First Responder Wellness Week is dedicated to providing resources, support and community to help public safety personnel better understand the mental and physical health risks that come with the job.
Join Lexipol, FireRescue1 and our partners from March 23-27, 2026, to focus on your health and promote the wellness of your personnel. Each day we’ll focus on a different topic, providing shift briefing videos, webinars, articles, podcasts and more, all within the overarching theme of being “Total Wellness. True Readiness.”
Join us for a week of daily sessions focused on strengthening wellness across your agency — everything from healthy habits and smart recovery to building a program that puts firefighter health front and center.
Practical strategies for injury, aging, and long-term performance.
Start here to create a restoration routine.
Why wellness is a need to have, not a nice to have.
How to weave wellness into your agency’s mission and culture.
Real first responder wellness questions, real answers.
Better Every Shift: Health Focus
Battalion Chief Greg Sawyer explains how one month at a slower station — replete with some cool health toys — can help members feel human again
Zapp, a human performance researcher and retired firefighter, talks health monitoring, smart (and safe) exercise, creatine supplements and more
The firefighter-counselor explains the problem with avoidant coping and how to help your brain finally deal with the ‘leftover stuff’
Health & Wellness Resources
Medford Fire’s hydration policy identifies triggers for administration of IV fluids — part of a three-pronged approach to rehab
Closing the hood-to-mask and hood-to-collar gap helps reduce heat stress and contaminant exposure at a critical interface in the turnout ensemble
With the 2026 Winter Olympic Games underway, check out these first responders who served both locally and on the international stage
You’ll never be on your A-game if you don’t take care of yourself
The 16,000-square-foot facility enhances firefighter health while improving response coverage in West Phoenix
Take care of your active duty, but don’t forget about your retirees
Red flags are rarely subtle in hindsight
These tips, tools, products and services are designed to promote emotional and psychological resilience
As the Greek physician and philosopher Hippocrates said, “If you are in a bad mood, go for a walk. If you are still in a bad mood, go for another walk.”
The bravest leaders fight the fires you can’t see
Emily Hitchings and Greg Friese analyze the wellness impact of the West Metro Fire Department changing shift change to 9 a.m.
How to lean into a customer-focused approach to modern fire service delivery
Choose a “culturally competent clinician” who uses standardized, solutions-focused treatment protocols to treat duty-related PTSD
Explore the most-popular resources of the year, from tactical guidance and command insights to station planning and wellness support
“Set the standard": Turn a Florida hazing incident into a training and a culture-reset moment for your crew
Staffing takes time, but a rehab station addresses members’ critical health need right now
How high-drive, disaster-ready dogs train, deploy and partner with handlers to support complex search operations
Hands-on drills at Seminole County (Fla.) Fire Department expose service dogs to real emergency sights and sounds
Hansel had a million-dollar nose and a sandwich problem
Readiness across people, training, leadership and the future demands consistent, connected action at every level
Preparation transforms uncertainty into confidence and ensures your organization is ready for whatever comes next
Fire service leaders must ensure their crews are mentally ready for every call — through training, trust and proactive support systems
A new study explores gender differences in PTSD and post-traumatic growth among firefighters, EMTs and medics
This conversation delves into the importance of proactive brain care, leadership resilience and the future of AI in healthcare
Stack the deck in your favor now, before the health battles become unwinnable
Long shifts, stress and sleep loss undermine firefighter readiness and safety, but new data-driven approaches offer hope
Understanding our physiological stress response is key to managing chronic stress
The West Metro assistant chief offers insights from firefighter sleep research
Learn what it takes to implement a successful, sustainable in-house therapy dog program
It’s time to match praise with policy for those on the front lines
Researchers have identified four common sleep disturbances experienced by public safety personnel
Discover how firefighters can improve sleep and fight fatigue with simple changes like air filters, blackout curtains and humidity control
Taking regular, scheduled vacations is an essential part of maintaining your well-being
It’s impossible to “read the room” from your phone
Mislabeling public safety K-9s creates confusion, liability and access issues during high-stakes deployments
MOST POPULAR
- The Rehab Station: How one department is fighting burnout
- San Diego Fire-Rescue chiefs talk recruitment, wellness and community connection
- North River Fire: A case study in mental health support and member retention
- Should firefighters work out in their gear? Annette Zapp breaks it down
- Poll: Is your agency mission ready?