Some Ride to Remember, Some Ride to Forget
The last issue of IPMBA News contained some sobering statistics and articles, not only about suicides among public safety personnel, but also among our own membership. It was a challenging issue to write in many respects, not the least of which was not knowing how you, the reader, would react to such a sensitive subject. Most of us know – or suspect we know – someone who has taken his or her own life.
The reaction from our members was gratifying. Many emailed to thank me for acknowledging the “elephant in the room”. Others expressed their appreciation for the resource page dedicated to suicide prevention and awareness that we have added to the website. One person took me aside during the IPMBA Conference in Fort Worth and simply said, “thank you.” That spoke volumes.
As if that weren’t rewarding enough, IPMBA Instructor Allen Daniels engaged me in conversation during the competition. I had received an email from him in late February that referenced a workshop for 2020. Focused on 2019, I set it aside. I wish I hadn’t. As it turns out, Allen has been diagnosed with PTSD related to having engaged in search and rescue operations at the Pentagon on 9/11. It was triggered by his return to Washington for a reunion with his unit members in September 2018.
Allen has the good fortune to work in a supportive environment. Rather than being told to “suck it up, buttercup”, he was given access to therapies and treatments often not available to members of the public safety community. As an avid cyclist, he found himself gravitating to his bicycle for comfort and to “ground” himself. His decision to ride on- or off-road is governed by a seemingly simple tenet: Ride on the road to remember. Ride in the forest to forget.
Riding on the open road enables him to focus on breathing, cadence, and surroundings; the very definition of “mindfulness”. Thoughts flow in and out as the miles fly by. The mind engages in a dialogue with itself, often leading to clarity of vision. Riding in the woods requires more concentration on the trail, the surroundings, and body positioning. It forces everything but survival in the moment – including demons – to the side. Both forms of riding release adrenaline that might otherwise be stored as negative emotional energy.
Allen will be offering a workshop about his experience dealing with his PTSD, both through traditional therapies and riding. He envisions it as a two-part session: a classroom discussion followed by a mindfulness ride.
If you are planning to attend the 2020 Conference and are open to sharing stories about the traumatic situations that you have faced, the support you have received (or would like to receive), and the coping mechanisms you have adopted, or you just want to talk, please contact Allen at adaniels@bowdoin.edu or 207-208-7174.
IPMBA 2020: June 1-6, 2020, in Dayton, Ohio. It is time to let the elephant out of the room.