Podcasts about Fire chief

Liquid Lunch with The RWA: Hamden Fire Chief Shelly Carter by WNHH Community Radio

Billy Alcorn grew up watching fire engines drive through his hometown of Merced, never knowing that one day he would rise from volunteer firefighter to Fire Chief of Merced before taking a leap into a much larger organization and eventually becoming Fire Chief of Fresno. In this episode of The Chief Exchange Podcast, Chief Alcorn shares what that transition taught him about earning trust as an outsider, embracing roles you may not initially want, adapting to different organizational cultures, and continuing to grow even after reaching the chief level. We also dive into what leadership looks like when the decisions become unpopular, why leaders should never ask their people to do something they wouldn't do themselves, and why relationships need to be built long before you need something from someone. Chief Alcorn also shares his passion for recruiting the next generation into the fire service and one lesson he wishes he had embraced earlier: don't simply train until you get something right, train until you can't get it wrong.

There's a campaign going on that aims to give volunteer fire departments some tools to help recruit new members.It's called “A Hustle Worth Having” and it's aimed at Gen Z-aged community members. For those unfamiliar with the term, it's roughly defined as those born between 1997 and 2012, or 14 to 29 years old.The International Association of Fire Chiefs is behind the campaign and has made all the campaign assets available at no cost to any fire department that wants to use them.My guest is Jason Caughey, the Fire Chief of the Laramie County Fire Authority in Wyoming and an IAFC board member

Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Chief Tom Nelson discusses Fire Prevention Month in October, fire prevention reminders heading into winter, and much more.

Chief Rexroat talks driving safety this harvest season, grain bin safety, new hires, a received grant for new equipment, and more on the WRAM Morning Show.

Send us Fan MailYou can respect emergency responders and still say the quiet part out loud: the job has baseline physical demands, and pretending otherwise puts people in the ground. We dig into the uncomfortable reality of physical readiness in public safety and why being significantly out of shape, morbidly obese, or functionally limited is not just a personal issue, it is an operational risk for firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMS crews, and the communities counting on them.We break down what emergency response actually requires on a physiological level, from sprinting and grappling to dragging victims, hauling hose, stair chair carries, and sustained CPR. When a responder hits max heart rate immediately, loses fine motor control, or has no reserve capacity, the danger is not limited to their own health. It cascades across the crew, forces others to overexert, and can turn a mission into a rescue of the rescuer. We also talk about the volunteer staffing pressure that leads agencies to “look past” capability, and the hard questions that follow when seconds matter.Then we follow the ripple effects outward: delayed rescues, eroded public trust, courtroom scrutiny after fatalities, and the massive financial burden of preventable injuries. Workers' compensation claims, overtime backfill, and early disability retirements can drain budgets that should fund equipment, staffing, and training.We close with actionable solutions: non-punitive annual occupational physical evaluations, structured on-duty wellness time, functional strength and mobility work, injury prevention and rapid rehab partnerships, smarter ergonomics, and fair fit-for-duty policies built to keep people working safely. If you value the uniform, this conversation is part of protecting it. Subscribe, share this with your crew, and leave a review with your take: what should your agency require to be truly fit for duty? The Energy DrinkFounded by Firefighters. Fuel for Everyone Support the showContact AFSO21's Weekend Wrap-up Podcast - Email us at podcast@afso21.comAs always, keep supporting your local fire and emergency services, stay safe, and keep on listening!

Minneapolis swore in its 19th fire chief, and the department's first ever outside fire chief hire, last week. Chief Reginald Freeman has a pretty unusual resume for a Minneapolis fire chief — he has led fire departments in Oakland, Calif., and Hartford, Conn., served as a civilian fire chief for the Department of Defense in Iraq and ran fire and EMS operations in Saudi Arabia. He's taking over a department facing questions about staffing and firefighters who have responded to unprecedented emergencies since 2020. Freeman discussed those topics and more in a conversation with MPR News host Nina Moini.

Send us Fan MailPromoted rank gives you authority, but it doesn't make you a leader and your crew knows the difference fast. We get real about what actually builds an elite, high-performing fire company: the daily behaviors, the awkward conversations, and the tactical habits that shape station culture when nobody is trying to “sound like leadership.” If the kitchen table is where the tone gets set, we talk about how to stop feeding cynicism and start modeling the standard your people will mirror.We walk through five pillars of fire service leadership you can apply on your very next shift. That starts with leading by example through fitness, craft mastery, and the humility to own mistakes out loud. Then we tighten up precision communication with better size-ups, actionable face-to-face assignments, and closed-loop feedback. We also break down tailgate talks: short, focused debriefs that make honest feedback normal instead of scary, so execution gets faster and safer when the tones drop.From there, we move into mentorship and succession planning so your crew isn't dependent on one person. We cover delegating real responsibility, developing future officers early, and protecting passion from burnout. We also push into operational innovation, from modern fire dynamics and lightweight construction realities to tools and workflows that reduce risk, including decontamination practices that support long-term health. Finally, we define psychological safety in plain terms and explain why trust and mental health advocacy are not “soft,” they are survival.Subscribe, share this with your department, and leave a review if it helps. Which of the five pillars are you going to level up first? The Energy DrinkFounded by Firefighters. Fuel for EveryoneDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showContact AFSO21's Weekend Wrap-up Podcast - Email us at podcast@afso21.comAs always, keep supporting your local fire and emergency services, stay safe, and keep on listening!

