Alex Potter: From Frontline to Fireline - Ep. 109

2025-04-03

Alex Potter is a photojournalist, trauma nurse, former wildland firefighter, and co-founder of Global Response Medicine, a humanitarian non-profit bringing emergency medicine to low-resource and high-risk areas. Alex spent her early career photographing conflict in the Middle East, before spending two seasons as a wildland firefighter in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho. She then moved to Alaska to pursue a career as an Air Force Combat Rescue Officer and was selected in Phase 2 of the CRO pipeline in 2022. While a twist of fate (and knee) changed that path, she re...

Alex spent her early career photographing conflict in the Middle East, before spending two seasons as a wildland firefighter in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho.

She then moved to Alaska to pursue a career as an Air Force Combat Rescue Officer and was selected in Phase 2 of the CRO pipeline in 2022.

While a twist of fate (and knee) changed that path, she remains passionate about mountain pursuits, far-forward medicine, and the ability to help others achieve their goals. She is a current board member of the Special Operations Climbers Coalition, and recently moved to Bozeman, Montana.

More about Alex:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexkpotter/

Global Response Medicine: https://global-response.org/

Photography: https://www.alexkaypotter.com/

Support GRM: https://givebutter.com/AcuteCare

Timestamps:

00:00:22 Introduction to Alex Potter

00:01:14 Piecing Together Alex Potter's Career

00:04:48 Combat Rescue Officers VS. Pararescueman

00:06:43 Everybody Loves PJs

00:09:00 Trauma Nurse in Iraq

00:13:16 Notable Things in the Learning Curve

00:14:31 Where Did Your Food Come From

00:16:12 Being a Women in Traditional Muslim Culture

00:21:47 Ending two years in Iraq

00:24:03 Firefighter in Alaska

00:24:57 Month Long Boot Camp

00:26:13 What Makes Effective Leadership

00:27:21 Not Hoarding Knowledge

00:29:56 Becoming a Wildland Firefighter

00:33:15 Specific Boots for the Job

00:34:37 Physical Training Prior to Firefighting

00:37:10 Marriage & Nursing on the East Coast

00:40:07 The CRO Pipeline

00:45:45 Training to Maintain While Working on Weaknesses

00:50:27 Phase Two of Training

00:55:60 Qualifying for Air Force after Training

00:58:28 Pete Gets Director Position in Ukraine

01:02:35 Long Journey to Bring Pete Back Home

01:03:37 The OTS Pipeline

01:10:51 What is Alex Potter Doing Now

01:11:42 Mountain Guiding Professionals

01:13:25 Best and Worst Advice Ever Received

01:15:29 Outro