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X Labs

@xlabsco

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A daily performance drink for women first responders.
Owned and operated by a firefighter and her wife

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Your turnout gear is supposed to protect you. What happens when it doesn’t fit?

FSU researcher Meredith McQuerry says 80% of women in the U.S. fire service report that their structural turnout gear doesn’t fit.

Now, Florida State University and the University of Arizona are investigating how that fit could relate to cancer risk—with a $1.5 million FEMA-funded study.

Researchers will measure cancer biomarkers before and after live-fire training, then compare the changes with how well each woman’s gear fits. Findings are expected by spring 2027.

The research is underway, so it hasn’t established that poor fit causes cancer. But it could help build the evidence needed to improve how your protective gear is sized and designed.

For you, that means researchers are examining a problem you may have been working around for years—and what it could mean for your health.

You deserve protection designed around your body.

Source: WCTV and Florida State University. by @xlabsco

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3 days ago

At just 4’10”, Florida firefighter Autumn Kelso is officially a Guinness World Record holder!
The St. Pete Beach firefighter has earned the title of world’s shortest female firefighter, proving that capability isn’t measured in inches.

Her crew affectionately calls her “Spider Monkey” because of her ability to navigate tight attics and crawl spaces—turning what some might see as a disadvantage into a strength.

Autumn hopes her achievement inspires others to never let their size or someone else’s expectations determine what they’re capable of.

Congratulations, Autumn!

Story: Guinness World Records by @xlabsco

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4 days ago

Erin Leary made history when she was sworn in as the first female captain in the Revere Fire Department.

With family, fellow firefighters and city officials gathered for the ceremony, her father, Daniel Leary, pinned Badge No. 575 on her uniform. Mayor Patrick Keefe recognized her as a role model for others following in her footsteps.

The ceremony also celebrated the promotion of another captain and three lieutenants, along with four new firefighters joining the department.

Congratulations, Captain Leary—and everyone stepping into a new role serving Revere.

Source: Revere Journal · Cary Shuman by @xlabsco

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12 days ago

Drinking 2–3 energy drinks a day?

Does it work in the moment? Hell yes it does.

You feel like the god of lightning.

But that feeling has a time limit—and a cost.

You do what you need to do to perform your best on shift. That’s admirable. But running yourself into the ground shouldn’t be part of the job.

Most energy drinks rely heavily on caffeine to make you feel awake and focused. Stack 2–3 of them across a shift and you’re asking an already stressed system for more and more stimulation—often at the expense of quality sleep and recovery.

Eventually, you can’t keep burning at both ends.

That’s why we created START.

100 mg of caffeine. Not 200. Not 300.

Because caffeine isn’t the only tool we have.

We paired it with L-Tyrosine, L-Theanine and Cognizin® Citicoline to support alertness, focus and cognitive performance without making “more caffeine” the entire strategy.

Then we went further.

5 g creatine to support strength and training.
Electrolytes to support hydration.
Vitamin D3 to support healthy vitamin D status—including for people whose schedules can make regular sunlight harder to come by.

Because we don’t just care about how you perform for the next few hours.

We care about how much of you is left when you get home.

START is our attempt to build a better daily option for the people who spend their careers showing up for everyone else.

Stop borrowing from tomorrow to get through today.

We’re a firefighter-and-wife team building START for the first responder community we love.

Want to be one of the first to try it? Join the waitlist at the link in bio. by @xlabsco

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15 days ago

Your job is hard. Reach out when you need to.

Webster Groves Police in Missouri has launched PeerConnect, an app that helps officers reach peer supporters and find mental health and wellness resources from their phones.

Officers can choose someone they feel comfortable talking to, request support privately, or ask for support for a colleague. The department says the app makes its resources accessible around the clock.

For you, that could mean an easier first step after a call that keeps haunting you. Someone who understands the work.

This rollout serves Webster Groves personnel. If you work elsewhere, ask what peer support your department offers—and how privacy is handled.

Source: KSDK and the City of Webster Groves. by @xlabsco

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17 days ago

What you do is hard. It’s ok to say that.

