Kevin Housley, a firefighter in Fort Collins, Colorado, shares his journey and experiences in the fire service industry. He talks about growing up in a family with a military background and the values instilled in him by his parents. Kevin discusses how he transitioned from a career in business to becoming a firefighter and the fulfillment he found in serving the community.

He also highlights the day-to-day life of a firefighter, debunking misconceptions and emphasizing the importance of mindset and resilience. Kevin reflects on the meaningfulness of serving the community he grew up in and the impact he has been able to make.

Kevin shares his journey of going back to school and starting a podcast to address the lack of mental skill training in the fire service. He emphasizes the importance of mental performance and resilience in emergency services and the need for formal education in this area. Kevin discusses the positive response he has received from the industry and the changes he has seen in the conversation around mental health and performance. He also highlights the need for embedded psychologists in organizations and the importance of taking care of leaders as well. Kevin encourages listeners to start taking action and chasing what excites them.

Takeaways

The values instilled in Kevin by his parents and his upbringing played a significant role in shaping him into the person he is today.

Kevin's transition from a career in business to becoming a firefighter was driven by a desire for a more fulfilling and meaningful profession.

The day-to-day life of a firefighter involves a combination of training, emergency response, and community engagement.

Having the right mindset and resilience is crucial for firefighters to navigate the challenges and demands of their profession.

Kevin finds great fulfillment in serving the community he grew up in and making a positive impact on people's lives. The fire service lacks formal education and training in mental performance and resilience.

There is a growing conversation around mental health and performance in the industry.

Embedded psychologists can help build high-performing cultures and support individuals throughout their careers.

Taking care of leaders and providing resources for personal and professional development is crucial.

Starting small and being persistent is key to creating positive change.

Chasing what excites you and learning and growing along the way is essential.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:15 Upbringing and Influences

08:06 Career Transition: From Business to Firefighting

14:26 Debunking Misconceptions: The Day-to-Day Life of a Firefighter

19:20 Mindset and Resilience in the Fire Service

25:33 Serving the Community: The Fulfillment of a Firefighter

30:00 Addressing the Gap in Mental Skill Training

43:01 The Growing Conversation around Mental Health

46:06 Integrating Human Performance Psychology

50:35 Starting Small and Chasing What Excites You

Connect with Kevin here: https://firefightercraftsmanship.ck.page/emaillist