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It has been over a year since we last sat down with Shane Ray. We sit down to connect the dots between sprinkler design and real fireground decisions in big-box and mega-warehouse fires. We break down how to staff the control room, when to touch valves and pumps, and how better preplans and fire watch keep a “save” from turning into a loss. 
• Shane Ray’s background in the fire service and fire protection leadership 
• What Shane learned as a Phoenix Fire Department intern and how R and D shaped his operations mindset 
• Big box sprinkler operations using NFPA 13E and the pull-up, hook-up, pump-up approach 
• How to decide valve control based on occupancy and fuel package 
• What fire chiefs should consider for data centers and why the protection scheme differs from warehouses 
• Why megawarehouses are seeing major fires despite daily sprinkler successes 
• Tactical pre-incident planning that links training, suppression and prevention before and during incidents 
• What it means to supplement a sprinkler system through the FDC and what the FDC can and cannot do 
• Fire pump shutoff decision-making and why responsible parties need to be present 
• Firewatch expectations during system outages and why “clear fast” can create bigger risk 
• Reframing sprinkler-controlled incidents as longer-duration events and dropping the “cold smoke” myth 

Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition

For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/ 

For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com 

Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip 

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If you liked what you heard, please subscribe. Tell your friends and co-workers about this little podcast. Helps us get the word out. 

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This is a "Best Of B Shifter" that was originally published on November 2, 2021.

It features Nick Brunacini, Josh Blum and John Vance

We go back to the roots of Blue Card and explain why it exists, what problem it solves, and why so many critiques miss the point. We tie firefighter safety to tactical supervision, command presence, and a decision-making model that holds up when the scene gets loud and messy. 
• Blue Card origins in the Southwest Supermarket fire and the lessons from Brett Tarver’s LODD 
• Tactical level supervision as the missing layer that prevents command collapse 
• Blue Card as an applied training and certification system built on Fire Command, not just a book 
• Strategic decision-making model, critical factors, risk management, and the eight functions of command 
• Scaling the system to any deployment package, from large departments to minimal staffing 
• Clearing up myths about ventilation, nozzles, and task-level tactics by pointing to UL and NIST research 
• Water application first to improve survivability, then coordinated search based on risk 
• Sounding like command on the radio through repetition, simulation, and validated performance 

Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition

For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/ 

For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com 

Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip 

Shop B Shifter here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com

If you liked what you heard, please subscribe. Tell your friends and co-workers about this little podcast. Helps us out getting the word out. 

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This week, our guest is Assistant Chief Matthew Dhoore, Chief of Operations at the Clay Fire Territory in St. Joseph County, Indiana. That department is a Blue Card department that has large populated areas without the benefit of any municipal fire hydrants. That has prompted them to adopt an aggressive alternative water supply strategy

We talk through how to build sustained fireground water when there is no hydrant, the hydrant is too far away, or the municipal system cannot deliver what the fire demands. We share the tactics Clay Fire uses to forecast water early, run tanker shuttles safely, and keep command focused when water supply turns into its own incident.

• Clay Fire Territory’s mixed response area and why dense neighborhoods can still be non-hydranted
• Initial attack setup using high-capacity engines and “give me your water” nursing
• Porta-tank operations supported by wells and identified fill sites
• Why every department needs a water plan B even with hydrants
• Using command simulations to force water supply decisions and build habits
• Simple tanker shuttle math for estimating sustained flow and tanker needs
• Preplans for long lays, relay pumping and driveway access constraints
• Triggers for assigning a water supply officer and moving tanker traffic to a support channel
• Staging, dump site layout and safety practices to prevent bottlenecks and backing
• Tanker specifications that speed dumps and reduce staffing demands
• Hydrant assist valve (Humat) basics for uninterrupted water on long lays

Free downloads

Here is the water supply worksheet for incident commanders: https://bshifter.com/download/blue-card-command-worksheet-may-2024/

Sample Water Supply Strategy document: https://bshifter.com/download/water-supply-strategy-document/

Sample Water Source Guide: https://bshifter.com/download/water-source-guide/

Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition

For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/ 

For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com 

Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip 

Shop B Shifter here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com

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We break down what it really takes for multiple departments to operate as one on the fireground, from standardized SOPs to the hard conversations that keep mutual aid safe. Then we play condensed incident audio from Colerain Township and explain why clear size-up, smart staging, and disciplined deployment end problems fast instead of creating bigger ones.

