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.
Track the daily habits that support operational readiness, performance and long-term health.
Better Every Shift: Health Focus
Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, Chief Erik Gabliks, Dr. Sara Jahnke and Chief Bryan Frieders hope to inspire health-focused action – and talk some serious smack along the way
The first firefighter-influencer of the modern era shares how his early speaking nerves transformed into a love of making comedy videos
Dr. Rachelle Zemlok – who is also married to a fire captain – details the ‘4 horsemen’ of the firefighter-relationship apocalypse, plus how to avoid conflict escalation
Health & Wellness Resources
Honor the sacrifices and the legacy left by 9/11 responders by marking the anniversary with community service, education and self-care
Guidance for managing the emotions associated with the anniversaries of traumatic incidents
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
The benefits are clear, but where to start? Learn how to find, fund and implement a therapy dog program, and download a fillable caretaking schedule
Calculate your net worth, evaluate your cash flow, and develop your strategies and tactics to take action
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
From sleep and nutrition to trauma and gratitude, it’s time to take a big-picture approach to resilience built for the realities of the fire service
Dena Ali explains why firefighter wellness is established long before a bad call — through culture, communication and sleep habits
Shifting fire service culture from convenience foods to performance fueling
Recent data from the London Fire Brigade highlights that the emotional toll of the job does not end when the call is over
Survey responses reveal divide on industry culture, hiring standards and the future of operations
The treatment has evolved to be one of the most effective and evidence-based treatments for trauma
Sometimes, despite love and connection and every effort to help, we can’t save someone — but we must keep trying
PFD Assistant Chief Jeff Schripsema shares a powerful story highlighting the department’s commitment to its members
Moral injury can quietly undermine firefighters’ well-being, but intentional practices that can help prevent lasting harm
Facing rising injury rates, one Colorado department implemented a daily stretching routine to strengthen firefighter health
My first line-of-duty injury was humbling
Fire Chief Robert Logan and Battalion Chief David Picone detail how SDFR shows its members ‘we’re focused on you’
Lautz describes extreme diets as “trying to get to a second-story window without a ladder,” which she combats through pro tips for making better choices on scene and at home
It comes down to selecting the right members and training them in two key areas
Solutions to navigate the most common family-centric concerns voiced by firefighters
Time may be limited, but we can find ways to maintain the shared kitchen table time that builds a sense of family
When leaders prioritize their own well-being, they set the stage for a healthier, more resilient workforce
With careful planning and administrative support, an agency wellness program can save careers, marriages and even lives
Starting a wellness program includes diagnosing the issue or improvement, developing the plan and implementing it
How one department added a shift to improve its members’ work-life balance
To track your nutrition, you need to see what, when and how much you actually eat
How to assess your current status, develop clear and measurable goals, and create a plan for success
When free of shift schedules, try these tips to get to sleep faster and achieve quality sleep
Forget protein bars — the best “exercise snack” happens in the patrol car, between calls or while restocking the rig
Who could use a little more sleep?
Consistent strength training, mobility work and recovery habits can help firefighters protect their bodies now and fully enjoy life after the job
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