Rob Thibert is an 18-year member of the Fire Service. Rob is the Deputy Fire Chief with the Minden Hills Fire Department in Ontario, Canada. Rob's leadership style is to lead from the front, aggressively progressing the department's tactics and succession all while keeping the safety of his crew in mind and always striving to leave the job better than he found it. Rob is a legacy firefighter following in his Father’s footsteps. During his down time, he loves spending time with my three sons and two dogs, being outdoors. He has instructed at Lambton College Fire School in the Pre-Service and Fire Science programs. He is the Treasurer and one of the co-founders of True North FOOLS. Rob is a student of the Fire Service and is passionate about sharing his love for the trade by passing on what has worked and what has been passed on to him. Rob founded the Smoke is Showing Conference, which builds a strong Fire Department culture through training, brotherhood, and traditions.

@mfd_deputychief

@truenorthfools

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Joey is 34 years old and a happily married father of two young boys.

After 10 years in the fire service, I was diagnosed with PTSD. My symptoms included panic attacks, disassociation, suicidal ideations, sleep issues, anxiety and depression. As I began my treatment, I found it lacking as the conventional treatment was aimed at giving pharmaceuticals to help my symptoms while failing to address the nervous system and the body. This approach placed me in a victim mindset and has been ineffective for me. After trying the conventional approach, I started to experiment with things outside the mainstream. Ice baths, saunas, breath work, meditation, journaling, TRE, float tanks, EMDR, neurofeedback, plant medicines and many other non-conventional approaches ended up being what gave me relief and allowed me to pull myself out of despair. Fast forward 3 years from my initial treatment and I am now working to give people skills before pills.

Through Conscious Movements, participates are introduced to the language of body and taught how to use their breath and movement to regulate themselves. Conscious Movements works on a physical, mental, emotional, and energetic level and encourages the practitioner to tune into the body and allow the mind to settle back. Through conscious attention, breath and movement we are able to connect to deeper parts of ourselves and encourage healing in a way conventional medicine doesn’t offer. Learning the skill of self-regulation allows you to be the best version of yourself, whether that’s a friend, parent, partner, boss, employee, athlete, or student.

@conscious_movements

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To celebrate, the team comes together to talk all things MCP.

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Administration: @haileyfirefit

Partnered with: @firefighternationhq

Gareth Lockhart is a career Firefighter and Acting Officer with over 14 years of experience in a medium-sized suburban department outside Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Gareth is best known for being a leader in driving successful lobbying of staffing, health & safety issues through political action as a union executive board member. He presents on cognitive priming and deliberate practice to instill foundational skills in firefighters. His passions lie in Operations and Training, ensuring all firefighters can access modern, aggressive strategies and tactics through inclusive, data-driven methodologies, supported by those who actively participate and demonstrate the skills they teach. The battle against complacency starts with a “we” not “me” ethos.

@lockhart63

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Stephanie White is a 21-year veteran of the fire service. She started her journey as a volunteer and has been a career firefighter/paramedic in Virginia for the past 19 years.

Over her career she’s been actively involved in firefighter health and wellness while being assigned to some pretty great companies. She is currently enjoying the challenge that is spelling and writing while living the shift-work life.

Stephanie is the managing editor of Firefighter Nation.

@thatpaperworkff

@thefiveaftermidnightpodcast

@firefighternationhq

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Kyle Beaumont is a senior firefighter with 20 years of fire service experience. Kyle currently serves with the Oak Bay Fire Department in Victoria, BC, Canada as an acting Lieutenant and acting assistant Chief. With a strong passion for the fire service and a formal education in Organizational Leadership from Royal Roads University, Kyle recognizes the integral connection between effective training and department culture. Kyle is an instructor for Prepare 4 Rescue Ltd., a department IAFF Fireground Survival Instructor, and actively contributes to the development of training programs within his department. Drawing from personal experience and observation, he firmly believes that tackling challenging physical tasks is essential for fostering both individual and team resilience.

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Manny Barajas has been with San Antonio Fire for the last 8 years. He’s a Marine Combat Veteran and proud San Antonio Southsider. After 7 years on the front lines, he was promoted and is now in the EMS division.

@manny_b210

@andyfredericksghost

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Dave “Chops Phillips” is a retired EMS (Ornge) Helicopter Pilot, whose life took an unexpected turn in 2015 when he confronted the challenging reality of PTSD, a battle that many first responders face. He is currently an advocate for mental health awareness, with his company Code33 Apparel. Code33 Apparel is not just about fashion, but about making a difference. Every purchase supports PTSD and mental health awareness initiatives.

www.code33apparel.com

@thecode33apparel

@theschops

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Narration of the article published online at Firefighter Nation

https://www.firefighternation.com/health-wellness/firefighter-mental-health/the-connected-warrior-tough-plus-love/

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Kevin Pfluger is a 18 year veteran of the fire service and is currently a Lieutenant at the Live Oak (TX) fire department. He is the President of the Live Oak Professional Firefighters Association Local 4098.  Through the local, Kevin is the lead organizer of the Dagum Texas Fire Conference. He teaches as the lead instructor for THE DAGUM PUSH engine ops cadre, helps teach firefighter rescue and survival skills on the “No Quit RIT” Cadre, teaches with the Bearers of the Oath Cadre out of Georgia and teaches with the Ambassadors of The Craft Cadre on the West Coast.  Kevin works for Mercedes Textiles Hose as a Consultant and is on the UL 19 Technical Committee for 0219-Fire Hose. 

@kevin_pfluger_

Sponsorship: @southwest_fire_academy 

Editing: @bradshea

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Administration: @haileyfirefi