In this episode of the Maine Responder Podcast, Elliott sits down with Ron to talk about how their agency’s wellness journey really began. What started during the uncertainty of COVID and a deeper focus on Crisis Intervention Team training eventually turned inward, leading to bigger conversations about leadership, peer support, physical health, vulnerability, and what it actually means to take care of the people doing the job.

This is an honest conversation about how wellness did not begin as a trendy program or a policy box to check. It grew out of real experiences, strong relationships, better leadership, and a willingness to ask hard questions about how officers are doing, both on and off the job.

They talk about the culture shift inside a small department, the role of peer support, medical screenings, testosterone and health awareness for officers over 40, and why simple conversations still matter more than people think. There is humor in this one too, because that is part of how responders get through things, but underneath it is a serious message: wellness starts with people who care enough to go first.

If you care about leadership, officer wellness, peer support, or building a healthier culture in police, fire, EMS, or first responder work, this episode is worth your time.