Health and Wellness for First Responders

Hear from several chiefs on the importance of the mental health and wellness of your members. Is there a mental health component in your annual physicals? What happens if a mental health issue is discovered? Is your department doing everything it can to help raise awareness of cardiac incidents and steps to take regarding cancer prevention for your firefighters? Have we made progress in these areas? Learn successful practices from several departments for promoting mental wellness and looking out for your fellow firefighters and response personnel.

• Ideas for promoting responder overall first responder wellness
• The importance of annual physicals with a mental wellness component
• Challenges and success stories within departments pertaining to responder health and wellness

Presenters

Patrick J Kenny, Fire Chief (Retired)
Patrick J. Kenny has been a member of the fire service for over 38 years, a chief officer for over 25 years, and before retiring was the Fire Chief in Western Spring, Illinois. A popular speaker, he has presented throughout the U.S. and in multiple countries on Mayday for Mental Health® for more than a decade. He has written articles on mental health, leadership, fire safety, and fire code challenges. In 2004, he was awarded the Fire Chief of the Year by the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association and in 2020, he was awarded the George D. Post Instructor of the Year by the Fire Engineering/International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI).

Adam M. Farrar, Scott Township Fire & EMS / Fire Chief
Adam is the Fire Chief of Scott Township Fire & EMS in Evansville, IN.  He has been in the fire & emergency services for 21 years starting as a cadet and rising through the ranks to be appointed Fire Chief.  Adam holds an Associates of Science Degree in Fire Science, an Associates of Science Degree in Business Management, a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Fire Administration, and a Master’s in Public Administration.  Adam is married to his wife Amber for 10 years and is the proud father of three young sons, Brady (11), Chase (7), and Gabriel (2).

Joseph Chornock, Germantown Volunteer Fire Department, Fire/Rescue Chief
Joseph Chornock has been a volunteer in Montgomery County, MD for over 45 years and has held almost all of the administrative and operational positions including 21 years as a paramedic and 10 years as the President.

He has been the fire chief of the Germantown Volunteer Fire Dept, Inc., for 6 years and a chief officer since 1995. He has been a member of the IAFC-VCOS since 2003. Joe enjoys teaching the principles of the VCOS ribbon reports.

He currently serves as the membership secretary for the Maryland Fire Chiefs Association.