CRACKYL Magazine - No.6 (Jul/Aug 2022) by CRACKYL

WHAT SCIENCE SAYS ABOUT YOUR NEXT FIREHOUSE RETIREMENT PLANNING

101

STRESSBUSTING S T R AT E G I E S

MARK DREW & OLEG SKACHKO J U N - AU G 2 0 2 2

IS BEING A STARTER WEARING YOU DOWN? PHYSICALS AREN’T ENOUGH

B RA I N , BODY &

PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA SO WHAT’S THE STORY WITH SUPERSTITIONS?

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WHAT SCIENCE SAYS ABOUT YOUR NEXT FIREHOUSE

IS BEING A STARTER WEARING YOU DOWN?

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RETIREMENT PLANNING 101

BRAIN, BODY, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA

PHYSICALS AREN’T ENOUGH

SO WHAT’S THE STORY WITH SUPERSTITIONS?

CO N T E N TS

1 4 4 SO

WHAT’S THE STORY WITH SUPERSTITIONS?

Lifestyle

PHYSICALS AREN’T ENOUGH Health

2 0 B RAIN,

BODY, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA Stress

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I S BEING A STARTER WEARING YOU DOWN?

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3 2 D I D PTSD CAUS E DI YOU R DI VORCE ? Relationships

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54 A GUT FEELING ABOUT PREBIOTICS Health

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S C I E N C E T O T H E S TAT I O N :

A LETTE R FROM TH E PU BLISH E R “AS IRON SHARPENS IRON, SO ONE MAN SHARPENS ANOTHER.” This old saying sums up a theory we as firefighters know intimately: the more you surround yourself with people who challenge, question and encourage you professionally, the sharper and better you’ll be for it. This mindset is valuable to our role as firefighters, but many of us struggle to find a way to turn it off. It’s not great to carry this attitude home where life and death decisions aren’t required. And when we maintain a hardness in our personal lives, we risk losing the opportunity to relax our guard with our loved ones and miss out on the things that keep us healthy and happy. Our time away from the firehouse is critical and should be spent doing things that put some mental distance between the job and our neutral state of mind. If all we do is jump on the trucks, and then spend our off-days submerged in firefighting-related activities, we are hindering our overall well-being. We need to be aware of the things in our lives that we have to do, need to do, and want to do as well as the things that offer variety and rejuvenation. This summer, why not be selfish and indulge yourself with some personal time? Go golfing, fishing or join a local sports league - the key is to not feel guilty about whatever you choose. This will fill up your emotional coffers and allow you to forge into in your next shift rotation feeling more grounded. And speaking of our lives away from the firehouse, in this issue of CRACKYL we look at firefighters’ interests beyond their professional roles. Our cover story introduces an American initiative that is giving firefighters in Ukraine safe tools and gear to wear as they fight to protect their country. We also discuss the importance of making valuable connections outside of work, investigate what makes some of us chronic starters but not finishers, and learn about how PTSD can affect our marriages. The job makes us tough, rigid, and weathered. Those who can separate work from home life reap the rewards of not having to be the same character all time. Pay attention to the difference between who you are and who you want to be and close that gap. Enjoy the read! Cheers,

Kory Pearn PUBLISHER

The Health and Wellness Alliance is a powerful team of physicians, researchers and scientists dedicated to the goal of “Bringing science to the stations.” From the effects of toxin exposure to extreme stress management, their focus is on providing actionable information to enable members of the fire service to mitigate risks and devise powerful safety solutions. They believe that firefighters shouldn’t die in the line of duty but should live out their retirement years in good health. We think so too. CRACKYL Magazine is proud to be the official voice of the Science to the Station: A Health and Wellness Alliance. What better platform could there be for cutting edge-scientific findings and health resources for firefighters than the magazine created by and for them? We’re striving to make CRACKYL available to every firefighter across North America and we’re tailoring our content to meet your needs. Just as our name calls to mind the sound of a fire, we want to ignite in our readers an ever-renewed enthusiasm and dedication to our profession.

W H Y T H E N A M E C R AC K Y L ? The inspiration behind the name CRACKYL comes from a feeling firefighters experience in the middle of a structure fire when a sudden calm comes over you and you hear a fire crackling all around a smoke-filled room, but can’t see it. The sound of a fire crackling is imprinted on every firefighter’s mind, and it roots us in this exhilarating and unpredictable profession. We want CRACKYL to become a sounding board for firefighters throughout their careers. Firefighters are notorious for sitting around the firehouse, discussing their problems and offering advice. But the truth is, many of us don’t have the answers. We don’t know why we all fight about the same problems with our partners, never seem to have enough money left at the end of the month and just can’t get along with the co-workers who are the most like us. At CRACKYL, we want to be the firefighter in the station who has a lot of those answers and provides accurate, practical, and life-changing solutions to the problems we all face.

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CO N T R I B U T O R S TINA BONNETT, MATTHEW BROOM, MARTHA CHAPMAN, ERIN CRAW, BRANDON DREIMAN, CARRIE FLEETWOOD, LIZ FLEMING, GREGORY GORDONSON, HUSSIEN JABAI, ALICE JOHNSTON, RICK MARKLEY, SIMON MATTHEWS, RICK MAURO, PATRICK MCCARTHY, TORI MIKULAN, RYAN PADGETT, DARREN PORTELLI, RYAN PROVENCHER, LEAH SOBON, JENNA STEADMAN

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CRACKYL Magazine is published five times a year by CRACKYL Media Inc. with copies delivered to firefighters across North America and beyond. No part of the content, including but not limited to editorial, advertising or photography, may be copied or reprinted without the permission of the publisher. ISSN # 2563-612X PUBLISHED AND PRODUCED BY: CRACKYL MEDIA INC.

SU BSC R I PT I O N S ORDER A PRINT SUBSCRIPTION FOR ONE YEAR FOR $59.89 USD CRACKYLMAG.COM/SUBSCRIBE TO ORDER MULTIPLE SUBSCRIPTIONS CONTACT: INFO@CRACKYLBUSINESSMEDIA.COM SIGN UP FOR A DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION CRACKYLMAG.COM The opinions presented in our magazine are those of the authors of the articles. We enjoy the opportunity to present a variety of viewpoints but do not necessarily endorse them. ON THE COVER: MARK DREW AND OLEG SKACHKO PHOTO BY CRISTIN GANDY

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LIFESTYLE

so what’s the story with

By Gregory Gordonson

If you’re the person who’ll walk around the block to avoid a black cat, would rather step into a busy street than under a ladder, and is always knocking on wood, you’re superstitious. And there’s nothing wrong with that. You probably learned many of these beliefs from your parents or grandparents and they come as naturally to you as breathing.

But have you ever wondered why you believe what you do? Many superstitions have fascinating back stories.

CRAC KYL MAGAZ I N E

LADDERS Let’s start with that ladder you won’t walk under. Historians believe that particular superstition comes from medieval days when hangings were public and the gallows were shaped very much like a ladder. Who’d want to walk anywhere near that?

BLACK CATS And that black cat? Why are you so nervous about having him cross your path? That comes from an ancient belief that witches kept black cats as their friends or "familiars". Don’t worry – I’ve had several black cats and they’re just as lucky as any other shade.

RABBITS FOOT Speaking of luck, when you were a kid, did you have a rabbit’s foot you carried around in your pocket? What you were actually carrying was a tradition from the ancient Celtic tribes of Britain who believed that certain talismans – like that furry foot – would ward off evil. Did you think it kept you safe?

MIRRORS Safety has always been a huge part of superstition: we’re always looking for ways to protect ourselves and those we love. Centuries ago, in the southern United States, it was a common custom to cover all the mirrors in a house when a loved one died, to protect their soul from becoming trapped inside. That tradition has morphed somewhat into our belief that breaking a mirror will result in seven years of bad luck. Now here’s an interesting thought: to prevent all that bad luck, some people believe you should grind the mirror fragments into dust or touch them to a tombstone.

KNOCK ON WOOD One superstition many of us can’t shake is knocking on wood when we feel we’ve said something that might tempt Fate. Why? Some historians will say that ancient people believed good spirits lived in trees and could be summoned by knocking. Others will argue that wood is representative of the cross and by knocking, we’re grounding ourselves in faith. Your guess is as good as mine.

WISHBONES Every Thanksgiving and Christmas turkey yields a wishbone that many of us hang up to dry and then snap in a sometimes hotly contested battle of siblings. Whoever ends up with the larger piece is the lucky winner. Why? It could be because the ancient Romans – always keen on a competition – did the same thing, or because the soothsayers of those long ago days liked to toss bird bones into a pile to predict the future.

CROSS YOUR FINGERS When you’re really hoping that something is going to go your way, do you cross your fingers? Of course you do! Early Christians believed that anything that had to do with the shape of a cross was a good thing, so crossing one finger over the other was a profoundly lucky gesture.

LUCKY PENNY Luck always plays a powerful role in superstition. If you find a penny and pick it up, all that day you’ll have good luck. Well, of course you will. Who leaves money on the ground? And what about beginner’s luck? Is there an explanation? According to the scientific community, there actually is. If your inexperienced friend beats the pants off you on the first few holes at the golf course, it may be because she’s not expecting to do well. Her stress levels are low, therefore, and that relaxed attitude may help her to perform far better than expected.

While many of these superstitions have no power over me, there is one thing in which I have an unshakeable belief: what goes around, comes around. Some people refer to this as karma but I’ve done a bit of research and have learned that karma is, in fact, part of an Indian religious philosophy that suggests that the good or bad actions of a person’s past will determine their future. And when we say the past, I don’t mean yesterday or last week or even last year. The true meaning of karma involves the belief that the good and bad done in past lives influences what happens in current and future lives. It’s a very large, complex and fascinating theory that makes for a great philosophical discussion but it isn’t the reason for my deep-seated belief that what goes around comes around. In fact, there’s no mystical or spiritual basis to my belief. Instead, it sits firmly on a foundation of practicality. In general, those who do good things for others tend to have good things done to and for them, not because the universe is handing out rewards, but because other people are reciprocating. The very basis on which society is built recognizes that our ancient forefathers became more successful at escaping famine, drought and dangerous animal attacks when they banded together. That spirit of cooperation is still powerful and provides the glue that creates communities. It won’t always be the person for whom you’ve done a favor or to whom you’ve offered help who’ll return the gesture. It may be someone quite different, but what you receive will be the result of the community your own helpful actions have helped to create. So walk away from that black cat, don’t step under the ladder, pop a rabbit’s foot into your pocket and cross your fingers for luck if you like. But be sure to lend a hand, share and help others in the sure knowledge that what goes around really does come around.

J U N - AU G 2022

HEALTH

PHYSICALS AREN’ T ENOUGH W H Y W E N E E D A N N UA L M E N TA L WE L L N ESS SC R E E N I N GS By Capt. Brandon Dreiman, CAPRC II, RYT-500 Coordinator of Firefighter Wellness & Support, Indianapolis Fire Department Health & Wellness Center

WH E RE DO ME NTAL H EALTH DISORDE RS ARISE? ARE TH EY FLOAT I NG OU T I N TH E ETH E R SOMEWH E RE? NO. TH EY’RE OCCU RRI NG I N OU R BODIES AN D IF THAT IS N’T TH E DE FI NIT ION OF A PHYSICAL CON DIT ION, TH E N NOTHI NG IS.

As a firefighter, you probably have a department physical every year. Do you go to your physical even when you think there isn’t anything wrong? Of course, you do. You would never call your Battalion Chief and say, “You know what, boss? I’m feeling pretty good this year. I’ll just skip that physical and save the city some cash.” Physicals are an excellent proactive tool to screen for ailments we may not know we have. In fact, stories abound of firefighters going to their annual department physicals and discovering potentially devastating conditions they never even suspected.

C RAC KYL MAGAZ I N E

So here’s a question: Do you also see a behavioral health professional every year, whether you think you need it or not? If not, why not? Seriously, why not? Is a fear of stigma or being perceived as weak preventing you from being proactive about your mental health?

A N D J U S T L I K E OT H E R P H Y S I C A L I S S U E S , E A R LY D E T E C T I O N A N D I N T E R V E N T I O N F O R M E N TA L H E A LT H D I S O R D E R S I S V I TA L I N PREVENTING TRAGEDIES.

M ANY OF U S SIM P LY D O N’ T P U T MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES ON THE SAME LEVEL A S P H Y SIC A L ISSU E S.

It also has to be noted that, while your annual physical may have a few screening questions about mental health and substance use,

Where do mental health disorders arise? Are they floating out in the ether somewhere? No. They’re occurring in our bodies and if that isn’t the definition of a physical condition, then nothing is.

W E A L L K N OW T H AT F I R E F I G H T E R S R O U T I N E LY L IE O N T H O SE SC R E E NING S TO AV O I D B E I N G P R E V E N T E D F R O M WO R K I N G .

So what’s the answer? Schedule an annual appointment with a mental health provider you trust. Still not convinced? If we accept that joint issues, anemia, atrial fibrillation, vision and hearing deficiencies, and flexibility problems are all physical conditions we can develop, why would we ignore the possibility that our brains might break down too? As amazing as all the parts of our bodies are, they pale in comparison to the complexity and workload capacity of the brain. A piece of brain tissue the size of a grain of sand contains 100,000 neurons and 1 billion synapses. If we consider that the average person will typically have more than 6,000 thoughts in a single day and there are 1,440 minutes in that day, that means we entertain more than four thoughts per minute, all day, every day.

O N TO P OF AL L THOSE T HOUGHT S, O UR B R AINS AR E QUIET LY RUNN ING T HE ENTIRE S HOW FOR OUR BODIES AND E VERYTHING T HEY DO. IT IS A B OUND LE S S LY COM PLEX PROCESS T HAT DOE S N’T S TOP T HROUGHOUT Y OUR ENTIRE L IFE. Isn’t it curious that we accept the possibility of developing, say, diabetes, but balk at the idea that our brains could ever need any sort of tune up? Until our misguided perceptions about brain health are corrected, we risk suffering needlessly. Seeing a professional for a proactive evaluation is critical to changing this pattern.

