The Kitchen Table

Welcome to the latest installment of The Kitchen Table podcast's 'Self-Help Series'. In this episode Justin White is joined by Lieutenant Kent Smith who talks about his journey through addiction to recovery. Kent's story is raw and full of emotion as he recounts the toll addiction took not only on his life, but his family members as well.  So come join us at the Kitchen Table as we continue to destigmatize those things that challenge us in life while letting people know that help is there if they need it.

This conversation at the Kitchen Table – Quick Hit discusses the search size up.  The last QH we discussed the overall size up from a command perspective and now we will start to narrow our focus to some of the tasks we perform on the fire ground starting with arguably the most important task we perform, search.  Justin White is joined by Lieutenant Josh Talbot and Driver Kevin Farraher to provide insight on the thought process surrounding the search size up and how it should be performed. So come join us at the Kitchen Table.  Sit down, enjoy, and be ready to learn a little bit about Search Size Ups.

The NIOSH multi-year firefighter cancer study identified that fire fighters have a 9% greater chance of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% greater chance of dying from cancer than the general U.S. population. At the 2022 IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial, almost 75% of the names added to the wall (348 out of 469) were members who had died from occupational cancer.  Overall, the IAFF reports that cancer caused 66 percent of the career firefighter line-of-duty deaths from 2002 to 2019. If these statistics don't get your attention…they should. This episode Justin White sits down with retired Driver Engineer Dan Knox as he humbly describes his journey with cancer from diagnosis to treatment to recovery to retirement. Driver Engineer Knox also discusses how his actions (or inaction) may have contributed to his diagnosis and what you should do to decrease your risk of being diagnosed as well. So come and join Justin, Chris Weaver, Grant Tinker and the 14th nicest guy on the job Dan Knox for a deep and honest discussion of his relationship with cancer at the Kitchen Table.  As always, sit down, enjoy, and be ready to learn about cancer, how it could impact your life, and more importantly what you can do about it. All the resources discussed in this episode can be found attached to the activity in Target Solutions.

Welcome to the latest installment of The Kitchen Table podcast's 'Self-Help Series'. This episode features our own Captain Juliet Draper and 'Her Majesty' Pam as they share personal stories of addiction, recovery, and resilience. Training Chief Justin White hosts the Drapers for 90 minutes of thought-provoking, heartfelt conversation focused on self-care and destigmatizing a problem impacting our peers. 

This episode is an experiment with something different.  It's called the “Quick Hits” series.  These will be short conversations about a specific topic and will last no longer than 20 minutes.  Let us know what you think. This episode Justin White sits down with Lieutenant Brian Lynch to discuss the value of 360 Size Ups.  They get into what there're for, why we do them, and how they should be completed.  This is truly one of the most valuable actions that must be taken on each and every structure fire. So come join us at the Kitchen Table.  Sit down, enjoy, and be ready to learn a little bit about 360 Size Ups.

Leader of Character (S3, E1) - There are plenty of leadership speakers and authors available who tell all who will listen what they need to be a great leader.  Often times, however, these leadership guru's don't provide their students the things they need to do to practice the skills needed to be that effective leader.  In this episode we talk with author Dave Anderson who has written a book that not only describes the traits needed by great leaders, but also provides direction on how to create, exercise, and nurture those traits.  Mr. Anderson wrote his book Becoming a Leader of Character with his father, General James Anderson.  Both are graduates of the Military Academy at West Point.  General Anderson spent 41 years leading members of the US Army, while Dave took a different path after serving eight years in the Army.  Dave left the Army to lead teams in the private sector in a Fortune 50 company.  With a good blend of military and civilian experience Dave and his father provide a practical approach to leadership that can help even experienced leaders become more effective.   Sit down, enjoy, and be ready to learn a little about leadership and how to practice becoming a leader of character; one that is a respected and effective member of the team.    

