Fire Rescue Wellness

Annette Zapp

Welcome to the Fire Rescue Wellness Podcast! My name is Annette Zapp (or AZ), and I'm a Retired Career Firefighter on a mission to ensure that every firefighter feels physically, mentally, and emotionally supported in their work. Join my guests and me as we have the critical conversations that help firefighters stay healthy and well.

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Top 10 Fire Rescue Wellness Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Fire Rescue Wellness episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Fire Rescue Wellness for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Fire Rescue Wellness episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Episode 176: Wherein Chaos Enters AZ's House with Megs and VFP

Fire Rescue Wellness

05/13/25 • 50 min

Last week I requested listener questions and as usual, one of you delivered! (Thanks Paul P!)

Previous guests Megan Lautz (The Rescue RD) and Vanessa Frost-Piedrahita (FirefighterStrengthCoach) answered questions and basically created chaos around the kitchen table.

They also ate all my Ratio yogurt (which is honestly fair because it's the BEST and has 25g protein).

So what, now what?!?

Getchu some friends who come from across the country to support you when you have a crAZy idea like hosting a conference.

Megan's Website

Vanessa's Shift work Blog

Vanessa's Testosterone Resource

*****
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Episode 170: The Power of a 30-year-old Photo with Major Chris Fields (ret)

Fire Rescue Wellness

04/22/25 • 64 min

This episode originally aired in the spring of 2023, long before I knew I’d one day call Oklahoma home.

This past Saturday, I attended the 30th anniversary ceremony of the Oklahoma City Bombing. A recurring theme throughout the event was the “Oklahoma Standard”—a powerful way of showing up for others that I’ve now witnessed firsthand.

After the ceremony, I spoke with my mentor, Jorge Carvajal, about his experience. I learned for the first time that he responded to the bombing as part of a FEMA team, spending 16 days at the site searching for victims. We had never talked about it before.

So what, now what?!?

Chris Fields has a powerful story, and you need to hear it.

Chris Fields is a former member of the Oklahoma City Fire Department, Chris joined the fire department on July 12, 1985, was promoted through the ranks, and retired as a Major on March 1, 2017, serving the citizens of Oklahoma City for 31 yrs and 7 months. Chris was captured in a photo that became an iconic symbol of the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995 when he was cradling the body of 1-year-old Baylee Almon. Chris is now dedicating his life to traveling and speaking to other first responders, discussing the brutal realities of a life spent responding to citizens in their darkest hours. Chris tells the story of his life, his 31 years of public service, and how that day in 1995 all combined to take a toll on his life and his family, he suffered in silence for many years. Now he shares how with God, Faith, and Family, he took control and his journey out of the suffering in hopes of helping others avoid the failure, the pitfalls, and to reach out.

Chris also serves as a Fire Liaison on the Advisory Board for Survive First, a 501 C3 organization whose mission is to assist 1st Responders, military and their families who need mental health support from the impact of PTSD, and substance abuse. He is also Co-founder and co-host of a webinar, Trauma Behind the Badge. Chris also serves as a member of the Oklahoma First Responder Wellness Division, giving back to the First Responders who serve and protect the citizens of Oklahoma.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

Trauma Behind the Badge

Vicarious Trauma Toolkit

Contact Chris: [email protected]

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Episode 86: South Metro Fire HPO Part II with Kelsey Bailey, MS, RD, CSSD, CSCS

Fire Rescue Wellness

12/19/23 • 54 min

Sign up for 7-Minute Science V2.0 on 1.22.24 at noon central!!!
South Metro Fire has one of the most impressive and robust health and wellness programs of any agency in the United States. They run their program on the model of Human Performance Optimization (HPO) which includes physical and mental health, medical monitoring, and so much more.
This is Part II of a multi-part series where I sit down and speak with various providers at the agency. Today's episode features Kelsey Bailey, a performance dietitian who contracts with the agency to work with personnel on their nutrition.
If you missed part I, you can catch it here: CLICK
Kelsey Bailey is a Performance Dietitian for her LLC, B.Well. She spent 7 and a half years with Special Operations and is currently a consulting Performance Dietitian with the Colorado Rockies, Colorado Avalanche, South Metro Fire Rescue, and Lakewood Police Department. Her areas of specialty include performance nutrition and understanding the unique demands of the tactical world on one's physiology. Her special interest areas include optimizing health and performance related to sleep, stress management, job performance and prevention of long-term disease. She also has a vested interest in allostatic load and nutrition support, care for traumatic brain injury, heavy metal and environmental exposures, and GI recovery and support. She offers both individual consults and education sessions for teams or groups.
So what, now what?
Nutrition is critical for wellness, health and performance. Work with a sports/performance dietitian for best results!
Email Kelsey: [email protected]
Check out Kelsey's Website
Follow BWell on IG
Download the CPSDA Document

