Fire Rescue Wellness

Last chance to register for June's 7-Minute Science!

Fernando Montes has over 40 years experience in Human Performance and is recently retired from LA County as their exercise physiologist. Welcome to retirement my friend!

We chatted about a wide variety of topics including heat stress and heat injuries as well as rhabdomyolysis. You're going to love this episode. Please give us a rating and a review.

Check out Fernando's bio here!

So what, now what?!?

Fire service: we can do a better job taking care of our firefighters. Find resources to improve the health and wellness of your department. If you don't know where to turn, send me a message and we'll set up a consultation.

Connect with Fernando via email: [email protected]

*****
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Get registered for 7-Minute Science 6.24.24

VFP is a rockstar in the tactical space and I'm honored to call her a friend. Listen, she's my queen of safety when I need to share location with someone! She's back for a second episode and an update on what's been happening at Pflugerville Fire for the last 18 months. Listen to her previous episode here!

Vanessa Frost-Piedrahita is a strength & conditioning coach for the fire service. Her goal is for firefighters to do strong work, build strong minds, and live strong lives from academy to retirement. She is the Health & Fitness Coordinator for the Pflugerville Fire Department. Since 2016, she has overseen all aspects of firefighter health, wellness, and performance. Before working with the fire service, Vanessa worked as a strength & conditioning coach for Southern Illinois University. Vanessa has a Master of Science in Education in Kinesiology and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Southern Illinois University. She is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with distinction and a Registered Strength & Conditioning Coach (RSCC) from the National Strength & Conditioning Association. She also holds credentials from USA Weightlifting, The Ready State, Crossfit, and is a Master Resilience Trainer through the United States Air Force.

So what, now what??

Having a highly qualified and credentialed outside professional is always the best answer. But Vanessa shares some best practices for those departments that can't make that happen right now.

Email Vanessa: [email protected]

Follow VFP on Instagram

*****
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Get registered for 7-Minute Science 6.24.24!

I got to meet Dr. Christle at the NSCA Great Lakes Conference in April, and she's a powerhouse and a wealth of knowledge regarding injury, training, and nutrition.

Dr. Christle Guevarra holds a Master of Science in Chemistry from University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from Western University of Health Sciences. Passionate about education, she was awarded a Pre-Doctoral Teaching Fellowship at WesternU, where she taught osteopathic medical students.  

Christle completed her Family Medicine residency at Crozer Health in PA, where she was awarded “Resident of the Year.” She then completed her Sports Medicine fellowship at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Currently, she maintains a telemedicine private medical practice, serves as a traveling Team Physician for US Figure Skating, and is a project manager for RP Strength. 

As a firm advocate of Exercise Is Medicine, Christle believes in “practicing what you preach.” A former competitive powerlifter, she now enjoys lifting while also training for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

So what, now what?!?

An injury isn't the end of the world! There are so many ways to train around it!

Give her a follow on Instagram

Connect on LinkedIn

*****
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Get registered for 7 Minute Science 6.24.24 at 6 PM CENTRAL!

Today's guest is my friend Traci Tauferner, and wow, did we have the best conversation about Athletic Trainers and their value in public safety. Give it a listen and make sure to review and rate the podcast on your platform of choice.

Traci Tauferner is the go-to expert for those on the front lines. As the Director of Industrial & Tactical Medicine at Advanced Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, she's spent years specializing in the unique needs of law enforcement, paramedics/EMTs, firefighters, SWAT teams, and military personnel. Traci's approach is all about staying ahead of the game. She's developed tailored programs focused on wellness and injury prevention, utilizing job analysis, physical ability tests, and customized training regimens to keep first responders in top shape.

Not content to keep her knowledge to herself, Traci has taken her expertise far and wide. She's been a featured speaker at conventions and symposiums regionally, nationally, and internationally, sharing insights on tactical testing, rehabilitation, and wellness strategies that can make all the difference in high-stakes situations. As a veteran of the Wisconsin Army National Guard, Traci brings a unique perspective and depth of understanding to her practice, having firsthand experience in the challenges and demands faced by those in uniform.

So what, now what??

The value of a culturally competent and trauma-informed athletic trainer can not be overstated in the public safety realm.

