Swapping Hats scheme helps officer confront long-standing trauma

23 February 2026

The pioneering Swapping Hats scheme has helped a Hertfordshire Police Federation member confront the impact of a building fire he survived as a young man.

Detective Constable Kevin Coghlan said the day spent with Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service helped him take ‘a huge step forward’ in dealing with the trauma of the blaze from 29 years ago.

Kevin was just 19 when he was trapped in an arson attack on The Old Barge Pub, which he ran with his father, in the early hours of the morning.

He had been living at the pub, and during the night, a retained firefighter climbed onto the roof and deliberately set the building alight, directly above the bedroom where he was sleeping.

Kevin survived the fire, but the trauma stayed with him.

 

Detective Constable Kevin Coghlan

 

“It was a lot for me to deal with,” he said. “But like most young men back then, I buried it. I told myself I’d survived, I’m okay, I’ve got over it.”

However, four years ago the buried trauma resurfaced while serving with Hertfordshire Police.

Kevin, who was on intervention, attended the scene of a fire ready to assist with crowd control.

Everything was manageable, he said, until the scene was declared safe and people were allowed back inside.

He said: “That was the moment I completely panicked. The sounds, the smells, the atmosphere it all came rushing back from that terrible night.

Pivotal moment

“I froze. I ran and stood in the corner of a pitch-black car park, shaking, freezing, sweating, completely disoriented.”

A colleague, PC Mike Thomas, noticed and offered quiet support and space to talk. It was a moment that proved pivotal.

Kevin recalled: “He didn’t ask anything, just reassured me that he was there. We talked for ages. That was the moment I realised. Men can talk, we are emotional, and we should share what we’ve been through.

“The following day, I opened up to my wife about things I had never spoken about before. Then to other people. It felt like a weight had been lifted, almost euphoric.”

Kevin said that following counselling and talking to people, he was in a much better place, but there was still the reality of a fire scene to overcome.

He said: “The final hurdle was the physical aspect. The fire alarms, the smell, the engines.

Swapping Hats

“I didn’t want to be frightened anymore. I needed to confront it. Swapping Hats felt like the perfect opportunity.”

Developed by Inspector Karen Hutchinson, Swapping Hats is a groundbreaking initiative which allows Hertfordshire Police officers and staff to work with the other emergency services to strengthen relationships and understanding between them.

Kevin spent his day with Watford fire station’s White Watch. He attended three live incidents, including an overturned van on the M25, carried out inspections, and tackled the infamous smoke house.

Fully kitted in a breathing apparatus, navigating a pitch-black environment, and then blindfolded to simulate zero visibility, he helped locate and rescue a heavy training dummy.

“I didn’t tell the firefighters why I was there as I didn’t want to be treated differently,” he said.

“At lunch, I shared my story. Two of them actually remembered the fire. They were stunned that I had completed the smokehouse exercise despite everything.

PTSD

“I told them I wanted to face it, and not be wrapped in cotton wool.”

Kevin said the experience has been transformative.

“I truly feel like I’ve taken a huge step forward,” he said.

“I want to say a massive thank you to Inspector Hutchinson, and to the White Watch team for their professionalism, patience, and good humour, and for letting me experience just how demanding, disciplined, and vital their work really is."

Kevin has been diagnosed with complex PTSD, largely due to how long it took to process the trauma.

And now, as a Force Wellbeing Champion, he is passionate about encouraging others to seek help and support.

“Asking for help is a huge sign of strength,” he says. “If you don’t ask, you’ll never get past that cloud of anxiety.

Trauma

“You don’t always have to confront things head-on, but you shouldn’t run away either.

“We’re helpers by definition. But we’re also the last people we look after.

“Talking about trauma can be and often is draining, but every time you do it, it feels a little more manageable.

“I could never have spoken about this 15 or 20 years ago. Now I feel comfortable because I trust people to hear me without judgment.”

Kevin’s message to colleagues considering Swapping Hats is ‘give it a go’.

He said: “They’re not asking you to change careers.

“It’s about experiencing someone else’s world. It gives you real satisfaction knowing others are also trying to be part of the solution.”

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