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Episode 59: Firefighter Research with Mike Oldham, Ph.D. and Hussein Jabai

Fire Rescue Wellness

06/13/23 • 62 min

Cancer in the fire service is a real threat. Effectively decontaminating your body post-fire is your first line of defense.
Make sure and head over to check out Episode Sponsor Flame Decon!
Thank you, Tara!
The fire service is 100 years of tradition, proudly unimpeded by progress; at least until recently. Finally, the fire service is starting to listen to science and I'm here for it. There are labs all over the country and the world now conducting research on everything from firefighter performance, to gear fit, nutrition and supplements, load carriage and so much more.
Today you'll hear from Dr. Mike Oldham and Hussein Jabai. We talked about their research on hydration and several other topics interesting topics including shift schedules, coming out of their lab. According to Dr. O, regarding rehydration, "Water is better than nothing, electrolytes are better than water and some electrolytes are better than others!"
Hear what they have to say in Episode 59.
So what, now what?
Academics can answer the questions you have at your department, whether it's shift schedules, key performance indicator test validation, or even if you need more staff/coverage. Never be afraid to approach a university and see if they can help you answer YOUR questions at YOUR department.
Click here for Dr. Oldham and Hussein Jabai's bios!
Check out the lab's webpage
Email Dr. O: [email protected]
Email Hussein: [email protected]

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Episode 35: Stepping Out from Behind the Shield with James Geering

Fire Rescue Wellness

02/28/23 • 45 min

The Behind the Shield Podcast is one of the most successful and well-known podcasts for first responders and one of the first I ever listened to. James and I have been friends for years, and I was honored to bring him on as a guest.
We discussed everything from his early life to his fire career to his thoughts about work schedules and recruitment/retention.

James Geering was born in England and spent almost thirty years there before emigrating to the U.S. Early years saw him in a spectrum of jobs, from lifeguard to stuntman. Geering had always dreamed of becoming a Firefighter but was told as a child that poor color vision would disqualify him from the process. It wasn't until he moved to America that he realized the vision deficit was mild and a poor excuse for not following his dream. James promptly enrolled in the Fire Academy, and the rest is history. Geering was a Firefighter/Paramedic and retired to make a more significant impact on other first responders. He is also a Crossfit coach and a graduate of the University of Florida with a Bachelor's in Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology.
Read more about James here!
So what, now what?
Sometimes, the most significant impact you can make as a first responder is the work you do outside of being a first responder. Take care of yourself and take care of others!
Email James: [email protected]
Follow Behind the Shield on IG
Grab James' book One More Light
Listen to me on Behind the Shield
Listen to Dan Bornstein on the FRW Podcast
Listen to Dan Bornstein on the Behind the Shield Podcast

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Episode 28: Fighting Fire with Sport Science with Jacob Mota, PhD

Fire Rescue Wellness

02/03/23 • 57 min

When Dr. Katie Hirsch (Episode 18) recommends an interview, I listen! Vince Zittnan from Chicago's Bravest Stories Podcast and I sat down with Jacob Mota to discuss his research on fitness in a recruit academy.

Dr. Jacob Mota is an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology in the Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management at Texas Tech University. He also directs the Neuromuscular and Occupational Performance Laboratory and leads a team of talented researchers. His research interests include determining the role of neuromuscular function on performance and injury risk for physically demanding occupations. Additionally, he is passionate about continuing to uncover the neuromuscular mechanisms which lead to adaptations from resistance training and other exercises. He has published over 35 peer-reviewed manuscripts, many focusing on firefighter health and wellness. He completed his doctoral training at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Human Movement Science and master's and bachelor’s degrees in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from Texas Tech University. He holds the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist credential with Distinction through the NSCA, a group he is an active member of.
So what, now what?
If we genuinely want to set candidates up for fire service success, applying sound sport science principles to their physical training in the academy is critical. Just making them hot, sweaty, and tired is doing a disservice. Sport science has already solved most of the fire service problems through research. The two careers need to start talking!
Check out Jacob's research group!
Connect with Jacob on LI
Email Jacob at [email protected]

