Responder Resilience

Lt. David Dachinger (Ret.), Dr. Stacy Raymond, Bonnie Rumilly, LCSW/EMT

Step into the world of real-life rescuers with RESPONDER RESILIENCE, an insightful podcast that sheds light on the challenges and triumphs of firefighters, EMTs, police, 911 professionals and clinicians. Hear firsthand accounts from our community's finest as they discuss critical issues on the job and share their experiences with hosts Lt. David Dachinger (Ret.), Bonnie Rumilly LCSW/EMT and Dr. Stacy Raymond. You’ll hear powerful discussions on leadership and wellness brought to life by top experts and those behind the badge. 

  1. 3d ago

    S6 E32 Systemic: The Hidden Crisis Behind The Crisis with David Picone and Ramsey Ali

    The injury gets treated. The claim gets filed. The responder gets lost in between. Retired Battalion Chief David Picone spent years inside a system that's supposed to cover everything: prevention, behavioral health, cancer, rehab, the claim itself,  and watched it fail at the seams. So he rebuilt it. Thirty-four integrated policies. Injury rates down. A wellness center built like a Division I athletic program. Now, as CEO of the Health & Safety Leadership Alliance, he's taking that blueprint national. Dr. Ramsey Ali sees what happens when the system fails. As Director of the First Responder Institute and PTSD IOP at Institutes of Health, he treats the complex cases: PTSD tangled with chronic pain and substance use, that siloed care left behind. One built the system. One treats its casualties. In this episode, they expose where first responder wellness actually breaks down and what it takes to fix it at the system level, not just at the individual level. In this episode: Where individual resilience ends, and organizational failure beginsWhat workers' comp gets wrong about mental health claimsWhat a department doing this right actually looks likeThe one thing Picone and Ali would change about how employers approach responder health **Resources for Responder Wellness:** • Book: Helping the Helpers https://a.co/d/dm0VS4Q • Free App: CRACKYL http://crackyl.respondertv.com • Fitness: FightCamp (code RESILIENCE for 10% off) http://joinfightcamp.com/rr Contact David Picone and Ramsey Ali:  Learn more about HSLA: http://hslalliance.org First Responder Institute at Institutes of Health: https://institutesofhealth.org Contact Responder Resilience: Phone: +1 844-344-6655 Email: info@respondertv.com Our website with past episodes and more: https://www.respondertv.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ResponderResilience LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/responder-resilience-podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/responder.tv/

  2. Aug 5

    S6 E31 25 Years, 343 Miles: Livestrong's Suzanne Stone On The Ride Home To Ground Zero

    Twenty-five years later, 343 still means something. It's the number of FDNY members lost on 9/11. Now it's also the number of miles a five-day ride will cover, from Boston to the 9/11 Memorial in New York City. Suzanne Stone, President and CEO of Livestrong, joins Responder Resilience to talk about the First Responder Ride for Resilience: why it exists, who's riding, and what it means for a first responder community still absorbing the cost of that day, and every day since. Livestrong has spent almost 30 years working the "soft side" of survivorship, the part that isn't clinical. For first responders, that means occupational cancer risk baked into the job itself, families left without a playbook, and a culture that doesn't always know how to ask for help. Suzanne breaks down what Livestrong is building specifically for fire, police, and EMS. That includes a culturally competent survivor's guide, Ellis (their AI-powered survivorship companion), and a fertility preservation discount network covering 150+ clinics nationwide. The ride itself runs September 6 to 10, 2026, gathering in Boston and finishing at the 9/11 Memorial and Battery Park in New York. It arrives September 10 so active-duty riders can be back at their firehouses on the anniversary itself. **Resources for Responder Wellness:** • Book: Helping the Helpers https://a.co/d/dm0VS4Q • Free App: CRACKYL http://crackyl.respondertv.com • Fitness: FightCamp (code RESILIENCE for 10% off) http://joinfightcamp.com/rr Contact Responder Resilience: Phone: +1 844-344-6655 Email: info@respondertv.com Our website with past episodes and more: https://www.respondertv.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ResponderResilience LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/responder-resilience-podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/responder.tv/ LIVESTRONG: 🔗 Ride details & registration: https://911ride.org 🔗 Learn more about Livestrong's work: https://livestrong.org 📫 Questions or want to get involved: 911Ride@livestrong.org

