Countdown to Thank a First Responder Day
Fortem is delighted to have appointed 28-year police veteran and critical incident survivor Matthew Lamberth BM as its newest ambassador.
Matthew spent almost three decades working as a police officer, during which he suffered life-threating injuries during a violent attack in Victoria in 2014.
While he recovered from his physical injuries, Matthew struggled with significant mental health challenges due to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and felt unsupported in his return to work.
In 2020 Matthew was awarded the Bravery Medal (BM), by Governor General David Hurley, for his actions in the critical incident.
Matthew now uses his lived experience to raise awareness of mental health and the impacts of PTSD and has spoken of his experiences at the United Nations Global Congress for Victims of Terrorism in 2022, and more recently at the Frontline Mental Health Conference and the Leaders in Counter-Terrorism Conference.
Fortem CEO Mick Willing APM praised Matthew’s commitment to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of first responders and their families.
“Our ambassadors play an important role engaging with first responders and the community about the criticality of strong mental health and wellbeing, and Matthew’s lived experience of PTSD is a powerful reminder that it is strong to seek support,” he said.