• expanded command and division operations expectations for ICs, division bosses, and support roles
• mutual aid as the default reality for most communities and why training must cross borders
• standardizing equipment and communications to reduce friction and improve firefighter safety
• accountability through after-action reporting that reinforces what went well and fixes what did not
• closest appropriate response and what to do when a partner goes rogue
• incident audio showing early size-up, quick assignments, and fast fire control
• what a dedicated dispatcher on the TAC channel changes during a working incident
• level one staging and on-deck depth to keep options open without over-committing crews
• two-deep deployment and forecasting resources to prevent Maydays and manage escalation
• Fire Command Third Edition notes, bulk discount details, and what readers are praising

Please go to BShifter.com, go to our events page, and you can see what’s coming up there.

Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition

For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/

For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com

Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip

Shop B Shifter here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com

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We sit down with Chris Ferrara of U.S. Fire Pump and get a clear look at what industrial firefighting really takes when a facility fire outgrows municipal capability. We walk through big water, foam strategy, logistics, and the mindset shift that keeps incident commanders from committing to a plan they cannot sustain. 
• what U.S. Fire Pump does and why high capacity pumping changes outcomes 
• real world incidents from tank fires to ship fires, landfills, and lithium battery recycling facilities 
• deciding when to call an industrial firefighting company and why early engagement matters 
• water supply realities for warehouses and why alternative sources beat small streams 
• unified command expectations, access needs, and how we set contractors up for success 
• foam evolution from AFFF to SFFF and what that changes in tactics and safety 
• training and education that helps municipal and industrial teams speak the same language 
• apparatus manufacturing, reliability choices, and what “old school” looks like on purpose 

Check out the resources and capabilities of U.S. Fire Pump here: https://usfirepump.com/services/foam-school/

Please go to BShifter.com, go to our events page, and you can see what’s coming up there.

Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition

For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/

For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com

Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip

Shop B Shifter here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com

Share this podcast with your friends, and don't forget to like and subscribe!

Thank you for listening! 

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Terry Garrison, Nick Brunacini, and John Vance (The Silverbacks) are back with a new Silverback module (available to all Blue Card subscribers). 

We pick up part two of Boss Power and get blunt about how a leader’s angels and demons shape firefighter behavior and department culture. We keep coming back to one simple filter that prevents most boss mistakes: focus on the work, use the process, and do not let ego drive decisions. 

We talk about:
• angels versus demons as a practical leadership model 
• why boss misconduct carries bigger consequences than worker misconduct 
• how demon-led management triggers sabotage, rumor, and malicious obedience 
• positional power versus informal workforce power 
• focusing on the work as the cleanest way to lead and correct behavior 
• inclusive communication that brings the workers in early 
• why you do not know someone until they have power over you 
• cosplay leadership and the danger of not understanding fireground work 
• tradition, SCBA, and the cost of unnecessary risk 
• line of duty death learning, accountability, and executive responsibility 
• “Take the process seriously, not yourself” as a leadership anchor 
• discipline that stays human while following a clear process 

Please go to BShifter.com, go to our events page, and you can see what’s coming up there.

Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition

For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/

For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com

Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip

Shop B Shifter here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com

Share this podcast with your friends, and don't forget to like and subscribe!

Thank you for listening! 

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Terry Garrison, Nick Brunacini, and John Vance (The Silverbacks) are back with a new Silverback module (available to all Blue Card subscribers). 

We break down Boss Behaviors and the reality of boss power in the fire service, where leadership lives between City Hall pressure and the crews delivering the work. We argue there’s no neutral gear for a boss, and we share practical ways to protect credibility, service delivery, and values when budgets and politics get loud. 
• new Silverback Leadership module built from Alan Brunicini’s functional boss behaviors and no-brainer management 
• leading for service delivery rather than ego, ceremony, or titles 
• why fire chiefs cannot delegate away responsibility, only tasks 
• political leadership versus operational leadership and why operations must make sense 
• how community connection makes budget cuts harder to justify 
• what management wants versus what workers want and how to navigate both 
• value-based decision making when staffing cuts clash with safety 
• explaining staffing, response times, and resources by describing the work 
• a real efficiency committee story that ends with support for more funding 
• overtime and MOU realities and the importance of early notification 
• credibility loss, absentee leadership, and getting stuck in the middle 
• angels and demons as daily boss impulses, with “be nice” as a powerful discipline 

Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition

For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/

For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com

Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip

Shop B Shifter here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com

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The panelists on this B Shifter Podcast include: Grady Valencis, Jeff Seaton, John Ceriello, Chad Christensen, Sean Gray, Michael McCarthy, Ian Bennett, Sean Decrane, and it is hosted by Chris Stewart and John Vance.

We talk with a nationwide IAFF instructor cadre about how evidence-based fireground operations turn UL FSRI research into decisions you can make on your very next incident. We break down why live fire and psychomotor reps create buy-in, tighten tactics, and help firefighters stay aggressive while improving safety and victim outcomes. 