  3. Jul 29

    S6 E30 Clinicians Guide to Cultural Fluency and Moral Injury with Dr. Brooke Bartlett

    "Cultural competence" gets thrown around a lot in mental health circles. Dr. Brooke Bartlett has a harder definition: specialized, ongoing training paired with hands-on experience- not a one-hour class, not having an uncle who's a firefighter, not a personality trait you either have or don't. Bartlett, licensed clinical psychologist and founder of the Center for Trauma, Anxiety, and Stress, joins Responder Resilience to unpack what it actually takes for a clinician to earn - not perform - fluency with the first responder population. She breaks down the fastest ways clinicians lose trust in a first session, why overcompensating with jargon backfires faster than admitting what you don't know, and why leading with curiosity beats leading with credentials every time. To ground the conversation, she uses moral injury as the case study - walking through its three pathways (acts of commission, omission, and institutional betrayal), the neuroscience that separates it from PTSD, and why "should have, could have" is the phrase she hears most from first responders. It's a clear example of why cultural fluency isn't optional: you can't treat what you don't understand. Dr. Bartlett offers live and on-demand continuing education courses for clinicians on cultural competency for first responders and on assessing and treating moral injury - details at centertas.com/events. Subscribe for more conversations with the people building a stronger, more resilient first responder culture. 🚒 YouTube: Responder Resilience  📱 Facebook: ResponderTV  💼 LinkedIn, Apple Podcasts, Spotify  🌐 respondertv.com Connect with us:  📘 Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram ★ Resources for Responder Wellness ★ • Fitness: FightCamp (code RESILIENCE for 10% off) http://joinfightcamp.com/rr • Free App: CRACKYL http://crackyl.respondertv.com • Book: Helping the Helpers https://a.co/d/dm0VS4Q CONNECT WITH RESPONDER RESILIENCE Phone: +1 844-344-6655 Email: info@respondertv.com 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every week. https://www.youtube.com/c/ResponderResilience 📩 Sign up for our newsletter: https://ResponderTV.com  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/responder.tv/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/responderTV/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/responder-resilience-podcast/ DR. BROOKE BARTLETT 🔹 Website: centertas.com 🔹 Instagram: @doctorbrookephd

  4. Jul 22

    S6 E29 Inside Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy with Guests Candace Maisel, LCSW and Carmine Fiore

    What happens when every traditional treatment fails — and a first responder is still drowning? Retired FDNY-EMS paramedic and Army combat medic Carmine Fiore survived 30 treatment centers and 15 heroin overdoses before trying something the first responder world rarely talks about: Ibogaine-assisted treatment at Ambio Life Sciences in Tijuana, Mexico. In this episode, Carmine joins host David Dachinger and psychedelic-assisted therapy provider Candace Maisel, LCSW, for a candid, deeply personal conversation about what it took to finally heal — and what that healing actually looks like. In this episode: What cumulative trauma looks like when it's been suppressed for years — and why it doesn't just disappearCarmine's Ibogaine journey: the childhood memories, the generational trauma, and the moment Ibogaine delivered a message about his late fatherThe neuroscience behind psychedelic healing — BDNF, GDNF, neuroplasticity, and why the brain's post-treatment window mattersWhy psilocybin's 6-8 hour duration gives it an edge over ketamine for deep trauma workWhat integration really looks like — and why the medicine is only the beginningWhat Carmine would say to the first responder white-knuckling it right now, afraid to ask for helpThe Casey Skudin 343 Fund — and how it's helping first responders access treatment they couldn't otherwise affordResponder Resilience is an informational podcast. The experiences and perspectives shared in this episode are not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Psychedelic-assisted therapies carry real risks and are not appropriate for everyone. Please consult your physician or a licensed mental health professional before pursuing any treatment options discussed here. Subscribe to Responder Resilience: 🎧 Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube Connect with us:  🌐 ResponderTV.com  📘 Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram ★ Resources for Responder Wellness ★ • Fitness: FightCamp (code RESILIENCE for 10% off) http://joinfightcamp.com/rr • Free App: CRACKYL http://crackyl.respondertv.com • Book: Helping the Helpers https://a.co/d/dm0VS4Q Contact Candace Maisel, LCSW https://ct-psych.com/candace-maisel-lcsw https://www.linkedin.com/in/candacemaisellcsw Contact Carmine Fiore https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmine-fiore-241a701a8/ https://www.instagram.com/carmine12285 https://www.thetravelagency.co/ Contact Responder Resilience: Phone: +1 844-344-6655 Email: info@respondertv.com Our website with past episodes and more: https://www.respondertv.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ResponderResilience LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/responder-resilience-podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/responder.tv/

