage Assessments, 2017.
• USAR Team Leader, Taskforce deployment to Christchurch Earthquake, NZ, 2011.
• Team Leader, Flood rescue deployment to Queensland 2011.
• NSWFB Team Leader, Banda Aceh Indonesia, Boxing Day Tsunami response 2004.
• Canberra Bushfires – Strike Team 2003.

DEPLOYMENTS – Training and exercises

• USA as Deputy Task Force Leader, exercise Shaken Fury (Joint NSW & Qld.) 2019.
• United Nations (UN) Asia Pacific Disaster Exercise, Mongolia. 2014.
• United Nations (UN) USAR Classification for Oman, Middle East, USAR Team. (2012).
• Numerous Australia wide USAR training exercises and deployments.

Bruce talks about the importance of balancing your professional/work pressures with healthy external pursuits, where Bruce is an accomplished author and historian, artist and rock climber. Bruce also talks through the real toll working in the emergency services can have on you, and your family and the importance of continual self care.

Bruce can be contacted via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bruce.cameron.9237

Check out this video of Bruce, his career and his painting: YouTube Link

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