Bob Khan, former Phoenix Fire Chief, joined Arizona's Morning News to talk about the 25th anniversary of 9/11.

Send us Fan MailEpisode Summary: In this episode, Eric Saylors shares insights on how AI can revolutionize public safety leadership and crisis communication. Discover practical strategies for using AI to enhance messaging, anticipate questions, and improve decision-making during emergencies.Eric's BIO: Eric Saylors is the author of Quantifying a Negative (2015), Sense Making in Risk Assessments (2022), and The 7-Year Active Shooter Study (2026).He is a Fire Chief with over 30 years of experience and holds a Doctorate in Leadership from the University of Southern California. In addition to serving as Product Lead for HEN Technologies, Eric is Fire Chief of the El Cerrito–Kensington Fire Department, having previously spent 25 years with the Sacramento City Fire Department. Over the course of his career, he has served in every rank from firefighter/paramedic to Fire Chief, including engineer, captain, battalion chief, and assistant chief. His operational experience includes assignments on ambulances, fire engines, ladder trucks, a Type 1 HazMat team, and a heavy rescue unit.He has responded to and managed a wide range of incidents, including high-rise fires, large commercial fires, wildland-urban interface incidents, basement fires, and balloon-frame construction fires. Prior to joining executive leadership, he served as Battalion Chief 1 in downtown Sacramento, one of the region's busiest operational areas.In addition to his doctorate, Chief Saylors holds two associate degrees, a bachelor's degree in finance, and a master's degree in Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School.He regularly consults with fire departments nationwide on active shooter response, leadership development, succession planning, and post-incident analysis, and has published more than twenty articles on homeland security and fire service topics.Support the showOur premiere sponsor, Social News Desk, has an exclusive offer for PIO Podcast listeners. Head over to socialnewsdesk.com/pio to get three months free when a qualifying agency signs up.

Send us Fan MailToday on The Prather Point LIVE at 2 pm ET on:https://rumble.com/v7f18xy-five-u.s.-bases-hit-the-war-trump-wont-admit-he-lost.htmlWhat Illegal Trucker Arrests Mean!Iran Decimates 5 U.S. Mid-East Bases!The End Begins: Russia Besieges Ukraine!Dangerous Historical First: More Elders Than Children!Judge OKs Robinson Trial, Many Still Think He Confessed!USS Lincoln Docks in Thailand, 82nd Airborne Deploys a Year! Trump's 30 Day Pre-November Push & Iran Revolt Call Reveal His Confusion! Fire Chief and Voter Fraud Whistle Blower Eric Holt is Back with His New Book!

It's been 25 years since 9-11, today we sit down and  talk to the 100 Club and Phoenix Fire about the upcoming stair climb.

Send us Fan MailThe fireground loves to plan for the dramatic risks, but the most reliable threat is the one we keep normalizing: heat stress, dehydration, and the cardiac load that follows. We're putting a spotlight on why EMS-staffed fireground rehab so often shows up as a crushed case of warm water and a five-minute breather on the tailboard, then we connect that shortcut to what the data has been yelling for decades about sudden cardiac events and line of duty deaths.We walk through the three big drivers behind rehab failure: the next engine mentality that misallocates resources under pressure, the EMS-fire operational divide that leaves rehab ownership unclear, and the cultural baggage that treats vitals checks and enforced rest like weakness. From there, we get practical. We break down what a real rehab policy needs to include: automatic dispatch and entry triggers, gross decon before clean rehab, active cooling and warming, mandatory clinical monitoring, hydration and electrolytes, documentation, and most critically, clear medical authority for EMS to hold a firefighter out of action when the numbers and clinical picture demand it.Then we tackle the second structural failure: incident command positioning. A floating incident commander trading the command post for a front-row view loses the macro picture, misses radio traffic in the noise, becomes harder to find, and is set up to fail the moment a Mayday hits. We explain what fixed command should look like, why it improves accountability and communication, and how disciplined leadership keeps more people going home safe.Subscribe for more straight talk on fireground operations, share this with your crew or training division, and leave a review or comment with what your department does for rehab and command positioning. Support the showContact AFSO21's Weekend Wrap-up Podcast - Email us at podcast@afso21.comAs always, keep supporting your local fire and emergency services, stay safe, and keep on listening!

This spring, the Daily Inter Lake partnered with Kalispell Public Schools on Civic Voices, a news literacy course teaching Kalispell Middle School eighth graders the fundamentals of journalism. This August, six of those students returned as rising freshmen for a Storytelling Bootcamp, where they built on that foundation with hands-on interviewing and profile writing, telling the stories of six people shaping the Kalispell community. In this episode, student Connor Greene interviews Jay Hagen - the fire chief for the city of Kalispell, a job that traded emergency response for budgets, hiring, and strategic planning. Hagen explains how he backed into the fire service as a college student chasing free housing, what changed when he moved from a three-decade career in Seattle and Bellevue to a smaller department in Montana, and what he misses most about being a line firefighter. He also talks about recognizing his crews' best work, from water rescues to promotions, as the most rewarding part of the job.Connor's full written profile of Chief Hagen appears in the Daily Inter Lake on September 9.Northwest Montana deserves strong news reporting. Your donation helps continue work like this possible. Learn more at dailyinterlake.com/support Visit DailyInterLake.com to stay up-to-date with the latest breaking news from the Flathead Valley and beyond. Support local journalism and please consider subscribing to us. Watch this podcast and more on our YouTube Channel. And follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a news tip, want to place an ad, or sponsor this podcast? Contact us! Subscribe to all our other DIL pods! Keep up with northwest Montana sports on Keeping Score, dig into stories with Deep Dive, and jam out to local musicians with Press Play.