FRW20 at Fluid Nutrition

Episode 7: The Old Bull Approach to PT with Dr. Katie Dabrowski

Fire Rescue Wellness

10/11/22 • 39 min

In episode 7, AZ talks to her dynamo friend Dr. Katie Dabrowski about the Old Bull Athletics approach to physical therapy.
Katie is a Miami based physical therapist, CSCS and instructor in the Neuroscience program at Nova Southeastern University. We talk about a better approach to physical therapy, treating the whole patient as opposed to simply the injured part, the cash-based physical therapy model and the experience that Old Bull provides to patients from youth and top-level athletes to desk warriors and grandmothers.
Katie is passionate about bridging the gap between strength training, injury rehabilitation, and performance to optimize patient outcomes. Her background is in neuroscience and after working in the research world, she earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Miami.
Katie knew she wanted to change the perception of physical therapy and provide a truly individualized, one-on-one, exceptional level of care to create lasting relationships and trust with each patient - this is the mission at Old Bull Athletics. Her focus lies in blending principles of neuroscience, strength and movement, and pain reduction for people of all backgrounds.
She works with all patient populations, and in particular works often with strength athletes (CrossFit, Olympic lifting, powerlifting), personal trainers and coaches, endurance athletes, and individuals with exercise-induced migraines. With a background in collegiate rowing and over 15 years of her own focused strength training, she is adamant about practicing what she preaches.
So what, now what?
You didn’t get injured laying on a table and you’re not going to get better laying on a table either! If you’re a firefighter, you need a physical therapist that gets you back to “better than ever” as opposed to just getting you back to activities of daily living.
The cash-based model ensures that an insurance company doesn’t determine how well you are able to get!
Connect with Kate on Instagram:
www.instagram.com/ktdabrowski or
www.instagram.com/oldbullathletics
or via email [email protected]
Check out the Old Bull website at www.oldbullathletics.com
Please rate, share and subscribe to the Fire Rescue Wellness Podcast!

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Episode 99: Project Fire Buddies with COO Ryan Ballard

Fire Rescue Wellness

03/19/24 • 43 min

Check out the fundraiser event in Illinois in July!
Project Fire Buddies is the most powerful charity I've ever seen in action. It's a testament to what firefighters can do when presented with a challenge. Special shout out to my Local, IAFFL2986, and our coordinator, Tom Collins! TC is amazing.
Watch a video about PFB!
Ryan Ballard and I did something I've only done one other time in the history of the podcast-we had an interview without having met first! It worked out great. Ryan made me cry a couple of times, and he was a rockstar.
In his words:
My name is Ryan Ballard. I am committed to a life of servitude and making a positive impact. I am the Chief Operating Officer of an awesome nonprofit, Project Fire Buddies. I am also a career firefighter/paramedic. I have been in the fire service for 19 years, ten years part-time, and am in my ninth year full-time.
Project Fire Buddies is my passion. We are a fantastic organization that offers support and gives back to children fighting critical illnesses. I am dedicated to our organization's growth. We have very ambitious goals for making this nationwide.
I am also an aspiring leader dedicated to the growth and development of others. My goal is to lead effectively and inspire and cultivate leadership skills in those around me. I am committed to fostering an environment where every individual can become a more capable and impactful leader than I can ever be. This commitment to others' development is a cornerstone of my leadership philosophy.
I enjoy hanging out with my family and friends, golfing, coaching my son in hockey, and learning. I am a nerd in certain subjects like science, life longevity, and more!
So what, now what?!?
You can start your own Project Fire Buddies chapter in your department regardless of what type of department you are. Reach out to PFB today, and let's help Ryan and his team take this project nationwide.
Contact Ryan on LinkedIn
Email Ryan [email protected]
Check out the website to get started with your chapter.
Check out the fundraiser event in Illinois in July!