Sometimes life throws us curveballs…Sometime we reach our goals and fulfill our dreams just to have them ripped away by unfortunate circumstances.  At that time we have we have two choices: give up, back down and become miserable or Ruck On finding new ways to live happy, healthy, and successful lives. In this episode we talk to former Army Officer Joe Kramer.  Joe grew up dreaming of following in his father's footsteps from attending the Military Academy at West Point into a long career in the Special Forces.  Unfortunately, Joe received significant hearing damage during his Army career and had to be medically discharged effectively ending his lifelong dream.  From there Joe realized that he had along time left to live and a lot to live for with a young family which needed to be provided for.  Joe found another career in the medical sales industry and is now using the leadership skills taught to him by the Army to create successful teams in private industry. Come sit down at the Kitchen Table and have a listen, be ready to learn, and discover how one man turned bad luck into a valuable life lesson we can all learn from. Music: Doozey – Instrumental Version by Oliver Dodge Ace High by Nick Poss Bluerock by Cayson Renshaw As always, this music can be found on artlist.io as well as all major music streaming platforms and youtube.com.

Being a firefighter, a first responder, is a job full of stress.  Stress from running alarms. Stress from training.  Stress from not sleeping at work (and at home).  All this stress can compound the stress associated with everyday life and lead to depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicidal ideations.  The stress from this job and life in general is real as are the physical and mental toll that compounds over time.  We're not talking about a specific traumatic event that happens once in a lifetime.  We are talking about exposure to stress for significantly long periods of time…sometimes for 10, 20, 30, or more years. The first thing we as firefighters need to recognize is that our stress has a significant impact on us.  The second thing is that we need to have enough awareness and courage to do something about it; we need to be ready to either offer help or ask for help whatever the case maybe. On this episode we sit down with Dr. Judith Long and Driver Engineer John Giacoma to discuss the problem of suicide in the fire service community.  The conversation is raw, vulnerable, and a bit dark.  Be that as it may, this is the first step to bringing this topic into the light allowing us to accept it as a normal reaction to the compounding stress that builds upon us through our everyday life both inside and outside the fire station.  We also discuss the signs and symptoms of the stress related disorders that lead to suicide and most importantly the steps you can take to get help. Come sit down at the Kitchen Table and have a listen.  Be ready to learn, be ready to give help when someone needs it, and be ready to ask for help when you need it. Resources discussed in the Podcast and another related to first responder suicide: Ruderman: Mental Health and Suicide of First Responders NFFF: Everyone Goes Home - 13. Psychological Support   Music For This Episode: Opening – Daybreak Ritual by Sand Diver Out the Door – The World Inside by Rodello's Machine   As always, this music can be found on artlist.io as well as all major music streaming platforms and youtube.com.   If you have any topics that you would like us to discuss, please contact either Josh or I in the Training Division.  You can either participate in creating the Podcast or we can put it together on our own.  Also, we would be more than happy to come to your station to sit down at your kitchen table and talk about whatever is on your mind.   Thank you all for listening and we hope to hear from you soon.

Anthony Kastros is a 32-year veteran of the fire service and a retired Battalion Chief with Sacramento Metro Fire District. Chief Kastros was personally affected by a fatal fire early in his career which fueled his desire to improve his command and control skills. Through this event, he discovered not only a desire to improve himself, but also a passion and desire to teach others with the hope that they would not have to have the same experience he did. Chief Kastros has written many books including Mastering the Fire Service Assessment and Mastering Fireground Command – Calm the Chaos. Though we do not dive too deeply into these books specifically, we do briefly discuss them within the context of leadership as well as the how and why we need to continuously improve our skills. Chief Kastros demonstrates his passion for the fire service through a wide-variety of experiences, great storytelling, and a genuine interest in making the fire service better one person at a time…in essence, he truly cares about people. If you are interested in Chief Kastros' online or in-person workshops you can visit his website at trainfirefighters.com. His books are available at fireengineeringbooks.com/anthony-kastros/. Come sit down at the Kitchen Table have a listen, be ready to learn, and be invigorated by the energy of Battalion Chief Anthony Kastros! Music For This Episode: Intro – El Monte by Luke Melville Into Interview – We Will Get There – Short Version A by Dan Ayalon Out of Interview – Circles – Instrumental Version by Adam Turley Out the Door – Help Me Stand by John Coggins As always, this music can be found on artlist.io as well as all major music streaming platforms and youtube.com. If you have any topics that you would like us to discuss, please contact either Josh or I in the Training Division. You can either participate in creating the Podcast or we can put it together on our own. Also, we would be more than happy to come to your station to sit down at your kitchen table and talk about whatever is on your mind. Thank you all for listening and we hope to hear from you soon.

