Rising From the Ashes: Alan Presson | Memphis Fire Lieutenant/Paramedic

Rising From the Ashes: Alan Presson | Memphis Fire Lieutenant/Paramedic

Rising From the Ashes: A Firefighter’s Phoenix Story.  My guest this week is Mr. Alan Presson, Memphis Fire Lieutenant/Paramedic and Endurance Athlete. “Press forward. Do not stop, do not linger in your journey, but strive for the mark set before you.”  ~ G. Whitefield This week’s guest is retired fire lieutenant from the City of Memphis fire department Mr. Alan Presson.  Alan joined the Memphis fire department in 2002 and happened to be in my recruit class.  Alan and I became good friends during that time and stayed in touch after graduating from the academy.  However, it was 2004 when we really grew in our relationship after learning that he and I both were running in the St. Jude half-marathon.  In our discussion we share how running became a huge part of our life and in a few years we would hold the incredible honor of being the first and second person to ever complete an Ironman as active employees of the Memphis Fire Department.   As some may know that follow the show, I had to retire in 2016 due to shoulder injuries sustained while firefighting.  It is no secret that firefighting is a dangerous and labor intensive job, especially in a large city where it is not uncommon to fight 5 or more fires in a given month.  In addition to the physical injuries that happen every year to firefighters, there is always the threat of dying in a fire. This horrible reality had happened more than once during our career with one loss being my Lieutenant was killed in a fire and another loss being my one of our classmates.  Alan shares how he faced this real possibility when he was upstairs in a house fire looking for the seed of the fire when the room he was in  suddenly flashed over and left him falling back on his training and fortunately finding the nozzle just in time to hold off the flames until he could be rescued.  Although he sustained several deep burns on his arms and abdomen Alan admits that he was fortunate that a few things went his way or things could have been much worse.    Please continue to listen and support this podcast and be sure to check out my social media content on my website MotivateWithCoachCamp.com [http://MotivateWithCoachCamp.com]  Also, if you are interested in becoming an official sponsor of this podcast please click the link below to learn more.  This episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLC ShelbyRowProductions.com [http://ShelbyRowProductions.com]      👉 SPONSOR THIS PODCAST -  https://bit.ly/443wPRj [https://bit.ly/443wPRj] 🔗 WEBSITE - http://www.motivatewithcoachcamp.com [http://www.motivatewithcoachcamp.com] 📺 WATCH - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA2NYLA-b6Cp3oFn-5Mk7Kg] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/MotivatewithCoachCamp/] 🎧 LISTEN - Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motivate-with-coach-camp/id1653465516] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0VU3FauCURe558WBUHOZCK?si=155cb61ddb3a472e]   This episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLC SRPStudiosLLC.com [http://srpstudiosllc.com]

Rory Thomas | President and CEO of the Memphis Medical District Collaborative

Revitalizing the Bluff City:  The Power of Urban Collaboration.  My guest this week is Mr. Rory Thomas, President and CEO of the Memphis Medical District Collaborative. “True power isn’t held, it’s shared.”  ~ Unknown Many times it can be easy to recognize a need for a community, but it is not so easy to know how to address that need or even where to start.  However, there is a well-known quote that reads, “the journey of a thousands miles begins with the first step”.  My guest this week shares how he saw a need for the city of Memphis and decided to take action. The medical district of Memphis had several areas that needed improvement such as, safety, grooming and opportunity for growth.  When a city has something to offer its citizens then that city will become more desirable to recruit talent and maybe even more importantly, keep talent. Mr. Thomas describes how networking and sharing his vision with others has lead him to some incredible people and accomplished some incredible things over the last 10 years.  We discuss what it means to have an anchor strategy, how collaborating with other organizations can become a super power and how he has found the inspiration and motivation to continue for now over a decade. If you are an entrepreneur or simply you have a heart to serve, then this episode will give you some fire to maybe be the next person to step up and pursue your passion and change a community.  Life happens fast so I encourage you to take action today! Please continue to listen and support this podcast and be sure to check out my social media content on my website MotivateWithCoachCamp.com [http://MotivateWithCoachCamp.com]  Also, if you are interested in becoming an official sponsor of this podcast please click the link below to learn more.  This episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLC ShelbyRowProductions.com [http://ShelbyRowProductions.com]      👉 SPONSOR THIS PODCAST -  https://bit.ly/443wPRj [https://bit.ly/443wPRj] 🔗 WEBSITE - http://www.motivatewithcoachcamp.com [http://www.motivatewithcoachcamp.com] 📺 WATCH - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA2NYLA-b6Cp3oFn-5Mk7Kg] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/MotivatewithCoachCamp/] 🎧 LISTEN - Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motivate-with-coach-camp/id1653465516] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0VU3FauCURe558WBUHOZCK?si=155cb61ddb3a472e]   This episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLC SRPStudiosLLC.com [http://srpstudiosllc.com]

