In episode 341 of The Just Checking In Podcast we checked in with Lucy MacLeod.
Lucy is a firefighter and has worked in the London Fire Brigade for over 16 years across a range of different roles since she joined the LFB in May 2009.
Her current role involves her being a trauma and wellbeing dog handler, which she does with her dog Blue. Together, they have a social media account which brings awareness to wellbeing dogs and the role they play in the fire service.
In her words, Blue acts as a ‘buffer and a bridge’ with people and he helps build trust with them who then feel they can disclose to Lucy on what is happening to them.
In this episode we first discuss her firefighting journey, why she joined it comparatively late in life, the roles she has had and the work she does with Blue now.
For Lucy’s mental health journey, it centres around a terrible accident she experienced in 2004, when she worked as a duty manager at a pool and fitness centre. She inhaled chlorine gas and it burned her upper airway. She was on multiple medications and was diagnosed with PTSD (which we prefer to call PTSI).
After struggling for a period of time, she decided one day that enough was enough and she wanted to take a more holistic approach to her mental health.
She tried everything she could to make her feel better, including CBT therapy, EMDR and acupuncture.
She also got a dog called Lucky, which was a game changer. He got her out of bed in the morning, gave her purpose and was her ‘heartbeat’. Lucy soon got another dog called Poppy to keep Lucky company when she went to work. Lucky unfortunately died in 2019 and Poppy died in 2022.
We talk about the accident, why Lucy has a mantra of ‘you are not your diagnosis, it’s a start point’ and her recovery journey from 2004 to now.
In 2025, she published her first book, a children’s adventure book called ‘Lucy & Blue Save The Day’ and we discuss how the book came about, how she feels to be a children’s author and the impact it’s had on the children who’ve bought it!
As always, #itsokaytovent
Find out more about Lucy’s journey and where you can purchase a copy of her book here.
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