L E T’S S H IFT GE ARS AN D FIGURE OUT W HAT NE EDS TO HAPPEN FOR ANN UAL S CRE ENINGS TO BECOME A REALIT Y. So: you’ve decided to start scheduling annual mental health evaluations. Great! What next? Pick a date to schedule your appointment every year. Two easy-toremember dates immediately come to mind: your birthday and your hire date. Pick one, and use it as the date on which

you’ll call to schedule your annual mental health checkup every year. Go ahead, put it in your phone or your electronic calendar right now. It’s okay— no one will know. Just do it. Next, consider what resources are available. A lot of agencies have Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that offer free visits for you, your spouse, and any children in the household. Some EAPs are better than others. Some are skilled and competent while others are simply low-ball bidders who don’t provide a great deal of return on investment. Firefighters are often guilty of assuming their EAP falls into the latter category, but often that assumption is simply the result of fear and/or laziness. It is easier to assume the EAP won’t be any good than it is to go out on a limb, set up an appointment and find out. There is no special “diagnostic subset” for firefighter mental health. Depression is depression regardless of what you do for a living. It’s the same with anxiety, PTSD, substance use disorders, and all other diagnoses. Cultural competence is a definite bonus, but firefighters should never make it the sole litmus test for a clinician. If you don’t have an EAP or don’t trust the one you have to provide quality service, there are other options.

DOES Y O U R D E PA RT M E NT O R YO U R LOCAL H AV E A P E E R SU P P O RT T E A M ? If so, use it. Resource management and resource vetting are a big part of peer support work. Communications with peer supporters are kept private with only rare exceptions, so you can safely talk with another firefighter about what steps you should take. What if you don’t have an EAP or Peer Support Team? In that case, call your primary care provider. Physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners can perform initial mental health screenings for things like anxiety and depression. If they are unable to do the screenings, they can connect you with

someone who can. If you trust your primary care providers with the rest of your health care, you should be able to trust them with this and follow their recommendation for additional screenings. Americans can also call 2-1-1 and ask what clinical behavioral health resources are available in your area. (211 is a federal service that offers referrals to health and human services providers, including mental health clinicians and is available to 94.6 percent of Americans in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.) If you’re a hands-on person, try the Psychology Today website (psychologytoday.com) to find providers in your area who are in-network with your insurance provider. The clinicians’ profiles on the site will tell you whether they provide telehealth, which is a great option if you prefer to access mental health care from the privacy of your own home or if you live in an area without many mental health resources.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE ONLY REAL BARRIER TO GETTING AN ANNUAL MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING IS THE F IR E F IG H T E R ’ S R E SISTA NC E TO DO I T. Firefighters are literally professional problem solvers. We show up and deal with exceedingly complex emergencies, and every single time, firefighters get the job done. If finding a behavioral health clinician is an obstacle, that’s only because the firefighter wants it to be. Taking the first step now, when you may not think you need it, is smart. It’s far harder to do that scheduling when you really are struggling and by far the worst time to find out how it all works is when you’re in crisis. Make an appointment today and visit a trained mental health provider for an hour. It’s really no big deal, it may prevent more serious problems down the road, and getting it out of the way will be a therapeutic exercise in its own right.

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J U N - AU G 2022

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STRESS

BRAIN, BODY, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA By Tina Bonnett, Ed.D, Certified Trauma Integration Clinician

C RAC KYL MAGAZ I N E

THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE We all know that psychological trauma, especially if left untreated, can lead to a host of mental health conditions. But what’s less commonly recognized are the ways in which unprocessed trauma can wreak havoc on the body as well. For those of us who dedicate our lives to emergency services and are often

subjected to trauma at work as well as in our personal lives, this is critically important. What do we understand about psychological trauma, and how it impacts the brain and body, specifically for those in the emergency services sector? What services are available to help us process those experiences?

At some point in our lives we all face experiences that are psychologically harmful. We can all benefit from a basic understanding of the neurobiology - the scientific study of the nervous system, decision-making, compassion, and relational intelligence.

THE BODY & UNDISCHARGED TRAUMATIC STRESS BODIES CAN GET OU R BODIES U S UA L LY R E S PO N D TO U NPROCESSED T RAU MA I N T H R E E WAYS :

FIGHT, FLIGHT, OR FREEZE

Often these responses are triggered – not always consciously – by sensory reminders such as smell, touch, taste, sound and sight.

STUCK ON

STUCK OFF

WH E N T RAU MA I S NOT DI SCHARGE D Being “stuck on” can cause symptoms such as anxiety, an exaggerated startle response, hypervigilance and hostility, while being “stuck off” can produce symptoms such as chronic fatigue, disassociation, depression and even poor digestion.

U N PROC E SS E D T RAU MA I S

STORED AS T E N S I O N I N OU R

MUSCLES U NT I L IT CAN BE

RELEASED Often what is needed for this release is guidance from a certified trauma clinician.

A PATH TO INTEGRATION AND HEALING For healing to occur, the brain and body need to learn that the danger has passed so that the person can live in the present and re-establish a baseline of regulation and safety. The key to this is making connections with others, including trauma clinicians, who can assist in figuring out what effects trauma is having on the brain and body. It’s important for the trauma survivor to be given opportunities to process the trauma in order to re-wire the brain. This can then direct the body to move into action only when real danger arises, instead of being activated by past traumatic experiences. Integrating traumatic memories so that the brain and body can work together and at their best is critical for healing as well as for maintaining well-regulated emotions, behaviour, and perspective. This integrative model of therapy helps the trauma survivor release some of the

“charge” they feel in their body. It can also restore the trauma victim’s capacity to assess and respond to future stresses. In integrative trauma processing clinical sessions, the client is invited to tell their trauma stories and also gently prompted to relive the sensory associations tied to those experiences, engaging the brain and body. Opportunities also exist to reframe messages to the brain. The goal is to train the brain and body to rationalize, saying, “That happened in the past, but I am safe now.” It is crucial that emergency service professionals pay close attention to what their brains and bodies are revealing about undischarged, stored psychological trauma. There is no shame in being a first responder who has faced trauma because it is almost a given for those who work in a profession dedicated to minimizing stress and harm for others. The field of traumatology is ever-expanding, as are the organizations working within it and

the treatment approaches. Emergency services members are encouraged to check out the treatment options available and commit to self-care if they suspect that personal or professional experiences may be lingering as trauma in their brain and body. Knowledge of and access to trauma-related services should be not be the exception to the rule, but central in all emergency service environments. A great example of an organization of professionals trained and certified to treat psychological trauma is the Attachment & Trauma Treatment Centre for Healing (ATTCH) which can be found at attachment-and-traumatreatment-centre-for-healing.com, where an Integrative Trauma and Attachment Model (ITATM®) is used to treat trauma and promote healing.

J U N - AU G 2022

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LIFESTYLE

MEMPHIS FIREFIGHTERS

ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE By Leah Sobon

FIREFIGHTERS FROM MEMPHIS, TENN. ARE LOOKING TO PUT THEIR TOWN ON THE MAP.

IT WILL BE AN ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE WORKOUT, BUT YOU'LL ENJOY IT BECAUSE YOU’VE ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING.

n the wake of the pandemic, Memphis firefighter Michael Coleman founded The Bluff City Combat Team, a group of special operations firefighters who share the same focus: training to win Firefighter Challenges across North America. Founded in 1991, the Firefighter Challenges pit some of the fittest in five competitions including a High Rise Hose Pack Carry, a Victim Rescue and a Forcible Entry. There are 17 Challenges planned across the country for 2022. “I want people to come out. And it will be an absolutely terrible workout, but you'll enjoy it because you’ve accomplished something. We’re acknowledging anyone who has the drive and ambition to be better and healthier,” says Coleman, who knows how hard it can be to show up for something so intimidating and difficult. “Putting yourself out there to compete or show how athletic you are when you are surrounded by other incredibly fit people… that’s pretty intimidating in itself. But for me, being active and allowing people to see that I’m having a hard time, sweating or out of breath, has given me the confidence to lead others through anything. Once

I saw how this challenge affected others, I knew this was the right thing to do and I wanted to include as many people as possible.” The group of nine trains as much as 20 times a month outside of work hours, redefining what it means to be a fire community. If running up and down six flights of stairs carrying more than 70 pounds of gear, then hauling a 42 pound hose up and down at full speed – and that’s just part of the training – picture doing it in the steamy Memphis heat after a shift. This dedicated group is eager to impress not only their fire department but the people of the City of Memphis as well. And they’re gunning to beat an impressive course record of one minute and 13 seconds. “If we have someone who's having a hard time dragging the dummy, everyone stops what they're doing and cheers that person on. This extends beyond the training. Working out together, going on trips and experiencing everything together is creating a tight bond. It will only get better,” says Coleman, who hopes that their journey – which has attracted the attention of their upper management, will ultimately be paid for and covered by sponsors, making the focus on success

even greater. “The team is going above and beyond, which is why I chose them originally. These guys and girls are people I can put my name behind.” Team Captain and Founder Coleman has been in firefighting for eight years and other members have from just one month to a combined 15 years in both fire and EMS. This athletic and determined group of nine make no excuses when it comes to showing up for practice, despite how easy it would be to hang up the helmet after work and transition into family life. “There are people on the team going through rough times or they might be having a hard day – until they come to practice. Afterwards, they feel relieved,” Coleman says. Coleman has a message for those who might think they have reasons not to show up. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It's ok to fail. You have people supporting you everywhere and wanting you to succeed. All you have to do is ask and try. I’m always going to choose the person who has the dedication and the need to be better and who shows up to the practices rather than the person who clocks an amazing time – but shows up to just one practice.”

J U N - AU G 2022

LIFESTYLE

IT’S THE TOUGHEST TWO MINUTES YOU'LL EVER HAVE AS A FIREFIGHTER

“Right now, we have a lot of athletes within the fire service. A lot of them are high school and college athletes who couldn’t take it pro. We're allowing them to further their careers. All of our training reflects the things we do in the wee hours of the morning, late at night, on a house fire or an ems call. It's a way for people to see what we do in a very simplified way,” says Coleman. Despite the heat, physical challenges, and the schedule of intense competitions, colleagues on the Memphis Fire Department are inspired by the work of the Bluff City Combat Team. They’re even beginning to train at practices with the team. Fellow firefighters witness the camaraderie that has

developed and the physical gains the team has made since starting training in March of this year. With one competition under their belt, the team hopes to expand to 40 members and have multiple teams competing in relay, tandem, or individual Firefighter Challenges. This highly competitive sport has obvious physical benefits, but there are many unspoken perks for the group. Lindsay Lund, the team’s only female member, says, “The Combat Challenge challenges you mentally, physically and emotionally. It pushes you outside your comfort zone and shows you what you’re capable of doing with the support from your teammates. It’s a family.”

Fellow teammate Eric Shumaker adds, “I have always been competitive and this lets me compete while building skills for the job I love. I like to be part of a team. Every day this group is together, we get closer and we all push each other that much harder. It’s fun and it makes you want to be better every day.” The team is presently focused on training for their next competition in Grand Rapids, Mich. “It’s the toughest two minutes you'll ever have as a firefighter,” Coleman continues, “I could go down in a fire and someone I’ve worked out with and trained beside could have to pull me out. It’s more than just showing up for a shift.”

FOLLOW THE BLUFF CITY COMBAT TEAM ON FACEBOOK

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FITNESS

ROCK SOLID SHOULDERS

TRY THIS FUN DEPARTURE FROM TRADITIONAL STRENGTH TRAINING AND REAP THE BENEFITS OF THIS UNIQUE AND TIMELESS TOOL.

By Ryan Provencher, Executive Fitness Advisor for CRACKYL Magazine

Shoulder injuries account for a large percentage of all fireground injuries – no surprise when you consider the physical demands of the job, coupled with the weight and movement limitations of our Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). Many of my friends in the Fire Service have had shoulder problems, and I have had surgeries on both shoulders to repair rotator cuff tears. Shoulder Injuries can be debilitating and involve long recoveries so the old saying that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” certainly applies to maintaining shoulder health. I have spent countless hours performing exercises using bands and dumbbells, but my

favorite tool by far for building strong and healthy shoulders is the club. I was introduced to club training in 2005 by Coach Scott Sonnon, and it has played a prominent role in my physical training ever since. The modern-day club is shaped like a bowling pin with the bulk of the weight distal from the handle. The uneven weight distribution requires intentional movement and kinesthetic awareness through the entire body. This is a huge benefit when it comes to developing healthy movement and stability in the shoulders. Clubs come in a variety of shapes and sizes and may be purchased at relatively low cost. The exercises listed here are meant to be performed with light weight and you’ll find that a 5-lb. club feels very different from a 5-lb. dumb bell. For most of us, 1 to 5 pounds should be plenty of load as long as there is laser focus on controlling the weight through the entire range of motion. Here are three club training circuits that emphasize pushing and pulling movements, and rotation through the action of swinging. Incorporate these into your current workout program or use them as standalone shoulder workouts.

Please note: If you are considering these exercises as part of your rehab from injury or surgery, or if you experience movement limitation or pain, please consult with your doctor and/or physical therapist. 28

CRAC KYL MAGAZ I N E

THE READY POSITION Each of these exercises should be performed from the “Ready Position” and it is important to be mindful of this position throughout each movement. Each of these exercises will create a full body challenge and engagement as you move the weight with complete control through the entire range of motion.

Stand tall with your back straight, feet between hip and shoulder width apart for a solid base.

Hold a light club in each hand with a soft grip, shoulders pulled back and down.

3 4

Elbows should be tucked into your ribs at 90 degrees.

You should feel grounded through your feet and stable through your body throughout each movement.

Focus on smooth transitions in and out of each position.

Pull your feet inward to activate legs and hips while keeping the core engaged.

CIRCUIT A: PUSH

FRONT PRESS - HORIZONTAL

FRONT PRESS - VERT ICAL

SIDE PRESS - HORIZONTAL

Pull your shoulder blades down as you press your arms forward into extension.

