Mariano Perini, WWC Ambassador, Whitby ON
Born and raised in the Durham Region he began his emergency services career with the Durham Regional Police Service. After serving in various capacities within the Durham Regional Police he joined the Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) as a Fire Investigator. Having served in both Operational and Administrative roles in the OFM he joined the Whitby Fire and Emergency Services as Deputy Fire Chief in 2014. The Values of Whitby Fire and Emergency Services are Honestly, Integrity and Compassion; values that he holds deeply in both his personal and professional life. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Public Administration, Diploma in Fire Studies and is a graduate form the Ontario Fire College and Ontario Police College.
Working in the emergency services environment he has seen the effects of PTSD on first responders, their families and peers, he has also seen people suffer in silence. Understanding that we cannot control the nature of calls first responders attend he recognizes that how we deal with the exposures afterwards will have a direct impact on their ability to manage operational stresses. Experiencing WWC programs first hand he gained the necessary insight into the signs and symptoms of PTSD which is the first step to understanding the how your body is reacting in the manner that it is. Mariano is an advocate of mental health education, understanding that mental health and fitness is just as important has physical health and fitness.