Connect with Traci on LinkedIn

Check out the website

*****
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Register for 7 Minute Science 6.24.24 at 6 PM CENTRAL

When I interviewed my girl Vanessa F-P about her position at her department, I never imagined that 18 months later, I'd be interviewing her Chief. In today's episode, I had a fantastic conversation about all of the wonderful work happening at the Pflugerville Fire Department.

Chief Perkins was appointed the Fire Chief on October 1, 2021. He joined the District in 1998. During his 26-year career with the District, he has risen through the ranks, becoming a Chief Officer in 2011. He has worked as the Assistant Fire Chief, a Shift Commander, and as the Training & Safety Division Chief before being appointed as the Fire Chief.

 Chief Perkins graduated from the San Antonio College Fire Academy in 1997, and went on to work on an ambulance for a rural EMS system before joining the District. He earned an associate degree in fire protection technology from Austin Community College in 2001, a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences Degree from Texas State University in 2013, and a Master of Public Administration Degree from the University of Texas at Rio Grande in 2018. He is a designated Chief Fire Officer by the Center for Public Safety Excellence and is a Texas A&M Fire Service Chief Executive Officer.

 Chief Perkins has managed multiple high-profile incidents, including multi-alarm fires and widespread disaster response, throughout his career. He has a history of developing industry-leading community, training, health, and safety programs. He has established and taught fire protection technology programs in central Texas high schools and at the collegiate level.

Chief Perkins is a fourth-generation Mexican American who lives in Travis County with his wife and two sons.

So what, now what?!?

Take good care of your people and they will take good care of your citizens!

Check out the Travis County ESD 2/Pflugerville Fire Department website

Connect with Chief Perkins on LinkedIn

*****
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Register for 7 Minute Science 6.24.24 at 6 PM CENTRAL

All roads seem to lead to Pflugerville...hear why in today's podast!

I had the opportunity to sit down with Russ Burnham from Frontline Mobile Health. Check out this previous episode from Mike Conner, another Frontline good dude!

Russ and I talked a lot about firefighter health and wellness and how policy implementation can seem scary, but it actually protects the employees, the supervisors, and the department from risk.

Russ Burnham spent 20 years as an active-duty Soldier in both the enlisted and commissioned officer ranks. He is a graduate of the Interservice Physician Assistant Program and the founder of Front Line Mobile Health, PLLC. His military experience includes serving in the executive medicine program at Walter Reed Army Medical Center where he cared for General Officers, Federal Judges, Military Attachés, Ambassadors, and members of Congress. He served as a special staff officer in the 10th Mountain Division, 1st Cavalry Division, and the 3rd Security Forces Assistance Brigade. He deployed multiple times to Afghanistan. 

Burnham was the second Soldier in history to be recognized as the US Army Soldier of the Year in 2003. He is a Sergeant Audie Murphy Inductee, the 2007 U.S. Army Medical Command NCO of the Year; and was awarded the Ditch Medicine award in 2014 by the US Central Command Surgeon for outstanding battlefield medicine and leadership.

His interest in occupational medicine grew out of his time as Aeromedical Physician Assistant and recognized the strikingly similar parallels between the US Fire Service and US Army. He continues to research and understand the dynamics of how leadership, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and human performance intersect. 

Front Line Mobile Health is a Veteran-Owned company leveraging its military experience and human talent to develop relevant health and wellness programs for Public Safety organizations across the nation. Our core focus is preventing the three leading causes of death – cardiovascular disease, cancer, and suicide and generating actionable medical intelligence for our patients and senior leaders. 

Front Line’s mission is to drive existential change to policy, appropriations, and legislation at the organizational, local, state, and federal levels and is the platform of choice in public safety health, and wellness.

So what, now what???

Policy change can seem like a slippery slope, but it doesn't have to be! Health policies can save lives.

Email Russ: [email protected]

Check out Frontline

Connect on LinkedIn here or here!

*****
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Today's episode is all about how movement, sleep, nutrition, hydration, and many other factors can impact your risk for injury.

Say hello to my friend Lee Burton, President and co-owner of Functional Movement Systems, a consulting and education organization that takes a systematic approach to injury prevention and exercise programming.