Pull shoulder blades down as you press your arms upward into the extension.

Pull shoulder blades down as you press your arms outward into the extension.

Do not allow your shoulders to shrug upward at any point.

Pause briefly as you confirm that your shoulders are set.

Pull down and back through the shoulders as you return slowly to the starting position.

FITNESS

CIRCUIT B: PULL

PULL OVER - FRONT

Begin with your elbows pointing forward and the clubs hanging behind your back.

Begin with your elbows pointing to the side and the clubs hanging behind your back .

Keep your shoulder blades down as you pull your arms forward into the extension.

Keep your shoulder blades down as you pull your arms laterally into the extension.

3 4 5

Do not allow your shoulders to shrug upward at any point.

3 4 5

Do not allow your shoulders to shrug upward at any point.

Pause briefly as you confirm that your shoulders are set. Pull down and back through the shoulders as you return slowly to the starting position.

PULL OVER - FRONT TO SIDE

PULL OVER - SIDE

1 2

Perform the pull over – front movement.

Drop the clubs into the starting position and repeat for desired repetitions.

Once shoulders are set with arms fully extended, pull the clubs back into the side position.

C RAC KYL MAGAZ I N E

Pause briefly as you confirm that your shoulders are set. Pull down and back through the shoulders as you return slowly to the starting position.

PULL OVER - SIDE TO FRONT

1 2

Perform the pull over – side movement.

Drop the clubs into the starting position and repeat as desired.

Once shoulders are set with arms fully extended, pull the clubs forward into the front position.

CIRCUIT C: SWING SHOULDER CIRCLE - INSIDE

Start in the “Ready Position” with a club in one hand.

Pull your shoulder down as you drive the club across your body.

Pull the club through its natural swinging motion towards the side arm extended position.

Rotate your elbow to the side as you drop the club behind your body.

Rotate your elbow to the inside as you pull the club across to begin the next repetition.

Pull the club through its natural swinging motion across the body.

Tuck your elbow inside as the club returns to a vertical position.

Push the club away as you begin the next repetition.

Control the club as you allow it to swing behind you, sitting back into the hip hinge position.

Drive your hips forward to propel the clubs back to the ready position.

Control the clubs as you allow them to drop behind your back with your elbows pointed forward. Keep shoulder blades down as you pull your arms forward to begin the next repetition.

SHOULDER CIRCLE - OUTSIDE

Start in the “Ready Position” with a club in one hand.

Pull your shoulder down as you drive the club away from your body.

HIP HINGE TO PULL OVER - FRONT

Start in the “Ready Position” with a club in each hand.

Pull shoulder blades down as you press your arms forward into the extension.

RELATIONSHIPS

DID PTSD CAUSE YOUR

? e c r D ivo

By Carrie Fleetwood B.A., M.Ed., R.P. O.A.M.H.P.

If you’re like many divorced people, you still have a sad, sometimes resentful, nagging feeling when you reflect on what happened to your marriage. What became of the dreams you once had for a happy life together?

Could Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have played a role in the erosion of your relationship? Might PTSD have been the enemy, and not your spouse? Perhaps you weren’t the spouse you wanted to be in your marriage because your PTSD left you with little control over who you became with the people you loved the most. Did you consistently overreact with a child who was emotional or feisty? Did you feel that your spouse or family members were attacking or manipulating you?

CRAC KYL MAGAZ I N E

RESP ONSIB ILITY AND C ONTROL Let’s be clear that regardless of what we’ve been through, we’re responsible for our own behaviour. Prisons are full of people who didn’t control their urges and rages and who are now being held accountable. That said, the symptoms and automatic responses caused by PTSD can be very hard to control, and can have devastating effects on a marriage. Without therapy and help with healing, PTSD can be the invisible monster that takes over your home, causing an endless cycle of trauma with the very ones who are most precious to you. If your spouse has asked you – even once – to seek help, don’t wait for the tenth or the twentieth request. Don’t say “I’m sorry – but if you hadn’t said or done such and such, I wouldn’t have…” Do yourself and your family a favor and find a good trauma expert to help you heal. This is something you can control.

W H AT IS PTSD? W H AT DOE S IT LOOK L I KE IN A M ARRIAGE? PTSD affects all ages, all ethnicities and all economic levels of society. Females are more likely than males to suffer from it, perhaps because sexual assault/abuse and violence happen more frequently to women. Research indicates that Vietnam War veterans with PTSD were twice as likely to divorce, and three times more likely to divorce twice or more. Intergenerational trauma can be passed down, with children who grow up with a parent struggling with PTSD showing signs themselves from a very young age.

According to psychiatry.org, PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event(s) such as a natural disaster, a serious accident or the resulting carnage, a terrorist act, war/combat, rape, sexual assault, physical/sexual abuse, or parental neglect. It can also occur in those who have been threatened with death, sexual violence or serious injury. The onset of PTSD can occur immediately following a traumatic event, or much later when a person is unexpectedly triggered and reminded of a traumatic experience. The PTSD sufferer often withdraws into isolation and shame, not understanding what’s happened and sometimes blaming others. While sufferers may be able to exercise control over their reactions in public settings, in their family lives debilitating symptoms and behaviours are common: flashbacks, nightmares, memory gaps, sleep and concentration problems, headaches, joint pain, startle responses, withdrawal, zoning out, avoiding intimacy, avoidance of noises, smells, places, people, conflict or perceived conflict, irritability and overreactions to everyday family life stresses. PTSD is often experienced as the “invisible wound.” The outer body shows no signs of damage but the hypervigilance, hyperarousal and devastation of the mind and spirit are what the family sees. A spouse will often feel helpless and wonder why a partner is so quick to anger. Why is there a withdrawal from the family to be alone? Why not talk about what happened? Angry outbursts and feelings of being detached and disconnected from themselves and from family members are common for PTSD sufferers. Those issues become even more disturbing if the sufferer

AC C O R D I N G T O T H E I N S T I T U T E S O F H E A LT H :

MORE TH AN

8o%

OF FIRST RESPON DERS EXPERIENCE T R A U M AT I C EVE NTS ON THE JOB.

And because they face challenging and dangerous situations, first responders are at a high risk of developing PTSD as a work-related injury or condition.

abuses substances or over-the-counter medications in order to numb body tension and banish intrusive thoughts. Addiction creates only more pain and turmoil for the marriage and family.

DI D PTSD CAUSE YO UR DIVORCE? Do you look back on your marriage and see a never-ending cycle of overreacting to marital misunderstandings? Did you sometimes react abusively to your spouse or children? Do you remember watching your spouse slowly being worn down as a wall of defeat and loneliness grew between you? Did your children feel unsafe emotionally and sometimes even physically? Perhaps one or more developed behavioural problems, amplifying the distress in the family. You may have blamed everyone else but yourself in an effort to lessen your heavy burden of shame. Did you come to believe that you couldn’t trust anyone, not even your spouse? You may even have pointed to your spouse and kids as the problem when everyone was scrambling to manage the anxiety you were creating. You may have shared a self-righteous narrative with everyone outside the family in a bid for sympathy. But now that you’ve had time to reflect, you’re starting to see how every family member was stressed by your PTSD behaviours. It may be too late to salvage your marriage but healing can happen and there is still hope for you and your family if you get help and learn how to take back your mind and body. To help you deal with PTSD, please see some tips and ideas on the next page.

AC C O R D I N G T O T H E S U B S TA N C E A B U S E & M E N TA L H E A LT H S E RV I C E S A D M I N I S T R AT I O N ( SA M H SA ) ,

1 in3 R O UGH LY

FI RST R E S PO N DE RS DEV E LO P PTS D . I N C O M PA R I S O N , T H E I N C I D E N C E O F P T S D I N T H E G E N E R A L P O P U L AT I O N IS 1 I N 5 PEOPLE.

J U N - AU G 2022

RELATIONSHIPS

HEALING

and

TREATMENT

NO.1

NO.2

NO.3

NO.4

“The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma” by Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk and “The PTSD Workbook” by Dr. Mary Beth Williams and Dr. Soili Poijula are both great books for you.

You can easily find PTSD self-tests online that take only minutes to do and provide you with a score that will show various levels of severity. Check out the resources at the National Center for PTSD at ptsd.va.gov

Try self-help practices such as listening to soothing music, having regular massages, taking warm baths and engaging in plenty of exercise to release body tension, improve breathing and encourage relaxation. Visit calm.com for a wealth of relaxation tips.

Try breath prayers: taking a deep breath in as you begin to talk to God/ your creator (whatever your concept of this higher being is).

READ

NO.5

DISCOVER

NO.6

DECOM PRES S

NO.7

B REATH W ORK

NO.8

NO.9

CBT

EMDR

SUPPORT

COACH I NG

FAITH

CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) can be a useful tool in dealing with cognitive distortions and negative thinking patterns.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and Prolonged Exposure Therapy can also be very helpful.

Join a support group. No one will "get" what you are going through like they will.

Consider using a PTSD Family Coach or the PTSD Coach app.

Seek out faith and community resources and medical attention. Because antidepressant medications can ease the severe stress.

T H E BOT TOM L I N E I S :

PTSD IS VERY TREATAB LE . You may strongly resist the idea and want to avoid feeling vulnerable just when you’re trying desperately to hold yourself together, but there is hope for your future. Reach out to a trauma counsellor and to other supports as early as possible.

T H E E N E MY I S N O T YO U O R YO U R S P O U S E . I T ’ S T H E P T S D .

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LIFESTYLE

IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS By Rick Mao,ur Chief Detailng Of,ficer All Washed Up Mobile Vehicle Detailng

With regular access to fire station wash bays, there’s no reason your personal vehicle can’t rival the sheen of your department’s newest rescue trucks. But post-winter detailing can seem daunting. Here are some tips that minimize effort and maximize results. Start with the interior of your car, which avoids tracking water and grime into the vehicle.

INTERIOR

STEP 1

STEP 3

Work your way down from the top, being gentle with the headliner, or fabric covering the ceiling: A stiff brush often removes scuffs and stains but moist cleaning agents can loosen the headliner glue and then you’re in for a big and expensive mess.

To wipe down all the interior hard surfaces, use an allpurpose cleaner and a microfiber towel. Clean cracks and crevices with professional detailing brushes which are more effective than that popular stand by - old toothbrushes. Turn on the AC while brushing vents to make that task easier.

STEP 2

STEP 4

Brush your carpet as you vacuum and you’ll find that the agitation makes the job easier. For deeper dirt, consider a small carpet cleaner. If you encounter a tough salt stain, dissolve it with a spray of diluted vinegar.

Now that the interior is clean, make surfaces look like new with an application of water-based plastic and leather protectants.

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EXTERIOR STEP 1 Start with the wheels and use dedicated wheel brushes and a separate wash bucket which ensures contaminants such as brake dust don’t mix with the wash water for the body panels. The wheels-first approach also eliminates dirt from the wheels splashing up on your clean body panels.

STEP 2 After the wheels, spray a liberal amount of iron dissolver on the body panels to remove contaminants imbedded in your clearcoat, which is the upper layer of your paint. After this step, if your paint is still rough to the touch, use a clay bar or clay sponge to remove remaining contaminants. Now, rinse the car thoroughly, stand back and wait for the admiring glances!

STEP 3 For washing body panels, use the two-bucket method – one for soap and one for rinse water, both with grit guards that trap any dirt you take off the vehicle. Use car wash soap, not harsh dish detergent. Toss your wash sponge and buy a microfiber wash mitt. Sponges hold too much grit which mars and scratches your vehicle’s delicate finish. Wash body panels from the roof down, one section at a time. Move your wash mitt in straight lines front to back. Circles add swirl marks.

STEP 4 Once you’ve washed and rinsed everything, dry with a leaf blower as it lessens paint damage, or use a thick microfiber towel.

STEP 5 Now check body panels for scratches and swirl marks which can usually be removed through polishing or "paint correction". Invest in an electric random-orbital polisher. Their action mimics the human hand but at speeds inhumanly impossible. Their clutch also stops the polisher if you apply too much pressure. Leave aggressive gear-driven and rotary polishers to seasoned detailers. They can burn through clearcoat, which is only the thickness of a Post-It Note®! Working from least aggressive to most aggressive polishes helps avoid unnecessary paint damage.

STEP 6 Top off the polish with a good quality wax to seal and add gloss. Consider a ceramic coating only if you’re comfortable with that technology.

STEP 7 Finally, the windows – a real pain in the glass. Use a waffle weaver cloth to avoid streaks. Move in a horizontal pattern inside, and vertical outside, so when searching for smudges, the direction will tell you if what you’ve found is inside or outside.

J U N - AU G 2022

FINANCE

By Martha Chapman

IN YOUR

20'S? 30'S? 40'S?

IT’S NOT TOO EARLY TO START PLANNING I’ll bet family and friends outside the fire service rib you a lot about your pension. You know, the big fat pile of money you’re going to be eligible for in your 50s, way ahead of them, and no questions asked. Next time this happens, you might want to suggest they sit down with you, so you can explain that retirement for firefighters is more complicated than they think. Because it is. That’s thanks to the dozens of variables affecting your retirement. A host of considerations make anyone’s post-work plans complex. But add in your profession and it becomes a true Tetris game. Here are some pointers to get you started – even if you are in your 20s.

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THE STUFF EVERYONE HAS TO CONSIDER: How do you see your retirement? A quiet life at home, getting your garden into shape and taking up a new little hobby? Or could your “new” lifestyle be a lot more expensive as you pursue your favorite sport(s), travel extensively or split your new life between two homes? And other options may have their eye on your bank account, including subsidizing grandkids’ university tuitions or helping your own parents age in place. Another consideration for some retirees is moving to a cheaper part of the country or even overseas. What can you expect to add to your pot of pension money? Bear in mind the prospect of your partner’s own pension. Depending on where you live you may be eligible for a government pension on top of your work one. Perhaps you can reasonably expect to come into an inheritance (though that one is always best left in your daydreams as it may not be as much as you think – or may be eaten up in taxes and fees). A good place to start is by considering what you’ll need/want moneywise for retirement. Most pundits suggest that 70 to 80 per cent of your pre-retirement income is a good target. And remember that this income may have a host of sources such as work pension, government pension, rental property income, investments and more. There are some very handy retirement calculators available online including the one at forbes.com.