The discussion includes: 
• why the IAFF builds an evidence-based fireground operations program and how the cadre forms 
• what changed when Houston hosts the first train-the-trainer delivery 
• why “tell them, show them, let them explain it back” beats PDFs and videos 
• course options from awareness to operations to train the trainer 
• what a host site needs for live fire demonstrations and rotations 
• how to scale regionally so small departments can afford the training 
• how we adapt the class to local buildings, staffing, and common incident profiles 
• why command officers must be in the room to prevent tactical and strategic gaps 
• hands-on stations covering fire behavior, stream mechanics, thermal imaging, search methods, and fire attack 
• what surprised us most about veteran buy-in and the humility that drives culture change 

Learn more about the Evidence-Based Fireground Operations program here: https://www.iaff.org/fire-ground-operations/

Learn about the IAFF Fire Ground Survival program here: https://www.iaff.org/fire-ground-survival/

Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition

For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/

For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com

Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip

Shop B Shifter here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com

Share this podcast with your friends, and don't forget to like and subscribe!

Thank you for listening! 

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We sit down with Worcester Fire’s (and Blue Card lead Instructor) Gary Fleischer, plus Blue Card lead instructors Eric Phillips and Chris Stewart, to unpack how strategic decision-making and critical thinking make Blue Card work on real calls. We connect the “why” to NIOSH lessons, legal risk, and the day-to-day habits that help crews put water on the fire faster and go home safe. 

• Worcester’s repeated NIOSH recommendations shaping a clear why for change 
• Rolling Blue Card out with chief-level support and SOP alignment 
• Why the rank and file needs the full picture, not just the mechanics 
• How the strategic decision-making model becomes trainable and repeatable 
• A real Worcester working fire story that validates the system 
• Sustaining the command system through daily use and refreshers 
• Integrating command, radio traffic, and critical factors into any drill 
• Avoiding training scars by finishing evolutions through the full problem 
• Measuring outcomes that matter, including faster water and better search 
• Keeping hard chargers aggressive while staying coordinated and accountable 
• Leadership that stops bad things from happening, even when unpopular 

Check out the B Shifter Podcast with Worcester Fire Chief Martin Dyer here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1785403/episodes/18879949

Check out Ed Hartin's 10 Minute Command Training here: https://bshifter.com/10-minute-training-first-due-at-a-structural-collapse-with-trapped-victims-whats-your-plan/

Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition

For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/

For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com

Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip

Shop B Shifter here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com

Share this podcast with your friends, and don't forget to like and subscribe!

Thank you for listening! 

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This episode features Dr. Dustin Calhoun, Scott Williams, Steve Lester and John Vance.

About our guest: 

Dr. Dustin J. Calhoun, MD, FAEMS is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and Associate Director of the Division of Emergency Medical Services at the University of Cincinnati. A board-certified emergency physician and EMS physician, he practices at UC Medical Center and West Chester Hospital. Dr. Calhoun serves as the Medical Director for the Springdale Fire Department and the Cincinnati Fire Department and provides medical direction for numerous other fire, EMS, law enforcement, and special operations agencies throughout the Cincinnati region, including airport fire-rescue, SWAT teams, and multiple suburban fire departments. He is also a flight physician with Air Care and Mobile Care and serves as Medical Director for Emergency Management at UC Health. Nationally recognized for his expertise in prehospital emergency medicine, disaster preparedness, and tactical EMS, Dr. Calhoun is a frequent instructor and speaker on EMS leadership, special operations medicine, and emergency response. 

We break down how Cyanokit (hydroxycobalamin) fits into fireground care when smoke inhalation includes the toxic twin threat of hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide. We focus on patient selection, rapid delivery to the front yard, and the practical steps that help incident commanders, EMS crews, and hospitals work from the same playbook.
• what Cyanokit is and why older cyanide antidotes were risky with carbon monoxide exposure
• where hydrogen cyanide comes from in structure fires, smoldering, and overhaul plus dermal absorption risks
• why time to administration matters, especially for altered mental status and fireground cardiac arrest
• how departments deploy kits on district cars, battalion chiefs, engines, and ALS rescues to reduce delays
• real incidents and outcomes, including pediatric rescues and lessons when kits are limited
• IV and IO administration considerations, including push-pull delivery and flushing the line
• what the incident commander does to stage medical resources and get the kit to the patient fast
• what information helps the emergency department when there is no rapid cyanide test
• balanced use, costs, side effects, and why training should prevent wasting kits
• training approaches, trainer kits, and restock plans that keep programs sustainable

Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition

For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/

For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com

Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip

Shop B Shifter here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com

Share this podcast with your friends, and don't forget to like and subscribe!