by David Baker | Sep 22, 2022 | Public Safety, Wellness
Fitness Foundations for First Responders: Approaching Strength Training and Conditioning By Dr. Jay Dawes First responders have some of the most physical demanding tasks in our society. While the specific tasks vary based on their occupation, many require maximal or...
by David Baker | Sep 14, 2022 | Public Safety, Wellness
First Responders and Gallows Humor: When Joking Becomes Harmful By Missy Morris I was working the graveyard shift in pre-dawn Suburbia. By dumb luck, I happened to notice the silver, four-door sedan double-parked in front of a house. I’d been to this address several...
by David Baker | Sep 7, 2022 | Public Safety, Wellness
Understanding Cardiovascular Risks to First Responders Cardiac disease. Heart attacks. Plaque build-up. These terms are probably familiar to you as cardiovascular health issues have almost certainly had a direct impact on you or someone you know. But these problems...
by David Baker | Aug 31, 2022 | Public Safety, Wellness
Prioritizing Self-Care as a Fire or EMS Leader By Scott M. Arthur Prioritizing self-care is a matter of focus, and popular leadership methodologies often downplay the importance of “looking out for number one.” The main difference between traditional...
by David Baker | Aug 24, 2022 | Public Safety, Wellness
Mental Wellness Check-ins: What They Are and How They Help By Marie Ridgeway, MSW, LICSW, RYT Imagine you have a car you depend on but don’t take care of. You fill it with gas and drive it every day, but never change the oil, rotate the tires, or add coolant or other...
by David Baker | Aug 17, 2022 | Public Safety, Wellness
Decompression and De-escalation of Emotional Scenes While tragedy can befall anyone, what are frequently considered once-in-a-lifetime events for most are routine occurrences for first responders. Repeated exposure forms “thick skin” but insufficiently protects...