Jan Rader

Director, Huntington Mayor’s Council on Public Health and Drug Control Policy, Huntington, West Virginia

Former Fire Chief of Huntington Fire Department

Guest on From Prevention to Recovery Podcast Episode 4

Watch the Episode on Youtube Listen on Apple Podcast Listen on Spotify

Personal Background and Path to the Fire Service

Jan Rader’s path to becoming one of the most recognized voices in America’s fight against opioid addiction began far from the fire station. A native of Ironton, Ohio, a small town directly across the Ohio River from Huntington, West Virginia, Rader graduated from Ironton High School in 1983.

After about a year and a half studying at Marshall University, Rader moved to Santa Monica, California to attend a six-month gemology program. She then relocated to Fairfax County, Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C., where she spent the next eight years working as a jeweler, eventually becoming an assistant manager at a store near Tysons Corner Center.

It was during this time that a single moment changed her life’s direction. A woman collapsed from a heart attack in the doorway of her jewelry store. Rader stood by helplessly, unable to help because she didn’t even know CPR. Emergency services arrived in time to save the woman, but the feeling of helplessness stayed with Rader.

She enrolled in a CPR class and then an EMT basic class. Encouraged by friends in a running group who told her she had the physical fitness and temperament for firefighting, she began applying to fire departments. She applied to Fairfax County, Virginia, where roughly 15 percent of firefighters were women, but Huntington called first. Her brother, a pastor in Huntington at the time, had told her about an opening at the Huntington Fire Department. She passed the test and was hired in August 1994, becoming only the third woman ever to serve with the Huntington Fire Department. At the time, being a female firefighter in West Virginia was virtually unheard of.

Fire Service Career (1994–2022)

Rising Through the Ranks

After joining the department, Rader continued to expand her skills. She completed paramedic training and worked as a paramedic with the Ceredo Volunteer Fire Department in addition to her Huntington duties. She also became a certified Fire and EMS Instructor in the State of West Virginia.

A pivotal decision came around 2008 when Rader recognized that the biggest threat facing her city was no longer the traditional “one-and-done” emergency. The opioid crisis was transforming the nature of emergency response. To better understand and address this shift, she enrolled at Ohio University Southern and earned her Associate Degree of Science in Nursing. On her days off from the fire department, she worked as a nurse in the emergency room at Cabell Huntington Hospital, giving her a dual perspective as both a first responder and a healthcare provider.

She later completed her Regents Bachelor of Arts degree at Marshall University.

Becoming Fire Chief

In March 2016, Rader was unanimously confirmed as Huntington’s fire chief, following the resignation of Carl Eastham. The formal swearing-in took place on April 12, 2017, making her the first woman to lead a career (professional/paid) fire department in the entire State of West Virginia.

She commanded a department of nearly 100 firefighters in a city of approximately 48,000–50,000 people.

Transitioning to Public Health Leadership

After 27 years of service, Rader stepped down as fire chief in early 2022. Rather than leaving public service, she transitioned to the role of Director of the Huntington Mayor’s Council on Public Health and Drug Control Policy, where she continues to lead the city’s comprehensive response to substance use and related public health challenges.

The Opioid Crisis in Huntington: Ground Zero

To understand Jan Rader’s significance, it is essential to understand what Huntington, West Virginia faced, and why it became known as the “Overdose Capital of America.”

The Scale of the Crisis

Huntington sits in Cabell County, West Virginia, with a county-wide population of approximately 96,000
West Virginia had the highest per capita rate of opioid addiction in the United States, with more than 41 overdose deaths per 100,000 population
Cabell County experienced close to 2,000 overdoses in 2017 alone
One in 10 residents of Cabell County suffered from a substance use disorder
132 people died of overdoses in 2016 in the county
The medical cost of the crisis in Cabell County was estimated at approximately $100 million annually
Overdoses began increasing around 2005, with firefighters noticing bottles of oxycodone and hydrocodone at overdose scenes
By 2012, the numbers “skyrocketed”
In 2010, the Huntington Fire Department responded to 1,238 total rescue calls. By 2017, the department responded to 1,241 overdose calls alone, not counting other emergencies
At the crisis peak, more than 25% of all emergency calls were drug overdoses (compared to just 8% for actual fires)
Rader testified that at the height of the epidemic, Huntington firefighters were seeing an average of five overdose deaths per month
Victims ranged in age from 12 to 78 years old
The crisis did not discriminate: Rader personally witnessed nursing colleagues, lawyers, and physicians die from overdoses. She could drive through any neighborhood in the city, rich or poor, and point to houses where someone had overdosed

The Root Cause

Huntington’s economy is largely comprised of construction, manufacturing, and mining jobs. Many people in the area were prescribed powerful opioid painkillers after workplace injuries and became dependent without knowing it. In a landmark federal trial (Huntington and Cabell County v. AmerisourceBergen Drug Co., Cardinal Health Inc. and McKesson Corp.), plaintiffs argued that drug distributors shipped 80 million opioid pills to the county over eight years starting in 2006, fueling the epidemic. When pill shipments were reduced around 2012, users turned to illicit opiates like heroin and later fentanyl.

