About me
Christian Macklin has been an emergency responder since 1991, starting as an EMT at REED Ambulance in Denver, Colorado. After graduating from St. Anthony’s Hospital Paramedic Program in 1992, he worked as a Denver Paramedic from 1996 to 2006, becoming a Field Instructor and Senior Paramedic in 1998. Macklin also served as a Bike Medic, Denver International Airport Medic, and occasionally in dispatch.
In 2002, Macklin joined South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) as a Firefighter/Paramedic, advancing to Engineer in 2010, Training Engineer in 2016, Wellness Manager in 2017, Employee Services Executive Officer in 2021, and Health and Wellness Director in 2022.
As an executive of IAFF Local 2164 in 2012, Macklin helped establish a Wellness Program after catastrophic events during the Physical Ability Test. By Fall 2013, he hired the first Wellness employee and help develop a comprehensive health program, expanding the team to 11 staff members for 810 SMFR employees.
In 2012, Macklin became the coordinator of the Peer Support Team, driven by his experience responding to the Columbine High School shooting in 1999. Underestimating his own traumatic experiences and how they compounded over his career, negatively affecting his personal life, he focused on understanding stress injuries and supporting his fellow emergency responders. Macklin found psychedelic medicine during his own journey of healing after traditional methods and modalities failed to provide sustainable success. Macklin has embraced vulnerability and vowed to contribute his testimony for the greater good. Macklin believes in creating a safe workplace where members can express their experiences and seek help without fear, believing that these medicines will heal and save lives.
