In the final episode of this series, I am joined by Professor Daniel Gucciardi, one of Australia’s leading researchers in mental skills, stress regulation, and resilience in elite sport and military environments.

We discuss how mental skills training (MST) can help firefighters perform better when it matters most and why reflection, stress regulation, and culture are the real performance multipliers in high-adversity teams.

Importantly we unpack existing MST programs, including the importance of integration with existing training.

Contact: www.danielgucciardi.com.au/

Professor in the Curtin School of Allied Health at Curtin University.

📚 Resources Mentioned

Research & Frameworks

• Gucciardi, D. F. – Mental toughness, stress regulation, and resilience research
• Crane, M. F. et al. – Systematic self-reflection and resilience in military populations
• Mattie et al. – SOMA: Special Operations Mental Agility program
• Stress regulation & control systems (negative feedback loops, zones of optimal functioning)

Mental Skills Discussed

• Attention and focus control
• Grounding and awareness skills
• Self-talk and cognitive reframing
• Imagery and mental rehearsal
• Structured reflection & journaling
• If–Then planning for stress responses

Incident management is one of the most mentally demanding roles in emergency services. It requires clear thinking, calm leadership, and decisive action, often with incomplete information, high emotional stakes, and intense sensory overload.

In this episode, I’m joined by Superintendent Scott Hayward, Manager of Operational Command at Fire and Rescue NSW. Scott has over 20 years’ experience on the fireground and now trains and assesses new incident managers across the state.

Together, we explore what it really feels like to take command under pressure and how process, preparation, and mental skills help people perform when it matters most.

Key Ideas & Models Discussed

• Cognitive load & overwhelm
• Stress inoculation through training
• Recognition-Primed Decision Making (Gary Klein)
• Situational awareness
• The OODA Loop (Observe–Orient–Decide–Act)
• Incident phases & risk acceptance
• The “jockey and horse” analogy for state control

Resources Mentioned

• Grenfell (Netflix documentary)
• The Kerslake Report – Manchester Arena Inquiry
• Richard Gassaway – Situational Awareness Matters
• On the Trail of Genghis Khan – Tim Cope

Chapters:

00:00 – Incident Command Under Pressure

07:00 – Early Experiences of Overwhelm

12:30 – What Incident Management Really Involves

18:00 – Process, Preparation & Staying Calm

25:00 – Real Fireground Decision-Making

34:00 – Training, Assessment & Stress Inoculation

45:00 – Situational Awareness & Adaptive Command

58:00 – Mental Skills Training & Final Reflections

In this episode, we speak with Station Officer Sam Parkhouse AFSM, a firefighter with nearly two decades of operational experience and a national leader in firefighter wellbeing and recovery. Sam has been instrumental in developing the FRNSW Firefighter Wellness Retreat, a residential somatic-based program designed to help firefighters address the cumulative toll of trauma, organisational stress, and high-consequence operational work.

Drawing from this work, Sam has introduced breathwork as a foundational operational skill, now taught to all FRNSW recruits. This session provides firefighters with practical tools to manage their stress response, improve cognition and decision-making under pressure, and support long-term wellbeing and performance.

Resources Mentioned in the Episode

Breathwork Skills & Instructional Videos

4-7-8 Method https://youtu.be/Egr8iGBg8Oc?si=6Ju7LdK7_vjXM86-

Physiological Sigh https://youtu.be/kSZKIupBUuc?si=H8rhk4UvmvBUYUzR

Box Breathing https://youtu.be/n1lPLTAiB48?si=H-g9GRbaiQ51S0wF https://youtu.be/bF_1ZiFta-E?si=YgDc0lzZ6_AobFrU

Books

The Body Keeps the Score — Bessel van der Kolk A foundational text on trauma, the mind–body connection, and how trauma is stored physiologically.

Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art — James Nestor An accessible and evidence-backed exploration of breathwork, respiratory health, and performance.

Apps & Digital Resources

Oxygen Advantage (Patrick McKeown) Free guided exercises for stress reduction, athletic performance, respiratory training and sleep. https://oxygenadvantage.com

Insight Timer A comprehensive library of guided breathwork, mindfulness sessions, and somatic practices. https://insighttimer.com

Short Episode Timings

00:45 – Meet Station Officer Sam Parkhouse AFSM Sam’s background and his nationally recognised work in firefighter wellbeing.

05:00 – The FRNSW Wellness Retreat How somatic practices like breathwork, cold exposure and yoga help firefighters recover from trauma.

12:20 – Trauma, the Body & the Nervous System Understanding emotional numbing, sympathetic activation, and why regulation matters on the fireground.

19:45 – Breathwork for Operational Performance When and how firefighters can use breathwork during en-route stress, at incidents, and for recovery.

24:30 – Three Practical Techniques Physiological sigh, box breathing, and the 4-7-8 method—what they are and when to use them.

42:15 – Embedding Mental Skills in Training Why breathwork must be practiced consistently and delivered by training staff to change culture and performance.