05/26/2026
Episode 110 is live!
I sat down with Chris Johnson -- driver operator at Rock Creek Fire District in Kimberly, Idaho, second-generation firefighter, and co-founder of 2 In 2 Out Wellness -- and he did not hold anything back.
On March 20th, 2024, Chris was picked up from shift by his deputy chief in the middle of a mental health crisis. Four words broke the wall he had built around himself: "We're worried about you." By 6:30 that evening he was four hours away, beginning a 40-day residential recovery program at Deer Hollow in Draper, Utah -- a program built specifically for first responders and veterans living with PTSD and suicidal ideation.
What he built when he came home is remarkable.
Chris and his crew created a wellness recovery room inside their firehouse -- sauna, cold plunge, red light therapy, and massage chair -- entirely through community sponsorships and donations. Zero dollars from the department budget. Twenty-eight days from demo to ribbon cutting. And it is now open to both firefighters and their spouses.
We also talk about:
What the 40-day Deer Hollow program actually looks like from the inside
How sauna and cold plunge are being used for both mental wellness and post-fire decontamination
The science behind red light therapy for PTSD symptoms and nervous system recovery
2 In 2 Out Wellness and why Chris built a nonprofit that supports the firefighter AND the spouse
Connection boxes -- a free resource for first responder couples ready to go deeper together
Chris closes the episode with a line that I keep thinking about: "This life is worth living. And there's a ton of things we can do to support each other."
If you know a firefighter who needs to hear this conversation, please share this post. The episode is live now on all platforms and at beneaththehelmet.ca.
Arjuna George Two In Two Out