Walk with Fireman Rob for Firefighter Mental Health Awareness
Key Takeaways
- Rob Verhelst, known as Fireman Rob, will walk 50 miles in full firefighter gear over 24 hours to raise awareness for firefighter mental health.
Riverside, CA - Nov. 4 at 1 p.m., Rob Verhelst (otherwise known as “Fireman Rob”) will begin a continuous 24-hour walk in full firefighter gear. Walk The Line will begin at the headquarters of Phenix Fire Helmets in Riverside, CA, and continue to Anaheim Fire Station #3, a route covering over 50 miles in 24 hours.
The burden carried by firefighters is often invisible. With so many exigent circumstances firefighters may face in the line of duty, it can be all too easy to brush aside concerns of mental well-being. By undertaking this physical challenge, Fireman Rob is demonstrating just how much firefighters endure even when no alarms are sounding. When condensed into a single endurance challenge, one is able to better realize how much every man and woman in the fire service is expected to handle.
To support this initiative, Phenix Fire Helmets has partnered with Fireman Rob for his entire journey. From setting him on his way from the Phenix Fire Helmets home base, documenting the grueling endeavor, and celebrating at the finish line, Fireman Rob and Phenix are committed to the cause of first responder mental health.
Fireman Rob is no stranger to adversity or endurance:
- U.S. Air Force veteran who served in search and recovery after the September 11 attacks at the World Trade Center
- 26-year firefighter in Madison, Wisconsin
- PTSD survivor turned mental health advocate and motivational speaker
- Endurance athlete who has completed 23 full Ironman and 32 half Ironman triathlons, running more than 1,200 miles in full firefighting gear
- World Record holder for the most Ironman 70.3 triathlons completed in one year (23)
- Founder of the Fireman Rob Foundation, which has delivered over 8,000 Gund teddy bears to children in hospitals around the world.
If you would like to sign up to walk alongside Fireman Rob, information is available in the link below. Fellow first responders, members of the public, friends, family, supporters, all are welcome! Whether you’d like to participate in the entire walk, tag along for a short segment, or welcome Fireman Rob at the finish line, there is a way to show up and show your support.
https://form.jotform.com/252325162370146
About Phenix Fire Helmets
Phenix Fire Helmets is a US manufacturer of the lightest weight, most comfortable fire helmets on the market. Fireman Rob always wears a Phenix for his endurance challenges due to their fatigue-reducing qualities.