 Springville Fire & Rescue is equipped and prepared for far more than structure fires. In this episode of Our City Scape, Fire Chief Henry Clinton explains the department's modern equipment, mutual-aid partnerships and role in responding to medical emergencies, crashes and wildland fires. Learn why Bartholomew Pond can become an important water source for firefighting helicopters and why neighboring fire departments work together during major emergencies. Chief Clinton also discusses Springville's increasing call volume, the need to maintain fast response times as the city grows, plans for expanded staffing and how future fire stations will help meet the community's changing public safety needs. 

A rally is planned for outside MP Kathy Borrelli's office in Windsor and Chatham-Kent's Fire Chief is rebuked at a firefighters conference in Arlington, Texas. These stories and more are in your noon news on the go.

Charles City County, VA is a rural community between the City of Richmond and Williamsburg. Their first and only Fire Chief started his fire service career at 35 years of age and went from Firefighter to Fire Chief in the blink of an eye. How did he manage a new career fire department and the COVID Pandemic? He shares those stories and more in this episode. Comments or suggestions? Contact us at:Email - FirehouseLogbook@gmail.comTwitter - @FDLogbookInstagram - @FDLogbookPodcastFacebook - www.facebook.com/FDLogbookPodcastWebsite - www.firehouselogbook.captivate.fm

Send us Fan MailIf you've ever felt your station sliding from “we can handle this” into “this job is breaking us,” this conversation puts words to what's happening and how to fix it. We're taking on a hard idea: the progress we've made around firefighter mental health and EMS mental health may have also opened the door to a new problem, where normal stress gets treated like inevitable trauma and crews get trained into cynicism. We walk through how public safety culture moved from silence to awareness, then drifted into pathologizing everyday emotions and operational frustrations. From learned helplessness to post-traumatic growth, we break down the psychology in plain English and apply it directly to Fire and EMS life: call volume, admin headaches, social media doom loops, and that kitchen table energy that either strengthens a crew or slowly drains it. We also get real about peer support and EAP therapy. Validation matters, but empathy without accountability can quietly reinforce self-destruction, and not every clinician understands first responder culture. We close with practical standards for rebuilding an internal locus of control: sleep, fitness, nutrition, language discipline around “trauma,” and leadership that acts like a thermostat instead of a thermometer. If this hits home, subscribe, share it with your crew, and leave a review so more responders can find it. The Energy DrinkFounded by Firefighters. Fuel for Everyone The Energy DrinkFounded by Firefighters. Fuel for EveryoneDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showContact AFSO21's Weekend Wrap-up Podcast - Email us at podcast@afso21.comAs always, keep supporting your local fire and emergency services, stay safe, and keep on listening!

This session shares the Voices of Franklin session held on Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at the Franklin Senior Center. Yes, there can be important conversations between the generations. This shares the first of a series of "Voices of Franklin.” Coordinated by Franklin Interact Club, Franklin Rotary Club, Franklin Senior Center, and Franklin Recreation. Held at the Franklin Senior Center and the audio recording was made by Franklin TV. About a dozen seniors and about 15 high school students gathered for a few games, some lunch (and conversation) then, the center piece discussion of the day.A defining statement was provided. Participants would raise the red card or green card; if they disagreed they would raise their red card or if they agreed, their green. Moderator Ryan Jette would then follow up with some of the individuals who raised red or green and the conversation ensued.The next session is scheduled for November 19 at 12:30 PM also at the Senior Center. Starting with lunch (approx. 30 minutes) then getting into a brief presentation on Public Safety with Town of Franklin Police & Fire Chiefs moderated by Ryan Jette. The next session output will be available with audio & video.Audio link (approx. 40 minutes)-------------We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.How can you help?If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighborsIf you don't like something here, please let me knowAnd if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach out. We'll share and show you what and how we do what we doThrough this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot comThe music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.I hope you enjoy!------------------You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Northfield Area Fire and Rescue Chief Tom Nelson discusses public safety during Defeat of Jesse James Days and more. 

Send us Fan MailA new fire engine clearing $1 million used to sound impossible. Now it is common, and the wait can stretch three, four, even five years. We are pulling apart what is actually driving fire apparatus prices and why the loudest complaint, “the manufacturers are gouging us,” is only part of the story we need to face if we want sustainable municipal budgets and safer firegrounds. We start by resetting the conversation around the core mission of a pumper: transport firefighters safely, carry essential tools and water, and pump water reliably. Once you define that minimum viable fire engine, it gets easier to spot the difference between a real operational need and an expensive “nice-to-have” that sneaks into the spec because it looks cool, wins parade points, or keeps up with the town next door. We talk through how customization compounds costs through custom engineering hours, added electrical complexity, and long-term maintenance, from over-the-top lighting packages to luxury cab upgrades and heavy automation. We also get honest about the volunteer fire department reality where the truck is more than a tool. Community pride and recruitment pressures are real, but so is the tradeoff: every extra dollar tied up in chrome and gadgets is a dollar that cannot go to turnout gear replacement, SCBA modernization, station repairs, or exposure reduction measures. Finally, we lay out practical ways to rein in fire truck procurement costs without sacrificing safety: commercial chassis options, standardized apparatus programs, and a simple two-column “needs vs wants” rule that any apparatus committee can apply. If you care about fire service leadership, apparatus purchasing, and protecting taxpayers while protecting firefighters, listen now, share this with your crew, and leave a review so more departments can have the conversation. Support the showContact AFSO21's Weekend Wrap-up Podcast - Email us at podcast@afso21.comAs always, keep supporting your local fire and emergency services, stay safe, and keep on listening!

