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Faculty

Brad Lawson

NRP
Founder
PIERCE Provisions

Brad Lawson, NRP is the founder and executive director of PIERCE Provisions and The PIERCE Foundation, organizations dedicated to equipping and supporting first responders through education, leadership development, and mental-wellness advocacy. A nationally registered paramedic and educator with more than two decades of experience, Brad has served in leadership roles including EMS Education Program Coordinator and Deputy Director of EMS in North Carolina.

Through The PIERCE Foundation, Brad founded the First Responder Mental Wellness Summit, a national traveling conference focused on strengthening relationships between first responders and the resources that support them. He is the author of Dancing with Darkness: A First Responder’s Fight for Light, which serves as the foundation for his EMS World presentation, challenging the culture and encouraging responsibility, resilience, and sustainable careers in emergency services.

2026 Sessions

Dancing with Darkness: A First Responder's Fight for Light

Yes, I understand

First responders are trained to save others but rarely taught how to save themselves. This session explores the mental, emotional, and cultural battles EMS professionals face in silence. Through honest storytelling and practical strategies, Brad Lawson, paramedic, educator, and founder of PIERCE Provisions and The PIERCE Foundation, guides participants through the realities of trauma, identity loss, and burnout that affect every level of the profession.

This session closes the gap between awareness and action. It challenges stigma, redefines resilience, and empowers attendees to face their own darkness without being overcome by it. Participants will learn how to recognize early signs of emotional decline, start meaningful peer support conversations, and build lasting wellness habits that strengthen both their lives and their teams. This presentation is not just about surviving the job but about learning to dance with the weight that comes with it.

Presenter (1 Presenter)

Friday, October 02 9:45–10:45 AM
Room W240 A
Health and Wellness
Faculty

Brad Lawson

NRP
Founder
PIERCE Provisions

Brad Lawson, NRP is the founder and executive director of PIERCE Provisions and The PIERCE Foundation, organizations dedicated to equipping and supporting first responders through education, leadership development, and mental-wellness advocacy. A nationally registered paramedic and educator with more than two decades of experience, Brad has served in leadership roles including EMS Education Program Coordinator and Deputy Director of EMS in North Carolina.

Through The PIERCE Foundation, Brad founded the First Responder Mental Wellness Summit, a national traveling conference focused on strengthening relationships between first responders and the resources that support them. He is the author of Dancing with Darkness: A First Responder’s Fight for Light, which serves as the foundation for his EMS World presentation, challenging the culture and encouraging responsibility, resilience, and sustainable careers in emergency services.
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