Hi. I’m John Sherwood, the Chief of Staff at Front Line Mobile Health. This is my story of how I became a leader in the fire service and then became a leader for Front Line Mobile Health; the platform of choice for public safety health and wellness. As a leader, I intend to share my experiences and my concerns for the health and well-being of public servants here. Although most of my content will be geared towards fire and police chiefs, all readers are welcome to the conversation. To keep up to date with all of our content, scroll down and follow us on our social media channels.

For now, I’ll just share how I got here.

A New Chapter in Leadership

I began my career in public service as a firefighter/paramedic, eventually working my way up to the position of Assistant Chief of Support Planning and Administration for the Grapevine, Texas Fire Department. One of my first priorities in this role was addressing our long-standing issue with a physical provider. After 20 years with the same provider—and growing dissatisfaction—I knew it was time for a change.

The Search for a Better Solution

• Initial Steps:
  In my first two years, I built a relationship with our local hospital and a doctor who managed our annual physicals. This new approach seemed promising in 2019.
• Unexpected Challenges:
  Suddenly, the doctor closed his practice and moved away, leaving us back at square one. In 2020, we temporarily returned to our previous provider, only to find the service lacking.
• A Turning Point:
  My boss, Fire Chief Darrell Brown, made it clear: we had to find a new physical provider. We explored several companies, focusing on local or Texas-based options.

Discovering Front Line Mobile Health

In the spring of 2021, Chief Brown mentioned Front Line Mobile Health, a company operating out of the Fort Worth Fire Department training facility. Intrigued, I set up a meeting and joined Chief Brown for what we now call a “test drive.” Despite concerns about the cardiopulmonary bike test—especially as I was recovering from a broken ankle—I experienced the best physical I had ever had. On our drive back, Chief Brown decisively instructed, “Find the money because we’re moving to Front Line—end of story.”

Transition and Transformation

• Implementation:
  We onboarded Front Line Mobile Health in the fall of 2021. Over the next two years, I built a strong friendship with Russ Burnham, the principal owner and CEO, who was actively involved in the company’s operations.
• A New Opportunity:
  In December 2022, during a routine pre-deployment visit, Russ reached out with an unexpected offer: help manage their rapidly growing operations. After discussing with my wife, I decided to take the leap. I retired from the department in April 2023 and immediately joined Front Line.

Today and Beyond

Now, as the Chief of Staff at Front Line Mobile Health, our company proudly serves:

• Texas and Beyond:
  Operating across Texas, the Front Range of Colorado, the Atlanta metro area, Tennessee, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
• Comprehensive Services:
  From annual physicals and new hire exams to psychological services, return-to-work evaluations, department physician services, and more.

As a best-in-class occupational healthcare company, we are dedicated to supporting public safety professionals from new hire to retire.

We are different. We are built for this.