Fire Chief Dave Tait of the City of Bellevue Fire Department in Washington takes us inside the world of leadership, problem-solving, and succession planning. In this episode, Chief Tait unpacks what he calls the “monkey” in problem-solving—the issues we can unintentionally take on ourselves instead of empowering others to solve them. He also shares his “identify two people” method for succession planning, a practical approach to developing future leaders and building organizational depth.

What happens when the people on your team have to trust each other with their lives? In this conversation, Jason Squires sits down with Eric Zane, Fire Chief of the Woodland California Fire Department, to talk about the power of connection within a team. For firefighters, trust and communication aren't just important leadership principles, they can be the difference between life and death. Eric shares what he's learned about building trust, creating opportunities for connection, navigating conflict, and developing a culture where people genuinely have each other's backs. Whether you lead a fire department, a business, a church, or simply a team of people, this conversation is a reminder that strong teams don't happen by accident. Connection has to be created, protected, and intentionally cultivated.

 What does it take to protect Springville 24/7? In this episode of Our City Scape, Fire Chief Henry Clinton takes listeners behind the scenes of Springville Fire & Rescue. Learn how the department evolved from a volunteer operation into a full-time fire and emergency medical service, how crews train and respond to fires, medical emergencies, crashes and wildland incidents, and why fire engines often respond with ambulances. Chief Clinton also discusses modern equipment, mutual-aid partnerships, Bartholomew Pond's role in wildfire response, growing call volumes and future fire stations. Meet the people, technology and teamwork helping keep Springville safe every day. 

Send us Fan MailPFAS doesn't care how experienced you are, how tough you are, or how “clean” the air looks. These forever chemicals are engineered to resist heat, water, and breakdown, which is exactly why they can linger in a responder's bloodstream for years and quietly build across a 20 to 30-year career. Kevin Ferrara lays out the science without the academic fog and connects it directly to what firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs face on real calls.We walk through the four exposure pathways that matter most for emergency services: legacy AFFF foam, turnout gear and its layered materials, PFAS-containing byproducts of combustion from modern fires, and the station and apparatus environment where contaminated dust spreads through living quarters and cab spaces. We also tackle a dangerous myth head-on: the absence of visible smoke doesn't equal safe air, especially during salvage and overhaul when contaminants can still be present and PFAS is odorless, colorless, and tasteless.Then we move from awareness to action with a clear operational framework based on the hierarchy of controls: eliminate and substitute fluorinated foam with fluorine-free alternatives, create clean cab and clean station boundaries, reduce cross-contamination in EMS operations, and enforce practical hygiene steps like on-scene gross decon, shower-within-an-hour policies, and safe laundering that keeps contaminants out of homes. We also explain why PFAS blood testing and biological surveillance can provide baselines, prove whether SOPs are working over time, and trigger earlier screening for kidney, thyroid, and cardiovascular issues.If you want a department-ready PFAS exposure reduction playbook, press play, share this with your crew, and subscribe so you don't miss what comes next. After you listen, will you bring one specific policy change to your next safety meeting and tell us which one? The Energy DrinkFounded by Firefighters. Fuel for Everyone Support the showContact AFSO21's Weekend Wrap-up Podcast - Email us at podcast@afso21.comAs always, keep supporting your local fire and emergency services, stay safe, and keep on listening!

Greg Brady spoke with Marla Friebe, Acting Deputy Fire Chief, Toronto Fire Services about Toronto fire chief calls for action after 4 fires in 24 hours involve lithium-ion batteries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us Fan MailThe National Fire Academy has a name that still stops conversations cold, but a lot of firefighters are asking a blunt question: why doesn't the “Mecca” feel like the place you go to become deadly competent on the fireground? We dig into that disconnect without cheap shots, and we get honest about what the NFA is great at, namely executive leadership, grants, budgets, community risk reduction, and the administrative work that shapes an entire department.We also unpack why crews in the apparatus bay often lose faith in federalized training: it can feel too far from the nozzle, too focused on liability-driven risk avoidance, too slow to keep up with lightweight construction and new hazards, and too gated by prerequisites and affiliation rules. I share a personal gut-punch story about being accepted to the Executive Fire Officer Program and learning I could not continue after retirement due to the affiliation policy, even with experience and a platform to support the fire service.Then we get practical about where the best operational firefighting training really comes from: company-level repetition, the kitchen table, regional and state academies with burn towers and real props, hands-on conferences like FDIC, and the modern blend of fire science research from UL FSRI and NIST with street-tested engine and truck tactics. If you care about fire service training, fireground tactics, and building better firefighters, hit play, share this with your crew, and subscribe and leave a review so more people can find the conversation. The Energy DrinkFounded by Firefighters. Fuel for EveryoneDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showContact AFSO21's Weekend Wrap-up Podcast - Email us at podcast@afso21.comAs always, keep supporting your local fire and emergency services, stay safe, and keep on listening!

