MEDIA & PRESS INQUIRIES: THE HAVOC PROJECT & FRONTLINE COMMUNITY INITIATIVES

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Advocating for Systemic Reform and Building Peer Support for Trauma Survivors

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Welcome to the official media and press portal for The Havoc Project and Advanced Rescue Solutions Inc. We are actively seeking to partner with journalists, broadcasters, and media outlets to highlight the realities of Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI) and Operational Stress Injuries (OSI) among frontline personnel.

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We tackle the mental health crisis facing Ontario’s emergency responders on two fronts: aggressively fighting for systemic legislative reform in Queen's Park, and building immediate, on-the-ground community support networks to combat isolation. Our mission is to ensure that no trauma survivor is left to navigate a broken administrative system alone.

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OUR THREE PILLARS OF ACTION

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Journalists covering mental health, first responder issues, and disability advocacy can explore our work through three distinct, interconnected initiatives:

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1. Legislative Advocacy: The Havoc Act 2026 We are spearheading a legislative campaign to end the institutional gatekeeping of psychiatric service dogs in Ontario. Currently, responders face 2- to 5-year waitlists and $30,000 price tags for life-saving service animals. We are fighting to harmonize provincial law with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) to ensure that clinical need—not corporate pedigree—dictates access to recovery.

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2. Frontline Connection: "After the Sirens" Peer Support Group Trauma thrives in isolation. The After the Sirens Toronto First Responder Peer Group provides structured outreach and informal social get-togethers for active and retired personnel. By creating safe, non-clinical environments, we foster vital peer-to-peer connections where responders can share their lived experiences, decompress, and support one another without fear of institutional stigma or reprisal.

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3. Alternative Therapeutics: "The Knot On Duty" Sailing Initiative We operate a grassroots peer-support project offering therapeutic sailing experiences on Lake Ontario for first responders. Operating aboard a 42-foot sailboat out of Toronto, this initiative leverages the proven grounding effects of marine environments to help responders disconnect from hypervigilance, learn new skills, and find physiological regulation out on the water.

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AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS & EXPERT COMMENTARY

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Scott Hembruff — Founder, Campaign Director, and Frontline Veteran

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Scott Hembruff offers a raw, grounded, and highly educated perspective on frontline trauma, bridging the gap between clinical theory and lived survival. Bringing over two decades of public safety experience (including as a volunteer firefighter, medic, special constable, and K-9 handler), Scott navigated his own complex PTSI diagnosis. He is fully certified in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) and Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI).

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Scott is available to speak on the following topics:

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• The 5-Year Waitlist Crisis: How institutional monopolies are actively preventing highly traumatized first responders from accessing task-trained service dogs.

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• Systemic Retraumatization: How provincial frameworks (WSIB, ODSP) violate the AODA and traumatize injured personnel through excessive administrative gatekeeping.

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• Combating Frontline Isolation: The critical necessity of independent peer support networks and social outreach programs for responders transitioning off active duty.

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• Somatic & Alternative Stabilization: The neurobiology behind how task-trained dogs (like his K-9, Havoc) interrupt dissociative states, and how "Blue Mind" interventions like therapeutic sailing actively regulate the nervous system.

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PRESS KIT & DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RECENT PRESS & COMMUNITY UPDATES

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• Legislative Outreach: Currently briefing Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs), disability legal clinics, and leading psychological associations on private member's bill sponsorship for The Havoc Act.

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• Upcoming Advocacy: Participating at the Badge of Life Canada Event (October 15–16) at Horseshoe Resort to distribute petitions and connect with public safety personnel.

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• Community Action: Successfully wrapping up the late-summer sailing season for "The Knot On Duty" initiative, and transitioning into our fall schedule for "After the Sirens" peer-support social gatherings in the GTA.

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SUBMIT A MEDIA INQUIRY

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For all press inquiries, interview requests, podcast bookings, or requests for expert commentary, please reach out directly. We accommodate tight media deadlines and can provide commentary via phone, video link, or in person across the Greater Toronto Area.

 

Media Contact: Scott Hembruff Founder & Campaign Director, The Havoc Act Advanced Rescue Solutions Inc.

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• Email: scotthembruff1@gmail.com

• Phone: 437-595-0911