Many consider ice hockey to be the ultimate team game. A culture developed over 100 years emphasizes that no one is above the game, the team comes first, and the term “we” instead of “I” is most used whenever players discuss the game. The fire service attracts people from all walks of life; it truly is a direct reflection of the community. Many who join the fire service have been involved and/or enjoy athletics for the “team” aspect it provides. In the fire department we work and live in teams. Though not as high profile as major sports the team aspect of our job is just as important. This episode we look outside of the fire service family to gain some insight and perspective on leadership. We are joined by Topher Scott and Jeff Lovecchio of the Hockey Think Tank podcast; two former high level hockey players who have a passion for leadership and team building. Topher Scott is a consultant who works with clients across the country to up their leadership and team building skill and ability. Topher played NCAA Division 1 ice hockey at Cornell and has been on all sides of the game including player, coach, and scout. He shows a great understanding and a deep appreciation of leadership and how it effects the game that he has been a part of his whole life. Jeff Lovecchio has a great love for leadership and how it effects our everyday lives. He has played hockey at the highest level by playing NCAA Division 1 ice hockey at Western Michigan and 10 years professionally including time with the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins. Jeff has built a sterling reputation using mental and physical fitness to assist his clients in reaching new heights. If you would like to speak to Jeff about personal or group leadership and team building, you can reach him at thehockeythinktank.com. To get a hold of Jeff to talk about all that he offers to help both athletes and Average Joes with physical fitness, direct message him on Instagram at @jefflovecchio. You can also access his workouts using the Train Heroic app on your phone. Come sit down at the Kitchen Table and have a listen, be ready to learn, and discover some of the differences between high level athletics and fire service leadership…I'm sure you'll find many things that are the same as well!!! Music For This Episode: Intro – JB by Ido Maimon Into Interview – Grinding Bones by CustomMelody Out of Interview – Gotta Keep Goin' by MILANO Out the Door – Big Leagues by Vic Sage As always, this music can be found on artlist.io as well as all major music streaming platforms and youtube.com. If you have any topics that you would like us to discuss, please contact either Josh or I in the Training Division. You can either participate in creating the Podcast or we can put it together on our own. Also, we would be more than happy to come to your station to sit down at your kitchen table and talk about whatever is on your mind. Thank you all for listening and we hope to hear from you soon.

Some of the best lessons we learn in the fire service come from the kitchen table.  We have debates, discussions, and even sometimes arguments about where we've been, where we are, and where we're going.  Regardless of the topic or how heated the debate, one thing is for sure…many times these lessons are the ones we remember.  We gain different perspectives that allow us to get a more well-rounded view of the topic(s) of the day.  Some from our newest member and many from our older ones. Today we sit down with retired Lieutenant Jose Garcia.  Jose remains one of the CSFD's most respected and beloved leaders even after retirement.  During our conversation we hear a few stories about who he learned the most from and how he views being a leader in our organization. As always, come sit down at the Kitchen Table and have a listen, be ready to learn, and enjoy as we talk shop with our friend, Jose Garcia. Music For This Episode: Intro – Star Night by Wonderland Into Interview – La mano del labriego by Tino van der Sman Out of Interview – Are You Ready for Me Baby by Funky Giraffe Out the Door – In the Clutch by JZAC As always, this music can be found on artlist.io as well as all major music streaming platforms and youtube.com. If you have any topics that you would like us to discuss, please contact either Josh or I in the Training Division.  You can either participate in creating the Podcast or we can put it together on our own.  Also, we would be more than happy to come to your station to sit down at your kitchen table and talk about whatever is on your mind. Thank you all for listening and we hope to hear from you soon.