Our guest today is Kelvin J. Cochran—former Fire Chief of Atlanta and former Administrator of the United States Fire Administration under President Obama. We brought him on because his story goes straight to the heart of what is at stake in America right now. Raised in poverty in Shreveport, Louisiana, Cochran worked his way up through the ranks by hard work, discipline, and faith. He served with distinction. Then, while leading Atlanta's fire department, he wrote a book for a private Christian men's Bible study—laying out clear biblical truth about faith, marriage, family, and personal conduct. For that, he was fired in January 2015. This was never just about one man's job. It was about whether Americans—especially Christians—still have the right to live and speak according to their convictions without fear of punishment. Cochran refused to stay silent. He chose to stand. And that is exactly why his message matters today. The Center for Urban Renewal and Education, which I founded in 1995, exists for one clear purpose: to fight poverty and restore dignity through the messages of faith, freedom, and personal responsibility. Government has not and cannot fix what is broken in our cities or in our culture. Big government creates dependency. Real renewal happens when families are strong, when churches lead, when individuals take responsibility for their own lives, and when we return to the moral foundation that built this nation. Only faith, freedom and personal responsibility can change hearts and rebuild communities. That is why we produce this television program. CURE America is how we teach everyday Americans to cut through the noise and understand complex news, cultural battles, and political decisions through a clear biblical optic. Headlines and talking points are not enough. We look at the ideas behind the policies, the consequences for families, and the eternal truths that never change. We give voice to those who are standing for what is right, and we refuse to let the hard conversations be ignored. Because the future of this country should not be decided by who sits in Washington. It will be decided by whether we still believe that truth matters, that freedom is not free, and that we must have the courage to stand when our faith is tested.

“Firefighting has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization—the same category as tobacco smoking." For recently retired Vancouver Fire Chief Karen Fry, that isn't just a statistic—it was the reality firefighters faced every day. In this conversation, she shares the devastating toll occupational cancer continues to take on Vancouver Fire Rescue Services and why this issue deserves more attention. Watch the full podcast here: https://youtu.be/wGcUGq5xZIU

In this podcast episode, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover talks with Eric Saylors about how AI is a "cognitive acid test" for leaders. Eric Saylors is the author of Quantifying a Negative (2015), Sense Making in Risk Assessments (2022), and The 7-Year Active Shooter Study (2026). He is a Fire Chief with over 30 years of experience and holds a Doctorate in Leadership from the University of Southern California. In addition to serving as Product Lead for HEN Technologies, Eric currently serves as Fire Chief of the El Cerrito–Kensington Fire Department, having previously spent 25 years with the Sacramento City Fire Department. Over the course of his career, he has served in every rank from firefighter/paramedic to Fire Chief, including engineer, captain, battalion chief, and assistant chief. His operational experience includes assignments on ambulances, fire engines, ladder trucks, a Type 1 HazMat team, and a heavy rescue unit. He has responded to and managed a wide range of incidents, including high-rise fires, large commercial fires, wildland-urban interface incidents, basement fires, and balloon-frame construction fires. Prior to joining executive leadership, he served as Battalion Chief 1 in downtown Sacramento, one of the busiest operational areas in the region. In addition to his doctorate, Chief Saylors holds two associate degrees, a bachelor's degree in finance, and a master's degree in Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School. He regularly consults with fire departments nationwide on active shooter response, leadership development, succession planning, and post-incident analysis, and has published more than twenty articles on homeland security and fire service topics.

Chief Jason Wells and Battalion Chief Zachary Ferguson of The Lexington Fire Department join Jack for the monthly visit from LFD. They give updates on recent runs in the county and city. Chief Wells also provides insight to the causes and response to a number of active wildfires around the country. Battalion Chief Zachary Ferguson serves as the Chief of Training within the Fire Training Academy and provides information about training and certification programs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, im joined by Chief Jason Caughey, a fire service leader with more than 30 years of experience and the Fire Chief of Laramie County Fire Authority in Wyoming, to explore the difference between simply training firefighters to complete tasks and genuinely developing people who can think, adapt, take ownership and act with confidence. Together, we examine high-agency leadership, measurable performance standards, psychological safety, servant leadership and the dangers of cultures that teach firefighters to wait for permission rather than solve problems. Jason also shares how his organisation recruits for humility, hunger and practical intelligence, why coaching should come before discipline, and how leaders can give people room to make mistakes without allowing standards to slip. It is a challenging conversation about creating firefighters and leaders who are confident enough to act, humble enough to listen and trusted enough to think.FIND JASON HEREAccess all episodes, documents, GIVEAWAYS & debriefs HEREPodcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode areWilliam Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on websitePBI high-performance fabrics GORE-TEX Professional ClothingMSA The Safety CompanyJAFCOSend us Fan MailSupport the show***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.***Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

