Like fellow emergency services, this job takes a toll.

Ms Stewart is a dispatcher for the state's Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority, based in Mount Helen, working under high-pressure to link up help in the most urgent situations across Victoria.

Officially stepping out with fellow emergency service personnel is important for the ESTA team. Ms Stewart said mental health has been at the forefront of everyone's mind after losing a colleague last year to suicide.

ESTA will unite with fire fighters, paramedics, police for Walking Off the War Within at St Patrick's College on Saturday. They walk to raise awareness and advocacy about post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety in the emergency services and defence force.

"There is a push to be talking to each other more," Ms Stewart said. "There is good peer support (at ESTA)...It's also about having to know in yourself when work is okay and when to take a step back to make sure you're performing at the best of your ability all the time.

"We need to be taking care."

ESTA receives about 7000 calls each day, which is about one call every 12 seconds. Call takers tend to specialise in one service (police, fire, ambulance or State Emergency Services) and undertake further training to become a dispatcher.

Ms Stewart said it was important workers be aware when they need to unplug, take a break and seek support, which was hard in an environment when so many critical calls were coming in.

Sometimes all it could take was one call. Ms Stewart said everyone had different triggers and could feel fine for months until needing that extra personal support.

Walking Off the War Within is the legacy of former Ballarat fire fighter and special forces soldier Nathan Shanahan, who first trekked from Mildura to Adelaide five years ago to raise awareness for what he termed his war within. Shanahan took his own life in December 2016.

There are now nine events across the nation, led off by Ballarat.

The focus is on a family-friendly carnival environment to spark talk and reinforce sharing the burden.

Ballarat will again feature a two-kilometre course about St Pats, introduced last year, allowing more support for those walking and easier access for people to join in as much or as little as they wanted.

"We think it's a really amazing event to be involved in," Ms Stewart said.

"I love seeing all the kids. I think it helps in creating really resilient, compassionate kids. The event help makes talk on mental health part of the social norm - and that's beautiful."

Walking Off the War Within is at St Patrick's College, starting on the main oval after a 9am muster. The public is encouraged to join in, show support and help share the burden.

RELATED COVERAGE

Details: walkingoffww.com.

If you or someone you know is in need of crisis support, phone Lifeline 13 11 14.

Help is also available, but not limited, via the following organisations. The key message is you are not alone.

Beyond Blue 1300 224 636 or beyondblue.org.au

Suicide Callback Service: 1300 659 467

Mensline: 1300 789 978 or mensline.org.au

Survivors of Suicide: 0449 913 535

Relationships Australia: 1800 050 321

headspace Ballarat (for 12-25s and parent support): 5304 4777

Soldier On: 1300 620 380

Ballarat Community Health: 5338 4500

QLife: 1800 184 527 (Support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people)

Family violence: 1800 RESPECT

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