Tonya Herbert

Tonya is the owner/President of Responder Wipes and Florida PPE Services. While working for an architectural firm that specialized in designing public safety facilities, she became passionate about improving the health and wellness of first responders, specifically firefighters. She worked with researchers and chief officers in the fire service to developed specific design strategies for mitigating exposure to carcinogens and other toxins. Twice yearly she presented these strategies to fire chiefs across the country at a “Public Safety Facility Planning” seminar. With this knowledge Tonya founded Responder Wipes, which provides on-scene decontamination supplies including wipes, shampoo + body wash, and encapsulation bags. 
 She has continued pursuing her passion for firefighter health and wellness by consulting with organizations such as “Healthy Firefighters–the Skellefteå Model,” the Swedish collaborative project aimed at preventing occupational health hazards among firefighters. Now adopted as the standard in 17 European countries, Tonya works with the group to bring the “Healthy Firefighters” project’s concise decontamination protocols to U.S. firefighters. She has also presented to groups such as the National Association of State Fire Marshals with Julius Halas, Director, Florida State Fire Marshal, on “Cancer in the Fire Service.”
 One of Tonya’s most passionate projects has been the creation of Carney Strong Initiative. In honor of BC Josh Carney who passed away from occupational cancer, she co-founded this non-profit organization to assist small, rural, and volunteer departments with developing a cancer prevention program through the donation of decontamination supplies and educational materials. https://www.carneystrong.org/
 Most recently Ms. Herbert has opened Florida PPE Services, an Intetek verified ISP which cleans, inspects, and repairs firefighter turnout gear. She is extremely knowledgeable in setting up a decontamination space within a fire station, including selecting and programming extractors, dryers, and hydrostatic testers.
 She is a published author with her article “Making a Habit of Post Fire Skin Decontamination” appearing in Crackyl magazine online at https://crackylmag.com/health/making-a-habit-of-post-fire-skin-decontamination/

---