Television
Limitless — Episode 1, Disney Plus (2022). Expert contributor on how firefighters cope with stress and the impact of trauma on the body and mind. In Episode 1 (“Stress-Proof”) of Limitless on Disney+, Dr. Modupe Akinola and firefighter/tactical trainer Tara Lal serve as the primary expert contributors. They demonstrate how firefighters overcome life-or-death physiological reactions using the “box breathing” technique.
Featured In
Trailblazing
The History and Stories of Female Firefighters in Fire and Rescue NSW. By: Chrissy Strickland Stimson, Cheryl Steer, Belinda McMartin
Until 1981, the Fire Brigades Act stipulated that only men could be employed as firefighters in (the then) New South Wales Fire Brigades (NSWFB). In 1982, Dr Kristine Klugman became the first woman appointed to the NSWFB’s governing body, the Board of Fire Commissioners. From the time of her appointment, Dr. Klugman assertively advocated for women’s recruitment. However, it was only after she personally demonstrated to the Board that a woman could pass the Brigades’ Physical Aptitude Test, that women were invited to apply. And so, in 1985, the first women commenced their training as ‘permanent’ firefighters at the Brigades’ State Training College in Alexandria, Sydney. Now, 40 years later, approximately 12% of firefighters are female in Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW).
Sirens
Inside the Shadow World of First Responders. By Martin Mackenzie-Murray
“Tara, a firefighter, experienced devastating loss at a young age. She found camaraderie in the fire brigade, but also confronting reminders of her past.”
Three first responders – a paramedic, a police officer and a firefighter – are motivated by a desire to serve the community. But they are drawn to their work by more complicated impulses as well: a need for control, an acute awareness of danger, and childhood experiences they are still running from.
Peter, a paramedic, served at high-profile disasters including the Port Arthur massacre and the Beaconsfield mine collapse. Despite helping countless people, he is haunted by the lives he couldn’t save.
REVIEWS
‘A personal work, and a window into the shadow world of those we call on in our hours of need.’
The Guardian
TEStimonials
‘In these intimate portraits, Martin McKenzie-Murray gives us rare insights into the universal human need to seek safety in an unjust world and the life-saving powers of our infinite capacity for meaning-making. A complex, courageous and deeply moving work.’
Sarah Krasnostein, author of The Trauma Cleaner
Podcasts & Radio
Let’s Unpack It; PTSD and Emergency Service Workers (upcoming late 2026)
Hot Debrief Podcast Listen Here
Challenges that Change Us – With Ally Flynn (2025) Listen Here
