2026
wildland firefighter
human performance summit
[may 5-8]
A [FREE] virtual event featuring expert-led presentations on strength, endurance, recovery, nutrition, and performance—built specifically for wildland firefighters
this virtual event is hosted for free on the rugged athlete app
Steps to register:
Tap the “REGISTER HERE” button
Enter your info to sign up
Create username/password
Download the Rugged Athlete App
Sign into the app
Check out the welcome video, tour the app, and on May 5 all the presentations will go live. All presentations are pre-recorded so you can watch on your own time.
Meet the speakers
Physical Preventative Maintenance: Targeted Methods To Taking Care Of Your Body
-
After 5+ years of being a professional strength and conditioning coach, including 2 seasons of coaching in professional baseball, Austin Womack became a wildland firefighter in 2019. Going from S&C to wildland was an absolute shock for him in terms of the limited resources wildland firefighters had access to related to physical health and training.
In his first season he was able to immediately experience first hand all the ways his training background and experience in strength and conditioning helped him on the fireline. He was able to use that experience to help a ton of guys on his crew with their fitness and injury prevention.
He knew with his education and passion for coaching that he could be a valuable resource for more than just guys on his crew, so he built Rugged Athlete LLC to be the go-to resource to help wildland firefighters all over the country.
Austin has his BS in Kinesiology and his MS in Exercise Science. He holds numerous S&C certifications including CSCS, TSAC-F, CF-L1, and FRC.
Applied Nutrition for the Fire Season: Nutrition at Home, Catered Incidents, and Non-Catered Incidents
-
JJ has had several different paths that have led him to his current career as a nutrition coach. He was an infantryman in the Marine Corps after high school. He then jumped right into wildland by working on an engine on the Tonto NF in Arizona. Then he packed it all up and moved to interior Alaska, where he is now a dog musher training to run the Iditarod in 2028. All of these lifestyles made JJ realize just how crucial proper nutrition is if we want to live the way we do as firefighters.
JJ now consults with crews around the country on wellness and nutrition in an effort to provide our community with quality, applicable information and education.
He holds a BS in Dietetics and is a Certified Nutrition Coach.
Making Fitness The Standard
-
Adam Gray is an Engine Captain with the Winnemucca District, USWFS, with 12 years of wildland fire experience. In addition to leading engine module operations, he has played a key role in developing and implementing a district-level strength and conditioning approach focused on improving readiness and fireline performance. He also helped establish the Nevada Fire Strength and Conditioning Program to support firefighter readiness across the state. As a TSAC-F, his work centers on building systems where fitness is not an option, but an expectation.
Aerobic Capacity: Implications for Performance and Long Term Health
-
Justin is a public servant and a human performance practitioner. After conducting research to assess predictors of occupational readiness for hotshots, he decided to gain firsthand experience with the Golden Eagles IHC where he currently serves. He also serves as the Director of Operations at Hotshot Wellness, a 501c3 non-profit organization that aims to provide wildland firefighters with preventative support and personal development opportunities.
Justin aim’s to dedicate his life to helping public servants achieve their health and performance goals. Justin is eager to work with the “boots on the ground” and equip them with the tools and strategies to become a more resilient and effective workforce.
Justin holds a BS and MS in Exercise Science. His certifications include CSCS and Patanjali Yoga Foundation (Rishikesh, India).
Utilizing Strongman Training Methods to Prep for Wildland Firefighting
-
Description text goes here
Running and Endurance Training for Wildland Firefighters
-
Austin is a seasoned ultrarunner and former wildland firefighter. He has a Bachelor’s degree in accounting and previously worked as a tax preparer between fire seasons. He served for three years on an engine crew, followed by four years on the Silver State Hotshots and four years with the Boise Smokejumpers.
After a serious motorcycle accident threatened to derail his fire career, Austin discovered his passion for running as a means of recovery and a pathway back to his dream of being a Smokejumper. He started running to improve his fitness for firefighting, embracing the mental and physical challenges of long-distance running. He has competed in numerous ultramarathons, including a 250-mile race.
Austin now leverages his extensive experience as a firefighter and athlete to coach runners at all levels of the sport. Specializing in ultramarathons, he coaches for any race distance or adventure. As a UESCA Certified Ultrarunning and Running Coach with an Advanced EMT background, his deep understanding of human physiology, honed through years of high-intensity work and endurance training, allows him to provide comprehensive and informed guidance to the athletes he works with.
Hydration Under Pressue
-
Megan Lautz is an award-winning Registered Dietitian who helps first responders improve energy and
resilience through shiftwork-specific nutrition strategies. She spent over eight years as an embedded
civilian dietitian for departments with more than 3,000 first responders, completing thousands of one-
on-one coaching sessions and hundreds of station visits.
Megan also holds a contract role as a team dietitian for the Baltimore Orioles MLB organization,
supporting professional athletes alongside her work in public safety. She received the ASPDA
Trailblazer Award in 2025 for advancing dietetics in public safety. Megan owns RescueRD LLC,
which provides custom nutrition programs, training, and education for departments nationwide.
Operationalizing Physiology: Performance Support and Integrated Research for Wildland Firefighters
-
Kyle Pfaffenbach is an Associate Professor at Eastern Oregon University specializing in the cellular physiology of exercise and nutritional biochemistry. Since 2018, he has served as a performance consultant for the Grande Ronde Rappellers, where he integrates physiological testing, nutritional support, and research into wildland firefighting operations. Dr. Pfaffenbach holds an MS in Exercise Science and a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry, along with a post-doctoral fellowship at the Norris Cancer Center (University of Southern California). Along with his work at EOU, he is an also a nutrition and physiology consultant for a variety of elite athletes including the Brooks Breasts pro track team. His work with firefighters bridges the gap between academic research and tactical application, focusing on metabolic efficiency and physiological readiness in high-heat, high-stress environments.
Physical Training & Wellbeing For Female Wildland Firefighters
-
Sofia Huston is a former wildland firefighter who spent 7 years working throughout the west on WFM's and Hotshot Crews. Her passion for training was born out of necessity when she found herself utterly unprepared for the demands of the job her first season.
After years of trial and error, she invested in education & mentorship to take her own performance to the next level --- which ultimately led her to begin coaching, working mostly with female firefighters to improve their performance, nutrition, and relationship to their bodies.
Sofia resides in the Lake Tahoe area and now works in Wildfire Prevention alongside coaching her clients through Complete Human Performance.
When she's not working or coaching, she's probably training BJJ, on the trail with her dog, or looking at memes.
Comprehensive Physiology of Wildland Fire: A 25+ Year Research Journey into Nutrition, Training, and Adaptation
-
Brent Ruby, Ph.D, Director of the Montana Center for Work Physiology and Exercise Metabolism, has over 25 years of experience studying the demands of wildland firefighting. His research focuses on nutrition, hydration, heat stress, training, and adaptation, with collaborations including the US Army Research Institute and US Forest Service
How it works - event format
Steps:
Sign up through the link:
After you log into the app you will see a welcome video
Watch for Free Starting May 5:
All presentations are pre-recorded
You’ll have access to the presentations to watch at your convenience during the entire 4-day event
After the Summit:
All presentations will live on our Pro Membership
Summit recordings will also be available for purchase as a single resource