After initially working for an architectural firm specialising in the design of fire stations, emergency centres and police stations, Tonya Herbert now owns and runs Thin Red Line Decon, a US based company encompassing Responder Wipes and Florida PPE Services, specialising in decontamination and maintenance of firefighter PPE, and the supply of products such as decon wipes, shampoo and on scene decon in the form of Storm Stick Decon.

Tonya also works alongside Healthy Firefighters, the pioneers of the Skelleftea model - “a collaborative project aimed at preventing occupational health hazards among firefighters. Now adopted as the standard in 17 European countries, the ‘Healthy Firefighters’ project provides concise decontamination protocols which can improve firefighters’ health and well-being.”

In this episode, Tonya and I discuss cancer prevention strategies, decon, PFAS, fire station design and layout, firefighter health, culture in the fire service, building good habits and breaking bad ones, and the psychology of human behaviour. Tonya is a huge advocate for firefighter health and well-being, and her passion for supporting firefighters and their families is plain to see.