Austen was a local paramedic who died by suicide earlier this year — a man who gave everything to his community and ultimately lost his battle with post-traumatic stress disorder brought on by the very work to which he dedicated his life.
“As an RSL president, my heart aches when I read that,” Mr Lovering said.
Emergency service workers carry enormous pressure on the frontlines, a burden Mr Lovering understands profoundly — he has lived it as both a veteran and a first responder.
“There are definite similarities between what our emergency services do for the community and what our veterans have done for the nation,” he said.
And so, like he has done many times before, Mr Lovering is doing something about it.
As Rochester RSL president, he is extending an open invitation to local police officers, paramedics, firefighters and emergency service volunteers, urging them to reach out to their nearest RSL for genuine camaraderie and support from people who understand their experiences.
Because they have, or are, going through the same thing.
Mr Lovering said emergency service personnel could experience hardships comparable in some ways to those faced by veterans, who may struggle with PTSD and depression.
“We can offer meaningful relationships with veterans and their families in which you might find like-minded individuals,” he said.
Rochester RSL offers an affiliate membership specifically for emergency service workers and volunteers, as well as family members of veterans.
Mr Lovering said the aim was to create connections with people who might understand the pressures associated with service and provide friendship outside the workplace.
The RSL regularly organises social gatherings, shared meals and community events for veterans, offering emergency service workers a relaxed, informal opportunity to meet veterans and their families face to face.
Mr Lovering said people did not necessarily need to become members to make contact and start building relationships.
He said the toll of frontline service rarely stopped at the worker — it rippled through entire families, with partners, parents and children often quietly carrying the weight of supporting a loved one through trauma.
“We don’t just think about our veterans and our emergency services, but their families are often bearing an enormous hole that so many of us might never know,” he said.
He also called on the wider community to show greater appreciation for emergency service personnel, who can attend multiple traumatic incidents in a single shift.
“We should thank our emergency services when we see them and just be kind to them and treat them with courtesy and respect,” he said.
Even small gestures can go a long way — acknowledging a worker in public, or simply buying an ambulance officer a coffee, are easy ways to show genuine appreciation for the work they do.
Mr Lovering, who is also a volunteer CFA firefighter, said he was interested in connecting with other local support networks to explore how the RSL could do more for emergency service workers.
His message to anyone seeking social connection and support is to contact their local RSL or a mate, family member, or anyone you trust.
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