Send us Fan MailYou call 911 on the worst day of your life, and the crew walking through the door can look the same no matter what patch they wear. But career EMS and volunteer EMS are built on very different systems, and those differences can quietly shape training, protocols, equipment, and even what “standard of care” means in practice. Kevin Ferrara is joined by paramedic Justin Whitney to break down where the two workforces overlap, where they diverge, and why the future of emergency medical services depends on getting honest about the gap. We talk about what standardization looks like when budgets are tight, administrative roles are filled part-time, and leadership development is often treated as optional. Justin shares why EMS lacks a consistent career progression model beyond certification levels, and why borrowing a structured ladder from the fire service could help agencies build stronger supervisors, safer operations, and better quality assurance. We also dig into scope of practice, from national guidance to state protocols to agency medical directives, and how that layered system can either protect patients or create inconsistency across neighboring departments. Then we go straight at accountability and public trust: Should EMS have something like a Brady list to prevent unsafe providers from bouncing to the next agency or the next state? Who really has the power to restrict or remove a provider's clinical practice? And why does something as simple as uniforms and visible ID matter when volunteer responders arrive from home in street clothes? If you care about paramedic standards, EMT training, public safety funding, and what patients should be able to expect when an ambulance arrives, this one will give you a lot to think about. Subscribe, share this with someone in EMS, and leave a review with your take on what the minimum standard should be. The Energy DrinkFounded by Firefighters. Fuel for EveryoneDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showContact AFSO21's Weekend Wrap-up Podcast - Email us at podcast@afso21.comAs always, keep supporting your local fire and emergency services, stay safe, and keep on listening!

What needs to be done about e-bikes? Albertans can now pay for MRIs without a doctor referral. Should Ontario do the same? GUESTS: Jim Jessop - Toronto Fire Chief Melissa Lantsman - MP for Thornhill and Deputy Leader of the Opposition

Tom Richardson spent more than four decades serving the people of New York City, ultimately becoming the 37th Chief of Department of FDNY. But as he shares in this conversation, leadership isn't about chasing titles, it's about being prepared when opportunity arrives, trusting the people around you, and never forgetting who you're there to serve. In this episode of The Chief Exchange Podcast, Chief Richardson reflects on his 42-year career in the fire service, the leadership lessons he learned rising through the ranks of FDNY, and what it was like helping lead one of the largest and busiest fire departments in the world through some of its most challenging periods. We discuss the importance of timing and preparation, why great leaders rely on great teams, and how FDNY transformed following 9/11 through improved training, technology, intelligence sharing, and incident management. We also dive into the importance of getting information to the boots on the ground, how one observant company officer likely prevented a catastrophic attack in Times Square, what Chief Richardson learned from generations of firefighters before him, the role mentorship played throughout his career, and why remembering the sacrifices of 9/11 remains as important today as ever.

LIVE: Seattle Mayor, Police Chief & Fire Chief provide an update on the shooting // Gee reacts to a jaw droppingly terrible press conference by the Mayor and Police Chief // WE HEAR YOU! and WORDS TO LIVE BY

Send us Fan Mail Support the showContact AFSO21's Weekend Wrap-up Podcast - Email us at podcast@afso21.comAs always, keep supporting your local fire and emergency services, stay safe, and keep on listening!

On July 10, 2026, Randolph Mantooth - aka Johnny Gage - passed away. For anyone who grew up or worked in fire and EMS in the 70's, this dramatic television series probably impacted your career in some way, and even if you didn't, it clearly influenced the service as it exists today. In this first of a series of episodes, I got to speak with two fire chiefs - one who was a fire chief in the 70's and one who wanted to be a medical professional, then he saw EMERGENCY!Comments or suggestions? Contact us at:Email - FirehouseLogbook@gmail.comTwitter - @FDLogbookInstagram - @FDLogbookPodcastFacebook - www.facebook.com/FDLogbookPodcastWebsite - www.firehouselogbook.captivate.fmMusic: "Tired traveler on the way to go home", Andrew Codeman via Freemusicarchive.com

What happens when a public servant reports what he believes is election misconduct? Former Colorado Fire Chief Erik Holt joins Michael Jaco to share the story he says changed his life forever. After serving nearly two decades in federal service, Erik accepted the role of Fire Chief in a rural Colorado community. Following a local election held at his fire station, he says he received complaints from citizens, reviewed surveillance footage, and reported what he believed was evidence of election misconduct to law enforcement. According to Erik, that decision led to retaliation, the loss of his career, years of litigation, and a legal battle over whether public servants retain First Amendment protections when reporting alleged government wrongdoing. In this powerful conversation, Erik discusses: • Free speech and First Amendment protections • Election integrity and government accountability • Whistleblower retaliation • Due process and the right to a jury trial • The personal cost of standing by your oath • Why he continues to fight despite losing his career, home, and savings Erik believes his case has implications far beyond Colorado and could affect every American who serves in public office or government employment. He explains why he is continuing his appeal and why he believes protecting constitutional rights requires ordinary citizens to stand up when they witness wrongdoing. If you believe in free speech, due process, government accountability, and protecting those who come forward, this is a conversation you won't want to miss. Support Erik Holt's Legal Appeal https://www.givesendgo.com/justiceforholt Get Erik's Book Free Speech, Retaliation, and the Cost of Integrity https://www.amazon.com/Free-Speech-Retaliation-Cost-Integrity/dp/B0H8JYYNPD Michael Jaco https://michaelkjaco.com https://www.youtube.com/user/MichaelJaco https://www.lifewavemichaeljaco.com https://www.lifewave.com/michaeljaco/ Wakey Wakey America. Protect free speech. Defend the Constitution. Stay in the love vibrations.      

