Skip to main content
        Substack   Spreaker

Tag: firefighter

District Fire Chief Jason Cothell, From the Very Bottom to the Top

Today we have Fire District Chief Jason Corthell. Another amazing guy from Texas. Jason is another guy who feel into that dark hole and found a way out. Then he built an incredible peer support team that he shares all over the country. This guy is a 4th generation firefighter and started his firefighting career as a volunteer with Cypress Creek Fire Department in 2004. Jason served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2006-2010. Chief Corthell serves as the wellness/fitness initiative director for his department as well as many works within the department’s public relation roles. Jason has a great passion and drive for progressing mental wellness in the fire service through both personal and professional battles and experiences. He has implemented and influenced many others in the pursuit of providing first responders the help that they need. This is a good listen for any department/organization looking to build or improve their peer support team. Chief Corthell also works part-time instructor at Lonestar College Fire Academy. The Corthell Family resides in Hockley, Texas where he is happily married with three children and enjoys woodworking, sports, traveling to breweries, and grilling.
email: jason.corthell@hcesd13.org

The First Responder Project: Dr. Tracy S. Hejmanowski

Podcast 52: Positive Connections Radio
The First Responder Project: Dr. Tracy S. Hejmanowski

Dr. Tracy S. Hejmanowski is a licensed clinical psychologist, with 20 years of clinical expertise working with service members, first responders, veterans, and their families. Her work began at a VA Medical Center, followed by neuropsychological and emotional assessment of repatriated prisoners of war. She was stationed overseas and stateside as an active duty U.S. Navy psychologist, followed by work as a DoD contractor for 11 years as the Program Manager of Naval Hospital Jacksonville’s Deployment Health Center. In addition to providing individual, group, marital, and family therapy, she introduced innovative interventions, to include scuba-based physiologic retraining and equine-assisted therapy.
Dr. Hejmanowski is a nationally and locally requested speaker on trauma-related subjects for military and civilian first responder communities. She has been a regular presenter for Special Warfare and Operations reintegration programs. She has authored articles on operational stress and was recognized for behavioral health initiatives related to occupational trauma. She was nationally recognized by the Center for Operational Stress Control with the Peabody Caregiver of the Year Award – the first time awarded to a civilian provider.
For the past 7 years, Dr. Hejmanowski has provided program development and lead clinical facilitation for non-profit organizations that provide therapeutic retreats for veterans and first responder communities, including her own non-profit, First Responder Project. [A native of upstate New York, Dr. Hejmanowski lives with her husband, a U.S. Navy Iraq War veteran and ER physician, and their four children in Jacksonville, Florida.]
www.MentalHealthNewsRadio.com
www.positiveconnectionsradio.com
www.firstresponderproject.org

FF ret Joshua Concepcion – PTSI and Department Betrayal

Josh’s 13 year firefighting career was cut short by PTSD and department betrayal. His attitude and resilience is nothing short of inspiring. No matter how tough everything became he just kept putting one foot in front of the other. If you listen to this episode you will find yourself rooting for him. And if you can root for Josh, you should be rooting for yourself! Department leadership can learn from this episode too, because this department blew it. They lost a valuable member and treated a human being like a piece of equipment.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-concepcion-828389144/

Former 10851 Bus Driver: Sgt. Jeni Gruner

Jeni was employed as a police officer at Patrick Henry High School on Saint Patrick’s Day 2012. On this day she finally realized she needed to address her alcoholism when she commandeered a bus in an attempt to driver herself home. She was subsequently hot stopped and arrested.
Sgt. Jeni Gruner shares her story of alcoholism, blackout drinking and the stigma about asking for help as a First Responder. She talks about how she overcame her addiction through continued recovery and how she made it through the worst struggles in the aftermath of the devastating consequences of alcohol abuse.
Jeni Gruner has been a police officer for the last 22 years. She is a Sergeant with the San Diego Unified School District Police Department and is currently in charge of the Peer Support and Wellness Program. She began her career at the San Diego County Marshal’s Office and then as a Deputy with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. She speaks at the San Diego Regional Academy to new recruits and also at the POST Management School in the area of substance abuse and officer wellness.

