Susan Vandepol is the widow of Los Angeles City Firefighter Robert Ortega, an author, conference and retreat speaker, founder of “A Life After Breath Experience - A Widow’s Calling” retreats, creator of the “Families of the Fallen” protocol for fire departments and the “Life After Breath” protocol for churches. The “Families of the Fallen” protocol is endorsed by experts in the fields of grief, crisis, trauma, suicide prevention, CIR, PTSD, and CISM, and is being used in fire departments around the country. The protocol supplies a model to fire departments when coming alongside a widow of a fallen firefighter, as well as providing firefighters with a pragmatic way to express their own grief. The congruent “Life After Breath” protocol was developed primarily for churches and faith-based organizations, and is a way for the Body of Christ to answer its Biblical mandate to care for widows so that they can thrive in their new role, and fulfill their set-apart calling.
Susan is the author of “Life After Breath - After Her Husband Takes His Last Breath, and After She Tries to Catch Hers” (Morgan James Publishing) and has been a contributor to several other publications as well, including “Stories of Faith and Courage from Firefighters and First Responders.” Her most recent project - “Catching Your Breath,” a booklet on spousal loss with Our Daily Bread’s Discovery Series is now available at discoveryseries.org. Susan is a member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and is certified in Grief, Crisis and Trauma Counseling, Grief and Loss Coaching, Master Life Coaching, Individual Crisis Intervention and Peer Support, Grief and Trauma Care/Military Application, Victim Response, and Basic and Family Mediation. Her speaking engagements include a keynote at the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation’s World Congress, The California State Firefighters Convention, the Honor Guard at the International Association of Firefighters Memorial, Fire Rescue International, and Firehouse World.
Susan homeschooled her three children without ever succumbing to pressure to wear Birkenstocks, and now lives with her husband whom she shamelessly manipulated into falling in love with her. He obliged by sweeping her off her feet with a large broom. They now reside in Michigan.