This is an article by Pascal Rodier, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, May 14, 2025.
First responders undergo intense physical training to ensure they are physically prepared for emergencies. Yet despite the high-stress nature of their work, mental fitness is not given the same priority.
Learn how to support first responders by fully integrating mental wellness into recruit training programs and seeing that it is addressed throughout their careers.
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Pascal Rodier
Pascal Rodier began his career as a paramedic in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1988. After 25 years and achieving the rank of superintendent, he joined Ambulance New Brunswick from which he retired in 2018. He has over 35 years of experience and progressive leadership roles in public safety and emergency management. He is a Certified Emergency Manager and a Certified Healthcare Executive. He holds an M.A. in leadership, certifications from emergency management and emergency exercise design programs, as well as an extensive education from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. He is currently a lead instructor in the Incident Command System in Canada. A decorated first responder, his honors include being an Officer of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem and receiving the Service Medal of the Most Venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem, the Governor General’s Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal and 30 Year Bar, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal (Nova Scotia), the Order of St. John Priory of Canada Provincial Council Chair’s Commendation, and the King Charles III Coronation Medal. He has been a presenter, facilitator, and an emcee at many public events, courses, workshops, and national and international conferences.