Clay County, Florida, has launched a state-funded wellness program aimed at helping first responders and veterans manage stress, anxiety and PTSD.

Called the eTMS Lab, it uses EEG brain mapping to guide personalized, noninvasive care. Organizers hope it will support better sleep and reduced anxiety.

This means another local option for support. These programs are growing across the nation.

Access initially covers members of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Clay County Fire Rescue, Orange Park’s fire and police departments, and Green Cove Springs Police.

If you serve with a participating agency, ask about eligibility and how to access the program. It isn’t available statewide yet. You deserve support that takes the demands of your job seriously—and listens to your experience.

Source: News4JAX, September 25, 2026. by @xlabsco

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19 days ago

When the tones drop, will you be ready?

You work twice as hard as your male counterparts—and do it in gear that wasn’t even made for you.

Women make up just 4.9% of U.S. firefighters. That’s it.

It’s not fair, but you know what it feels like to represent every woman.

If you struggle to pull a line, it becomes “women can’t.”
If you struggle to throw a ladder, it becomes “women can’t.”

One hard moment becomes a judgment about all of us.

That’s an immense amount of pressure. And you carry it alongside everything else.

You train on shift and off because you HAVE to be strong. But being built for this doesn’t mean you should have to do it without support.

We see you. And we’re building everything at X Labs with you in mind. by @xlabsco

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19 days ago

Women aren’t just joining the fire service.

They’re leading it.

Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Rescue Capt. Karin Halstead has been elected to lead the Connecticut State Firefighters Association — the first woman to hold the position in the organization’s history.

That matters.

Because every woman who steps into a role like this makes the path a little wider for the women coming behind her.

Women in fire are training, responding, leading, earning respect and carrying responsibilities that extend far beyond the station.

Congratulations, Capt. Halstead. by @xlabsco

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21 days ago

You show up for everyone. Your patients, your crew, your family.
But who’s making sure YOU have something left?
We know another energy drink can get you through the next few hours. But what about the rest of your shift? Your workout? The people waiting for you at home?
That’s why we created START.
Steady energy without feeling wired and wiped out.
Clear focus for the moments when you need to think fast.
Strength and performance support because your job is physical, and you work damn hard to stay ready for it.
Hydration support to help you keep going through long shifts and tough training days.
We didn’t want to make another energy drink. We wanted to build something that supports you today AND invests in your long-term performance.
Because being there for everyone else shouldn’t mean running yourself into the ground.
You deserve to feel strong on shift AND have something left for yourself when you get home.
We’re building X LABS for women like you.
Join our Founding 500 for early access, an exclusive discount, and a chance to help shape what’s next.
Link in bio. by @xlabsco

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22 days ago

That second energy drink might not be doing what you think it is.

Caffeine is a powerful performance tool. It can improve alertness, focus, and physical performance.

But there’s a sweet spot.

Push past it, and the same stimulant that helped you feel ready can leave you anxious, jittery, restless, and struggling to sleep.

And when you’re a woman working unpredictable shifts, training to meet the physical demands of your job, and trying to have a life outside the uniform, the last thing you need is another obstacle to recovery.

You don’t need to eliminate caffeine.

You need to understand how to use it.

The goal isn’t to feel MORE stimulated. The goal is to perform BETTER.

That’s the philosophy behind X LABS. by @xlabsco

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a month ago

Today we remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001.

We remember the first responders who ran toward danger, those who never came home, and those who carried the weight of that day long after it ended.

We remember the families, coworkers, and communities forever changed.

September 11, 2001.

We remember. by @xlabsco

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a month ago

There are days when the doubt is loud.

You question whether you’re strong enough.
Whether you’re ready.
Whether you belong on the start line.

The funny thing is…

Confidence rarely shows up before the work.

It shows up because of the work.

Every early alarm.
Every rep you didn’t quit.
Every interval you finished.
Every workout you almost skipped but didn’t.

Those moments add up.

Not because they make you perfect.

Because they remind you that you’ve already done hard things before.

So when the doubt shows up tomorrow…

We’ll show up too. by @xlabsco

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3 months ago