  5. Jul 15

    S6 E28 After The Loss, A Way Back with Guest Dr. Erie Crawford

    She lost him. Then she found a way through. Lt. James Crawford (Ret.) of the Chicago Police Department was a pastor, a mentor, and the man everyone leaned on. Months after retiring, he died by suicide. His wife, Erie S. Crawford, LSW, PhD — a licensed social worker who saw the signs — made a decision in her darkest hour: this loss would not take her too. She buried him on a Saturday. By Monday, she was in therapy, fighting for her own healing. What she built from that fight is now helping suicide-loss families across the country find their way back to life. In this episode, Dr. Crawford joins hosts Lt. David Dachinger (ret.) and guest co-host Lynette Shaw-Butler for a conversation about loss, love, and the long road back. In this episode:  ▪ Why the "strong ones" carry pain silently — and how families can gently open that door  ▪ The warning signs she saw, and what she wants other spouses to know  ▪ The retirement transition: why a plan for what's next matters as much as the pension  ▪ What suicide-loss families need after the funeral, when the initial support fades  ▪ The S.U.N.R.I.S.E. Healing Journey: Surrender, Understand, Nurture, Reconcile, Integrate, Strengthen, Engage  ▪ Her guiding truth: when night ends, the sun rises If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). Healing is possible — and you don't have to walk it alone. Watch on YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Full archive: ResponderTV.com 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every week. https://www.youtube.com/c/ResponderResilience ★ Resources for Responder Wellness ★ • Fitness: FightCamp (code RESILIENCE for 10% off) http://joinfightcamp.com/rr • Free App: CRACKYL http://crackyl.respondertv.com • Book: Helping the Helpers https://a.co/d/dm0VS4Q

  6. Jul 8

    S6 E27 The Case for Telling the Story with Guest Jerri Williams

    After 26 years as an FBI Special Agent — investigating fraud, corruption, and the schemes that cost people everything — Jerri Williams could have walked away quietly. She didn't. She entered the Bureau in 1982 as one of the first Black female agents in FBI history. She worked the cases. She learned the truth. And when Hollywood started telling a different story, she wrote the book to correct it — literally. Now she hosts FBI Case File Review, a true crime podcast with over 10 million downloads, and she's on a mission to preserve the real stories of the men and women who served. In this episode, Jerri, David, and Stacy sit down to talk about something every first responder needs to hear: why your story matters, why telling it protects the profession, and why silence is the real threat to your legacy. In this episode: Why Jerri has spent 10 years sharing FBI stories — and what she's learnedHow authentic storytelling shapes public trust in law enforcementWhat gets lost when first responders don't preserve their experienceWhy your personal legacy deserves to be told — on your termsThe cases that changed how she sees the mission of storytelling itself Watch on YouTube | LinkedIn | Facebook | Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Full archive: ResponderTV.com 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every week. https://www.youtube.com/c/ResponderResilience ★ Resources for Responder Wellness ★ • Fitness: FightCamp (code RR10 for 10% off) http://joinfightcamp.com/rr • Free App: CRACKYL http://crackyl.respondertv.com • Book: Helping the Helpers https://a.co/d/dm0VS4Q Connect with Jerri Williams: 🌐 jerriwilliams.com 📘 facebook.com/JerriWilliamsAuthor 📸 instagram.com/fbicasereview 💼 linkedin.com/in/jerriwilliamsauthor 📚 FBI Myths and Misconceptions: jerriwilliams.com/books Contact Responder Resilience: Phone: +1 844-344-6655 Email: info@respondertv.com Our website with past episodes and more: https://www.respondertv.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ResponderResilience LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/responder-resilience-podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/responder.tv/ #ResponderResilience #FirstResponders #LawEnforcement #FBI #MentalHealth #Storytelling #FirstResponderWellness #TrueCrime #Leadership #LegacyBuilding 🎙️ Responder Resilience is built for first responders, mental health professionals, and anyone committed to the long-term health of those who serve.