FRW20 at Fluid Nutrition

Episode 96: Mental Health and Peer Support with Dr. Naomi Spilka, Clinical Psychologist

Fire Rescue Wellness

02/27/24 • 54 min

If you want to celebrate my last day in the fire service with me, order a shirt here! Make sure to snap a photo and tag me on social media on 3.15.24 so I can repost your pic.
I met Naomi Spilka in May of 2023 at a Women's Summit hosted by South Metro Fire. Her story and lecture captivated me, and I knew I had to get her on the podcast.
Naomi's intro from the Code-4 website:
Hey there, I’m Dr. Naomi Spilka and I am so glad you’ve come to find me here at Code-4.

Following my service as a combat sergeant in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), I moved back to New York City and earned my bachelor’s degree from New York University with a concentration in Military Psychology and Trauma. Shortly after, I began my doctorate in psychology at the University of Denver, ultimately finding my way to Code 4 in 2018. My clinical experiences include detentions, veteran care, forensic and psychological assessment, emergency psychiatry, hospital settings and with the first responder community.

Now that all that is out of the way let’s talk about you...

Wherever you are in your life and whatever “stuff” you’ve got going on, I will meet you there. We will sort through it together and come up with a plan of action that best suits you, embracing each step forward or back with acceptance and maybe even a little humor. With that said, be prepared for some straight talk, hard questions, and emotional work; seeds have to crack in order to grow, so let’s get cracking!
So what, now what?
The fire service, law enforcement, and military can be incredibly rewarding but also challenging work. A healthy understanding of 'self' can be one of the first steps in the right direction! Working with a provider can help you discover that self!

Email Naomi: [email protected]
Check out the Code-4 Website
Check out Psypact
Here's another website that might help you find your best provider!
Want to see a pic of the famous farting bulldog? Click here.

FRW20 at Fluid Nutrition

Episode 110: Eight Years of "Overnight" Progress with Vanessa Frost-Piedrahita, MSEd CSCS*D RSCC

Fire Rescue Wellness

06/04/24 • 54 min

Get registered for 7-Minute Science 6.24.24
VFP is a rockstar in the tactical space and I'm honored to call her a friend. Listen, she's my queen of safety when I need to share location with someone! She's back for a second episode and an update on what's been happening at Pflugerville Fire for the last 18 months. Listen to her previous episode here!
Vanessa Frost-Piedrahita is a strength & conditioning coach for the fire service. Her goal is for firefighters to do strong work, build strong minds, and live strong lives from academy to retirement. She is the Health & Fitness Coordinator for the Pflugerville Fire Department. Since 2016, she has overseen all aspects of firefighter health, wellness, and performance. Before working with the fire service, Vanessa worked as a strength & conditioning coach for Southern Illinois University. Vanessa has a Master of Science in Education in Kinesiology and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Southern Illinois University. She is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with distinction and a Registered Strength & Conditioning Coach (RSCC) from the National Strength & Conditioning Association. She also holds credentials from USA Weightlifting, The Ready State, Crossfit, and is a Master Resilience Trainer through the United States Air Force.
So what, now what??
Having a highly qualified and credentialed outside professional is always the best answer. But Vanessa shares some best practices for those departments that can't make that happen right now.
Email Vanessa: [email protected]
Follow VFP on Instagram

FRW20 at Fluid Nutrition

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FAQ

How many episodes does Fire Rescue Wellness have?

Fire Rescue Wellness currently has 178 episodes available.

What topics does Fire Rescue Wellness cover?

The podcast is about Health & Fitness, Nutrition, Sleep, Entrepreneurship, Mental Health, Podcasts, Health And Wellness, Science, Business and Firefighter.

What is the most popular episode on Fire Rescue Wellness?

The episode title 'Episode 102: Fairfax County Part III with Anna M. August, MS, LAT, ATC, CSCS' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Fire Rescue Wellness?

The average episode length on Fire Rescue Wellness is 41 minutes.

How often are episodes of Fire Rescue Wellness released?

Episodes of Fire Rescue Wellness are typically released every 7 days.

When was the first episode of Fire Rescue Wellness?

The first episode of Fire Rescue Wellness was released on Sep 13, 2022.

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Fire Rescue Wellness

Annette Zapp

Top 10 Fire Rescue Wellness Episodes

FAQ

How many episodes does Fire Rescue Wellness have?

What topics does Fire Rescue Wellness cover?

What is the most popular episode on Fire Rescue Wellness?

What is the average episode length on Fire Rescue Wellness?

How often are episodes of Fire Rescue Wellness released?

When was the first episode of Fire Rescue Wellness?

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