Adam James has been a lifelong resident of Kansas City, Missouri, Adam attended St.Paul’s Episcopal Day School and Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts. Adam attended Park University with an emphasis on public relations and broadcasting but reprioritized his career path after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.Adam began the Kansas City Fire Academy in July of 2003, following his father’s footsteps to become a Kansas City Fire Fighter. While training at the academy, Adam suffered a serious injury, resulting in a shortened career after spinal fusion surgery in 2016. During his time with the Kansas City Fire Department, he served as a Business Agent for IAFF Local 42,coordinating communications with local and national media outlets for the union’s leadership. After entering into early retirement, Adam found himself lost and disconnected from the firefighter brotherhood. This period of reflection and discernment allowed for Adam to reconnect with his faith and realize God’s calling for him to live out servanthood as a deacon in the Episcopal Church. In 2020, Adam entered Bishop Kemper School for Ministry in Topeka, Kansas, as a postulant for Holy Orders to the Diaconate. During the summer of 2021, while completing numerous requirements for ordination, Adam was admitted to Saint Luke’s Health System’s Clinical Pastoral Education program as a chaplain intern. Spending 100 clinical hours achieving Level I CPE certification, Adam found himself called back to his firefighter experience many times in several intense occurrences with people in crisis. Among the many patients in need, Adam provided care to several front-line workers in a clinical ministerial setting. As Adam completes his final year of seminary, he has experienced God’s calling to engage his future diaconal ministry by developing awareness and ministry programs for first responder spiritual wellness, specifically firefighters, both active and retired.

The Rev. Adam James, Deacon

Hybrid Ministry Coordinator

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816-352-2742

National Suicide Prevention Hotline 988

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Taylor Wilkinson has worked in EMS for close to 11 years for various agencies. She recently made a social media post that went viral about why she was quitting EMS. 

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Josh Krasovec is a retired police officer. After 15 years with KCPD came to a close after receiving a ptsd diagnosis, Josh went on to be a founding member of a non-profit providing behavioral health services to veterans, first responders, and frontline medical personnel. He is a Kansas City native and alumni of Pittsburg State University.   

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A nearly 20-year veteran of the fire service, Zapp holds the rank of Lieutenant and owns Fire Rescue Wellness, a coaching business dedicated to elevating the mental and physical wellness of firefighters worldwide.  She earned a master’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of South Dakota School of Medicine and is a National Strength and Conditioning Association CSCS *D and TSAC-F *D. She’s also certified by the International Society of Sports Nutrition and the Society for Neurosports.  In 2020, she served on an Illinois Senate task force focused on mitigating first responder suicide.  Zapp is a former adjunct faculty member at the University of Denver in the graduate program for Sport Coaching, a recognized industry leader in the firefighter health and wellness field, a proud co-author of the recently published ISSN Position Stand on Tactical Athlete Fueling, a proud member of the newly formed Associated Firefighters of Illinois Resiliency Committee and the host of the FRW podcast.  Annette Zapp, MA   NSCA-CSCS *D NSCA-TSAC Facilitator *D FRC(ms) Certified ISSN Certified Society for Neurosports Precision Nutrition Level 1 Coach W — www.firerescuewellness.org E —  [email protected]  

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In 1998, while stationed in Kitimat, British Columbia with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Laurie was shot in the right leg by an alleged sex offender wielding a sawed-off .303 rifle.  Damage was so severe that her leg had to be amputated 5 inches below her knee.  After only ten months of rehabilitation, Laurie passed the physical test standard for the RCMP and made an unprecedented return to full, unrestricted general policing duties with a prosthetic leg. When Laurie retired from the RCMP in 2020, she achieved a 22+ year goal of publishing her memoir (“10-33, An Officer Down Steps Back Up”).  In addition to being a best-selling author, Laurie has been a sought-after speaker since 1999.  She candidly shares her experiences as a first responder navigating mental health issues and life with a permanent physical disability.  While Laurie’s journey began as one of trauma, loss, and grief, it evolved into one of hope, resilience, and post-traumatic growth.   

https://www.amazon.ca/10-33-Officer-Down-Steps-Back/dp/103911573X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1EOSZBY0Y2B8X&keywords=10-33+an+officer+down+steps+back+up&qid=1666236350&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjA1IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wOCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMTUifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=%2Caps%2C114&sr=8-1  

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In this episode of the podcast Jeremy sits down with Nick Binder and Scott Bond to talk about their perspective of mental health and the fire service. Nick is a paramedic with about 5 years experience and Scott was  3.5 year active duty army infantry, 5 years army reserve firefighter, 2 years with current department, 5 years emergency medical experience.   

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Jason Spreitzer is a full-time professional Firefighter with over 19 years in a large fire department in Missouri. He graduated from Park University with a Bachelor's in Criminal Justice. He is pursuing his Graduate Degree in Leadership at the University of Arkansas. He served as a police officer in Glendale, Arizona, for four years.  Jason also is a consulting partner in an employee and independent benefit firm for over 18 years. Jason is a survivor of job-related cancer. He worked in media relations and helped form the Public Outreach Office. From his 23 years of public safety experience, he says, "I have learned a lot to include the most important thing in our lives is our families at home and work."  

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Joey, Leon, Ian, Rob and Jeremy sit down while on a Swel Mission in California to talk about their experiences with the program. 

www.theswel.org 

@theswelmission  

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Dr. Tania Glenn is the president of Tania Glenn and Associates, a clinical practice in Central TX that is focused on promoting resilience and providing critical care to first responders and veterans. As a leading national clinician in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Dr. Glenn specializes in creating effective programs designed to mitigate traumatic stress and to assist patients with their return to normalcy as quickly as possible.  As a licensed clinician with thirty years of experience, Dr. Glenn deployed to the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, New York City in 2001, New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Dallas in 2016 for the aftermath of the attack on the Dallas Police Department, and to Uvalde for the school shooter in 2022. Recognized nationally, Dr. Glenn’s clients include a host of Texas and Arizona Police, Fire and EMS Departments, Federal Law Enforcement agencies, commercial aviation, and air medical programs. She is the Clinical Director for several peer support teams with her unique perspective on special operations competencies.  Dr. Glenn is a noted author with numerous books dealing with mental health, PTSD, first responders, military, and family. Additionally, she has been involved in several documentaries dealing directly with mental health trauma. 

www.taniaglenn.com 

www.smashingthestigma.com   

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Travis Gribble is a retired law enforcement officer from the Mesa, AZ PD. He has been a guest speaker at several law enforcement conference's with presentations regarding PTSD in law enforcement and also posting video's to his instagram to raise awareness about PTSD in first responders. 

@My_.Arena Instagram 

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