Researching the Future of Psychological Readiness
The Day One Foundation is committed to advancing evidence-informed solutions that strengthen resilience, performance, leadership, and long-term well-being throughout a first responder's career.
Prepared to Perform. Equipped to Endure. Ready from Day One.
Why It Matters
Public safety has invested heavily in physical readiness, tactical training, and operational performance.
Psychological readiness deserves the same commitment.
The Day One Foundation is working to shift the profession from reacting to crisis to proactively preparing first responders for the realities of a career in public safety.
There is a better way.
The Day One Psychological Performance Model™ serves as the foundation for the Foundation's research, education, and implementation efforts.
Our Research & Development Team is actively working to refine, validate, and strengthen the model while building the curriculum and educational resources that will support its implementation across public safety.
Current efforts include:
Model validation
Curriculum development
Educational framework design
Outcome measurement
Academic partnerships
Research Leadership
Dr. Doug D.
Dr. Douglas DeMoulin received his PhD in Environmental Health and minor in Epidemiology at the University of Minnesota and completed his Postdoctoral Fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology of Cancer. His dissertation, titled "Moral Injury: A Statewide Assessment on the Burden, Risk, and Protective Factors in Minnesota Firefighters," focused on developing a reliable and valid moral injury scale to assess the risk and protective factors among firefighters.
Dr. DeMoulin is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of North Alabama and serves as the Director of Research and Development for the First Responders Resilience Network. Dr. DeMoulin is passionate about understanding the physical and psychological injuries first responders experience and the impact stigma has on the use and effectiveness of department resources, coping strategies, and recovery.
Lead Research Scientist
Dr. Amber R.
Dr. Amber Reamy-Hedrick is an educator, researcher, and training professional with expertise in curriculum development, instructional design, program evaluation, and adult learning. Her professional experience spans educational leadership, workforce development, and emergency management training, with a focus on creating effective learning environments and measurable outcomes.
As a Research Scientist for the Day One Foundation, Dr. Reamy-Hedrick contributes to the development, refinement, and validation of the Day One Psychological Performance Model™ while supporting curriculum design, educational framework development, and evidence-informed implementation strategies. Her work helps ensure that Foundation initiatives remain practical, measurable, and grounded in research, supporting the long-term resilience and readiness of first responders.
Research Scientist
Dr. Timothy Soule is an executive fire service leader, behavioral health and resilience advocate, and doctoral scholar focused on leadership development, organizational culture, and psychological readiness in public safety.
His professional background includes emergency management, workforce resilience, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness, with a passion for helping first responders build healthier, more sustainable careers.
Research ScientistDr. Tim S.
Partner With Us
The Day One Foundation welcomes collaboration with universities, researchers, public safety agencies, healthcare organizations, and philanthropic partners interested in advancing psychological readiness.
Interested in collaborating?
Advancing the Science of Psychological Readiness
Together, we are developing and refining the tools, curriculum, and frameworks that help first responders perform at their best, endure the challenges of the profession, and build healthier, more sustainable careers from Day One.
Prepared to Perform. Equipped to Endure. Ready from Day One.