Episode Details

What do crime scene cleaners, morgue transporters and gravediggers know about death that the rest of us don't?

In this episode, I'm joined by Tim Booth, a paramedic of more than nine years and the bestselling author of You Called an Ambulance for What? and You Went to Emergency for What?. His latest book, Post-Mortem, steps outside his own frontline experience to profile around thirty professionals who work with death every day, from crime scene cleaners and organ procurement coordinators to gravediggers, funeral directors and combat medics.

Tim tells me how the idea for Post-Mortem came to him almost by accident, how he tracked down people whose jobs barely exist in the public imagination, and the common thread he found running through all of them: it isn't the bodies that are hard to deal with, it's the living. We also talk about the myths around CPR and defibrillators, the gray areas paramedics face when DNR paperwork goes missing, and why dark humour has become the coping mechanism of choice across the death care professions. Tim is honest about burnout, about what writing this book taught him about his own mortality, and about how becoming a father has started to change his thinking on planning ahead.

Remember; you may not be ready to die, but at least you can be prepared.

Take care,

Catherine

We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text :-)

MY LOVED ONE HAS DIED, WHAT DO I DO NOW?

Our guide, ‘My Loved One Has Died, What Do I Do Now?’ provides practical steps for the hours and days after a loved one's death. Download it here.

SUPPORT SERVICES
If you're feeling overwhelmed by grief, find support through our resources and bereavement services here.

The free 3-minute Critical Info Check helps you see what you’ve already got covered — and what your next step could be.

Three minutes. One next step.

Go to gettingstarted.criticalinfo.com.au

Every Tuesday at 7pm, I host Critical Chat Tuesdays —
free, online conversations where you can ask questions or just listen.

No pressure.
 No expectation.

Because this isn’t about planning for “someday” —
 it’s about being ready for whatever life throws your way.

Join anytime at criticalinfo.com.au/events

Support the show

YOUR NEXT STEP

Take the free 3-minute Critical Info Check to see what you’ve already got covered — and what your next step could be.

https://gettingstarted.criticalinfo.com.au/

NEED SUPPORT?

The Critical Info Resource Hub connects you with organisations and services offering grief, bereavement and other practical support.

https://criticalinfo.com.au/support/

KEEP THE CONVERSATION GOING

Join Critical Chat Tuesday, a free online conversation every Tuesday at 7pm Melbourne time.

Find out more:

https://criticalinfo.com.au/events

IF SOMEONE HAS DIED

If someone you love has died, our After-Death Guide — My Loved One Has Died, What Do I Do Now? — provides practical guidance to help you navigate what needs to happen next.

https://criticalinfo.com.au/product/my-loved-one-has-died/

LEARN MORE

https://criticalinfo.com.au/

For resources mentioned in th