Built by First Responders

for First Responders

Creating a proactive, peer-driven community that cuts through stigma and provides real support rooted in shared experience and evidence-based practices.

Runestone Ranch exists to keep first responders from burning out. We aim to equip first responders & their families with skills, education, and community to manage stress before it becomes a crisis, so when challenges arise they are prepared physically, emotionally, spiritually, and financially. We are creating a culture that strengthens connections and ensures support is already in place when it is needed most. 

Not a checkbox.

We are committed to making wellness part of the culture, not an afterthought. We help first responders build practical skills, peer connection, and proactive habits so support becomes second nature long before crisis ever hits. Our programs are designed to strengthen the foundation of this profession from the inside out.

  • "What an incredible group of people with so much varied experience for people in need to relate to. Feels like I am at the bottom of a well with no way of escape, but you guys have lowered a rope ladder down to me."

    —Anonymous Firefighter

  • "Runestone is a place where we can come to be with people, to share experiences, to share in the trauma of the job and grow from it, to come together as a real family... something we don't have an opportunity to do on a regular basis, because the next call is waiting. We gotta get back out there."

    —Police Detective

  • "Places like Runestone Ranch need to exist... a place without judgement and where I am not afraid to get my badge and gun taken away just to find resources and to debrief everything we go through."

    —New York City Police Officer

  • "Runestone Ranch offers first responders an opportunity to commune with other first responders. Come get away from your everyday environment, explore a little bit of nature, and take some troubles off your mind."

    —Retired Police Officer

  • "The Napa fires were rough. Having a place where there are others that I can resonate with really makes a difference."

    —El Dorado County Firefighter

  • "It's so critical to have a place where we aren't put in a box and can just be ourselves." 

    —Police Officer, Oakland Police Department

Keep Our Mission in Motion

100% of your donation goes directly to the mission with zero transaction fees. Your support strengthens programming, expands access, and allows us to reach more first responders and their families.

Quick Questions, Answered

Our programs are designed for active and retired first responders including law enforcement, fire, EMS, dispatch, and tactical teams. Some offerings are tailored specifically to peer support teams, explorers and cadets, or tactical units. We plan to extend these programs to nurses in the near future.

In 2027, we plan to begin hosting first responder spouse retreats as well.

Who can attend your programs?

We currently offer a variety of one-day courses on-site: Tactical Wellness, designed for SWAT and K-9 teams; Peer Support Enrichment, created for peer support team members, and Explorer Foundations, proactively educating the next generation of first responders about the importance of peer support and proactive wellness. Click on any of the program names to be directed to their dedicated page for more information.

Beginning in April 2026, we will be booking 3-day retreats for cohorts of 6.

In Fall 2026, we will begin booking for 6-day retreats for cohorts of up to 20.

What programs do you currently offer?

What if someone is actively struggling with PTSD or depression?

First responders at every stage are welcome here. If you are not in immediate crisis and are looking for connection, we encourage you to join our Weekly Meetings or explore Tele-Peer Support to speak directly with someone who understands the weight of this profession.

Please keep in mind, Runestone Ranch is a complement to clinical care, not a replacement for it.

If you are in crisis, please call or text 988 for immediate support. If this is an emergency, dial 911.

Let's Work Together

Want to get involved as a volunteer? Share our vision? If you see a potential for partnership with our team, we're eager to discuss how we can work together. To learn more about how you can be a part of our mission, please fill out the form and one of our team members will reach out to you!

As an organization we had the privilege of speaking with ACSO’s Peer Support Team about Runestone Ranch, our peer-led model, and the core pillars behind what we’re building. It’s encouraging to see departments actively exploring n
Runestone Ranch is not a checkbox. It’s not a policy rolled out, a memo sent, or an appointment scheduled so someone can say wellness was addressed. A checkbox satisfies compliance; what we’re building shifts culture. We haven’t ju
We are built for the ones who run toward it. United in the belief that first responders deserve a place to decompress, train, build community, and proactively protect their well-being, we are proud to partner with @viktosbrand Many talk about cha
Runestone Ranch is truly a place built by first responders, with the goal to create a proactive, peer-driven space that prevents burnout, strengthens connection, and ensures support is in place long before crisis hits. If you are part of this first
Grateful to be invited to one of our members’ swearing-in after returning to law enforcement. Honored to be there and share Runestone Ranch. Runestone Ranch strives to provide preventative, whole-person wellness for first responders. To get in
We’re incredibly grateful to the Oakland Police Department and the Oakland Police Officers Association for supporting our mission through fundraising and generous donations toward the build of a cabin that will serve first responders during fut
First responders don’t need another lecture. They need a place to breathe. So we’re building it. Get involved at https://runestoneranch.org
Grateful for @thegunco @usnightvision @viktosbrand for showing us the ropes at @shotshow . It was incredible meeting with some of our sponsors/supporters, sharing the mission behind Runestone Ranch, and connecting with people who truly understand th
We’d like to thank @sonsoflibertyalehouse and their beautiful @honeycomb_cocktail_lounge for hosting our New Year Kickoff with members of our volunteer team. In our first year of operation, we raised over $100,000 toward building a dedicated s

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