Gabrielle Franze is a Firefighter and Paramedic with the Orange County Fire Rescue Department, a competitive CrossFit athlete, and the founder of Redline K9 Dog Training. Her path reflects a life built around discipline, service, and steady effort.
She grew up in Oviedo, Florida, in a family that has owned a local business for more than 35 years. Watching her parents work consistently shaped her mindset early. She learned that commitment matters. As a kid, she loved dogs, fire trucks, and physical activities.
Sports were always part of her life. She played soccer, competed in high school weightlifting, and discovered CrossFit at age 16. The sport taught her how to stay focused under pressure and push through discomfort. Those lessons stayed with her.
After graduating from Hagerty High School in 2015, Gabrielle pursued a path in firefighting and emergency medical services.
She earned an Associate of Science in Emergency Medical Services and Paramedicine from Seminole State College and completed extensive firefighter and medical training. In 2019, she joined the Orange County Fire Rescue Department where she continues to serve as a Firefighter/Paramedic.
Alongside her career, Gabrielle founded Redline K9 Dog Training in 2019. The business reflects her lifelong passion for dogs and her experience working in high-stress environments. She trains dogs for obedience and works alongside her own pack as they are trained to serve in emotional support and search and rescue work.
When she’s not working, Gabrielle trains hard, competes in CrossFit, and works daily with her dogs. Her life shows how consistency, preparation, and purpose can shape a career that feels both demanding and deeply meaningful.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
My days usually start early. If I’m on shift, the schedule is set and the calls dictate the pace. On off days, I train in CrossFit first, then dog training. Mornings are quiet and focused, which helps me think clearly. I plan the day the night before so I’m not deciding things on the fly. That reduces stress and wasted time.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I test them small. When I started Redline K9 Dog Training, I didn’t begin with a big plan. I started by training my own dogs for real needs I saw in my own life, then for the needs I see in fire service and healthcare. Once something works in real life, I build around it. If it doesn’t, I adjust quickly and move on.
What’s one trend that excites you?
The use of working dogs in healthcare and emergency settings. Emotional support and detection dogs are being taken more seriously. I’ve seen how a trained dog can change the tone of a room or reduce stress after a difficult call for first responders of all kinds.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Physical training even when motivation is low. Consistency matters more than intensity. That applies to fitness, dog work, and career growth. I often bring my dogs to the gym with me as another way to practice their discipline, while I practice mine.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Slow down. You don’t need to prove everything at once. Skills compound, so take your time.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
Rest days should still have structure. I don’t believe in completely “checking out.” Light movement or training keeps momentum.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Review the basics. In firefighting, medicine, or dog training, fundamentals save you when things get chaotic.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I clean something physical. Gear, dog kennels, or training space. Order outside helps order inside.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Applying emergency-service standards to everything. Clear systems, documentation, and repetition. That mindset helped me earn trust quickly.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Early in my career, I took on too much at once. I burned out briefly. I learned to pace growth and protect recovery time.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Create structured training programs for first responders’ dogs tied to mental health recovery. Not therapy. Support. That is my own personal goal for my business.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Google Calendar. Every training block, shift, and recovery session goes in. If it’s not scheduled, it doesn’t happen.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink. The principles align with fire service and leadership. Clear responsibility changes outcomes.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
Chicago Fire. It shows drama, which is fun, but also the calm decision-making under pressure. That resonates with my work.
Key learnings
- Discipline and consistency outperform motivation over time.
- Testing ideas in real-world conditions builds stronger outcomes.
- Systems and fundamentals create stability in high-pressure environments.
- Recovery and structure are equally important for long-term performance