Doug Monda began his career in public safety in 2001. He is a former undercover narcotics agent with the Cocoa Police Department, in Brevard County, Florida. During his career he also worked with agencies consisting of DEA, FBI, ATF, Border Patrol, U.S. Marshalls Office, Department of Homeland Security and NASA. Doug’s training has earned him extraordinary success in the field. After recovering from personal experience with depression and a failed attempt at suicide in 2013, Doug realized more needed to be done for first responders and their families dealing with career related mental health issues, and founded Survive First, Inc. Survive First provides assistance to any first responder and/or family member in need of mental health support. Doug regularly travels to speak to departments, agencies, and academies, to provide education on first responders and mental health, and an intimate look into the life of a suicide survivor. Doug’s mission is to spread awareness about PTSD and suicide in first responders, hoping to break the stigma, so that help may be received before it is too late.
Sergeant Chris Scallon retired as a 24+ year veteran with the Norfolk Police Department. He holds a Masters in Psychology, BS in Criminal Justice, and is certified in Critical Incident Stress Management from the University of Maryland BC Emergency Health Services. He is the Founder of Survival Mindset Training and Consulting and is the founder, and first Director, of the Norfolk Police Department’s Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) & Peer Support Unit, and Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Co-Coordinator for the Norfolk Police Department. Sgt. Scallon is a peer and current board member of Virginia Law Enforcement Assistance Program (VALEAP), and a certified peer with the West Coast Post Trauma Retreat/First Responder Support Network. Having been involved in multiple shootings, he is intimately familiar with trauma and the consequences of exposure.
Chris Fields is a former member of the Oklahoma City Fire Department. Chris joined the fire department July 12, 1985, was promoted through the ranks and retired as a Major on March 1, 2017, serving the citizens of Oklahoma City for 31 yrs and 7 months. 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. Chris is now dedicating his life and travels to speak to other first responders. He discusses the brutal realities of a life spent responding to citizens in their darkest hours, routinely placing others before himself and representing the greater good in all of us. Chris tells the story of his life, his 31 years of public service, and how that day in 1995 all combined to take a toll on his life and his family. He suffered in silence for many years.
Raul Rivas was sworn into the Orlando Police Department in 1992. He was first assigned to midnight patrol. Then he had stints on the bicycle squad and gang unit, before moving on to a multi-agency undercover drug task force named the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation (MBI). Raul Rivas served 18 years with the SWAT team and served as an Assistant Team Leader. Raul was one of the SWAT team members involved during the “Pulse Night Club” shooting in Orlando, Florida. Raul received an Award of Valor for his actions and involvement in the Pulse Incident. Raul is retired from the Orlando Police department.