THEN ADD THE FIREFIGHTER STUFF: Firefighter pensions vary wildly depending on where you are. Many don’t kick in 100 percent until you have worked a minimum number of years (often 20 or more). Some allow you to retire early with a reduced pension payout. Do you have a side gig that you plan to hang on to, keeping the money coming in?

It’s no secret that firefighting is a tough job mentally and physically. Will your health care needs and costs escalate once you leave the firehall and its umbrella of security?

SO: WHAT’S THE GAME PLAN? First, determine with your employer/ pension company when you can retire and what your pension will be. If you are not already contributing to a retirement savings plan, run, don’t walk to your nearest bank, financial planner or investment house and speak to an advisor about setting up a plan. There are few pension programs that will subsidize us 100 percent and against any unforeseen circumstances. Think about where you are now debtwise, apart from a mortgage. If it’s a complicated concern (or even worse, a nightmare) consider consolidating your debt into one monthly payment. Much better for peace of mind, and cheaper than piling everything onto your credit card. At time of writing, for example, Wells Fargo’s consolidation loans are available at rates as low as 5.74 per cent. Look at using the services of a certified financial planner – recommendations by friends, family or colleagues are a good place to start. A planner will take a detailed snapshot of your current situation and goals and make recommendations based on your age and risk tolerance (no surprise: the older you are, the lower your risk tolerance). Don’t be embarrassed about asking the planner how they make their money: some work on a fee basis (paid by you) or commissions (paid by the investments they recommend). It’s never too early to get in the habit of setting aside money for your own retirement each month: many experts recommend that along with your household budget you establish a pension fund. Set it up so that the money goes automatically into your retirement account: that way it won’t burn a hole in your pocket and it won’t even seem like yours – until you get that nice statement at the end of the year.

FUN WITH CREDIT CARDS The median interest rate the cards are charging these days is an eyewatering 20 per cent, so you want to be sure to pay these bills in full each month. Keep things simple and try not to have a wallet full of cards: two major ones should suffice. Set them up so that on the day the payment is due it will automatically be withdrawn from your account. That saves you from having to remember (even when you are on vacation). Get extra smart and put monthly household expenses such as phone/internet, streaming services, electricity etc. on your credit card too. That way those bills will be automatically paid too, and you’ll be earning an excellent credit rating while collecting points, miles, or whatever your card is dishing out – for free!

J U N - AU G 2022

LIFESTYLE

Mark Drew AND O l e g S k ac h ko

Standing shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine By Liz Fleming

CRAC KYL MAGAZ I N E

UKRAINE. THE IMAGES OF WAR, DESTRUCTION AND SUFFERING HAVE DOMINATED THE NEWS FOR MONTHS, LEAVING US SHOCKED AND SADDENED, WISHING WE COULD DO SOMETHING. In a small town in New Jersey, firefighters Oleg Skachko and Mark Drew are doing more than just wishing. Together with their crew at the Clinton, New Jersey Fire Department and Clinton's governing bodies, they’ve begun a monumental project to supply urgently needed bunker gear and tools to Ukrainian firefighters.

BUNKER GEAR COLLECTED BY THE CLINTON, NEW JERSEY FIRE DEPARTMENT IS BEING SENT TO THE FRONT LINES IN UKRAINE.

Skachko, who was born in Ukraine in 1987, immigrated with his parents to the United States in 2002 and became a firefighter in 2019. Ask him what he loves most about his job and he’ll tell you, “I love the brotherhood – the firefighting family. Walk into any firehall in the country and you know you’ll be welcomed. They’ll tell you to sit down and get you a cup of coffee. We’re all here to serve and protect and work together. Now, we’re working together to help Ukraine.” It was almost immediately after the Russian invasion of Ukraine that Skachko heard from friends in his birth country that there was a dire need for firefighting gear. People without proper protective equipment were struggling, trying to save others from the fiery aftermath of missile strikes and bombings. That’s when a new and powerful collaboration began in Clinton. “I knew Oleg,” says Lieutenant Mark Drew of the Clinton Fire Department, “but we’d never actually worked the same shifts. There are over 140 people in the department and our schedules had never been the same. But I’m involved in the union and

so I heard about it when he came to the Department with his idea. And as soon as I heard, I wanted to help.” The idea? To send used bunker gear to Ukraine. The need for jackets, pants, boots, gloves, Nomex hoods, helmets, air packs (which are shipped deflated), various hand tools and medical gear such as back boards was overwhelming. Since most fire departments replace their gear at specific intervals, even if it’s still serviceable, there’s often a substantial stock of used but still-good items. That’s what Skachko saw as a tangible way to make a difference for Ukraine.

“AT FIRST,” HE RECALLS, “I THOUGHT WE COULD MAYBE SEND A DOZEN SETS OF GEAR. BUT THEN IT TURNED INTO SOMETHING HUGE.” Huge indeed. After enlisting the cooperation of their captain and the town of Clinton – the official owners of the used gear – Drew and Skachko put together a quick flyer to let other neighboring fire departments know what they were doing. It was posted on social media and went viral. Says Skachko, without a hint of irony, “It took off like wildfire!”

Fire departments across the state heard about the initiative and began arriving with donations. Soon, managing the project and dealing with the mounting collection of donations became nearly a full-time job for Drew and Skachko, who were still performing their regular firefighting duties. And then the mainstream media heard about it. CNN did a story about the firefighters and their plan to help Ukraine and donations began to arrive almost immediately from as far away as the west coast, from Colorado, Nevada, Wisconsin, Washington State, Michigan, Ohio, Florida and even further afield.

Says Drew, “We’ve been contacted by more than 300 different departments looking for information and so far, more than 200 have donated to the cause. We’ve had guys drive ten hours or more to bring us their gear.” What began as a stream of support has morphed into a firehose blast of donations and there’s been no predicting how much they’ll receive. On a day when Drew and Skachko were anticipating a delivery of six pallets of used bunker gear, they instead received 16. They’ve done most of the work of sorting and organizing themselves – unless they knew a particularly large shipment was coming in. At one point, when people began delivering pallets of

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LIFESTYLE

It took off like wildfire!” donations (hundreds of sets of gear at once) they needed a forklift to get it off the trucks and a team of volunteers to help sort and load. It’s been an avalanche of generosity to meet an incredible need. Drew reports that some of the most touching donations have come from the families of fallen firefighters. “It’s very difficult for them, we know,” says Drew, “and we’re very careful to be respectful. Many have told us that it helps them to know that the gear is doing so much good.” The situation in Ukraine is terrifying, with demands on those who are living through it exceeding anything that we can imagine. Says Drew, “The fact is, they’re seeing fires and devastation on a level few of us can even imagine. It’s very difficult to think about.” But, says Skachko, U.S. firefighters have a special perspective, “Though it’s not the same thing, a lot of the people who gave us their gear said that for them, it’s like what we had with 9-11. We’re all firefighters, here in North America and in Ukraine, and we all feel the same pain. It doesn’t matter where the fire is…it just doesn’t matter. It bites you the same. For the guys on the front line, it’s the same. They’re in the hot zone, where the explosions are happening.”

VOLUNTEERS AND DONATIONS HAVE FLOODED IN FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. (WITH THANKS TO NEW UKRAINIAN WAVE, PASAIC, N.J.)

DREW ESTIMATED THAT THEY HAD ALREADY SHIPPED ABOUT 4,000 SETS OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.

One thing that is different in Ukraine is the number of untrained volunteers who are bravely stepping up to help when they can. And they, of course, are completely unequipped. “We quickly realized,” says Drew, “that it isn’t just firefighters who’ll be using this gear. There are untrained people helping everywhere because the situation is so terrible. And those people have absolutely nothing to protect them. They need something…anything!” The donated gear, though used, is very good quality: far thicker and heavier than what’s ordinarily used in Ukraine. According to NFPA regulations, bunker gear must be replaced

after ten years, and at that time, damaged or worn out equipment is thrown away. But often, thanks to quality construction, the gear is still serviceable – and valuable. Skachko estimates the value of a brand new set of bunker gear at approximately $4,000 – but a good-quality used set is still worth approximately $2,200, so the value of the gifts being donated by fire departments and the cities and towns they serve around the country is substantial.

pounds, the cost to ship the mountains of gear was astronomical. But even this didn’t discourage Skachko. He simply found another group of friends to bring into the mix: New Ukrainian Wave, a non-profit group based in Passaic, N.J., who were excited to be able to help in such a powerful way. They generously took on the job and most of the financial responsibility for shipping the gear which has, at the time of this publication, cost more than $250,000.

be distributed. We’re still partnering with New Ukrainian Wave but now work directly with the shipper, who helps to offset some costs and comes in to help us pack.”

With a flood of donations pouring in, the next task was to find a way to ship it to Ukraine. Given that an average set of gear including helmet, gloves, boots, jacket and pants weighs approximately 75

Says Drew, “New Ukrainian Wave had contacts with different shippers and they knew of ways to pack and get the gear on planes. It’s flown first to Poland and then transported overland to Ukraine where it can

The arrival of those first shipments has been a true godsend. Says Drew, “We’ve already seen some photos of guys wearing our gear and that feels so good.”

The collections began in early March and the team of Drew and Skachko initially thought they’d wrap things up in a couple of weeks. That soon became a month, and by mid-April, Drew estimated that they had already shipped about 4,000 sets of personal protective equipment.

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LIFESTYLE Skachko agrees, “Even though the gear is used, they’re much better protected now. Being in the danger zones, having that protection is phenomenal. They couldn’t thank us enough.” Everything collected and shipped during the first six-week push was anticipated to have been delivered to Ukraine by the end of April. That’s when Skachko and Drew took a brief pause to evaluate the needs on the ground and develop strategies to get what’s most needed to the biggest hot spots. Says Drew, “We’ve been in touch with the Ukrainian embassy in Washington, D.C. and have information coming from them as well as from the Ukrainian National Fire Service.” Next, Skachko is looking beyond bunker gear in hopes of providing other, much needed equipment such as flashlights and more hand tools. This time, he’s going directly to manufacturers to get donations and has had some success so far.

“I’LL JUST KEEP ASKING UNTIL WE GET WHAT WE NEED,” HE SAYS. Despite all the hours of work and personal time they’ve already invested – really, every day for weeks on end – Drew insists they’re ready for more, “If we find that we need to reopen for more bunker gear donations, we absolutely will. We’re ready.” Drew and Skachko are committed to helping their Ukrainian counterparts survive. Says Drew, “Their mission is the same as ours: to protect and serve the citizens of their communities. Their gear and tools may be a little different, but the mission is the same. We’re out there to help one another. This is a highlight of the fire service and it goes to show that when people are in need, we’re going to help them in whatever way we can.”

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To represent the legions of U.S firefighters who’ve contributed to this cause and who are standing in solidarity with their Ukrainian colleagues, the shipments have contained a special gift – Ukrainian flags covered with badges from each of the fire departments that have contributed their support. Each stitch that holds a badge to a flag represents the unbreakable connection between firefighters, no matter where they may be.

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HEALTH

IS BEING A STARTER WEARING YOU DOWN? By Leah Sobon

Starting a new home project is an exciting part of home ownership. It adds value, increases the enjoyment of your home, and often satisfies the urge to move into something more expensive with less work.

Y O U P L U N G E D H E A D F I R S T I N TO Y O U R N E W P R O J E C T W I T H E V E RY I N T E N T I O N O F F I N I S H I N G W H AT Y O U S TA RT E D - B U T D I D Y O U F I N I S H ? Maybe this new project has bumped into an unfinished older, less exciting commitment that found an unceremonious place on the to-do list. You know – that daunting and expansive list that has all your free time occupied for the next 50 years – not to mention your expendable income. This behavior stretches well beyond the joists and walls of your home projects. It includes impulse purchases such as new vehicles, fun outdoor toys, and even vacations.

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We love starting new projects and commitments - but what happens when the fun and excitement wear off and your ‘Country Living’-inspired shiplap is still missing that 16-foot piece you said you would get around to on your next day off? Or that backyard landscaping project that has piles of dirt scattered across your lawn, making the once usable space impassable? Or when that new car loses its appeal but you’re committed to eight years of payments that were already higher than you could afford? Being a starter is exhausting – not only for the individual pulling the trigger but also for the entire family. Can we do something that satisfies the urge to start a project while maintaining our prior commitments? Being a starter isn’t always a bad thing and many have the ability to complete the tasks, obtaining the prestigious title of being a finisher too. But why do first responders exhibit this behavior in the first place?

Our can-do attitude is contagious. We pride ourselves on how well we make everything work. Broke your leg? We will splint it and make you comfortable. House on fire? We will salvage what is salvageable and make sure everyone is safe. Did your cat go up a tree? Well, that’s too bad. Just kidding – we’ll figure that out too. Firefighters and first responders are incredible problem solvers who very seldom say “I can’t do that.” We work through everything, no matter how daunting it seems. This powerful mindset and attitude, however, seems to follow us around, especially in our homes.

S O H OW D O W E AV O I D T H E S U F F O C AT I N G P I L E O F P R O J E C T S AND COMMITMENTS IN THE FIRST PLACE?

NO.1

MAKE IT A TEAM PROJECT. When we involve other voices in the mix, we allow the opportunity for disagreement. While this is often a hard pill to swallow, it’s necessary when the idea of building your own inground pool on a dollar store budget arises. There needs to be a voice of reason that can tell you why the idea might be too adventurous, or how the project might become a hindrance. A team can bounce ideas around and ultimately, show you why any project that involves the rental of excavators, cement trucks, and custom pool measurements is best left to the pros.

