Sara Jahnke

View from the Top: The Latest and Greatest in Firefighter Health and Wellness Research offers a high-impact overview of the state of the science related to cancer, cardiovascular disease, behavioral health, and reproductive health in the fire service. This keynote highlights the most pressing health threats facing firefighters today—along with the latest science shaping prevention, early detection, and policy change. Attendees will learn about emerging cancer research efforts, the newest evidence on cardiovascular disease, mental health research that moves beyond PTSD, and new insights into reproductive risks tied to fire service exposures. The session emphasizes how leadership, organizational culture, and research partnerships can translate evidence into action. Designed for fire service leaders and health champions, this talk delivers the big picture and concrete takeaways. The message is clear: we know more than ever before—and it’s time to lead with it.

Dr. Jahnke is the Director and a Senior Scientist with the Center for Fire, Rescue & EMS Health Research within NDRI-USA, Inc. She also serves as the President of the Board of Science to the Station: A Health and Wellness Alliance, an organization focused on making empirical evidence more accessible and useable for frontline personnel. With nearly two decades of research experience on firefighters, she has been the Principal Investigator on several national studies and dozens of studies as a co-investigator. She has more than 100 publications to her credit.  Her work has focused on a range of health concerns, including the health of women firefighters, behavioral health, risk of injury, cancer, cardiovascular risk factors, and substance use, with funding from FEMA, the National Institutes of Health, and other foundations. She has received several recognitions for her work, including the John Granito Excellence in Fire Service Research Award, the President’s Award from the International Association of Fire Chiefs, and the Glatfelter Distinguished Service Award from the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.