Jeni has two wonderful teenagers who keep her very busy with various sports and activities . Jeni has been in recovery and sober for almost 9 years living life in gratitude one day at a time. Jeni enjoys working within the community of law enforcement as a peer supporter and advocate of wellness for police officers.
www.MentalHealthNewsRadio.com
www.positiveconnectionsradio.com
https://www.firstresponder-wellness.com

Police Chief Gary McHone – Strength, Vulnerability and a Servant’s Heart

I love Texas!! Police Chief Gary R. McHone, from Texas, shares how to truly be strong on both sides of the job, as a subordinate and management. He believes the people are the most important resource of an organization, so it will pay great dividends to take care of them both physically and mentally. He talks about how to truly change the culture of a department so talking and investing in mental health happens on a department wide basis. This guy most definitely walks the walk and talks the talk. Leadership of all departments and organizations take notice, the power of vulnerability is real.

http://linkedin.com/in/garymc0919
Facebook.com/gary.mchone.1675

Dr. Lorie Hood, First Responder Focused Traumatologist

This is an episode of discovery and hope. Dr. Lorie Hood joins The Firefighter Deconstructed and shares her incredible breadth of knowledge of trauma. Dr. Lorie Hood is a leading expert in trauma, PTSD, Neuroscience, and human potential. She has focused her research and clinical work on first responders, victims of mass trauma and high performers. She is the host of the podcast, “The Traumatic States of America” that is incredible. She is board certified in Forensic Traumatology, Domestic Violence, and Emergency Crisis Response (Diplomate Credential). She is trained and well versed in mind body medicine and dance therapy and uses a somatic approach to her work. Lorie has connected her research on intelligence with her research on stress, resilience, trauma and post traumatic growth and has created trainings, programs and curricula that inform human potential and performance on both individual and system levels. Dr. Hood is crazy smart and super caring.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-traumatic-states-of-america/id1508193692
www.loriehoodphd.com
www.thehoodgroupllc.com
www.linkedin.com/in/loriehoodphd
www.respondersfirstllc.com
https://www.facebook.com/LorieHoodPhD

Police Chief Daniel Smith, Be True to Yourself and Others

This week Police Chief Daniel Smith shares his story with the firefighter deconstructed. He talks about his childhood and coming to the point in his life that he could go either way, positive or negative. He chose positive and accomplished some amazing things. He also talks about the importance of taking care of yourself on the job and not talking about what bothers you is a road straight to self-destruction. By the way, he is only under thirty but has the wisdom of a 70 year old.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-smith-4b80217a/
danielsmith9980@gmail.com

Battalion Chief Jacob Johnson – True Leadership and the Power of Vulnerability and Peer Support

Battalion Chief Jacob Johnson shows true leadership by talking about the tough stuff, showing vulnerability as a leader. Chief Johnson discusses how important it is for agency leadership to start and continue on the conversation that we are all just human beings, and that vulnerability is the key to true connection and brother/sisterhood. He also talks about building a successful Peer Support Program. Chief Johnson is a Battalion Chief for the Pearland Fire Department in Texas. He has been in the business since he was 15.

Captain Brenda Berkman FDNY (ret) talks trauma, healing and connection

Retired Captain Brenda Berkman of the FDNY sat down with The Firefighter Deconstructed and discussed healing from the job and 9/11 and the added trauma of working in a hostile working environment. Brenda is known as the leader of the first women firefighters for FDNY. In 1982 she was hired with 40 other women but was the sole named plaintiff in the lawsuit against the city of New York and FDNY to give women an equal opportunity to become a firefighter. She became a lightening rod for all the anger and hostility towards women becoming firefighters. Despite taking the brunt of the backlash, she continued to champion for women in the fire service and women in general, as she still does today. Captain Berkman spent 25 years on the job. It was an absolute honor to have her on the show.

www.brendaberkmanartworks.com
monumentalwomen.org
www.pbs.org/independentlens/takingtheheat
“Taking the Heat” on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6l56ShNMAE

Firefighter and Combat Medic Ryan Mains, Runs For His Life

The Firefighter Deconstructed sits down with 14 year firefighter/paramedic and combat veteran Ryan Mains. Why Ryan Mains? Because he ran 130 kilometers for every firefighter who killed themselves in 2019. That’s 80.77 miles for all of us non metric people. Ryan dealt with his own demons and is still working his recovery. We talk about Ketamine treatments, financial problems that face so many first responders with PTSI, and the difficulty of accepting help. Ryan also talks about the IAFF (International Association of FireFighters) Center of Excellence, the treatment and recovery center for IAFF members.

email: runforourlives@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/RunForOurLives/
www.ilffps.org
www.iaffrecoverycenter.com
www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-firefighter-ptsd-ryan-mains-20200103-vaioiikvg5hbth6pvqs6sc3bzi-story.html

IMPORTANT NOTICE

By continuing to browse our website, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , and you are acknowledging that you have read them and agree by clicking accept.

Yes, I accept!