If we truly care about our members surviving the incident and “going Home”, it’s about time that we addressed the issue of responder wellness.
Not fitness, wellness. It doesn’t matter if you’re an accomplished athlete or morbidly obese (like I was) or anywhere in between those extremes, you can improve your internal wellness and give your body a chance to become healthy. Please know, be absolutely sure, that it all begins exactly at this point. When your body is healthy you can pursue fitness. When your body is healthy your stamina and energy are through the roof. When your body is healthy it’s less likely that you succumb to a stroke, cancer or heart attack (lack of wellness is the leading cause of line of duty deaths).

I have a great story to tell about how (in 2008) I changed my life by improving my wellness in the most amazing way. As a 45 year member of the fire service I care greatly about you and your future. If you want to improve your health, please contact me. Together we can begin to make a difference, one emergency responder at a time. This can be the beginning of a health revolution. Oh, and don’t forget how we can help our families, as well.

Have no doubt, we must find a way to assist our responders to become healthy. Physical internal health, weight loss, and nutritional abundance are essential to withstand the dangers of our work. We must begin with this. Physical fitness activities logically follow and will serve to build strength and endurance. Rarely does fitness training result in significant weight loss or improved internal health. It is absolutely essential that we teach our members how to become internally well which is the real beginning to significantly addressing the responder wellness problem.