Responder Wellness Inc.

06/05/2026

I had the privilege of speaking at the 2026 First Responder Center for Excellence Mental Wellness Symposium at the University of Iowa this week — and walked away inspired, recharged, and more convinced than ever that this work matters.

I got to talk about our book, Helping the Helpers, the culture of silence that runs deep in emergency services, and the gap that still exists between the responders who desperately need help and the clinicians who want to help but aren't yet culturally fluent in the world first responders live in every day. It's a gap we can close, and rooms like this one are how we do it.

The presentations were world class, the vendors were outstanding, and the conversations among attendees were exactly the kind of honest, mission-driven dialogue this community needs more of.

Frank Leeb, Managing Director of FRCE, said it best in an EMS1 article: "I'm tired of losing my friends. We can do better, and that's why we're here."

That's it. That's the whole mission right there.

A huge thank you to Frank Leeb, Dena Ali, Lori Jacobs, Victor Stagnaro, and the FRCE team for bringing together such an incredible gathering of leaders, clinicians, and advocates. You are making a real difference.

06/04/2026

Some connections take time to grow — and that makes them even better.

It was incredible to catch up with MaKenzie Tiegs in person at the First Responder Center for Excellence Mental Wellness Symposium in Iowa! We first connected in 2023 when she came on the show to talk about being RAW — Real, Authentic, and Willing to share. Three years later, same mission, deeper connection — and seeing the groundbreaking work she's continued building in responder wellness since then is nothing short of inspiring.

Stay tuned for her upcoming episode in the coming months on Responder Resilience — you won't want to miss it. And to MaKenzie — thank you for showing up and doing the work. Being RAW is a superpower.

🎙️ Link to the original 2023 episode: https://www.respondertv.com/guests/makenzie-tiegs/
podcast

06/03/2026

You've shocked strangers back to life and kept it moving.

Your own burnout's been in V-fib for years. Nobody's called it. Nobody's charging the pads.

This retreat is the defib.

🚑 FREE 2-Day Retreat for EMTs & Paramedics June 23–24 | St. Johns, FL

Facilitated by Dr. Tracy Hejmanowski — former Navy operational Psych. And she's bringing active and retired EMS people who've done the job. We know the weight and will help you carry less of it.

No cost. No incident reports. Just show up.

👉 Reserve your spot: https://book.firstresponderproject.org/retreat-booking-page
☎️ 904-560-5450 / 1-866-940-4911

06/02/2026

The job doesn't clock out when you do.

The stress follows you home. It sits at the dinner table. It keeps you up at 3 am. It shows up in your relationships before you even know it's there.

Most workouts don't touch that.

Boxing does.

This week on Responder Resilience, we sit down with Khalil Zahar — CEO of FightCamp — and some first responders who found something in a boxing training system that a gym membership never gave them.

Drop a 🥊 if you're ready for this one.

🔵 New episode drops Wed 6/3 at 7 pm ET: https://www.youtube.com/c/ResponderResilience
🔴 Also on LinkedIn | Facebook | Apple | Spotify

05/30/2026

[The rise of moral distress: How ‘make it work’ is slowly breaking the fire service] Fire service leaders don’t lose sleep because the job is dangerous; we lose sleep when we know what the right move is but can’t make it. That is moral distress, and it can be heavy.

Every deferred engine, denied staffing request and compromised rescue plan leaves behind moral residue chiefs can’t shake

05/29/2026

Your protocols cover everything except what's actually breaking you.

Compassion fatigue. Burnout. The weight nobody talks about.

We cover that. For free. Don't make us put you on the stretcher to get you there.

🚑 FREE 2-Day Retreat for EMTs & Paramedics June 23–24 | St. Johns, FL

Facilitated by Dr. Tracy Hejmanowski — former Navy operational Psych. And she's bringing active and retired EMS people who've done the job. We know the weight and will help you carry less of it.

No cost. No incident reports. Just show up.

👉 Reserve your spot: https://book.firstresponderproject.org/retreat-booking-page
☎️ 904-560-5450 / 1-866-940-4911

05/29/2026

[The job was changing me and I didn’t see it] A retired deputy sheriff explains how chronic occupational load reshapes officers — and why leaders must recognize the warning signs before the damage becomes permanent.

A retired deputy sheriff explains how chronic occupational load reshapes officers — and why leaders must recognize the warning signs before the damage becomes permanent

05/29/2026

💉 Medic math: $0 + 0 excuses + 2 free days = you showing up for yourself for once.

SIDE EFFECTS may include actual sleep and the unsettling feeling of not being needed for 48 hours.

🚑 FREE 2-Day Retreat for EMTs & Paramedics June 23–24 | St. Johns, FL

Facilitated by Dr. Tracy Hejmanowski — former Navy operational Psych. And she's bringing active and retired EMS people who've done the job. We know the weight and will help you carry less of it.

No cost. No incident reports. Just show up.

👉 Reserve your spot: https://book.firstresponderproject.org/retreat-booking-page
☎️ 904-560-5450 / 1-866-940-4911

05/28/2026

0600. Coffee's hot. Rig smells like sanitizing wipes. Somewhere between the last call and this one — you forgot what sitting still felt like.

Here's what two days just for you looks like:

Free food that didn't come from a gas station. Free camaraderie with people who already get the joke. Free air that doesn't smell like diesel and regret.

You've earned worse things for free. Take this one.

🚑 FREE 2-Day Retreat for EMTs & Paramedics June 23–24 | St. Johns, FL

Facilitated by Dr. Tracy Hejmanowski — former Navy operational Psych. And she's bringing active and retired EMS people who've done the job. We know the weight and will help you carry less of it.

No cost. No incident reports. Just show up.

👉 Reserve your spot: https://book.firstresponderproject.org/retreat-booking-page
☎️ 904-560-5450 / 1-866-940-4911

05/28/2026

[Mental Health Challenges Among First Responders and Their Families] The literature is clear. Our families are absorbing the impact of this job right alongside of us.

First responders face high rates of PTSD, depression, and anxiety due to repeated exposure to trauma, affecting their families and relationships, yet stigma prevents them from seeking help.