Grab your cup and settle in for a strong pour of straight talk on public safety leadership and big-city fire department politics. In this episode of News from the Crabby Coffee Shop, Kenny and Jay are joined by former Minneapolis City Council President Paul Ostrow, a seasoned voice on local government, budgets, and accountability. They dive deep into the nomination and tenure of Reginald Freeman as Hartford Fire Chief, along with the federal lawsuit tied to his time in the role. Ostrow brings his no-nonsense perspective on what it takes to lead a fire department through scandals, staffing crises, line-of-duty tragedies, and the legal fallout that follows. From hiring decisions and department culture to the real-world pressures facing urban fire services, this conversation cuts through the smoke. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shane Grow, interim chief of the Pocatello Fire Department, along with Corey Child, fire chief with the Madison Fire Department, talk about the importance of fire safety and the Maze Wildfire near Rexburg.

Emergency departments have become the place where nearly every fracture in the healthcare system eventually shows up: behavioral health gaps, delayed primary care, staffing shortages, transfer disputes and inpatient bottlenecks. As demand rises and care becomes more complex, the ED is no longer just a clinical entry point — it is a pressure test for the entire hospital. Research has linked ED crowding to treatment delays, poorer patient outcomes, violence against staff, turnover and burnout, making emergency care a window into the broader strain on hospitals.So what happens when the system's safety net is treated less like a strategic entry point for care and more like a holding area for everything the rest of the hospital cannot absorb?That's the question at the heart of the latest episode of I Don't Care. Host Dr. Kevin Stevenson speaks with Dr. Jim Augustine, a renowned emergency department physician leader and medical director, about what is broken in emergency care, what can still be fixed, and why hospital leaders need to rethink the role of the ED. Their conversation covers emergency department overcrowding, boarding, benchmarking, EMTALA, behavioral health, post-COVID facility design and the future of hospital-at-home models.What you'll learn…Boarding is not just an ED problem. Dr. Augustine argues that when admitted patients remain in the emergency department because inpatient beds or processes are unavailable, the issue reflects whole-hospital flow, not ED failure.Low-acuity patients are not the real cause of emergency department dysfunction. He warns that blaming ED crowding on sprained ankles or minor complaints distracts from larger operational problems, including inpatient throughput and community care breakdowns.Emergency departments need new planning assumptions. Dr. Augustine says older design formulas no longer fit today's patient population, which is older, more medically complex, more behavioral-health intensive and more likely to require extended diagnostic workups or boarding.Dr. Jim Augustine is a longtime emergency physician and EMS medical director whose career spans emergency department leadership, fire and EMS operations, clinical governance, benchmarking and system design. He has held national leadership roles with the American College of Emergency Physicians, US Acute Care Solutions, the Emergency Department Benchmarking Alliance and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. A clinical professor, consultant, author and speaker, Dr. Augustine is widely recognized for his expertise in emergency care operations, ED data, department design and prehospital care.

The chief of the Mabank Fire Department died after being struck while directing traffic Saturday night. In other news, to graduate high school, Texas students are mandated to take a personal financial literacy course, starting with the freshman class entering this fall; as the World Cup moves into its knockout stages, fans from several countries have experienced matches in some of the United States' top stadiums and wonder why Dallas wasn't considered for the Final; and could Kawhi Leonard become a Dallas Maverick? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Met Office has issued a rare red 'extreme heat' warning for parts of southern England, the Midlands and southern Wales for tomorrow and Thursday with amber warnings already in place more widely in England and Wales. Some fire services are warning of a increased risk of wildfires as temperatures are set to reach the high 30s. It comes just as the government's announced a one hundred million pound investment to help tackle wildfires, to offer better protection for the countryside and rural communities after some truly devastating fires last summer: 2025 broke the record for the number of wild fires reported in the UK. The Fire Chiefs' Council's Wildfire Tactical Advisor tells us the new strategic teams will be trained in skills needed to tackle large scale ferocious blazes, which are becoming more frequent in the UK.Sheep shearing is an international industry and each summer between 50 and 75 professional shearers from overseas take out temporary visas to work with the UK flock. But the government says this is the last year they'll allow that to happen and that the sheep industry needs to train up more home-grown shearers. To cope with the demand, British Wool is laying on extra courses around the country.All this week we are looking at agri-tourism, how farmers are boosting their incomes with everything from farm safaris and events for foodies to the traditional campsite. Today we visit a small hill farm in the Glens of Antrim which has reinvented itself as the venue for heritage events.Presenter: Caz Graham Producer: Sarah Swadling

This is the second half of Nic's interview with Brett Russell, retired Fire Chief for the City of Clinton, Oklahoma, and small business owner. What's one of the biggest leadership lessons you've learned? Do you appreciate the power of presence and proximity as a leader? Are values something you just put on the wall or something you actively reinforce every day? As a true leader, what really matters to you? How do you inspire your team to want the same thing? Brett has learned and applied these lessons—and like a true leader, is still learning. If you enjoy Nic and Tarina's podcast and get something from listening to “all this Nic Bittle Crap,” please hit the like button, share it with a friend, or both. Your recommendation goes a long way in helping us reach more people.Also if you have questions that you want Nic and Tarina to answer, email them at info@nicbittle.com. ---

