Alabama's Fire Service

Fire prevention is more than handing out coloring books — and Community Risk Reduction is more than a program. It’s about using data, education, partnerships, and prevention to make our communities safer before the emergency ever happens.In Episode 3 of Alabama’s Fire Service Podcast, we sit down with Jonathan Ledbetter of the Alabama Fire College and Oneonta Fire & Rescue and Captain David Brasher of the Irondale Fire Department to talk about Community Risk Reduction (CRR) and Alabama’s Turn Your Attention to Fire Prevention initiative.We discuss how the fire service is moving beyond traditional fire prevention and using community-specific data to identify risks and build programs that actually address them.Topics include:- What Community Risk Reduction really means- The difference between public relations, fire prevention, and CRR- Why accurate incident reporting and good data matter- Using local data to identify the risks unique to your community- Why smoke alarms remain one of our most important life-safety tools- Alabama's Get Alarmed Alabama smoke alarm program- The transition to 10-year sealed smoke alarms- Reaching adults and families—not just children- Using home visits to identify risks before emergencies happen- How firefighters can incorporate CRR into everyday responses- Why support from fire chiefs and department leadership matters- Updating the Turn Your Attention to Fire Prevention CRR manual- Using social media to create a consistent statewide prevention message- How volunteer and smaller departments can participate without adding a major workload- Building partnerships with HOAs, businesses, schools, and community organizationsThe conversation also looks at the bigger goal behind CRR: preventing the call before it ever happens.Whether you're a fire chief, company officer, firefighter, public educator, fire marshal, or someone looking to build a stronger CRR program in your department, this episode offers practical ideas you can take back to your community.Smoke alarms save lives. Prevention works. And every member of the fire service has a role in Community Risk Reduction.🎙️ Alabama’s Fire Service PodcastPeople. Training. A Stronger Alabama.Subscribe to the Alabama Fire Service YouTube channel for future episodes.Follow Alabama’s Fire Service on Facebook:Alabama Fire Service on Facebook#AlabamaFireService #CommunityRiskReduction #CRR #FirePrevention #TYATFP #TurnYourAttentionToFirePrevention #GetAlarmedAlabama #SmokeAlarmsSaveLives #AlabamaFirefighters #FireService #FireSafety

What does “Never Forget” mean to a generation of firefighters who weren't alive on September 11, 2001?In this episode of Alabama's Fire Service Podcast, Josh McDaniel and Justin McKenzie sit down with Chief Mike “Soc” Prisoc of Morris Fire & Rescue for a conversation about September 11, the fire service it changed, and our responsibility to carry those lessons forward.

Chief Prisoc brings a perspective that spans both sides of 9/11. With more than three decades in the fire service, he remembers the job before September 11 and experienced firsthand how training, preparedness, technical rescue, mutual aid, station security, incident response, and the public's relationship with firefighters changed afterward.He also shares his experiences traveling to New York for the September 11 remembrance ceremonies—including visits to Rescue 2, the 9/11 Memorial, Ground Zero, and the ceremonies honoring the firefighters whose legacy continues today.The conversation goes beyond remembering 343 firefighters lost that day. Josh, Justin, and Chief Prisoc discuss the growing number of responders lost to 9/11-related illnesses, firefighter cancer and mental health, the importance of peer support, and why taking care of today's firefighters is also part of honoring those who came before us.They also talk about leadership, company unity, mentorship, mutual aid, and why today's fire service has a responsibility to teach its history to firefighters who weren't yet born when 9/11 happened.In this episode:- Where each of them was on September 11, 2001- How the fire service changed after 9/11- Teaching younger firefighters what “Never Forget” actually means- Chief Prisoc's September 11 trips to New York- The continuing impact of 9/11-related illnesses- Firefighter cancer, mental health, and peer support- Company unity, leadership, and mentorship- Mutual aid and preparedness- Preserving the lessons learned after September 11- Chief Prisoc's journey from volunteer firefighter to the first career fire chief of Morris“Never Forget” isn't only about remembering what happened. It's about making sure the lessons, sacrifices, and changes that followed aren't lost with the generation that experienced them.🎙️ Alabama's Fire Service PodcastTalking Shop. Shaping the Fire Service.

What’s changing at the Alabama Fire College—and what’s next for Alabama’s fire service?

On the first episode of Alabama’s Fire Service Podcast, Josh McDaniel and Justin McKenzie sit down with Matt Russell for a conversation about the Alabama Fire College, the evolution of firefighter training and certification, leadership, accreditation, and how the College is preparing to meet the changing needs of Alabama’s fire service.

We also get into the work that happens behind the scenes, the importance of relationships across Alabama’s fire service, and Matt’s perspective on where we’ve been and where we’re headed.

Alabama’s Fire Service Podcast brings firefighters, officers, chiefs, instructors, and fire service leaders together for meaningful conversations about the issues affecting our profession.

Forge. Inform. Respond. Engage.

🎙️ Follow Alabama’s Fire Service Podcast

YouTube: @alabamafireservice
Facebook — Alabama Fire Service

Subscribe, follow, and share the podcast with someone in Alabama’s fire service.

#AlabamaFireService #FireService #Firefighter #FireLeadership #AlabamaFireCollege

I'd also use @alabamafireservice everywhere you can. That's a very clean handle and helps establish “Alabama Fire Service” as the umbrella identity rather than tying the podcast too tightly to one organization.

Alabama’s fire service has stories to tell, issues to discuss, and conversations worth having.Welcome to Alabama’s Fire Service Podcast — a new podcast focused on the people, challenges, ideas, and issues shaping the fire service across Alabama.From leadership and training to legislative advocacy, firefighter safety, Community Risk Reduction, and the future of our profession, we're bringing together fire service leaders and subject-matter experts for conversations that matter to Alabama firefighters.And we're just getting started.🚨 EPISODE 1 DROPS SEPTEMBER 14WATCH ON YOUTUBELISTEN WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTSSubscribe now and join us as we talk about Alabama's fire service: where we've been, where we are, and where we're going.Follow Alabama's Fire Service on Facebook:Alabama's Fire Service on FacebookYouTube: @alabamafireservice#AlabamaFireService #AlabamaFirefighters #FireService #Firefighter #FireChief #FireServiceLeadership #Podcast