  7. Jul 1

    S6 E26 The Truth About American Fire Culture with Guest Dr. Burton Clark

    The United States has one of the highest fire death rates in the industrialized world. Not because the firefighters aren't good enough. Not because the apparatus isn't fast enough. Because of culture. Dr. Burton Clark has been saying that since 1970. He became a volunteer firefighter that year, a career firefighter two years later, and spent the next fifty-five years working at every level of the fire service — from neighborhood firehouses to the National Fire Academy to the halls of Johns Hopkins University. He has studied more firefighter fatalities than most people have had shifts. And the conclusion he keeps reaching is the same one nobody wants to write in the after-action report. Something went wrong. It always does. And most of the time, it didn't have to. In this episode of Responder Resilience, Dr. Clark gets into the culture behind the casualty. Why America emphasizes suppression over prevention while other countries do the opposite — and why that choice shows up in the death toll. Why fire deaths are still treated as inevitable when the data says they aren't. What the social, political, economic, and technological forces shaping fire culture actually look like from the inside. And what it's going to take — at the company level, the chief level, and the community level — for anything to actually change. This is not a comfortable episode. It's not supposed to be. If you wear a badge, lead a department, or care about bringing every firefighter home — this conversation is for you **Resources for Responder Wellness:** • Book: Helping the Helpers https://a.co/d/dm0VS4Q • Free App: CRACKYL http://crackyl.respondertv.com • Fitness: FightCamp (code RR10 for 10% off) http://joinfightcamp.com/rr Contact Dr. Clark: americanfireculture.com Contact Responder Resilience: Phone: +1 844-344-6655 Email: info@respondertv.com Our website with past episodes and more: https://www.respondertv.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ResponderResilience LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/responder-resilience-podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/responder.tv/

  8. Jun 24

    S6 E25 Cops, Capes, And Spiritual Survival with Guest Cary Friedman

    A senior FBI agent heard Chaplain Cary Friedman deliver a eulogy. He was struck by something he couldn't quite name — the message was spiritual, but it wasn't religious. Universal without being hollow. A week later, Chaplain Friedman was at the FBI Academy in Quantico. He's been consulting to the Behavioral Science Unit ever since. For more than two decades, Chaplain Friedman has been working with law enforcement officers across the country on something the behavioral sciences triad left out: the soul. Not religion. Not doctrine. The deeper thing that gets a person out of bed and into a patrol car every morning, and the thing that quietly erodes when the job takes more than it gives back. In this episode of Responder Resilience, we get into all of it. The distinction between spirituality and religion, and why it matters more than most cops think. Moral injury. The inner critic that replays every call with the word "should." The nobility of policing and what happens when officers lose sight of it. The interconnectedness principle. The personal mission statement that changes everything when you actually write it down. And yes, Batman. Chaplain Friedman is the world's foremost authority on the Dark Knight, and he uses that to powerful effect with law enforcement audiences. The adverse childhood experiences. The pain turned into mission. The "What Would Batman Do?" exercise that lands differently than you'd expect in a room full of cops. If you wear a badge, work with people who do, or care about what this profession does to the human beings inside it — this episode is for you. **Resources for Responder Wellness:** • Book: Helping the Helpers https://a.co/d/dm0VS4Q • Free App: CRACKYL http://crackyl.respondertv.com • Fitness: FightCamp (code RR10 for 10% off) http://joinfightcamp.com/rr Contact Chaplain Cary A. Friedman:  Website: http://spiritualsurvivalforlawenforcement.com/ Contact Responder Resilience: Phone: +1 844-344-6655 Email: info@respondertv.com Our website with past episodes and more: https://www.respondertv.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ResponderResilience LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/responder-resilience-podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/responder.tv/

4.6
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Step into the world of real-life rescuers with RESPONDER RESILIENCE, an insightful podcast that sheds light on the challenges and triumphs of firefighters, EMTs, police, 911 professionals and clinicians. Hear firsthand accounts from our community's finest as they discuss critical issues on the job and share their experiences with hosts Lt. David Dachinger (Ret.), Bonnie Rumilly LCSW/EMT and Dr. Stacy Raymond. You’ll hear powerful discussions on leadership and wellness brought to life by top experts and those behind the badge. 

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