Better Every Shift

“Meet me at the bench.” That’s it. No explanation required. Retired Orlando firefighters Chris DeMaagd and Joseph McCluan created The Bench 988 as a safe place for firefighters who want to connect with someone — ideally starting a conversation before they hit a crisis point. The Bench 988 started as an idea to memorialize two Orlando firefighters lost to suicide but quickly grew into something much bigger: weekly walks, peer support and a way to keep retirees connected with active members. DeMaagd calls it “putting tennis shoes on the kitchen table” — taking the camaraderie firefighters miss after retirement and adding movement, sunlight and meaningful connection. Joe and Chris share how they chose the bench location, why attaching 988 matters and what departments should consider before creating their own. But the bigger takeaway isn’t really about a single bench. It’s about making it easier to ask for help and creating what they describe as proactive peer support — catching someone farther upstream, before the crisis.

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore.

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Community risk reduction doesn’t have to start with smoke alarms, fall prevention or another familiar program. Sometimes it starts with a firefighter asking, “What does our community actually need?” Cherry Grove (Michigan) Fire and Rescue Chiefs Noah Knauf and Aaron Sogge have taken that approach with Dad 101, a class created by dads for dads that tackles everything from infant care and choking to what parents can expect when they call 911. But the bigger story is how one idea opened the door to more: safe-sleep education, car-seat checks, bike safety, autism-focused training and programs aimed at the next generation of firefighters and EMTs. Knauf and Sogge also make the case for giving members room to act on what they see in homes every day. The takeaway for leaders: Stop treating CRR like a checklist. Listen to your people, find the right partners and give good ideas room to run.

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore.

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“Stop talking. Give me reps.” That’s the message from the What Firefighters Want survey report focused on training. Captain Lisa Burton joins Zam and Janelle to break down the survey findings, including the fact that motivation isn’t the issue; it’s securing training that respects firefighters’ time and prepares them for the job. The discussion gets into checkbox drills, instructor qualifications, measurable objectives, micro-training, realistic scenarios and the challenge of fitting meaningful development into already packed schedules.

This episode of the Better Every Shift podcast is sponsored by FirstNet, Built with AT&T. The only wireless network built with — and for — firefighters like you. Learn more at FirstNet.com.

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Key quotes from Chief Esposito

Thank you to our sponsor

This crossover episode of the Policing Matters, Better Every Shift and EMS One-Stop podcasts is sponsored by FirstNet — the only wireless network built with and for first responders. Twenty-five years ago, first responders faced an emergency unlike any other. They stepped forward to protect and care for others, demonstrating extraordinary courage and resolve. This September 11th, we remember and honor those who answered the call. The example they set endures through the values that continue to inspire the profession today. Learn more about FirstNet, Built with AT&T, at www.firstnet.com.

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The worst time to figure out how you’ll respond to trauma is after it happens. Resilience has to be built beforehand — through sleep, relationships, fitness, trusted peers and a culture where asking for help is part of the job, not a last resort. That idea sits at the heart of our conversation with retired FDNY Captain Frank Leto, who helped shape the department’s counseling and peer support programs in the years after 9/11. As the fire service approaches the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, we’re revisiting this episode because many of the lessons born from that tragedy still apply to every department today. Leto explains why FDNY’s early attempts to embed clinicians in firehouses fell short and why fellow firefighters became the key to effective peer support.

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore.

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“Call the meeting. Get them in the same room.” That simple advice helped spark a leadership think tank that has spent more than a decade connecting fire service leaders around the problems, ideas and pressures that rarely fit neatly on an agenda. Fort Lupton (Colo.) Fire Protection District Fire Chief Greg Ward explains how to make it work: Keep it simple, bring in people who don’t all think alike, and create enough trust for real conversations to happen. But the value goes well beyond brainstorming. Sometimes leadership support looks like sharing a solution. Sometimes it’s a text that says, “Are you OK? What do you need?” Ward makes the case for building these networks before you need them — and offers a practical tips for starting your own.

Read next: Building a leadership think tank: A practical guide for fire service leaders

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There’s no single leadership style that works for every person, problem or moment — and Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski learned that through plenty of trial and error. Raised around two very different leadership models, Lipski describes his grandfather as measured and graceful, while his father was direct, information-driven and confrontational when necessary. Over nearly 30 years in the fire service, Lipski tried both approaches and “everything in between,” eventually realizing that good leadership requires knowing when to adjust. He also gets candid about a period when he leaned too heavily on an autocratic style and had to hear some uncomfortable truths about himself. The takeaway for officers at every level: Your approach should evolve with experience, but the reason you’re leading in the first place should remain the through line.

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore.

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The battery fire may get the attention, but the vehicle’s weight could create the next problem. Deputy Chief Vince Bettinazzi returns with a broader look at electric vehicle response, including how heavier vehicles, low centers of gravity and reduced lifting points can complicate stabilization and extrication. He explains why crews must identify EVs early and understand what their equipment can actually support. Bettinazzi also shares lessons from developing EV charging-station ordinances and an operational guideline that gives officers room to decide whether to attack a fire or protect exposures and let it burn. The discussion expands beyond passenger vehicles to e-bikes, scooters and other lithium-ion devices increasingly found in homes and high-rises. The takeaway: Departments do not need to panic, but they do need a plan — and a kitchen table discussion before the next incident.

Additional resources:

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore.

Email [email protected] to share your feedback.

You’ve probably read — or at least skimmed — a NIOSH firefighter fatality report, but do you know what to do with it? Or how it came to be? Wesley Attwood, a senior investigator with NIOSH’s Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program, explains how departments request an investigation, what investigators examine and why the process is voluntary, independent and nonpunitive. He also clears up some common misconceptions, including that NIOSH investigates every line-of-duty death and that the program only reviews fatalities. More importantly, Attwood brings the reports down to the company level, showing how the condensed report slides can fuel a five-minute drill, preplan discussion or Main Street size-up. He also highlights recurring lessons involving fire dynamics, staffing, communication, medical evaluations and psychological safety. The takeaway: Don’t let these reports go missing in a sea of browser tabs. Put them to work before the same concerns show up on another fireground.

Additional resources:

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore.

Email [email protected] to share your feedback.

You can be absolutely right and still lose the room — all because of your tone. Drawing from personal experience, Zam shares four practical lessons for saying what you mean, with respect. Whether you're leading a company, mentoring a probationary firefighter or challenging a policy you disagree with, this episode is a reminder that leadership isn't just about what you say — it's how you say it.

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