Extended Lived Experience Facilitator Of Peer Support
BA-Criminology, MA-Criminal Justice

Rae-Lynne Dicks is a former 911 Communications Operator (VPD & VFRS), with 10 years’ experience and is a 20-year survivor of chronic PTSD due to cumulative traumatic incidents. As part of her Master of Arts degree, Rae-Lynne conducted the first research in Canada that focused specifically on Canadian 911 operators and PTSD; it is titled, Prevalence of PTSD Symptoms in Canadian 911 Operators. Rae-Lynne has been a volunteer with Badge of Life Canada under the guidance and mentorship of its Founder, Peter Platt and a guest speaker for Tema Conter during their Heroes are Human Tour.

In 2017, Rae-Lynne created the first conference, Connections in First Responder Mental Health and collaborated with her alma mater Kwantlen Polytechnic University and Badge of Life Canada to bring together a long list of speakers, service providers, persons with lived experience and academics.

Participants included local organizations, first responders, treatment providers and KPU students who listened, shared and asked questions in discussion of a wide range of topics over the course of the 2-day conference. The proceeds of this conference were donated to Badge of Life Canada.

In 2019, Rae-Lynne was invited by the Ministry of Health to attend the National Conference on PTSD in Ottawa where she was invited to share the results of her Master of Arts research and participate in the conference as both an academic and a person with lived experience. All the participants attending the conference worked together collaboratively to inform the future federal framework on PTSD. In participating at this conference Rae-Lynne was honoured to confirm that 911 operators and dispatchers will be included in all legislation resulting from the Federal Framework.

Rae-Lynne regularly speaks publicly to share her story that she blends with discussion about the early warning signs along with the development of PTSD as she experienced it. Rae-Lynne also discusses issues involving stigmatization in first responder organizations and her road to survival, including how she made the conscious decision to live.