Behind The Shield

Sara Jahnke is one of the most respected researchers in firefighter health. In this third conversation we focused solely on the acute and chronic impact of sleep deprivation and how more rest is imperative for our firefighters.

We discuss the alarming rise in childhood diseases amongst first responder parents, hormonal disruption, sleep deprivation and mental health, weight gain, how shift work is a known carcinigen and how the 24/7...

Summer of 2022 is one we will never forget. We received a call that our 16-year-old daughter, Layla, was being trauma hawked after an ATV crash. We didn’t know much about brain injury then, but we were about to get a firsthand look. Layla was in a coma. She had multiple brain bleeds, a dissected carotid artery and a broken jaw. They explained her type of injury was typically fatal, a grade 3 DAI.

They said at best, she would surviv...

Jim Burneka is a firefighter, podcaster and the author of 'Overcoming Tuesday.

In this second conversation, we discuss his powerful mental health story, the Save a Warrior program, his time in the IAFF's Center of Excellence, catharsis through writing, his conference 'Brothers helping Brothers' and so much more.

As a first responder, firefighter paramedic Jim Burneka encounters traumatic events the average person will likely never ex...

Johann Hari is the author of Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight-Loss Drugs. We discuss the weight struggle that led him to explore pharmceuticals, the psychology of obesity, processed food and disease, Japan's food philosophy, the importance of sleep and so much more.

Johann Hari is the author of three New York Times best-selling books, and the Executive Producer of an Oscar-nominated movi...

Shaun "Bish" Bishop is a former 22 SAS Air Troop Sergeant with 24 years of military experience and over 14 combat deployments worldwide. A Sniper Instructor for the elite 22 SAS CT Wing, 22 SAS CQB Instructor and SAS Patrol Medic. He is a subject matter expert on firearms training, tactics and planning. He is also a liaison to local police forces while conducting high risk arrests, SIA licensed close protection officer. Most impor...

Kyle and Emily, married in 2016, have been a husband and wife coach/athlete team for the past 8 years. In addition to Kyle’s full time job in law enforcement, he programs and coaches his wife, Emily, who is in her quest this year to qualify for her sixth consecutive CrossFit Games. Emilys best finish at the games was last year in 2023 when she placed 12th, a successful comeback after her season ended early in 2022 due to a life thr...

Mike Nasti is a 21 year veteran of the fire service and the man behind the 'Tip of the Spear Leadership Podcast'.

We discuss his early life, volunteer firefighting, his 9/11 story, entering the career fire service, his leadership mistakes, mental health, firefighter fitness, his podcast and much more.

Lieutenant Mike Nasti is a seasoned firefighter with 17 years of dedicated service in a major metropolitan fire department located in ...

Vin is a master mindset & Executive coach. He's a licensed psychotherapist, full-time entrepreneur and angel investor. Also Vin is a former FDNY firefighter who served during the C-19 pandemic. He has spent over 12 years learning techniques, skills and tools to help people create lasting change. Vin has worked in virtually every setting imaginable in mental-health, he has worked in hospitals, clinics, homeless shelters, in-pati...

Ben Timberlake is a former SAS soldier, Contractor, archaeologist and the author of "High Risk".

We discuss his early life, joining the British Special Forces, the horrors of war, kindness in combat, his powerful and unique addiction story, his full circle back into archaeology and so much more.

High Risk:

This is a dark, raw and uncompromising tale of the human condition in extremis, drawing on the many lives of Ben Timberlake: as a...

Thomas Ansu is a former New York EMT, current FDNY Squad firefighter and the founder of The Burn Box.

We discuss growing up in New York, the importance of mentorship, his experiences as an EMT, his journey into the Fire service, servant leadership, special operations firefighting, entreprenurship, The Burn Box and so much more.

Burn Box was founded in 2020 by Thomas, an active FDNY firefighter with the mission to enable people every...

Tom Hewitt MBE, is founder and CEO of Surfers Not Street Children. He has worked in the field with street children in Africa for over 28 years. In 1998 he founded the Durban Street Team which went on to be renamed Surfers Not Street Children in 2012. Tom was awarded and MBE by HRH Queen Elizabeth II in 2011 for his work with street children in Africa.

Tom is perhaps most well known for his successful advocacy campaign to end the for...

Angela Lee Pucci held the One Championship Atom Weight title for six years. Whilst announcing her retirement, she revealed that she had tried to take her own life a few years prior. In 2022, Angela lost her sister Victoria to suicide. This lead her to create her non-profit Fight Story.

In this powerful and important conversation we discuss her journey into the martial arts, the pressure put on youth athletes, her success in the cage...

Scott Howell is a strength and conditioning coach, podcaster and the founder of Red Dot Fitness.

We discuss youth athletics, his journey into personal training, gym management, the entrepreneur's leap of faith, the pandemic's impact on gym owners, training the tactical athlete, weapons training and so much more.

Founder of Red Dot Fitness, Scott Howell is a dedicated certified health and fitness professional with over 2 decades of r...

Tulsi Gabbard is a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, 4-term Congresswoman, 2020 Presidential candidate and author.

We discuss addressing the obesity epidemic, mental health and addiction, proactive healthcare, the prison system, the importance of diplomacy, how we can recruit trusted leaders, the military-industrial complex, the first responder professions, the Hawaii wildfires, kindness, community and so much more.

Tul...

Rian Ilett is a Royal Marine, author and cancer survivor.

We discuss his early life, attending a scared straight programme in Mexico, his journey into the military, his perspective on war, kindess on the battleground, the injury that revealed his brain tumor, his powerful recovery journey and so much more.

Former Royal Marine Commando Lance Corporal (LCpl) Rian Ilett, from Portsmouth in Hampshire, was diagnosed with a brain tumour ...