NRP, BS, LEO
Founder & Lead Educator
Fairburn, GA
Todd Clark is a Fire Captain and Paramedic with more than 20 years of combined experience in Fire/EMS and law enforcement. He is the founder of Zero Proof Hero and Next Level Responder, platforms dedicated to advancing responder wellness, leadership, and operational readiness.
After choosing an alcohol-free lifestyle and experiencing significant improvements in clarity, resilience, and performance, Todd began researching the connection between alcohol culture, cognitive performance, burnout, and mental health in EMS. His work combines real-world field experience, emerging science, and practical strategies that empower responders to enhance performance without stigma or judgment.
Todd is featured in the documentary Going Dry: The Movie, where he shares his alcohol-free journey and its impact on his life and career as a first responder. He holds a bachelor's degree in Strategic Leadership and serves as an EMS Instructor, Tactical Medic, Georgia Arson Investigator, and certified Positive Psychology coach.
Through engaging storytelling and actionable tools, Todd helps EMS professionals improve clarity, strengthen decision-making, and enhance readiness for the demands of an ever-changing profession.
Alcohol use is deeply woven into first responder culture, yet its impact on clarity, decision-making, fatigue, and mental health is rarely addressed openly within EMS and fire services. This session examines how routine alcohol use—both on and off shift—can affect cognitive performance, sleep quality, emotional regulation, burnout, operational readiness, and long-term wellness.
Drawing from lived experience, emerging research, and the development of the Zero Proof Hero movement, this program offers a practical, non-judgmental look at how alcohol culture influences provider performance in real-world settings. Attendees will explore why many responders underreport drinking habits, how alcohol can contribute to performance inconsistencies and preventable errors, and why even “normal” drinking patterns may quietly impact resilience and daily readiness.
The session provides clear, realistic strategies that first responders can begin using immediately—without requiring drastic lifestyle changes—to improve clarity, decision-making, and day-to-day performance. This presentation is designed for EMS providers, firefighters, educators, leaders, and instructors seeking to strengthen crew culture, reduce burnout, and enhance operational consistency.
The focus is practical, relatable, and highly relevant to the wellness and performance challenges currently facing the first responder community.
