Episode 66 The Frontline of Health: Delving into First Responder Wellness with Annette Zapp and Kelly Kennedy PhD

When the siren blares and danger looms, it's our first responders who charge into the fray. But what about the personal battles they face once the uniforms come off? This episode features a riveting conversation with two authorities on first responder wellness: Annette Zapp and Kelly Kennedy. Annette, a retired lieutenant with a fire service career that spans two decades, now champions the cause of firefighter health through her wellness coaching enterprise. Kelly brings her expertise from training over 3,500 police recruits, offering a deep dive into the unique challenges of maintaining law enforcement fitness.

Annette Zapp MS CISSN is a recent retiree from a 20-year fire service career. She held the rank of Lieutenant and owns Fire Rescue Wellness, a coaching business dedicated to elevating the mental and physical wellness of firefighters worldwide. In 2020, Zapp served on an Illinois Senate task force focused on mitigating first responder suicide. She is a recognized industry leader in the firefighter health and wellness field, co-authoring the ISSN Position Stand on Tactical Athlete Fueling, and a proud member of the newly formed Associated Firefighters of Illinois Resiliency Committee. AZ also hosts the FRW podcast. Zapp earned a master's in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of South Dakota School of Medicine. She is a National Strength and Conditioning Association CSCS *D and TSAC-F *D and certified by the International Society of Sports Nutrition and the Society for Sport Neuroscience. She is a former adjunct faculty member at the University of Denver in the graduate program for Sport Coaching and a frequent conference speaker.

Kelly Kennedy, PhD is one of the nation’s leading experts in fitness training for police. While working forthe largest Police Department in the Southeast United States, she has physically trained and tested thousands of police recruits and officers since 1999. During this time she has lectured on physical fitness to classes for Police, Corrections and specialized units such as the Special Response Team, Rapid Deployment Force (RDF), and Defensive Tactics Instructor. She earned her PhD from Lynn University.

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