NO.2

LEARN HOW TO BUDGET NOT ONLY YOUR MONEY BUT ALSO YOUR TIME. Firefighters are the first to volunteer their free time the moment help is needed. Whether a buddy is moving, a co-worker is working on finishing a home project, or someone just needs your support – firefighters are there. Time budgeting is almost more valuable than finances because when we stretch ourselves too thin, we risk throwing our work/life balance off which ultimately affects those waiting at home too. If starting a home renovation has you excited because you’re off for the next two days and think you can get the work done, this is a good opportunity to decide whether that time could be better spent finishing earlier projects.

NO.3

PERFECTIONISM IS A WORD THAT IS BOTH A BLESSING AND CURSE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS. We pride ourselves on doing everything right the first time. Mistakes in an emergency setting can mean the difference between life and death and is a hard mindset to turn off once you get home. Ask any first responder what it’s like to return from an extended time at work and you’ll probably hear that the transition to home life is hard. Your expectations have to be adjusted because five-year-olds can’t brush their teeth without decorating the bathroom counter with toothpaste. This transition is exhausting and it’s often easier to deal with the conflicts of perfectionism rather than simply learning to turn it off. We often take the old adage “measure twice/cut once” well past its intended meaning and spend an exorbitant amount of time working out the finer details. This over-attention to detail can take a small home project and not only double its expected time to finish but also add a layer of stress that wasn’t required.

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SO… HOW DO WE BECOME FINISHERS? We already have a leg up on the competition because alongside being adventurous starters, we are also incredible doers. We know how to modify practices to achieve more desirable results. We just need to be able to acknowledge that our starting needs to be tailored to a reasonable set of limits and expectations. Make a commitment, simplify the tasks, utilize your resources appropriately (time included), and involve those around you to help keep your feet on the ground when your starter mindset risks sweeping you away into something bigger and better.

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R E L AT I O N S H I P S P I N CYC L E

HOW CLOSE ISTOO CLOSE?

By Simon Matthews, FASLM MAPS MHlthSc ICF-PCC

RELATIONSHIPS

If you’ve ever studied the engine cooling system in your car, or the air conditioning system in your home or workplace, you know its operation hinges on one essential component: the thermostat. It’s responsible for detecting a change in temperature (up or down) and responding by switching the system on or off to adjust the temperature.

O U R R E L AT IO NSH IP S H AV E A SIM IL A R K IND O F “ T H E R M O S TAT” , A ND O NE O F T H E M O ST C O M M ON SE NSO R S T H AT P E O P L E H AV E C OULD B E C A L L E D A “ P R O X IM ISTAT ”. I TS JO B IS TO D E T E R M INE WH E N THE C L O SE NE SS O R D ISTA NC E B E TW EEN P E O P L E IS A B O U T R IG H T, A ND D E C ID E H OW TO A D JU ST IT. Many years ago, psychologists recognised that one of the essential needs of humans is connection and relationships with others. Some of us find that in marriage and some in professional relationships.

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Some of us are generally quite happy alone, with our own company. Whatever your preference, you likely have a “set-point” for how much closeness you like. If you’re in a marriage, any sort of longterm relationship or domestic partnership, this can be tricky. In the same way that buildings have different thermostats, that people set differently, we all have different “proximistats”.

W HIL E O NE PE R S ON M AY FEEL T HEY H AVE J U S T THE RIGHT COMBIN AT ION O F CL O S ENES S AND INDIVIDUALIT Y I N THE IR RE LATIONSHIP, T HE OT HER PARTNE R MIG H T FEEL T HERE’S TOO M UCH OR TOO LIT T LE. When you sense that the amount of closeness is too small, you tend to do things to increase it. Maybe you try to be physically closer, or talk more. Maybe you try to spend more time with your partner. Similarly, if you sense that the amount of closeness is too much, then you do things to introduce more distance between the two of you. These patterns form the basis for a very common but very challenging human dynamic referred to as the “pursue – distance cycle”. Partner 1 wants to be closer and Partner 2 then feels a little smothered, needing more distance and trying to introduce some space. Partner 1 then tries to get even closer. It’s easy to see how quickly this vicious cycle can become a frustrating problem. One half of the partnership sees the other as having no interest in being close, while the other half feels hounded by a partner who’s too needy and demanding. For first responders, this pattern can be particularly challenging. After a difficult shift during which you might have been exposed to some distressing and traumatising events, you might want to feel very close to your partner. But this intensity might feel overwhelming and smothering for them, causing them to back off and leaving you feeling even more isolated. Your response? You work even harder to get close and so the cycle begins. Or, after a difficult shift, you want some distance and space. Your partner might recognise that your day has been particularly difficult and might try to get closer to you. Instead of providing comfort, their overtures could feel overwhelming and smothering, so you could be the one to back

off, leaving your partner feeling that you’re slipping away. Their response? Your partner tries even harder to get close to you. Without understanding the need for a balance of closeness and distance, it’s all too easy for each partner to blame the other. “You’re so needy…” or “You never open up to me…” If you recognise this pattern, you’re certainly not alone. Everyone has a need for both closeness to and distance from others and we all have ways of trying to strike a balance. If you see yourself in the descriptions above, there are ways to change that pattern. Once you recognize the needs that are driving you – either to get closer, or gain more distance – talk to your partner. Often simply putting things into words can clarify a situation. You could say, “When I get home from a really tough shift, I need some time alone to process what I’ve just been through. If I can have an hour or two on my own then I’ll be able to really focus on enjoying our time together.”

WE’RE HERE. WH E RE ARE

YOU?

COMMU NIC AT IO N TO B O O ST UN DERSTA ND ING IS K E Y. One of the most powerful ways to change unhappy patterns is to do the exact opposite of what you think you need. If trying to get closer to your partner is causing friction, consider looking to other people in your life for support instead. Similarly, if trying to keep your distance is causing difficulty with your partner, try reaching out to them. You’ll be signalling that their need for closeness is being satisfied and they may ease up a little. If you find that your efforts aren’t achieving the outcome that you want, consider consulting a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. LMFTs are trained in recognising patterns such as these and are able to support couples to develop a deeper understanding of themselves and each other. Working with a skilled LMFT can put an end to friction and lead to more satisfying and harmonious relationships. There are many LMFTs who work with the first responder community. A simple Google search for “LMFT first responder” will turn up many options. You may also have colleagues or friends who can recommend someone they’ve found effective.

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HEALTH

l l i P d r a : w AH o l l a w S to d e e n e w o D ? s t n e m e l p Sup

By Jenna Stedman, MS, RD, LD Tactical Dietitian for O2X Human Performance

ONE SIMPLE FACT:

WE CAN GET ALL OF THE NUTRITION THAT WE REQUIRE FROM THE FOOD WE EAT. Eating mostly whole foods most of the time is a good idea when it comes to getting all the nutrients we need in our daily diet. Simply put: we should aim to make the best nutrition choices that we can and include a variety of foods from each food group. A balanced meal includes three food groups: protein, carbohydrates and fats. When building your plate to feature those food groups, keep in mind that choosing leaner protein options, such as turkey,

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fish, soy, chicken or beans more often than fattier protein choices is your best bet. Choosing whole grains, such as whole wheat bread or pasta, brown rice, quinoa or oats provides more nutrients than refined grains. Produce is an easy one to incorporate, because all fruits and vegetables support good health and provide a variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Aiming for more of these whole foods will provide

more nutrients than ultra-processed foods. But there are certainly plenty of processed foods that can be part of a healthful nutrition pattern, such as breads, canned foods, frozen foods, juices, condiments or corn chips, to name just a few. The most important thing to remember is that there is no diet that is perfect for all human beings to follow, but there are patterns of eating that are more helpful than others.

WE DO NOT REQUIRE ANY SUPPLEMENTATION It is always more satisfying to eat a delicious meal than it is to take a pill, and there is no supplement that will ever truly replace food. That’s a big reason why almost all dietitians across varying specialties take a food-first approach in their nutrition recommendations. For all my supplement junkies out there, this is (groan alert) a hard pill to swallow. If we’re eating well, we don’t

THERE IS NO SUPPLEMENT THAT WILL EVER TRULY REPLACE FOOD need any supplements in order to train and perform well. But, if you do want to look at using supplements to meet your nutritional needs, there are key issues to consider. It is important to understand that the dietary supplement industry in the United States is not yet regulated by the FDA and USDA in the same way as food is. This means that when you go into the grocery store, you can trust that everything listed on the nutrition label on a can of soup is, in fact, in the soup, and there is nothing missing and nothing extra. On the other hand, when you walk into a supplement store you cannot necessarily trust that what is listed on the supplement facts label is actually in that product, in the accurate amount, and that there is nothing extra (or illegal) included. The FDA steps in to check supplements once they are on the shelves, but this is a big task. The US supplement industry is a quickly expanding, multibillion dollar a year industry, so there are many factors other than ingredients that are driving it. Consumers need to be wary.

There is a silver lining to the possible inconsistency in supplement ingredients: third party testing, which means that an independent lab has checked the label and the product to be sure that they match. You can tell if a product has been third party tested if it includes one of the logos featured below. The USP logo can be found on multivitamins as well as individual vitamins and minerals. Informed Choice or NSF Certified for Sport logos are more likely to be found on sport performance supplements, such as protein powders and pre-workout products that have been third party tested.

SOME DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS CAN BE HELPFUL. SOME ARE LESS SO... Supplements are intended to correct a deficiency, provide convenience, or improve athletic performance. Supplement packages showcase various claims, so it is important to be an informed consumer and err on the side of caution when choosing whether or not to take a supplement. The only way to know if you have a nutrient deficiency is to go to your primary care physician for a blood test. They can check levels for vitamins, minerals, hormones, cholesterol, and can perform other lab tests before and after you take a supplement to see if it is actually improving your nutrient deficiency. This is good science! Simply walking into a supplement store and choosing pills that sound powerful is bad science, and not helpful to your health and performance.

There are some supplements that are convenient to include in your day-to-day routine. Preparing and packing a piece of chicken for your gym bag may not be exactly practical, while a protein powder is easy to bring and add to your water bottle after training. It’s important to talk with your tactical dietitian to get help in finding foods that will accomplish your goals, and to discuss supplement recommendations if necessary. We usually recommend things like beet juice instead of pre-workout powders, and suggest eating more protein during meals and snacks rather than buying BCAAs, or brand chain amino acids – aka big ol’ waste of money. There are some supplements that have great data showing their ergogenic (performance enhancing) effects. Creatine and caffeine are two examples for which there is an abundance of research. On the other hand, there are a lot of

garbage supplements that have absolutely no data suggesting that they have any positive effects or that their health claims are based on any solid scientific results. “Fat burning products” and “appetite suppressants” are not part of a good health regime.

HOW DO WE CHOOSE? The best thing that you can do is to work with a healthcare professional who is an expert in dietary supplements – perhaps your favorite tactical dietitian. They will be able to help you make the smartest decisions about including a dietary supplement in your nutrition pattern. Be sure to check any supplement you’re interested in taking using a third party testing list. Keep asking questions and above all, choose foods first whenever you can!

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HEALTH

A gut feeling ABOUT PREBIOTICS

By Darren Portelli, CEO/Founder Crazy D’s Sparkling Prebiotic Soda Labs

If you have a gut feeling that balance is important in your life, you’re right. Health experts love guts - the digestive tract including the stomach and the intestines. And the profound connections they’ve made between gut health and overall wellness prove the importance of supporting and maintaining a balanced microbiome - all those microorganisms in your body. In fact, many studies point to the fact that gut homeostasis relies on bacterial diversity. And what is that? According to Dr. Melissa Conrad Stoppler, “Homeostasis is a healthy state maintained by constant adjustment of biochemical and physiological pathways”. Fortunately, our gut is already home to trillions (yes, you read that right, trillions) of natural and healthy bacteria belonging to thousands of different species. Nourishing these beneficial species can boost immune function, increase mental wellness, sharpen focus and improve nutrient absorption while reducing inflammation, cholesterol and fatigue.

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THE BIOTIC TRIFECTA

There are three key players in the nutritional exchange between our gut and our bodies, and each relies on the others in a symbiotic relationship.

p r e b i ot i c s

p r o b i ot i c s

p o st b i ot i c s

Prebiotics are a form of soluble fiber that human cells cannot digest. They are the “fertilizer” or “food” that nurtures essential bacteria in the gut by stimulating the growth of desirable microorganisms (probiotics) while simultaneously reducing or maintaining disease-causing bacteria.

Probiotics are live microorganisms that naturally inhabit the gut and provide various health benefits. They are the "good" or "friendly" bacteria our bodies need.

Postbiotics result from the probiotic fermentation of prebiotic fiber. Postbiotics are a useful chemical by-product in the functioning of a healthy gut.

EARLY GUT HEALTH DEVELOPMENT From birth, humans are in a mutually beneficial and codependent relationship with gut bacteria, as it profoundly affects our immunity to diseases, energy levels, liver function, digestive health, as well as cardiovascular and mental health throughout our lives. Babies are born without any microorganisms, and it’s only when they begin breastfeeding that they become host to an array of healthy bacteria in their gut. The prebiotic fiber found in breastmilk kickstarts the development of their microbiome and postbiotic production.

GUT HEALTH MAINTENANCE

w h e r e p r e b i ot i c f i b e r a n d p r o b i ot i c s c o n v e r g e

Maintaining proper gut health means finding a lifestyle and dietary balance that incorporates prebiotics and probiotics either through foods or supplements. An important step in nurturing a healthy microbiome is consuming enough fiber to support gut function. For women, the recommended daily amount is 25 g, and for men, 38 g. Few of us ever achieve the appropriate daily intake, particularly men who average approximately 40 percent of the daily recommendation while women average 60 percent. Prebiotic fiber passes through the small intestine undigested, until it reaches the large intestine where it feeds some of the trillions of probiotic cells in the body's digestive tract and begins fermentation, the process of converting or extracting energy from organic material or carbohydrates. This fermentation helps feed beneficial bacteria colonies, thereby maintaining a balanced gut. When our bodies lack prebiotics, probiotic bacteria seek fuel from other sources and often resort to eating the gut's mucous layer, exposing our intestines to harmful germs.