Tough conversations are a part of leadership.  They are uncomfortable, they are necessary, and by nature they are tough.  Many in leadership roles struggle to have these conversations even when they know that they will likely benefit both the organization and all the parties involved.  This episode Josh and I sit down to talk to CSFD Human Resource Director, Angela Hines.  Ms. Hines discusses how to have tough conversations, the role of the HR Division, and the many resources that are available through her office. Come sit down at the Kitchen Table and have a listen, be ready to learn, and enjoy!!! Music For This Episode: Intro – DaToddler by Puda Beats Into Interview – Time to Move by VESHA Out of Interview – Dandelion Wine by Claire Kelly Out the Door – Lie in the Sun by ORKAS   As always, this music can be found on artlist.io as well as all major music streaming platforms and youtube.com.   If you have any topics that you would like us to discuss, please contact either Josh or I in the Training Division.  You can either participate in creating the Podcast or we can put it together on our own.  Also, we would be more than happy to come to your station to sit down at your kitchen table and talk about whatever is on your mind.   Thank you all for listening and we hope to hear from you soon.

This episode we welcome our first guest from outside the fire department, Noble Gibbens.  Noble is a West Point graduate, former Army Officer, and a self-described recovering people pleaser addict.  Mr. Gibbens' is a private consultant who works with corporate clients to better define, understand, and integrate Emotional Intelligence (EQ) into their organizations.  Noble is very passionate about EQ which shows in the energy he pumped into this episode. We also talk about endurance sports, spirometry, hippies, and how we treat each other in the fire department family. Come sit down at the Kitchen Table and have a listen…enjoy! Music For This Episode: Intro – Urban Rebel by ikoliks Into Interview – Take Me Down by Jay Denton Out of Interview – Outlaws of the Old West by Evert Z Out the Door – Howling at the Moon by D Fine Us   As always, this music can be found on artlist.io as well as all major music streaming platforms and youtube.com.

This episode we celebrate another retirement with Fred Varnell and his wife Cindy.  Fred has spent almost 30 years of his life working for the CSFD.  Both he and Cindy share stories from their careers (Cindy worked for CSPD) and how those careers shaped their lives and their relationship.  Fred also shares his thoughts on leadership and how to best coach and mentor our leaders of the future.  Come join us for some laughs and a bit nostalgia as Fred does what he does best…tells stories.  Fred is one of our most beloved members and is a good human as well.  Come join us and have a listen. Music For This Episode: Intro – Cuban Nights by Captain Qubz Into and Out of the Interview – Confidence by WEARETHEGOOD Out the Door – Hood Babies by WEARETHEGOOD This music can be found on artlist.io as well as all major music streaming platforms and youtube.com.

This episode we present a Public Service Announcement regarding Cancer Awareness.  We visit with Lieutenant Chris Weaver and retired Driver Engineer Aaron Johnson a.k.a. Turtle about Chris's involvement with cancer awareness and Turtle's personal battle with cancer.  Cancer touches all our lives one way or another, either through a personal diagnosis or through the diagnosis of someone we love.  There are things you can do to help your prognosis as well as thing you need to do after you or your loved one have been diagnosed.  Come sit down with us at the kitchen table for this very interesting and very informative discussion.

The use of On Deck crews is nothing new to the CSFD.  What is new, however, is this assignment being called “On Deck”.  This episode we discuss the history and proper use of On Deck crews during our incidents with Battalion Chief David Rocco and Captain Ken Anderson.  Also discussed is the relationship between air consumption and the activation of crews On Deck.  It is our hope that our member get a clearer understanding of how our department will use On Deck crews as well as get a quick review of TacOp 100.08.   This week Music is –   Opening: Uptown Getdown by MILANO Interview In/Out: Nowadays – Instrumental by Teo Laza Out the Door: Chains by Deraj   All music can be found at artlist.io.   Don't forget that any of our Podcasts are self-assignable on Target Solutions.  Listen or view the Podcast and document in TS to get training credit.   Thank you all again for listening.  If you think these Podcasts are valuable, get the word out both to those who would benefit both inside and outside the department.

Retirement is the end of the race and the beginning of the celebration.  In this episode, we share in the beginning of the celebration with Fire Chief Ted Collas, Stacey Collas, and Paramedic Michael Collas.  At the kitchen table, we focus on learning who our Fire Chief is as a person by discussing with the various events that helped shape Chief Collas throughout his life.  We also talk to the Chief and his family about his fire service career and how it helped shape their family.  Come join us for this expanded version of “Meet CSFD”. Music: Intro: “Under the Sun” – Young Lords Into and Out of the Interview: “Hawaiian Nights” – Paper Planes Out the Door: “When I Get There” – Maya Isac