Fighting Back: Rader’s Approach and Innovations

Joining the Mayor’s Office of Drug Control Policy (2014)

In November 2014, Huntington Mayor Steve Williams asked Rader to join his newly formed Mayor’s Office of Drug Control Policy. The task force was created to address drug addiction in Huntington and surrounding communities through a holistic approach involving prevention, treatment, and law enforcement.

Mayor Williams later said of the decision: “The level of compassion that she shows to individuals suffering from drug addiction has brought a level of dignity and respect to our aggressive efforts to defeat this disease.”

Redefining First Responder Culture

Rader fundamentally reframed the role of a first responder in the opioid era. She advocated for a shift from the traditional “cavalry” model (ride in, put out the fire, and leave) to a more sustained, compassionate approach. Key elements included:

Naloxone Policy: Rader wrote the department’s policy for naloxone (Narcan) administration, mandating that every first responder carry the overdose-reversing drug. She testified that the drug costs less than $100 per dose and can have a patient breathing on their own within three minutes.

Non-Judgmental Response: Rader instilled a culture of compassion in her department. As she stated: “I took an oath to save lives and property. Nowhere in there does it say I have a right to judge.” She taught firefighters to respond to overdose patients with dignity and respect, and to use supportive, non-judgmental language.

Data-Driven Response: One of Rader’s top accomplishments was developing a system for tracking overdose statistics in real time, counting not only ER patients transported by ambulance but also those arriving by personal vehicle. She was transparent about sharing these numbers publicly, even knowing it would draw negative attention: “We knew sharing those numbers would draw negative attention to Huntington, but it was what we needed to do to fight and win back our community.”

The Quick Response Team (QRT)

Rader developed the concept of the Quick Response Team (QRT), one of the most impactful community-based interventions to come out of Huntington’s crisis. The QRT model works as follows:

A multidisciplinary team consisting of a paramedic, a police officer, someone from the recovery community, and someone from the faith community
Within 72 hours of an overdose resuscitation, the team visits the individual
They talk, listen, build rapport, and offer treatment options
The approach connects people with recovery coaches and treatment programs (such as ProAct, a specialty addiction clinic)
The model has been studied in peer-reviewed research, with an interrupted time series analysis published in Substance Use & Misuse evaluating its effectiveness in reducing overdoses

The QRT concept has been replicated in communities across the United States and has become a widely recognized model for naloxone-plus intervention programs.

First Responder Self-Care and Wellness

Rader was one of the first fire chiefs in the country to openly address the crisis of compassion fatigue and PTSD among first responders dealing with the opioid epidemic. Key facts she highlighted:

In 2017, more firefighters in the U.S. died by suicide than in the line of duty, the first year this occurred
A Huntington firefighter died by suicide in 2018
Firefighters were experiencing compassion fatigue from reviving the same patients repeatedly, only to eventually find them dead
Young firefighters were responding to overdoses involving their own friends and classmates

Rader established groundbreaking self-care programs including:

On-duty yoga classes in fire stations
On-duty massages for firefighters
Off-duty programs such as cooking classes for first responders and their significant others, and pottery classes
Training programs for dealing with stress and PTSD
Increased access to wellness and counseling resources

The city was awarded a Mayor’s Challenge Grant for seed money to create a prototype firefighter wellness and self-care program, and later received a larger Bloomberg Philanthropies grant to sustain the program for at least three additional years.