POSTBIOTIC BENEFITS

ACHIEVING BALANCE

The last stage of the biotic process involves postbiotics which are responsible for many of the gut-healing benefits attributed to microbiota such as:

Your microbiota must be well-nourished and diverse to produce the chemical compounds essential to life. To help steer you in the right direction, be sure to feed and take care of your existing probiotic bacteria with prebiotics. There is a wide selection of prebiotic products available, ranging from beverages to bars. The best include generous amounts of different types of fiber such as yacon root, chicory root, acacia fiber, baobab fruit pulp and more.

• L owering blood sugar and preventing obesity by relieving glucose intolerance and increasing insulin sensitivity. • S hielding against harmful bacteria by acting as placeholders in areas that can be desirable for bad, disease-causing bacteria. • R educing infection symptoms relating to diarrhea, IBS, and salmonella poisoning.

When making health and dietary decisions, you can’t go wrong if you go with your gut - and its happy, hardworking microorganisms.

• Supporting immunity.

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HEALTH

By Tori Mikulan

Performing a size-up is a crucial part of any emergency response and something firefighters continually do as a situation changes to enable them to adjust and respond accordingly. If you don’t make adjustments, you can’t make progress or reach a solution. You remain stagnant, the situation eventually worsens, and more is put at risk. The same thing happens to us as individuals when we don’t manage our moods and emotions and that lack of management can lead to dangerous consequences. Given the high-stress, often traumatic situations in which first responders find themselves, it’s vital to monitor your emotional state on a consistent basis and then respond and adjust accordingly – just as you would do in an emergency situation. What makes an internal size-up challenging is the difficulty involved in accurately tuning in to your emotions; however, there are tools and skills to help you decipher your feelings.

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THE SIZE-UP TOOLKIT

INTERNAL SIZE-UP FOR MENTAL HEALTH

A 2017 REPORT FROM THE IAFF RECOVERY CENTER STATES THAT, AT SOME POINT IN THEIR CAREERS, ONE IN FIVE FIREFIGHTERS WILL STRUGGLE WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES, AND THAT FIREFIGHTERS ARE THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIE BY SUICIDE THAN IN THE LINE OF DUTY. Despite this, a stigma remains that suggests seeking treatment for mental health concerns is a sign of weakness. This can prevent those who need it from getting help. It can drive them to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as substance abuse, which then can lead to further deterioration of their mental health and can lead to physical ailments as well. All of this can contribute to both personal and professional relationship struggles that continue the cycle. All of this makes the internal size-up imperative for firefighters to enable them to develop habits and self-care mechanisms that will improve their mental health.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE According to the magazine "Psychology Today", the theory of emotional intelligence was introduced in the 1990s by Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer, and then further developed in Dr. Daniel Goleman’s 1995 book, “Emotional Intelligence and Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships,” which brought it into the public arena. Emotional intelligence is about emotional awareness, specifically, recognizing and managing your own emotions along with the emotions of others. This ability comprises several skills including self-emotional awareness, controlling and applying emotions to specific tasks, managing your emotions, and helping others manage theirs. The University of New Hampshire’s Psychological and Counseling Services provide guidance on recognizing your emotions. One point made is that we can often confuse strong emotions with anger, simply because of their intensity. But incorrectly identifying your emotions makes it even harder to resolve them. Plus, it is possible to feel multiple strong emotions which may overlap, making it even more critical to separate and identify your feelings.

EMOTIONAL TEMPERATURE

WHEEL OF EMOTIONS

WRITE IT DOWN

In 2018, Dr. Joan Cusack Handler explained that we may work against ourselves when we’re trying to deal with our emotions, noting that defense mechanisms can effectively hide emotions from our consciousness. She points out that often we fail to deal with our emotions and accept them as “something we just have to live with.”

One powerful tool to help with identifying your emotions is psychologist Robert Plutchik’s “wheel of emotions,” a three dimensional model that helps expand your emotional vocabulary and describes how emotions interact with one another. Other interpretations exist, such as the Geneva Wheel or Junto Wheel; but the premise of exploring your emotions in greater depth remains the same.

Understandably, these processes can result in more emotions and can lead you to feel overwhelmed. Writing down and keeping track of your emotional temperature and internal size-up conclusions can help manage this and point to possible patterns. Journaling can also help you process those emotions, and the act of physically writing them down can act as a release.

This might sound very familiar to first responders. A common mental health misconception that contributes to the stigma we face is that as firefighters, we “knew what we were getting into.” We knew it would be a high stress job and that we would be exposed to trauma on a regular basis. It’s just part of the job, right? If you can’t handle the heat, get out of the kitchen! Absolutely not. You wouldn’t let a broken bone go untreated, would you? And we exercise to prevent injury. Mental health needs to be approached the same way. Despite what we may think, we’re still humans, and despite the pressure we put on ourselves, we’re not superheroes. Allowing yourself to feel is vital to understanding your emotions, but that’s not the only barrier you may need to break down. As Dr. Handler says, “The cornerstone of psychological health is communication.” You need to be ready, therefore, to have a conversation with yourself. She also suggests taking your “emotional temperature” in order to take a deeper look within and examine how you’re really feeling. Dr. Handler warns us to be aware of judging our emotions and thinking we have “no reason” to be depressed. Not only is this detrimental, but it is also incorrect. Part of learning to manage your emotions is understanding that they are unavoidable, and the way we deal with them is what makes the difference. Ignoring or judging your feelings will only make things harder later.

Using a visual model can help identify emotions, interpret emotional differences and overlap, and define intensity. It provides you with a range of options to describe your feelings, which can be valuable when you are trying to complete an internal size-up. We’ve all experienced the feeling of being unable to explain how we feel. And when you’re not honest with yourself, you’re in trouble. Start from the beginning and ask: “How am I feeling right now?” There are a wide range of questions to help with the process, such as identifying when you started noticing specific feelings and the environment in which they were created. Other question examples include: • What is happening or not happening that may be contributing to these emotions? • What can I do now to help myself? • What might be triggering these feelings? • What can I control about this trigger? • Is this a new feeling or have I noticed it previously? • Have my sleep patterns changed? • Am I isolating myself? This is by no means an exhaustive list: questions will vary depending on how you are feeling and on your situation.

Release is an important concept to keep in mind. Emotions are temporary and we can release them. There is no right or wrong way to write, but guided journals and other resources are available to help you find what works for you. Regularly journaling about your emotions can help with acknowledgement and acceptance and can slow or eliminate the emotional struggle cycle. Managing your emotions isn’t easy, and the experiences of a first responder can result in intense feelings. But performing an internal size-up and using tools like the emotional wheel or emotional intelligence can help you become more in-tune with your emotions and improve the skills you need to manage them. It is an on-going process, but an important one with your internal size-up serving as the warm-up to your mental workout.

Is Your Community Ready for

WILDF RE?

American communities face unprecedented risk from wildfires. More structures are being built in the wildland-urban interface even as changes in climate and fuel load make the nation more vulnerable than ever to wildland fire. It’s important for homeowners to take personal responsibility to mitigate their risks and protect their homes before the next wildfire strikes. Your

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), created the Wildland Fire Assessment Program (WFAP) to help local volunteer and combination departments educate their communities about the dangers posed by wildland fire and work with homeowners to conduct property assessments. Through WFAP, you can access an award-winning toolkit, training, assessment tools, and supplemental resources to help homeowners perform pre-fire planning activities. FREE online and in-person trainings are available. The WFAP program can play a pivotal role in your community by increasing local knowledge and skills that are necessary to influence wildfire mitigation and resilience.

department can help!

Learn more and access free resources at www.nvfc.org/wfap.

C O M I C S

J U N - AU G 2022

FITNESS

ANALYZING MOVEMENT & PREVENTING INJURY By Hussien Jabai, MS, CSCS, TSAC-F, CPT

I T ’ S T H E N AT U R E O F T H E B E A S T … Reports show that one firefighter injury occurs every eight seconds. Every eight seconds! And a large percentage of these result from falls, slips, and jumps, as well as over-exertion and strain. We all know that firefighters with a lower level of fitness have a higher risk of being injured on the job - that’s a basic equation. But we also know that many firefighter injuries result from fitness training. And here’s an even bigger shocker: you’re four times more likely to get injured if you are training while on duty. How can you increase your longevity, improve your fitness, reduce your chances of injury and perform effectively, all while not getting hurt in the process?

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LET’S LOOK AT HABITUAL MOVEMENTS A great place to start is by taking a close look at the way that you perform the movements involved in your daily tasks. How many of us approach putting on our bunker gear, PPE, and SCBA, and enter and exit the fire engine exactly the same way, every single time? Although repetition is effective in terms of time management when responding to a call, it can also cause us to lean, bend, twist, or move in patterns that might favor one side of the body over the other, creating imbalances and the possibility for strain and injury, particularly over the length of a career. Everyone’s movements are unique, so addressing movement patterns and inefficiencies should be done on an individual basis.

ALL ABOUT LOW BACK PAIN One area of movement we analyze carefully in the fire service is spine rotation, with a focus on lower back wellness. Spinal rotation contributes to movement by transferring momentum from the lower body to the upper body. Excessive lumbar spine rotation may contribute to low back pain, and axial rotation of the torso is also a risk factor. Excessive rotation in various other parts of the spine can create stiffness in many areas involved in movement, altering the way the lumbar spine functions. Thoracic pain and low back pain are common in the general population, but rates are higher in the fire service thanks to the nature of the work and the physiological stressors associated with occupational demands.

DEVELOPING A PLAN OF ACTION The Four Steps toward Wellness Program Development can be a huge help implementing different approaches toward analyzing movement for you and your co-workers.

STEP 1

UNDERSTANDING YOUR NEEDS As a tactical operator, you should evaluate your individual needs, including evaluating movements performed on a daily basis and at emergencies, possible injuries and illnesses, and the types of energy sources used on-duty. Other factors may include call load, type, and duration, available equipment and resources, and fitness education. You could even look at reaching out to local colleges and universities to offer to collaborate on fitness assessments and allow exercise science professionals to address your team’s individual fitness and nutritional needs. Universities that focus research efforts on first responder resilience can give you guidance on acquiring additional resources (such as devices that assist in managing physical strain and recovery), and can help develop strategies for injury mitigation.

STEP 2

BE OPEN TO LEARNING

STEP 3

LEAD WITH FITNESS

In order to decrease injury risk, you need to learn appropriate physical fitness training practices, how to modify and regulate training, and how certain exercises carry over to job performance and jobrelated tasks. Find an exercise science professional with a sound understanding of occupational tasks and demands, and set up ongoing education workshops or clinics to support your wellness program. These experts can organize and/or lead fitness and wellness clinics to educate tactical personnel about health and human performance topics such as nutrition, exercise physiology, physical fitness testing and assessments, and training methodologies based on specific jobs.

As a tactical operator, you can enroll in certificate programs and courses that will qualify you to be a fitness professional. Once you are qualified, you can use assessment tools and perform your own set of field tests to prescribe corrective exercise and instruct tactical strength and conditioning programs for your department – a huge benefit.

STEP 4

AND

EMPOWER THE TEAM

FINALLY

Maintaining a program can be a challenge. Programs, once implemented, need consistent positive reinforcement from command staff and management, as well as equipment updates and quality clinics and workshops. The same resources you invested in developing a robust, personnel-centered program need to be exerted to maintain it. Funding always seems to be a problem, but applying for grants, looking to the community for support and partnering with local colleges and universities can help.

The physical demands and injuries associated with firefighting are many and you must be strategic when addressing movement inefficiencies. Incorporate the foundational principles of assessment, education, integration, and empowerment as you build your wellness program, remembering that movement analysis plays a key role in any injury mitigation initiative.

J U N - AU G 2022

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HEALTH

R E S E A R C H I S P L AY I N G A L EADI N G ROL E I N F I R E F I G H T E R H E A LT H A N D W E L L N E S S , A N D T H AT ’ S M A K I N G I T S WAY I N TO F I R E S TAT I O N D E S I G N . By Rick Markley, Science Alliance

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SCIE NCE ALLIANCE

D O E S W H E R E YO U WO R K C H A N G E YO U R OV E R A L L WELL-BEING? Not “where,” as in which fire department, or part of the country, but “where,” as in terms of the physical space — the real, three-dimensional structure. And by wellbeing we’re not talking about anything insubstantial or unproven, but measurable, data-backed well-being. Can where you work increase your physical conditioning, create better mental focus, encourage more sleep, and result in fewer health problems and injuries? In other words: Could the fire department where you work have a positive or negative affect on your mental and physical health? Many of the leading architects who specialize in fire department design believe it can. And in many cases, scientific research backs that up. Preventing firefighter cancer, of course, is the most shining example of fire station design working in step with known science. For more than a decade the science has been clear: firefighters are at greater risk than most of contracting certain cancers. And we’ve done a remarkable job of learning how firefighters become contaminated, including PPE offgassing and carcinogen absorption through the skin and by inhalation, to name a few. Firehouse architects have responded by, for example, building fire departments that incorporate direct-capture exhaust removal systems to contain diesel exhaust (a known carcinogen). HVAC systems have been designed to create positive pressure in the living quarters in order to keep the nasty stuff in the bay areas and away from eating, sleeping and exercising firefighters. Apparatus bays have been given independent HVAC systems as another way to keep contaminants out of living areas. These days we’re seeing gear cleaning and storage areas being isolated, and better contamination control in apparatus bays. Rick Kuhl, president and principal of WSKF Architects, says having environmental control and separation is fundamental to firefighter health. Kuhl was a consulting architect for Des Moines when the city designed its new Station 11. In addition to designing hot, warm and cold zones with the greatest air pressure moving from cold to hot zones, the station was planned to make it easy for firefighters to decontaminate and isolate carcinogens. For example, after a fire, firefighters move from the bay to a decon room with laundry

RICK MARKLEY OF THE SCIENCE ALLIANCE BELIEVES HEALTHY DESIGN LEADS TO HEALTHY FIREFIGHTERS.

and washing equipment, on to a personal shower, and then to living quarters. The design is meant to reinforce the department’s wellness policies — to make the intended function firefighter proof. And of course these measures benefit both volunteer and career firefighters. Kuhl says combination and volunteer fire departments need to pay special attention to a building’s areas for cleaning and storing gear. “This would include the ability to change clothes at the station prior to returning home as well as cleaning worn clothes at the station,” he says. “Contaminated clothing and personnel - need to be managed and maintained proactively.” Chris Roman, a senior associate with Moseley Architects, agrees. “Keeping the gear in bunk rooms contradicts best practice carcinogen strategies,” he says. “Storage of a recently-cleaned ‘B set’ of gear in the sleep rooms, living spaces, or even in a volunteer’s personal vehicle can bring carcinogens into their living space.”

