Education, wellness coaching, and consulting for fire departments by a retired firefighter.
I help fire departments develop initiatives to bolster the health and wellness of firefighters by improving their sleep, nutrition, mental and physical health, and decreasing their mortality risk factors.
As a biochemist by degree, a strength and conditioning professional and nutritionist by credential, and a firefighter by trade, I understand the needs of the fire department as a whole and the demands of the firefighters within your department. I see you, I hear you, I am you.
We know that cancer, suicide, and complications of cardiac disease are killing our firefighters, so it’s time to stop burying our heads in the sand and do something about it.
When firefighters feel their best, they, their families, their department, and their communities all win.
We ask firefighters to do unspeakably difficult things and in turn, we should strive to help them stay healthy and well.
Let’s talk about what works.
Research has shown that firefighters respond well to educational interventions that focus on meeting them where they are
Firefighters typically respond well to someone who understands the fire culture
Consistency in messaging (both the messenger and the message) yields the best results
Your firefighters want to know you care about them as much as you care about the community you protect
My mission is to provide fire departments with resources, tactics, and strategies to ensure their employees thrive 24/7/365.
Work With Me
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Fire Department Solutions
I specialize in department health and wellness consultations and wellness program implementation. Get customized health and wellness solutions, tools, and resources to enhance the overall well-being of your team and outsource the management of your department’s entire health and wellness program ensuring everything from fitness testing, strength and conditioning, and wellness education.
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Live Speaking Engagements
Are you looking for an experienced and engaging speaker to deliver cutting-edge health and wellness information to your team? Look no further. I offer a range of topics, including sleep, discipline, accountability, habit formation, movement for life, performance enhancement, nutrition, and more. My interactive and educational presentations empower and equip your team with actionable knowledge. Choose from existing presentations or request a custom topic to fit your needs.
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Live and Recorded Educational Webinars
Providing the information your department needs to start making changes in your firefighters’ lives and careers. Topics range from habit formation and goal setting to nutrition and fitness. I will provide you with clear, actionable strategies so you can begin creating change immediately.
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FRW Course: Build Your Career in Fire
This is a 6-Week Health and Wellness Career Accelerator for health and wellness professionals.
Fire departments need experienced health and wellness professionals and this course guides you on an often uncertain, indistinct journey that can be lengthy, even under ideal conditions. I've made all the missteps, so you don't have to.
Waitlist open, future course date TBD.
What clients have to say about Fire Rescue Wellness
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“Ever attended an event only to tell yourself you should have had a V8 (maybe instead of a monster)? Annette Zapp will make you question that choice. Fire Rescue Wellness is your answer to starting a fitness program in your department. The learning that takes place sets the stage for every firefighter in any stage to become engaged. No matter what your knowledge is about health and wellness, this class will make you think about how we survive the fire service in great health, just as we entered it. Annette breaks it down to the simplest level and gets buy-in from the crews as she has served a career as a firefighter herself. From planning the classes to her prompt responses and follow up, she has mastered customer service and backs it up with her vast knowledge and ability to provide scientific data. I have had the pleasure of hosting her for all three of our shifts and we are currently moving forward with her recommendations. Protect your number one asset (your personnel) by giving them the tools they need to be successful both in and out of the station. Let’s all get to that retirement we worked so hard for and deserve."
Christopher J. Stoecklein
Fire Chief, Canton Public Safety -
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“I have had the opportunity and pleasure to work with Annette and she is beyond excellent. Her background, in-depth knowledge and research is second to none. She has provided our 15,000+ members with insights into the various aspects of mental and physical health that have made them better at work and at home. She has presented at our conferences and received rave reviews for her ability to convey sometimes difficult subject matter with thoughtfulness and care. She has also participated in one of our podcast recordings and was phenomenal. Her communication skills, ability to relate to others with ease and her pleasant, professional demeanor are all top notch!”
Chuck Sullivan, President
Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois -
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"I can’t stress enough how highly I recommend working with Annette from Fire Rescue Wellness. Having her speak about sleep in public safety for our Public Safety Athletic Trainers’ Society Annual Meeting was the highlight of our calendar year- she spoke to the level of our consumer and delivered evidence-based and critical information with key take home messages. As a clinician in a Fire Department myself, I offered her talk as an EMS hour as well; the entire shift attended voluntarily and actually listened. Her points resonated with so many members that they made stickers for their water bottles, a true firehouse honor!
Annette is a thorough professional and can add value to your organization, please feel free to reach out to us with additional questions about our experience at www.psatsociety.com.”
Dr. Maura Shea, DAT, LAT ATC
President, Public Safety Athletic Trainers’ Society
Lead Athletic Trainer- First Line Tactical Athlete Program -
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“AZ’s professional experience in the fire service gives her a unique skill set to relate to firefighters and paramedics. She meets everyone where they are at mentally and physically allowing her to set realistic goals. Any department that is able to work with AZ will benefit from the experience and knowledge she enthusiastically provides.”
Andy Scott, Lieutenant
Plainfield, IL FD -
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“AZ was an incredible speaker at our November TriState FACE Team meeting. Having worked with her before, I knew she’d bring her passion, energy and knowledge to the room and she exceeded all expectations. Her presentation on ‘mitigating risk through personal accountability’ was insightful, engaging, and thought provoking. AZ mixed her humor with actionable points that resonated with everyone and challenged attendees by asking, “What will you do to help mitigate your own personal risk?” Her ability to connect with the group and deliver meaningful takeaways made her a perfect fit for the Tristate FACE Team mission to reduce firefighter exposures to cancer. I look forward to working with her in the future!”
Lt Kenny Mitchell
Fort Mitchell Fire Department -
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“Annette’s presentation for our department was perfect! She was able to intertwine many dimensions of wellness into one concise message about resiliency in the fire service. Her experience, knowledge, and passion for the health and wellness of firefighters is contagious. As a Health & Wellness Coordinator, she inspires me to provide all the resources I can for my department. Annette is professional and easy to coordinate with. I especially appreciate her sharing contact information for follow-up questions.”
Ivy Miller
Mountain View Fire Rescue -
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“AZ is a triple threat as a firefighter, subject matter expert, AND engaging speaker! We recently hired AZ to speak at a health event for my county, and her professionalism blew us away. Her ability to relate to our audience transformed their mindset on fitness and sleep. Several surveys indicated that participants planned to improve their routine that night. I highly recommend AZ for your next first responder event.”
Megan Lautz-The Rescue RD
Fairfax County Fire
