Mental Fitness: The Key to Sustained Safety, Health, and Well-Being
Do you ever wish that once your shift is over, you could tone down the heightened vigilance that keeps you safe at work? Do you carry the heavy burden of the traumas you encounter regularly on the job? Do you experience burnout, stress, anxiety, or lack of focus that both hurt you and harm your relationships? Mental fitness is the ability to respond to life’s challenges with a positive mindset vs. a negative one. While your mind is your best friend, it also can be your worst enemy. It can enable you to thrive or it can sabotage you and prevent you from living a fulfilling life.
This webinar will introduce you to research-based methods of shifting and maintaining the balance of power in your mind by strengthening your positive mental muscles and weakening those that sabotage you. In your profession, being able to remain calm in the midst of chaos and to pay clear, laser-focused attention to what’s in front of you is a safety issue. The ability to mitigate your stress and anxiety levels is a mental health and well-being issue. A strong level of mental fitness will enable you to clear the minutiae that are cluttering your mind and diverting your attention so you can focus on whatever is in front of you.
She has presented at numerous fire-rescue conferences in the U.S. and Canada, written and ghostwritten articles and delivered webinars for the IAFC, and provided assistance and guidance to public safety agencies and leaders throughout the U.S. She is the primary author of Every Fire-Rescue Professional is a Leader: A Practical Guide for Individual, Team, and Organization Development.
He has authored over 150 articles in various publications. In 1996 he was selected by Fire Chief Magazine as Fire Chief of the Year in 1996. He has published 4 books and 7 photography books. He received the Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels Meritorious Service Award. The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2022 he received the Jimmy Seavey Health and Wellness award presented by the NVFC. and the Presidents Award from the International Society of Fire Service Instructors.
He was one of the founders of the Volunteer and Combination Officer Section (VCOS) and the National Fire Academy Alumni Association. He has contributed to several “ribbon reports” published by the VCOS. He was asked to be one of the editors for the original Lavender Ribbon Report published by the VCOS and NVFC in 2019. In 2021 he along with Brian McQueen spearheaded the update for the Lavender Ribbon Report. He is a principal author of the Yellow Ribbon Report and the updated updated Training Volunteers white paper published by the National Volunteer Fire Council and the Volunteer and Combination Officers Section.