Results

Under Rader’s leadership and the collaborative community approach:

Overdoses decreased by 40%
Overdose deaths decreased by 50%
Huntington transitioned from being known as the “Overdose Capital of America” to being called the “City of Solutions”
The model attracted visitors and delegations from across the country and internationally, seeking to replicate Huntington’s approach

Netflix Documentary: Heroin(e) (2017)

The Film

In 2016, West Virginia-based filmmakers Elaine McMillion Sheldon and Kerrin Sheldon came to Huntington to document the opioid crisis. Funded by The Center for Investigative Reporting, which provided grants for female filmmakers to tell stories about women making a difference in their communities, the resulting 39-minute documentary, Heroin(e), followed three women:

Jan Rader — Huntington Fire Chief
Necia Freeman — Founder of Brown Bag Ministries (street outreach)
Judge Patricia Keller — Cabell Huntington Drug Court Judge

The film Heroin(e) was released on Netflix in September 2017 and became a powerful, widely viewed portrait of the opioid crisis and community response.

Awards and Nominations

Academy Award (Oscar) Nomination — Best Documentary Short Subject (2018). Rader attended the ceremony at the Dolby Theatre and famously wore her fire chief’s uniform jacket over a dress on the red carpet, likely the only person in Oscar history to do so
News and Documentary Emmy Award Winner — Outstanding Short Documentary
The film has been screened for the entire West Virginia state legislature, the Aspen Institute, and at the inaugural Obama Foundation Summit

Impact

Rader received over 500 emails from people in 20 different countries after the film’s release. The documentary is widely credited with humanizing the opioid crisis, reducing stigma around substance use disorder, and catalyzing community-based response models.

Director Elaine McMillion Sheldon described Rader as “one of the most resilient and caring public servants I have ever met. Her tenacity and devotion to strong leadership in times of a public health crisis is so inspiring and important.”

TIME 100 Most Influential People (2018)

In April 2018, TIME magazine named Jan Rader to its annual list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World, placing her in the “Pioneers” category alongside the likes of President Donald Trump, Kim Jong Un, the Parkland High School students, and astronaut Peggy Whitson.

Her TIME tribute was written by U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), who stated:

“As the first woman to lead a professional fire department in West Virginia, she broke down barriers for young women across our state and continues to serve as the type of leader West Virginia and America need right now. If every city had a chief like Jan Rader, our country would be a better place.”

Rader later said of the honor: “I’m shocked, to be honest with you. Never would I have ever imagined being chosen for such an achievement. It’s not something you ever think about. Heck, I didn’t even think I would be a fire chief. It has been very humbling.”

TED Talk: “In the Opioid Crisis, Here’s What It Takes to Save a Life” (2018)

Filmed in November 2018 and released in January 2019, Rader’s TED Talk brought her message to a global audience. In the talk, she describes the reality of responding to overdoses, the development of the Quick Response Team, the importance of first responder self-care, and the results Huntington achieved through compassionate, community-based intervention.

The talk was featured on CBS This Morning and has accumulated significant viewership on TED.com and YouTube. It remains a widely referenced resource in addiction studies and first responder training programs. Key quote from the talk: “The job of a first responder: prevent unnecessary deaths. Period.”

Encounters with National and Global Leaders

Jan Rader’s work has brought her into contact with some of the most prominent figures in America:

U.S. Senator Joe Manchin — Invited Rader as his personal guest to the 2018 State of the Union Address; wrote her TIME 100 tribute
President Barack Obama & Michelle Obama — Rader was invited to attend a discussion panel at the inaugural Obama Foundation Summit. She described meeting the former president: “It put me on cloud nine for a while; my knees were weak for about an hour after I hugged him.”
First Lady Melania Trump — Met Rader twice in Huntington, as part of her focus on the opioid crisis
Meryl Streep — Approached Rader at the Academy Awards ceremony, told her “I love what you’re doing in Huntington, West Virginia,” and kissed her on the cheek
Speaker at SXSW — Featured speaker at South by Southwest (2022)

Federal Opioid Trial Testimony (2021)

In May 2021, Rader was a key witness in the landmark federal opioid trial (Huntington and Cabell County v. AmerisourceBergen Drug Co., Cardinal Health Inc. and McKesson Corp.) at the Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse in Charleston, West Virginia.

Her testimony detailed the devastating impact the epidemic had on Huntington’s first responders and community. She recounted how pill bottles of oxycodone and hydrocodone were found at the scenes of overdose calls, and how the Huntington Fire Department went from 1,238 total rescue calls in 2010 to 1,241 overdose calls alone in 2017.

She demonstrated for the judge how naloxone is administered and testified about the toll on first responders, including the 2018 suicide of a firefighter. The drug distributors chose not to cross-examine her.

Upon leaving the courthouse, Rader said: “This day has been a long time coming.”