SCIENCE HAS BEEN CLEAR: FIREFIGHTERS ARE AT GREATER RISK THAN MOST OF CONTRACTING CERTAIN CANCERS Many of these cancer-reducing design measures can also have a positive effect on cardiovascular health — another long-recognized concern because of its contribution to firefighter death and illness.

J U N - AU G 2022

HEALTH

WELCOMING SPACES FOR EATING, RELAXING AND SLEEPING MAKE FOR HEALTHY WORK ENVIRONMENTS.

Firefighter sleep is another area where design and research are working in concert. While sleep may seem a less hardcore health issue than carcinogen exposure, science continues to find new, direct links between sleep, health and longevity. And that science isn’t confined to the general public. “Sleep is quickly becoming the Holy Grail of firefighter health and wellness,” says Sara Jahnke. And she should know: Jahnke is a leading industry researcher who recently launched Science to the Station: A Health & Wellness Alliance (Science Alliance for short), a platform to bring important firefighter health and wellness science to firefighters. “We’ve intuitively known that firefighters don’t sleep well. But now with the data to back that and data showing that sleep is as integral to firefighter wellness as diet and exercise are, sleeping quarters need to be a top design priority.” Researchers affiliated with the Science Alliance have conducted several firefighter sleep studies. For example, recent research showed a connection between career firefighter shift schedules and sleep quality. In short, firefighters had the worst sleep on both the nights before starting a shift and before ending a shift. Later shift-change times may be one fix to that issue. A previous study by Science Alliance researchers examined the degree to which career firefighters experienced excessive daytime sleepiness based on sleep deprivation and other variables. It was the first study of its kind for the fire service. They found that many firefighters were likely experiencing undiagnosed sleep disorders. They also found a correlation between depression and sleep problems in firefighters. In 2019, researcher Christopher Kaipust, also affiliated with Jahnke and Science Alliance, published findings that showed a direct link between firefighter obesity and poor sleep. What was interesting there was that poor sleep was a predictor for obesity, and obesity was a predictor for poor sleep. Not surprisingly, both were linked to a greater chance of on-duty injury. In short, obesity and poor sleep become a vicious cycle, tearing away at firefighter health and wellness.

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SPACES USED TO REST THE BODY AND THE MIND ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT TO RETAINING STAFF AND REDUCING BURNOUT. Fire service-focused architects have matched these findings by ditching the large communal sleeping room for individual bedrooms with improved bedding and individual controls for temperature, noise and light. Architects and fire chiefs are also working with alarm vendors to find less jarring ways to alert firefighters to calls during the small hours of the night. Even harder to quantify is the notion that things like direct light play a role in firefighter health. More and more, firehouse architects are looking for ways to get more of the natural environment — sunlight, trees and even animals — built into the design. Biophilia is the term for our affinity with the natural world, and the term “biophilic design” has been pushing its way toward the front row of building planning for the past few decades as a catch-all for those efforts. This can be done with windows and skylights that let in more natural light, provide access points to outdoor gardens, the incorporation of indoor plant life, and even the choice of materials and colors used for furniture. Here again, the movement is backed by scientific research. One study found hearing natural sounds after an exposure to stress improved mental health recovery by 37 percent. Other researchers studying patients found that hospital stays were shortened, recovery was faster, pain medication was used less and depression was less prevalent when views of nature from a window and indoor plants were made available. “The increased risk of suicide in first responders has prompted the push for respite spaces, biophilic elements and a focus on

sleeping space design, all in the name of reducing everyday stress in the station and reducing secondary trauma,” Roman says. “Adjustable lighting, sound attenuation, and familiar materials in bunk rooms all contribute to the ability of staff to maintain a natural circadian rhythm. Spaces used to rest the body and the mind are becoming increasingly important to retaining staff and reducing burnout.” And for those departments not planning to build a new station any time soon, there are a few firehouse hacks that can improve firefighter health and wellness without busting the budget. “At the top of the list of budget-friendly options for firefighter health and wellness are tack mats,” Kuhl says. “Place a tack mat on the living quarter side of every door that leads into the apparatus bays. The mat should be large enough to catch one stride into the living quarters. Particulate from the apparatus bay floor (where the exhaust particulate settles out) will be tracked and captured by the tack mat. Monitor and replace the sheets when they appear to be dirty.” It costs only about $60 for 60 sheets of 24"x36" tack mat. He also recommends sealing the doors separating the apparatus bay and living area with gaskets between the door and frame along with a sweep between the door and the floor. This can be done for around $100 per door, he says. And he says to have sanitizing stations with both liquid sanitizer and individual wipes in the apparatus bay at each door going into the living space. This can be done for less than $250.

SCIE NCE ALLIANCE

FREMONT FIRE STATION, CALIFORNIA

One of the biggest challenges in designing firehouses for optimal firefighter health and wellness is a big question mark: the future. Research into what harms firefighter health is ongoing, and the recommendations for better health outcomes can change based on new findings. And with fire stations being built to last 25 to 50 years, a lot can and will change over the life of the station. When asked how health and wellness will drive fire station design in 10 years, Roman laughed and said things are changing so fast, they aren’t sure what to expect over the next 10 days. “We do see that overall awareness of the importance of health and wellness is on the rise,” Roman says. “Changes in apparatus and technology are altering how we respond to emergency calls and what we do when we arrive on site. We are also seeing a shift in recruitment. Today’s recruits have grown up learning through completely different methods and media than the current generations. They will ultimately dictate what

future stations will look like. We can’t predict what technologies or strategies will exist in the future, so flexibility is key when we look at facilities being constructed today.”

K U H L AG R E E D TO G O O U T O N A LIMB AND OFFERED THESE FOUR PREDICTIONS ABOUT DESIGN TRENDS IN 2030: • TThe he ability of the environment of the station to be completely sanitized on an hourly basis. • TThe he ability to clean gear through gear storage environmental systems (without the use of an extractor). • T echnology systems that sense stress levels and can automatically adjust lighting, temperature and sound systems to de-stress and rejuvenate. • B unk rooms that are chambers of restorative sleep and relaxation.

TOMORROW’S FIREHOUSES WILL NEED TO BE BUILT WITH THE FLEXIBILITY TO ADAPT TO WHAT WE DON’T YET KNOW. “We probably can’t breed out all of the money-wasting design fads driven by junk science and greed,” Jahnke says. “Tomorrow’s firehouses will need to be built with the flexibility to adapt to what we don’t yet know. And we will need to continue educating those planning and paying for the stations on the importance and accuracy of what we do know about firefighter health and wellness.”

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N O N T H E SC I E N C E A L L I A N C E A N D TO ACC E SS T H I S A N D OT H E R F I R E F I G H T E R H E A LT H AN D WE LLN ESS RESEARCH FI N DI NGS, VISIT SCIE NCE-ALLIANCE.ORG 67

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HEALTH

6 Ways -

to Lose Body Fat - AND Keep It Off

By Patrick McCarthy MS

Achieving short-term weight loss can seem straightforward (just skip a meal here or there…right?) But that’s not necessarily easy or sustainable. It’s the maintenance of that weight loss that continues to be a challenge of epidemic proportions. Research has shown that nonaggressive dieting is, in fact, the only effective method if you want to maintain long term results. One thing that all nutritionists will agree on is that the more aggressive the fat loss diet you adopt, the less likely it is you’ll be able to maintain it.

Why? • Y OU’RE USI NG AN OVE RLY RESTRICTIVE APPROACH • Y OUR BODY ADAPTS AND RESISTS WEIGHT LOSS • Y OU I NCREASE YOU R HUNGER LEVELS • YOUR ACTIVITY DECREASES • Y OU’LL EXPERIE NCE MOOD SWINGS If, instead, you can establish your fat loss approach with habits that are enjoyable but effective, you’ll be able to maintain them in the long term. Make this the last “start of your diet.”

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1 -

KE EP YOUR CALORIE DEFICIT MODEST To reduce body fat you will need to achieve an energy deficit. That is, you’ll have to consume less energy than you expend on a daily basis. When that happens, your body will mobilize energy from stored fat, breaking it down in a process known as lipolysis. Aim for a deficit of no more than 10 to 20 percent of total daily calories. For example, if you require 2,500 on a daily basis, then bring it down to 2,100 (400 kCal or 20 percent reduction). This will be fairly easy, requiring only a couple of simple food swaps throughout the day.

2 -

MAKE FOOD SWAPS This is the best part of nonaggressive caloric deficits: they’re easy and you won’t need to restrict anything! Switch to low-fat/half-fat versions of foods, lean meat cuts, and multigrain options. The objective is to replace some of your favorite caloriedense foods with lowercalorie alternatives that are still satisfying.

3 -

REGULATE YOU R APPET ITE TO STAY FULL No matter how well-structured your diet is, if you are consistently eating less there will be an element of increased hunger. This is all part of the plan, of course, but your body doesn’t know that. When we restrict caloric intake, or begin to lose weight, hormonal levels change, creating a feedback loop that can elevate hunger levels. In order to structure meals for satiety, it’s good to increase your intake of foods which have a lot of volume, but not a lot of calories per gram. Examples include bell peppers and hummus, oats and chia seed, and berries with or without cottage cheese.

4 -

6 -

AIM FOR NONEXE RCISE ACTIVITY TH E RMOGE N ESIS (N.E.A.T.) Years ago, every fat loss program was accompanied by a strong dose of steadystate cardiovascular training (running, cycling, swimming, and so on). While this form of exercise is important for cardiovascular, heart and mental health benefits, it’s less important for fat loss. N.E.A.T. is a complex term for all the activity we do that does not include purposeful exercise such as walking the dog, daily chores, and much more. This will eventually elevate your energy without the need to compensate.

REMEMBER THAT SLE EP DEPRIVAT ION HAS NEGAT IVE IMPACTS ON FAT LOSS EFFORTS

5 -

BEGI N RESISTANCE TRAI NI NG

It can increase your baseline hunger levels because of the increased wakeful time. And it can push you toward more savory food as a form of comfort while your body is in a sleep deprived, high-stress state. That sleep deprivation can also increase breakdown of muscle and retention of fat, so try to optimize your sleep where possible, avoid caffeine, get lean protein in your last meal, and avoid refined carbs.

Again, when it comes to fat loss specifically, resistance training is sometimes a more effective alternative to cardiovascular training. Why? Resistance training is to cardio as grocery shopping for the week is to eating out. Both take the same amount of time, and cost the same, but one will provide longer-lasting benefits. When you resistance train, you build muscle. Muscle is metabolically-active tissue, which requires energy (kCals) to function. Complement your nutrition efforts with two to three resistance training sessions a week.

Make this the last “start of your diet” J U N - AU G 2022

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By Gregory Gordonson

More than lending great taste and aroma to cooking and baking, spices can bring a boost to your health.

Turmeric

Mint

Making rice? Love a warm golden hue? Add a couple of teaspoons of turmeric and take advantage of its antiinflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and antiparasitic benefits.

Another popular anti-nausea remedy, peppermint also offers cooling effects, antibacterial properties, and is thought to improve digestive health.

Studies show that turmeric can scavenge toxic free radicals – tissue-damaging molecules that can be the catalyst for chronic health issues such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Turmeric’s high antioxidant content helps to reduce the risk of free radicals forming and even lessens the effects of stress.

Ginger When you were a kid and had an upset stomach, your mom probably gave you ginger ale. Like turmeric, ginger also has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties but we know it best as an anti-nausea remedy. We use it to treat everything from seasickness to morning sickness. Making a stir fry? Tossing in some ground or fresh, thinly-sliced ginger will take your wok to a whole new world!

Cumin Studies are still underway, but preliminary findings seem to suggest that earthy-tasting cumin can help with weight loss and cholesterol reduction. There is current research studying the potential for cumin to help with stress management. And if you’re making a curry, be sure to add a teaspoon or two to the pot for a richer flavor!

The cooling effects of peppermint is also effective as a bronchodilator which helps with chronic breathing issues by widening the air passages (bronchioles) in the lungs. Simply inhaling the smell of peppermint can help to increase nasal air power, bringing more air to the lungs. If your muscles are aching, try a muscle relaxer that includes an active ingredient with cooling menthol compounds. Having a cup of hot chocolate? A tiny drop of peppermint oil will give your mug a major burst of flavor!

Cinnamon Over the centuries, cinnamon has been used for everything from embalming to anointing priests to salving wounds. Today, cinnamon is still considered an antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antidiabetic, and anticarcinogenic spice – a real powerhouse. Some laboratory trials indicate that cinnamon can also reduce blood sugar levels while others point to its ability to enhance our cognitive abilities. Cinnamon gives a huge boost to apple pie and provides a extra kick to a fruit smoothy, And who doesn’t love the smell?

J U N - AU G 2022

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CUT DOWN ON THOSE CHRONICALLY HIGH CORT ISOL LEVELS Maintaining high levels of cortisol for long periods can result in inflammation and weight gain, as well as mental and physical health concerns such as heart disease. • T ry to improve the quality of your sleep by decreasing stimulants before bedtime. • U se sleep aids such as melatonin.

STRESSBUSTING STRATEGIES By Alice Johnston

• M ake your bedroom as dark as possible. • T urn on a white noise machine. • L ower the temperature of your house. • A void high stress external triggers. • E at a healthy, balanced diet that is plant-based, if possible.