Dr. Lee Burton has an extensive background in sports medicine and strength and conditioning. He currently consults with a wide variety of professional sports organizations and leading health and fitness facilities on injury prevention and performance enhancement. He lectures both nationally and internationally on various topics in these fields.

So what, now what???

Move well, then move often. Don't overcomplicate it!!

Email Lee: [email protected]

Find Lee on IG or here

Check out Functional Movement Systems

*****
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Register for 7-Minute Science on 4.29.24

The world is small, and I met Mike Conner because of Vanessa F-P and Jacob Mota, previous podcast guests. As Mike points out in the episode, "The tactical space is full of good dudes!" I'm blessed to know most of them!

Mike Conner is the Chief of Staff and Research for Front Line Mobile Health.  He is also an adjunct professor with the University of Lynchburg’s Doctor of Medical Science Program.  He leads an organization devoted to improving public safety and health through data collection and analysis. He is a retired Army officer and held numerous positions in the infantry, from platoon leader to company commander, before transitioning to medicine.  After becoming a Physician Assistant (PA) in the Army, he served as a clinical preceptor. He held positions from battalion PA for combat arms units to flight PA in Assault and MEDEVAC organizations.  He culminated his medical career as the Deputy Chief of Clinical Operations for 2nd Infantry Division in Korea and retired after over 20 years of service.  He has multiple combat deployments as an infantryman and as a PA in support of the War on Terror.  

After retirement, he was given the unique opportunity of entrepreneurship. He has helped scale Front Line into a national company with a vision of being a force for meaningful change in the public safety health and wellness space.  Mike’s work now focuses on spearheading meaningful change in the public safety sector through research, patient education, policy development and advisement, and consultation with fire and police leaders.  

Beyond work, Mike is a devoted family man- proud father of six children, husband to an extraordinary wife, leader, educator, and aspiring adventurer.  Mike enjoys working out, practicing jiu-jitsu, or indulging in science fiction and fantasy novels in his free time.

So what, now what?

Monitoring biomarkers and other health indicators is crucial to ensure you're living your best life and drawing your pension as long as you deserve it! Get yourself a check-up.

Email Mike: [email protected]

Frontline's Website

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Get registered for 7-Minute Science here!

The webinar is 4.29.24 at 6 pm CENTRAL. You'll receive a recording even if you can't attend live.

Today's episode is short and sweet since I don't have a guest and I was gone all weekend. I meet the best people, and this past weekend at NSCA Great Lakes, I met a firefighter from a small department in Northern Indiana. He asked, "How do I do a needs assessment in my own department?"

Great question! We usually talk about an outside entity conducting a needs assessment and providing a solution, not an internal entity conducting the assessment.

Even so, it's pretty simple...

So what, now what??

Please focus on what we know is stealing our lives or quality of life!

*****
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Anna August works primarily with Fairfax Police, but that's all changing! She can now also work with the firefighters in Fairfax County. Go see Anna for all your rehab needs! Just ring the doorbell on the Criminal Justice Academy (if that doesn't sound like some Batman s***, I don't know what does!).

Anna August is an Athletic Trainer and Director of Injury Care and Prevention for the Fairfax County Police Department. She works with officers and subject matter experts in nutrition, mental health, and strength and conditioning to promote and preserve officer wellness. Anna is also the sole clinician at the FCPD Injury Care Clinic, providing acute and emergency care, physical rehabilitation, and pain management to recruits and officers. A Cal State Fullerton ATEP graduate with a post-professional Master’s in Sports Health Care from ATSU, Anna has 23 years of experience providing health care in various settings, including tactical, collegiate, professional, and performing arts. Anna is a licensed Athletic Trainer, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator. She holds additional certifications in Mental Health First Aid, Peer Support, Trauma-Informed Weightlifting, Selective Functional Movement Assessment, Graston (Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization), Blood Flow Restriction Training, and is a Modern Cupping Therapy Practitioner. She lives in Virginia, where she enjoys exercising, going outdoors, trying new things, and knitting.

So what, now what??

Athletic Trainers are healthcare 'gap fillers'.  They may be one of the best assets for your FD!

Email Anna:  [email protected]

Connect with Anna on LinkedIn

Check out the books Anna mentioned

Here's Anna Hartman's Episode

*****
Register for 7-Minute Science here

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