The Colorado Springs Fire Department has expressed a desire to have “Thinking Firefighters”.  This desire has been mentioned throughout the department, at every rank.  The mantra of Thinking Firefighter has become a buzzword in our department. What does it mean to be a “Thinking Firefighter”?  In this episode we examine that question with Lieutenant Bryan Lynch and Driver Engineer John M. Roy.  During our talk we explore topics such as leadership, expectations, and training.  We also tell a few stories while trying to figure out what drives our department to achieve the goal of being thinking firefighters. Music List – Opening – “Mythologica” by Ofrim Into and Out of Table Talk – “Slide” by Simon Osterhold Into Meet CSFD – “Hell Yeah” by Ride Free Out the Door – “Howling at the Moon” by D Fine US For more information related to any of the music used in this show, Google the artist's name or visit artlist.io

The National Fire Protection Association states that 41% of firefighter deaths in 2018 were due to cardiac emergencies.  In February of 2021, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) introduced the “If You Don't Feel Well, Don't Make It Your Farewell” campaign to raise awareness of this issue in the fire service. The IAFC's “Cardiac Awareness Tootlkit, visit IAFC.org/dontfeelwell.  This site also includes a powerful video demonstrating how ignoring cardiac symptoms can lead to death. In this episode, the topic of discussion is fire fighter health.  Both Captain Josh Winter and Deputy Chief Steve Dubay share their stories about when they were diagnosed with high blood pressure.  BC White also discusses the bravado he battles when facing an annual physical and what might be found as he grows older.  Also, in “Meet CSFD” we discover the journey Chief Dubay took to get to his position in the CSFD. Intro and Outro Music – “Outlaws of the Old West” by Evert Z Interview Segment Intro and Outro – “Montana Backroads” by John Van Houdt For more information related to any of the music used in this show, Google the artist's name or visit artlist.io.

Welcome back to the Kitchen Table.  As we all know, some of the best conversations and problem solving happens at the kitchen tables in our fire stations.  There we discuss issues that affect us on a department, community, and even national level.  This podcast is designed to discuss topics that are relevant to all members of this department in an informal way very similar to the conversations at the kitchen table in our stations. For our first installment we will be discussing resiliency.  In 2020 (and so far during 2021), everyone in our department has faced challenges that have tested their mettle.  As time has pasted we have all overcome those challenges…but have we.  There maybe some among us that are continuing to struggle to overcome those challenges; thus, questioning their resiliency.  What is resiliency?  Am I resilient?  How do we become resilient?  Are there others struggling with being resilient? To discuss this topic and these questions, BC Justin White and Lieutenant Josh Winter enlist an expert, Dr. Judith Long and a colleague, Lt. Brian Kurtz.  The conversation was long and contained lots of valuable information.  Because of the length, our first podcast will be split into two parts.  This is part 2. Thank you for listening.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact either Lt. Winter or I.  Also, if you have any topics you would like to either discuss as a part of The Kitchen Table or simply would like us to discuss on our own, please email or call either one of us and we will consider them in the future. Happy listening to Episode 1 Part 2 of the CSFD's – The Kitchen Table.

Welcome to the Kitchen Table.  As we all know, some of the best conversations and problem solving happens at the kitchen tables in our fire stations.  There we discuss issues that affect us on a department, community, and even national level.  This podcast is designed to discuss topics that are relevant to all members of this department in an informal way very similar to the conversations at the kitchen table in our stations. For our first installment we will be discussing resiliency.  In 2020 (and so far during 2021), everyone in our department has faced challenges that have tested their mettle.  As time has pasted we have all overcome those challenges…but have we.  There maybe some among us that are continuing to struggle to overcome those challenges; thus, questioning their resiliency.  What is resiliency?  Am I resilient?  How do we become resilient?  Are there others struggling with being resilient? To discuss this topic and these questions, BC Justin White and Lieutenant Josh Winter enlist an expert, Dr. Judith Long and a colleague, Lt. Brian Kurtz.  The conversation was long and contained lots of valuable information.  Because of the length, our first podcast will be split into two parts.  This is part 1. Thank you for listening.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact either Lt. Winter or I.  Also, if you have any topics you would like to either discuss as a part of The Kitchen Table or simply would like us to discuss on our own, please email or call either one of us and we will consider them in the future.