Ben Corbett is a US Army veteran, former State Department contractor working within the intelligence community, and founder of Legacy Relief Project — the only nonprofit organization with legal authorities to run counter-human trafficking operations on behalf of the Haitian government.In this episode, Ben reveals what he witnessed on the ground in Haiti, Iraq, Uganda, and right here in the United States: the real pipeline of child trafficking inside Christian orphanages and NGOs, the Kanakuk Ministries money laundering scheme and sex tourism operation, the evidence he handed to the DOJ in Miami — and discovered the prosecutors were named in it, how his team rescued 27 children from a Port-au-Prince gang in 72 hours, and why organ trafficking and satanic ritual abuse are the most depraved networks he's ever encountered. Ben also shares his personal story: joining the Army at 17, serving as a fire team leader in Afghanistan's Hindu Kush at 19, breaking his neck and back, medical retirement, near-suicide, and how faith transformed his life and led him to found Legacy Relief Project.TOPICS COVERED:• Human trafficking vs drug trafficking: the real cartel revenue model• How Epstein operated as an intelligence honeypot• Why the US government enabling trafficking of Ugandans in Baghdad• Haiti's history, Moïse assassination, and gang warfare• How orphanages and NGOs become trafficking pipelines• Kanakuk Ministries, sex tourism, and money laundering• The $350M law enforcement budget vs $2.2T trafficking industry• Organ trafficking and satanic ritual abuse in Haiti and the Dominican Republic• Online grooming platforms: Roblox, Discord, OnlyFans, PayPal• CIA reform and FBI corruption in the trafficking space• Legacy Relief Project's operations in Haiti, Uganda, Sudan, ColoradoFOLLOW BEN CORBETT:Legacy Relief Project: https://legacyreliefproject.comCHAPTERS:00:00:00 - Intro: Colorado's Push to Legalize Prostitution00:09:26 - What Modern Slavery Actually Looks Like00:15:27 - Meet Ben Corbett00:16:42 - Military Roots: Growing Up to Serve00:22:55 - Afghanistan: When War Shatters Your Identity00:35:25 - Seeing True Evil: Kids Executed by the Taliban00:53:44 - Inside the Trafficking Industry00:55:34 - Why Cartels Are More Powerful Than Drugs00:59:21 - Epstein Files & Government Cover-Up01:09:23 - Haiti: What Ben Has Witnessed Firsthand01:20:29 - ISIS, Northern Iraq & State Department Work01:29:00 - Founding Legacy Relief Project01:32:28 - Ben's Lowest Point: Gun in His Mouth01:44:48 - Orphanages as Trafficking Pipelines01:47:09 - Kanakuk: Christian Ministry Cover-Up01:53:47 - Taking Evidence to the DOJ (Prosecutors Were Named)02:03:38 - Rescuing 27 Children in Port-au-Prince02:13:47 - Uganda Mission & US Government Passport Scandal02:23:01 - Organ Trafficking Network Deep Dive02:25:36 - The Fire Chief's Family Sold Their Own Daughter02:26:58 - Satanic Ritual Abuse: What It Actually Is02:28:03 - The Voodoo Bonfire (What Ben Witnessed)02:56:19 - $350M vs. $2.2 Trillion: The Impossible Fight03:08:25 - How to Help: Legacy Relief Project#crime #military #podcast #reedmorinshow

What are the desires of your heart? What's next for you after a successful and fruitful career? Nic's guest is Brett Russell, retired Fire Chief for the City of Clinton, Oklahoma, where he has served since 2017. How do you transition from one good thing to the next good thing? Are you, as a leader, ready to let go and let your people perform? Do you know what will be said for your eulogy? Will people speak about you as an intentional leader? If you enjoy Nic and Tarina's podcast and get something from listening to “all this Nic Bittle Crap,” please hit the like button, share it with a friend, or both. Your recommendation goes a long way in helping us reach more people.Also if you have questions that you want Nic and Tarina to answer, email them at info@nicbittle.com. ---

Joined on this episode by the one and only Tom Richardson, retired FDNY Chief of Department!Chief Richardson walks the walk, serving 42 years with the FDNY, rising through every rank to lead as the top uniformed officer in the busiest fire department in the nation. A lifelong firefighter, he's been a volunteer in Deer Park since 1978 (serving as Chief of Department there in 1999-2000 and 2009-2011) and currently serves on the Board of Fire Commissioners. He holds a Master of Arts in Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School - Center for Homeland Defense and Security, along with extensive leadership training including the FDNY Advanced Leadership Course, Fire Officers Management Institute, and West Point's Combating Terrorism Center. We're going deep into leadership in the fire service - everything from command presence, to the critical importance of trust in the firehouse and on the fireground, building crews that operate with implicit authority (no constant micromanaging), the make-or-break role of the first hoseline, staffing and response challenges facing the volunteer fire service, and effective communication with the troops. Hard-earned lessons from the highest levels of command, and practical wisdom that applies to every firefighter and officer out there. As always, the live audience one hundred percent light this one up with questions, and we go wherever the conversation takes us. Because we all know that's what makes The Scrap the absolute best live firefighter podcast out there!  

Today, we’re bringing you the best from the KUOW Newsroom… First, officials in Snohomish County are seeking emergency permission to fix a crumbling levee near the city of Stanwood. Next, and this fire season is poised to be historic – not just because of the record-low snowpack and unprecedented spring heat. It will also be the first for the U.S. Wildland Fire Service. And finally, every spring, purple martins fly to Tacoma. The migratory birds travel over six-thousand miles from Brazil to breed here. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.