Station Officer Sam Parkhouse AFSM: Breathwork & Fireground Performance
In this episode, we speak with Station Officer Sam Parkhouse AFSM, a firefighter with nearly two decades of operational experience and a national leader in firefighter wellbeing and recovery. Sam has been instrumental in developing the FRNSW Firefighter Wellness Retreat, a residential somatic-based program designed to help firefighters address the cumulative toll of trauma, organisational stress, and high-consequence operational work.
Drawing from this work, Sam has introduced breathwork as a foundational operational skill, now taught to all FRNSW recruits. This session provides firefighters with practical tools to manage their stress response, improve cognition and decision-making under pressure, and support long-term wellbeing and performance.
Resources Mentioned in the Episode
Breathwork Skills & Instructional Videos
4-7-8 Method https://youtu.be/Egr8iGBg8Oc?si=6Ju7LdK7_vjXM86- [https://youtu.be/Egr8iGBg8Oc?si=6Ju7LdK7_vjXM86-]
Physiological Sigh https://youtu.be/kSZKIupBUuc?si=H8rhk4UvmvBUYUzR [https://youtu.be/kSZKIupBUuc?si=H8rhk4UvmvBUYUzR]
Box Breathing https://youtu.be/n1lPLTAiB48?si=H-g9GRbaiQ51S0wF [https://youtu.be/n1lPLTAiB48?si=H-g9GRbaiQ51S0wF] https://youtu.be/bF_1ZiFta-E?si=YgDc0lzZ6_AobFrU [https://youtu.be/bF_1ZiFta-E?si=YgDc0lzZ6_AobFrU]
Books
The Body Keeps the Score — Bessel van der Kolk A foundational text on trauma, the mind–body connection, and how trauma is stored physiologically.
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art — James Nestor An accessible and evidence-backed exploration of breathwork, respiratory health, and performance.
Apps & Digital Resources
Oxygen Advantage (Patrick McKeown) Free guided exercises for stress reduction, athletic performance, respiratory training and sleep. https://oxygenadvantage.com [https://oxygenadvantage.com]
Insight Timer A comprehensive library of guided breathwork, mindfulness sessions, and somatic practices. https://insighttimer.com [https://insighttimer.com]
Short Episode Timings
00:45 – Meet Station Officer Sam Parkhouse AFSM Sam’s background and his nationally recognised work in firefighter wellbeing.
05:00 – The FRNSW Wellness Retreat How somatic practices like breathwork, cold exposure and yoga help firefighters recover from trauma.
12:20 – Trauma, the Body & the Nervous System Understanding emotional numbing, sympathetic activation, and why regulation matters on the fireground.
19:45 – Breathwork for Operational Performance When and how firefighters can use breathwork during en-route stress, at incidents, and for recovery.
24:30 – Three Practical Techniques Physiological sigh, box breathing, and the 4-7-8 method—what they are and when to use them.
42:15 – Embedding Mental Skills in Training Why breathwork must be practiced consistently and delivered by training staff to change culture and performance.
