JJohnsonatx is an Instagram account ran by Jared Johnson, from the Austin, TX, Fire Department (AFD), that focuses on improving in every aspect of being a firefighter, from mental health and fitness to proper nutrition. Since 2018, he has gained 108,000 followers.
Johnson’s journey began in Georgetown, TX, as a firefighter/paramedic, where he obtained his certifications before joining the AFD 15 years ago. He is a second generation firefighter and his two older brothers are in the fire service.
It was something he always strived to do. It didn’t come with ease either as Johnson took 21 enterance exams and was told "no" a lot.
It was 15 years ago when he felt like he was barely getting by when it came to the physical demands of the job. Having a breakdown during a structure fire made him realize that he was a liability to his crew. After that, he created the motivational account to keep himself accountable but to also teach firefighters that they can improve.
“You get to show up and solve a problem when people need you the most,” Johnson told Firehouse. “That fires me up. That's what really changed my mind set and how I looked at personal development, mental toughness and physical readiness of the job.”
His passion for fitness carries to every aspect of the job, and he relates it to his social outreach strategy.
“If someone was coming to respond to my family, who do I want to show up? Do I want four unfit, out of shape, fat firefighters, who are not prepared? Or do I want four savages who are fit, disciplined, respected and have the mental toughness needed to solve that problem?
It coincided with his personal interests being a fitness coach for 16 years, his background in power lifting and owning Gym Force, a gym in Austin. Early on, he was getting 300 views per post and saw that as a positive. His logic amounted to speaking to a room of 300 about his passion.
While he grew as a person and developed as a firefighter, his account started to gain traction. Ten years ago, Johnson wanted to test himself even further by joining the Firefighter Combat Challenge. The first time around for Johnson was rough, but according to Johnson, that’s what flipped the switch in him.
“It's speed, agility, quickness, power and endurance. That's why I love this sport, because it's not one dimensional. It really showcases the actual applications of what we do in the real world, as being a firefighter,” said Johnson.
The switch was flipped into being a 10-time world and national champion, setting world records and Texas state records.
The awards don’t stop there. Johnson and his buddies decided to join the Firefighter Olympics to see where they stood. Johnson ended up winning his weight class on his way to being a gold medalist.
“There's no benefit from taking the easy road. That's where an individual goes to die, in my opinion,” said Johnson.
With the popularity of his account growing, Johnson created an online coaching business directed towards firefighters, called Fire Elite. The program is centered around the FRMAN Method: Fitness, recovery, mindset, accountability and nutrition.
“That's what I focus on building, and that's why mental toughness and a positive mindset is so important. If you're already losing in your mind, you're losing in every other area of your life, and that's a part of that big coaching category that I hit on,” he said.
Johnson does all of this on his own. He has helped over 1,000 firefighters through the program, and seeing the transformations is his favorite part of it all.
“I'll get hammered on shift, and I got six appointments back-to-back right after a 24-hour shift. Do I always want to do that? No. But there's a deeper meaning on why I continue to show up,” Johnson said. “These firefighters are facing the same stressors, the same hardship, and if I can't practice what I preach, no one will ever follow.”
There is 24/7 support and weekly check-ins for those in Fire Elite, and he receives over 300 applications a month from firefighters asking for help.
“At the beginning of every call that I talk to a firefighter, I ask three questions. What is it that you want to accomplish? How badly do you want it? And what are you willing to sacrifice?” he shared. “I've answered those questions myself, and I'm willing to suffer to build something that is going to literally change firefighters lives, and that's why I'm emotional about it.”
Johnson wants to develop his brand, business and account into something you see in every fire station across the country.
“There are policies in every fire department. You should do 60 minutes of physical activity every 24-hour shift, but there's no knowledge. There's no framework. There's no guidance or game plan for these firefighters to apply,” said Johnson.
This isn’t the ceiling for Johnson and his brand, as he mentions that he would like to develop his leadership, because he knows he will need help as his brand continues to grow. Johnson understands that he can't do everything on his own as his brand grows, and he would like to mold those from his program into people on his team.
Ryan Baker
Ryan Baker is a writer and associate editor with prior experiences in online and print production. Ryan is an associate editor for Firehouse with a master's degree in sciences of communication from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He recently completed a year of teaching Intro to Public Speaking at UW-Whitewater, as part of his graduate program. Ryan acquired his bachelor's degree in journalism in 2023 from UW-Whitewater, and operates currently out of Minneapolis, MN. Baker, also writes freelances for the Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA) in his free time, while also umpiring baseball for various ages across the Twin Cities Metro Area.