WORK ON RELAXAT ION AN D SU PPORT YOUR PARASYMPATHET IC SYSTEM

SO...WHAT IS STRESS? Stress is the body’s way of responding to stimuli – and it’s important to remember that not all stress is bad. In fact, those who work in high-stress occupations, such as surgeons, often perform far better because of the healthy stresses required to do the job well.

The parasympathetic system is responsible for the rest-and-digest and feed-and-breed responses and you need to pay attention to the way it balances with your sympathetic system, which is responsible for the fightor-flight response. Learning to lower your heart rate, blood pressure and more can help to alleviate stress. • T ry practicing meditation. • U se techniques such as box breathing or lion’s breath (two yoga breathing practices designed to promote relaxation). • Consider treating yourself to a massage.

But what happens when unhealthy stress gets out of control and begins to cause mental and physical side effects? Using some or all of these stress-busting techniques to level out stress can make the difference between being down and out with a migraine and enjoying a fun family night at home.

BOOST YOUR SEROTONIN LEVELS Exercise and nature therapy are natural ways to boost your serotonin, a neurotransmitter that can affect mood, happiness, focus and anxiety. • B uild physical activity into your day and get outside to enjoy the natural world. • E xperiment with techniques that you may find relaxing: aromatherapy and/or using a diffuser with essentials help some people find that perfect spot of calm.

J U N - AU G 2022

FINANCE

& HEALTHY, WEALTHY, WISE By Mathew Brom, BBA, CFP

H E A LT H I S N O T O N E - D I M E N S I O N A L . We all know the person who looks like a firefighter calendar model but has a miserable marriage. Or the one who seems to have it all figured out financially but is in really bad physical shape. The wisdom of Monday morning quarterbacks abounds, but where are they when the game is on the line?

W E A L L H AV E O U R W E A K S P O T S . I've always loved the Ben Franklin quote, "Early to bed, early to rise makes you healthy, wealthy, and wise." Good habits lead to health, wealth, and wisdom. Who you are is a product of what you've done for the last decade, and your habits of today will have a profound impact on the you that you become. As far back as the 1700s, wise British writer Samuel Johnson said, "The chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken." The chains of habit are inevitable. Break the unhealthy ones before they get too intense and replace the links with routines that will improve your future.

HEALTHY HABITS E AT WE L L .

Diet is a different-strokes-for-different-folks situation. Some people thrive on being vegan while others love to eat meat. Most do just fine with a balanced diet. The important thing is not what you should eat. The important thing is what you shouldn’t eat. I'm no dietician, so I won't opine on what to avoid, but what's left if you avoid unhealthy foods? You guessed it. Healthy, nutritious, and hopefully tasty food.

E X E R C ISE DA ILY.

That's right, every day. I'm not talking about a slobberknocker-knock-down-drag-out-pukin'-between-sets CrossFit session every day. But, move daily. A simple walk on an “off” day might do. Find whatever works for you. Some people love weights. Some people love cardio. You should probably aim for a balanced regimen, but it doesn't need to be complicated. Find a routine and stick with it. Every day!

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I ' V E A LWAY S L OV E D T H E B E N F R A N K L I N Q U O T E ,

"EARLY TO BED, EARLY TO RISE MAKES YOU HEALTHY, WEALTHY, AND WISE." G O O D H A B I T S L E A D T O H E A LT H , W E A LT H , A N D W I S D O M .

WEALTHY HABITS

WISE HABITS

L I V E ON L ES S THAN YOU M AKE.

READ.

Some people feel weird about ‘getting rich’ or building wealth. Don't let the one percent propaganda deter you. Savers make up the majority of wealthy households.

I download library books straight to my kindle – for free. I still love going to the library but it's not even necessary to pay a personal visit to the library anymore.

So, how do you live on less than you make? You live on a budget. Whether it’s a to-the-penny spreadsheet or a thumb in the air eyeball measurement, a plan for cash flow is crucial.

Top experts in every field share their knowledge for free on the internet. You can find the most esoteric books on Amazon and have them shipped to you in days. PDF versions of over 60,000 books containing timeless wisdom can be found on Project Gutenberg.

This is rule #1 for gaining financial independence. If what you earn is never enough to satisfy your lifestyle, wealth won’t be in your future.

Your budget is your financial pump panel. Money comes in, and the budget you create tells it where to go. If you can pump a truck, you can figure out your cash flow.

AVO ID BAD D EBT.

No one gets rich paying 18 percent to a credit card company. Enough said.

PRIORITIZ E S AVING.

Analyze your savings needs and execute them. This can take many forms. Maybe you want to buy a house and need to save for a down payment. Perhaps you want to launch a business and need some start-up capital. The two savings buckets most of us should focus on are emergency savings and retirement savings. If you don't have emergency savings, start there. Three to six months of expenses is a good rule of thumb. Folks with rainy day funds tend to experience fewer rainy days. Weird how that happens!

S AVE FOR R ETIR EMENT.

Firefighters may be tough, but it’s a young man's game. The helmet will be hung up sooner or later. So, save. Put money in your pension plan. Put money in your 457(b). Put money into whatever tax-advantaged plans your department offers. If it is an account you have control over (i.e., not a pension), invest it wisely into a diversified portfolio of low-cost mutual funds and stick with it. We've all heard an older friend say, "I wish I started sooner." The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago – or right now. Get started and give your wealth time to grow.

I don't know any brilliant people who don't read all the time. You are surrounded by knowledge, and access to it is unprecedented in today's digital world.

If you don't like to read, then listen. Audiobooks and podcasts have changed the game. There is no valid excuse anymore. Read (or listen) and grow. Our friend Ben Franklin put it perfectly when he said, "Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late."

R E F L E C T.

Reflect but don't ruminate. I struggle with this. Time to reflect is essential to learning. I don't do it enough. But, the dots usually start to connect when I do. It can be tough to just sit and think in today's world. If you don't think you have time, look at your screen time report. Find time to set aside for reflection.

R E V ISE .

Don't be afraid of being wrong. Challenge your views. There are things I thought to be true at age 22 that, at age 32, I completely disagree with. And at age 42, I'm sure this trend will continue. Your thoughts aren't you. Just try to control them, and you'll see. Don't be the proverbial hammer always looking for a nail. Wisdom will elude you unless you revise your thoughts, ideas, and beliefs.

D E V E L O P ST IC K - WIT H - IT- NE SS.

Habits are the building blocks of success – or failure. The things you do every day create your life and your legacy. Don't allow instant gratification, lifestyle inflation, and other distractions to knock you off the path. Develop, nurture, and maintain good habits that prioritize your physical, financial, and mental health.

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RELATIONSHIPS

Community FIND

TO BUILD A

Healthy Future

By Erin S. Craw, MA (Doctoral Candidate, Chapman University), Ryan Padgett (President/Co-founder of Bold Face Fly Fishing/USAF Aircrew/LE Chaplain/1st Responder Crisis Intervention Specialist)

ONE OF THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK WHEN THEY FIRST MEET IS: "WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING?" AND A TYPICAL ANSWER MIGHT BE: "I WORK FOR INTEL" OR "I WORK AT A CAR DEALERSHIP." BUT IF YOU ASK A FIREFIGHTER, THE ANSWER WILL BE: "I’M A FIREFIGHTER.” OUR WORK IS WHO WE ARE. For those who aren’t first responders, a job is one part of their lives, but many first responders see their profession as central to who they are, a source of pride, strength, and community. While that can be very positive, it can also make it extremely difficult to cope after taking off the uniform. Relying solely on the job as your identity can be a significant source of stress, isolation, and grief. It can lead to dark and dangerous places if we can't find a way

to fill the hole in our lives left by the loss of our identity as a first responder. But what about the first responders who don’t suffer that loss of identity when they leave the profession – what’s their secret? What steps can you take now to prepare for the day when you make your last 10-10 call, walk away from your career and begin the rest of your life? Generally, an individual's sense of who they are should be based on a sense of belonging to various social groups. The demanding nature of first responder professions, however, makes it difficult to maintain roles in other groups. When firefighters retire or go out on leave, their primary – or sometimes their only – sense of identity is gone and as a result, they may be at a higher risk for emotional distress.

"What do I do now? Who am I, if not a firefighter?”

IT’S ALL ABOUT COMMUNITY For many first responders, other roles (parent, sports enthusiast, volunteer) help them cope with stress. Fostering the different roles you have or could develop can be a huge help in safeguarding your mental health. Being part of groups outside of work builds a sense of belonging and can help mitigate some of the stress of retiring. First responders are highly skilled problem-solvers, focused on performance and they are often best able to relax if they can find something that engages and challenges them. The goal is to find activities that require focus, practice, and specialized knowledge and the communities of people involved in them. The benefit of specialized hobbies is that they often involve

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sub-tasks that will keep and hold first responders' attention but not necessarily engage their fight-or-flight responses. Activities that encourage getting out of your typical environment and creating a space where you can focus on that source of relaxation are particularly good. Firefighters who lack that sense of belonging are tragically at a higher risk of suicide and suicidal ideation. By contrast, when we feel connected to a social group, we build resilience and have a higher likelihood of recognizing that support is available for us. These activities enable first responders to feel needed, valued, and respected – beyond their first responder role

re�ilience

when we feel connected to a social group, we build

DEVELOP YOUR OTHER ROLES Identifying with multiple roles and being part of other communities can help you transition out of a job and foster good mental health. The significance of other aspects of your identity is not often a focus in your first responder profession but it’s important. Fostering different roles can help you stay mentally healthy on and well beyond the job.

IF YOU CAN LEARN TO BUILD THE “I AMS" IN YOUR LIFE NOW, YOU’LL HAVE A STRENGTH THAT WILL ANCHOR YOU WHEN YOU HANG UP YOUR UNIFORM AND THE PARTS OF YOUR IDENTITY CONNECTED TO IT.

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RECIPE SE RV ES 8

SIRLOIN TOPPED WITH BLUE CHEESE + MEXICAN STREET CORN Fire up the barbecue this summer and blend sweet and savory with this flavorful combo. Use our sub in/out options to dial the recipe into your specific needs - and remember: everything in moderation applies to food as well!

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MARI NAT I NG T IME: Minimum 4 hours, preferably overnight

ST EAK GRI LLI NG T IME: 15 minutes or to an internal temperature of 145 degrees

CORN COOK I NG T IME: 40-45 minutes in the oven or 20 minutes on BBQ

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

STEAK 1 top sirloin steak Marinade: ½ cup olive oil ¼ cup apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar ¼ cup cup organic/raw honey 1 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp minced garlic

1. Mix the marinade ingredients, pour over the steak and marinate for a minimum of 4 hours (best to leave overnight for optimal flavors). 2. Heat the grill. Drain the marinade and place the steaks on the hot grill until an internal temp of 135 to 145 degrees is reached - depending on how well done you like your steak (approx 6 to 8 minutes per side). As with all good barbecued meat, let the steak rest for at least five minutes after it comes off the grill. 3. Serve with the blue cheese spread either on the side or on top of the steak.

MEXICAN STREET CORN 8 corn cobs in husk 2 limes - juiced ¾ Tbsp chili powder Mayo spread: ½ cup mayonnaise ½ cup cotija cheese

BLUE CHEESE SPREAD ½ - ¾ cup blue cheese 3 Tbsp tablespoons of butter 1 green onion, finely chopped 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced 1/8 Tsp salt 1/8 Tsp pepper

1. Soak corn in water, still in its husks, for half an hour, then remove excess husks to reduce chances of fire. 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and roast the corn in husks directly on the rack for 40 to 45 minutes. If you prefer, you can barbecue the corn in husks, on a medium hot grill for 20 minutes, rotating every five minutes. 3. Remove corn from oven or barbecue and peel off the husks. Rub on the mayo spread and sprinkle with the chili powder - topping with a squeeze of lime!

SUBSTITUTIONS • Top sirloin is one of the leanest cuts of steak but can be a bit tough. Marinating helps with the tenderizing process. If you’re looking for an even leaner cut, consider a round steak, but remember to alter your cooking methods to accommodate the leaner cut. • Instead of olive oil, you can use canola oil, which is also recommended as a healthy monounsaturated fat by the Heart and Stroke Foundation. • Looking to reduce salt but still want that savory taste associated with soy sauce? Try low-sodium soy (same flavor, less salt) or Worcestershire sauce with its immune-boosting, anti-oxidant and anti-aging properties. Did we mention Worcestershire sauce contains Vitamin C & Niacin? • Trying to avoid butter but still need something in the blue cheese spread or to use as an everyday spread? Healthy alternatives include pureed avocados or even pressed avocado oil - which mimics the consistency of butter! Aim for spreadable options that are low in trans fat and have a minimal list of ingredients. • Can’t find cojita cheese? Try parmesan instead. Same savory taste! • There are healthy versions of mayonnaise including those that are derived from avocado oil. Check the health food section at your grocery store.

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DRIVE FORWARD. SURVIVE THE CHALLENGE. LIVE TO SERVE ANOTHER DAY. INDIVIDUAL TRAINING SOLUTIONS THAT KEEP YOU ON THE LINE. Use the code CRACKYL30 and SAVE 30% at checkout!

TRAINING TOOLS TO ENGAGE THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT. Register your department and instantly receive a discount! To schedule an EDUCATION COURSE contact us at TRXELITE@TRXTRAINING.COM for specific requests or additional information.

CRACKYL Magazine - No.6 (Jul/Aug 2022)

Articles inside

HEALTHY, WEALTHY & WISE

INTERNAL SIZE-UP FOR MENTAL HEALTH

FIND COMMUNITY TO BUILD A HEALTHY FUTURE

ANALYZING MOVEMENT & PREVENTING INJURY

A GUT FEELING ABOUT PREBIOTICS

RETIREMENT PLANNING 101

ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE

STANDING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH UKRAINE

BRAIN, BODY, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA

HOW CLOSE IS TOO CLOSE?

DID PTSD CAUSE

IS BEING A STARTER WEARING YOU DOWN?

A HARD PILL TO SWALLOW