#53 Thriving Through Resilience with Jay Bettencourt: Lessons from the Fireground and the Loss of Captain Bowen

In this powerful episode of the Firefighter Craftsmanship Podcast, we sit down with Jay Bettencourt, company officer from Asheville, North Carolina, instructor, and founder of the Resilient Mind Program. Jay shares how a life-altering line-of-duty death early in his career shaped his approach to training, resilience, and mindfulness. Together, we explore the psychology of high performance in the fire service and how firefighters can thrive under pressure.From Survival to Thriving: Jay recounts his experiences at a tragic line-of-duty death fire, its impact on his career, and how it inspired his focus on rapid intervention training and mental resilience.The Resilient Mind Program: Jay explains how mindfulness and intentional breathing practices can help firefighters handle stress, enhance situational awareness, and thrive in both their professional and personal lives.Practical Applications: Insight into Asheville's training model, which integrates mindfulness into fire academy modules and focuses on success-based, real-world RIT and survival drills.References mentioned in this episode (Some of these might be affiliate links)Reading is a necessary part of growth. Here is a list we compiled for you to help get you started!​Presilience For the Emergency Scene: Firefighter Craftsmanship​The Loss of Captain Bowen by Jay Bettencourt Part 1The Loss of Captain Bowen by Jay Bettencourt Part 2FFC Podcast Episode #48 “Breathe How You Want to Feel with Matteo Pistono”FFC Podcast Episode #45 Dena Ali “It's Not Only The Calls. Mental Health and Organizational Leadership”Article: Just 10 minutes of mindfulness daily boosts wellbeing and fights depressionNorth Carolina Breathing Equipment SchoolFollow Firefighter Craftsmanship on social media for updates, training tips, and new episodes. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform—it helps us reach more firefighters like you!