Another successful Firefighter Health Forum in the books

That’s a wrap on the 2023 Firefighter Health Forum! We appreciate everyone who was able to join us for this important annual conference in central Minnesota filled with meaningful discussions on firefighter health and wellness.

An animated keynote from Dr. Jody Janati shed light on tips and tricks to communicate effectively and with zero drama. And retired Fire Chief Arjuna George shared his personal experience with burnout and his journey to recovery and better self-care during his afternoon keynote.

In breakout sessions for current peer supporters, fire service leaders, and fire service significant others and spouses, we tackled some of the most critical health issues facing Minnesota’s fire service and their families – from Hometown Heroes Assistance Program resources, to how to have difficult conversations with fellow firefighters and prioritize mental wellness.

The first-ever spouses and significant others track at the forum premiered the brand-new Spouses & Significant Others MnFIRE training curriculum that we’re thrilled to provide to firefighter partners and families this year and beyond! We discussed the tools, skills and perspective needed to make smart decisions about the physical and mental health of the family. Here’s what one attendee said about this new avenue of support:

“From day one, eight years ago, when my husband became a volunteer firefighter, I wanted to learn how to support him on the home front. Spouses had zero resources until now. I am so grateful for all the work MnFIRE is doing to empower firefighters and their families.”

Attendees connected over how to best support the health and well-being of their firefighter loved ones, and we discussed the best ways to navigate potential issues that can arise when you have a firefighter in your family.

Thanks again to everyone who made the 2023 Firefighter Health Forum a success, including our keynote speakers Arjuna George and Dr. Jody Janati, the MnFIRE board, and all of our other health expert partners.

If you’re interested in scheduling a FREE follow-up MnFIRE health and wellness training with your entire department, please see our training page for more information. We’ll soon be rolling out training sessions on new topics including sleep, nutrition, fitness, the session for spouses and significant others mentioned above and more.

Save the date

We’re already looking forward to the 2024 Firefighter Health Forum at Grand Casino Mille Lacs on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024. We hope to see you there next year!

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Our very own founder and board member, George Esbensen, recently sat down for an interview with Roshini Rajkumar on The Crisis Files podcast! On the episode, titled "Case File #168: Fire Hazards," George discusses the trailblazing work that MnFIRE is doing to support firefighters across the state. Listen to it here, or wherever you get your podcasts! 🎙️ thecrisisfiles.com/podcasts/case-file-168-fire-hazards/ ... See MoreSee Less

Our very own founder and board member, George Esbensen, recently sat down for an interview with Roshini Rajkumar on The Crisis Files podcast! On the episode, titled Case File #168: Fire Hazards, George discusses the trailblazing work that MnFIRE is doing to support firefighters across the state. Listen to it here, or wherever you get your podcasts! 🎙️ https://thecrisisfiles.com/podcasts/case-file-168-fire-hazards/

This past weekend, MnFIRE President Mike Dobesh traveled to San Bernardino, California for the Firefighter Cancer Support Network Health & Wellness Symposium!

On Sunday, Mike presented on how to create and scale firefighter health and wellness initiatives, and each attendee left his session with a framework for building a similar program in their state. We hope to see our program model used by other states and communities to support firefighters across the country!

Thanks to Aon for participating in the presentation and being an ongoing partner in improving firefighter health outcomes.
... See MoreSee Less

This past weekend, MnFIRE President Mike Dobesh traveled to San Bernardino, California for the Firefighter Cancer Support Network Health & Wellness Symposium! 

On Sunday, Mike presented on how to create and scale firefighter health and wellness initiatives, and each attendee left his session with a framework for building a similar program in their state. We hope to see our program model used by other states and communities to support firefighters across the country! 

Thanks to Aon for participating in the presentation and being an ongoing partner in improving firefighter health outcomes.Image attachment

Thank you Central Raiders Volleyball (Norwood Young America) for fundraising for MnFIRE in honor of First Responder Night! We appreciate your generous support and wish you the best of luck in the rest of your season! 🏐 ... See MoreSee Less

Thank you Central Raiders Volleyball (Norwood Young America) for fundraising for MnFIRE in honor of First Responder Night! We appreciate your generous support and wish you the best of luck in the rest of your season! 🏐Image attachmentImage attachment
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