Major Awards and Recognitions

Year	Award/Recognition	Presented By
2017	First Female Fire Chief of a career department in West Virginia	Huntington Fire Department
2017	Featured in Oscar-nominated Netflix documentary Heroin(e)	Netflix / Center for Investigative Reporting
2018	Academy Award Nomination — Best Documentary Short (Heroin(e))	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
2018	News and Documentary Emmy Award Winner (Heroin(e))	National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
2018	TIME 100 Most Influential People — “Pioneers” category	TIME Magazine
2018	Guest at U.S. State of the Union Address	U.S. Senator Joe Manchin
2018	Invited to Inaugural Obama Foundation Summit	Obama Foundation
2018	Lydia Main Breaking Boundaries Award — WV Women of Achievement in Municipal Government	WV Municipal League
2018	TED Talk Speaker — “In the Opioid Crisis, Here’s What It Takes to Save a Life”	TED
2018	Dr. Dan Evans Ohio University Southern Alumni Leadership Award	Ohio University Southern
2020	Nexstar Media “Remarkable Woman” Nominee	WOWK-TV
2021	Key Witness — Federal Opioid Trial	U.S. District Court, Southern District of WV
2022	Featured Speaker — SXSW	South by Southwest

Media Appearances and Coverage

Jan Rader’s story has been covered extensively across national and international media:

Television

NBC Meet the Press — Multiple appearances discussing opioid epidemic (2017, ongoing)
CBS This Morning — Featured discussion on TED Talk and opioid response (2019)
Netflix — Heroin(e) documentary (2017)

Print and Online

TIME Magazine — 100 Most Influential People profile (April 2018)
Vanity Fair — Feature coverage
Guideposts Magazine — First-person essay on faith and fighting the opioid epidemic
The Herald-Dispatch (Huntington) — Extensive ongoing coverage
The Ironton Tribune — Hometown coverage
The Parthenon (Marshall University) — In-depth profile
Firehouse Magazine — Multiple features on firefighting leadership and opioid response
EMS1 — Coverage of TED Talk and opioid strategies
Roll Call — Congressional coverage and podcast
American Dental Association (ADA) News — Coverage of opioid awareness
Gov1.com — In-depth interview on harm reduction strategies
West Virginia Public Broadcasting — Career retrospective interview (2022)
WSAZ-TV, WOWK-TV — Extensive local coverage
WV MetroNews — Trial testimony coverage
WV Gazette-Mail — Trial and community coverage

Radio and Podcasts

NPR Studio 1-A — Interview
Roll Call Political Theater Podcast — Featured guest
Appalachian Care Chronicles — In-depth interview (2024)
TED Talks Daily — Featured episode

Public Speaking and Conferences

TED — Main stage speaker (November 2018)
SXSW — Featured speaker (2022)
Aspen Institute — Film screening and discussion
Obama Foundation Summit — Panel discussion
High schools and community groups throughout West Virginia — Ongoing outreach and education

Core Philosophy and Approach

Jan Rader’s approach to the opioid crisis is built on several principles that she has consistently articulated across her career:

Compassion over judgment: “I took an oath to save lives and property. Nowhere in there does it say I have a right to judge. I want people to be treated like I would want my family treated with respect and dignity. I don’t know their backstory.”

Listening as the foundation: “I started talking and listening to my patients. I wanted to know what led them to where they are. What exactly are they experiencing? What makes their situation worse? What makes their situation better?”

Redefining substance use disorder: Rader was an early and vocal advocate for reframing addiction as a brain disorder and health epidemic rather than a moral failing, replacing the term “addiction” with “substance use disorder” in fire department practice and community communications.

Prevention and education: Since leaving the fire chief role, Rader has focused on prevention and education outreach, speaking at high schools and community groups. She has emphasized that the epidemic does not discriminate by race, economic background, or spiritual background.

First responder wellness: “If we’re not safe, physically and mentally, then how can we help others?” Rader was a pioneer in recognizing that PTSD and compassion fatigue among first responders is just as stigmatized as the opioid crisis itself, and requires dedicated attention and resources.

Doing the right thing: Rader credits her nursing instructors at Ohio University Southern with instilling the principle to “always do the right thing” and to be a patient advocate first and foremost. She frequently returns to this: “It doesn’t take a lot of energy to do the right thing, and that’s what we’re doing.”

Hope and solutions: Rader consistently reframes Huntington from “Overdose Capital” to “City of Solutions”: “We’re the city of solutions. We’re doing the right thing.”

Empowering women: “I want young women to know no matter where they are, whether they’re here or all across the country or the world, that the sky’s the limit. They can do what they want to do, and don’t let anyone tell you can’t do something.”