A Call to Heal: Jeff Dill, A Firefighter/Paramedic from Las Vegas, NV

A Call to Heal: One Firefighter’s Foundation for First Responder Mental Health.  My guest this week is Mr. Jeff Dill, A Firefighter/Paramedic from Las Vegas, NV. “A healthy mind is a happy life – protect yours like you protect your heart.”  ~ Unknown   My guest this week joins the show via zoom from Las Vegas, NV.  Mr. Jeff Dill was a firefighter/paramedic and during the time he served he noticed a glaring gap in the overall resources available to first responders as it applies to the mental health.  Instead of just voicing his concern he decided to take action and he started the “Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance.” I became acquainted with Mr. Dill at a PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) conference in Germantown, TN.   Immediately saw his passion for his foundation and how he wanted to bring awareness and healing to those that serve on the front lines.  Mr. Dill revealed to the audience the shocking number of firefighter suicides nationwide that happen each year.  The jarring statistic of suicide is only one part of the destruction that PTSD causes each year to so many.  Many lose families due to substance abuse and personality changes. We discuss how PTS causes another condition known as a moral injury where a person loses the human side of feelings.  The harsh reality is PTS is hardly talked about enough and we have a long way to go.  However, the hope is with foundations like FBHA other people from around the nation will take action and over time we will have organizations everywhere that are equipped to help. If you or someone you know is having a mental health crisis you can call 988.  You can also reach out to Mr. Jeff Dill at 847-209-8208 or www.ffbha.org [http://www.ffbha.org] or text HOME to 741741. Please continue to listen and support this podcast and be sure to check out my social media content on my website MotivateWithCoachCamp.com [http://MotivateWithCoachCamp.com]  Also, if you are interested in becoming an official sponsor of this podcast please click the link below to learn more.  This episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLC ShelbyRowProductions.com [http://ShelbyRowProductions.com]     👉 SPONSOR THIS PODCAST -  https://bit.ly/443wPRj [https://bit.ly/443wPRj] 🔗 WEBSITE - http://www.motivatewithcoachcamp.com [http://www.motivatewithcoachcamp.com] 📺 WATCH - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA2NYLA-b6Cp3oFn-5Mk7Kg] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/MotivatewithCoachCamp/] 🎧 LISTEN - Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motivate-with-coach-camp/id1653465516] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0VU3FauCURe558WBUHOZCK?si=155cb61ddb3a472e]   This episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLC SRPStudiosLLC.com [http://srpstudiosllc.com]

Thomas Attig: Expert Insights on Managing Grief and Finding Solace

From Pain to Peace: Expert Insights on Managing Grief and Finding Solace.  My guest this week is Mr. Thomas Attig, A Philosopher, Professor and Author of numerous books about understanding and managing grief. “You don’t have to be okay to be healing – grief is a messy, beautiful process.” ~ Unknown   My guest this week hails from Victoria, Canada.  Mr. Thomas Attig has dedicated his life’s work to better understanding the grieving process and how people learn to cope with great loss. Mr. Attig explains that he had a lot of experience with death growing up because he came from a large family.  Losing loved ones never became easy to him, but he became better at working through the pain.  One reason for this was his ability to better understand what he was feeling and why he was feeling it. We talk about the much talked about, “5 stages” of grief.  Those being denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.  While it is certainly reasonable to have any one of these stages or even all of them, it is not always necessarily the case.  Sense everyone is wired differently and death comes to people from a lot of ways and at all different ages, you simply cannot broad brush how everyone one will go through grief. We discuss some of the things that one must hold true to themselves when grieving and other possible emotions one might experience.  If you are interested in learning more about Mr. Attig’s philosophies and approaches you can find his books on Amazon and his most recent book, “Seeking Wisdom in Death’s Shadows” by going to Oxford University Press and you can use the promo code AUFLY30 to get 30% off. Please continue to listen and support this podcast and be sure to check out my social media content on my website MotivateWithCoachCamp.com [http://MotivateWithCoachCamp.com]  Also, if you are interested in becoming an official sponsor of this podcast please click the link below to learn more.  This episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLC ShelbyRowProductions.com [http://ShelbyRowProductions.com]   👉 SPONSOR THIS PODCAST -  https://bit.ly/443wPRj [https://bit.ly/443wPRj] 🔗 WEBSITE - http://www.motivatewithcoachcamp.com [http://www.motivatewithcoachcamp.com] 📺 WATCH - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA2NYLA-b6Cp3oFn-5Mk7Kg] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/MotivatewithCoachCamp/] 🎧 LISTEN - Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motivate-with-coach-camp/id1653465516] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0VU3FauCURe558WBUHOZCK?si=155cb61ddb3a472e]   This episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLC SRPStudiosLLC.com [http://srpstudiosllc.com]

Michael House: A Candid Conversation About the Realities of Adoption

The Unspoken Challenges: A Candid Conversation About the Realities of Adoption.  My guest this week is Mr. Michael House, A Firefighter/Paramedic with the city of Southaven, MS “Adoption is not a last resort, it’s a first choice for a forever love.” ~ Unknown   As most of you know, the decision to start a family can be both an exciting and scary time all wrapped up together.  Knowing that you will have a person on this planet that will be solely reliant on you for everything is perhaps the most important decision you will ever make. My guest this week describes how he and his wife set out with a goal having three kids, but after their second child things took a turn.  Having had two children without any issues the couple had no reason to fear trying for a third.  However, it was on her third pregnancy that she suddenly faced some complications. Statistics show that nearly half of all pregnancies end with a miscarriage.  This is a national average with those statistics being much higher in some countries.  Suddenly the House family found themselves falling victim to becoming a statistic. Michael shares how over the next few years they ended up having 4 total miscarriages and the fear of trying again had overtaken their will to try again.  This reality didn’t change the fact that they still wanted to have a third child so they took the next steps to inquire about the process of adoption.  We take a deep look at all of the hurdles they faced and the overwhelming cost that is associated with adoption. It became apparent that adoption is not for the faint of heart, but as Michael shares, he has no regrets at all, so much so that he and his wife have decided to move forward with adopting their daughters half-brother.  If you or someone you know are looking at adoption you will definitely want to check this episode out and if you are interested in helping the House’s reach their funding goal to adopt their daughters little brother you can donate at their GoFundMe @ “Bring Baby House Home” Please continue to listen and support this podcast and be sure to check out my social media content on my website MotivateWithCoachCamp.com [http://MotivateWithCoachCamp.com]  Also, if you are interested in becoming an official sponsor of this podcast please click the link below to learn more.  This episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLC ShelbyRowProductions.com [http://ShelbyRowProductions.com]   👉 SPONSOR THIS PODCAST -  https://bit.ly/443wPRj [https://bit.ly/443wPRj] 🔗 WEBSITE - http://www.motivatewithcoachcamp.com [http://www.motivatewithcoachcamp.com] 📺 WATCH - YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA2NYLA-b6Cp3oFn-5Mk7Kg] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/MotivatewithCoachCamp/] 🎧 LISTEN - Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/motivate-with-coach-camp/id1653465516] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/0VU3FauCURe558WBUHOZCK?si=155cb61ddb3a472e]   This episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLC SRPStudiosLLC.com [http://srpstudiosllc.com]