Better Every Shift

No one thought she’d stay. Lauran McColloh was a new firefighter, just 18 years old, facing a double-LODD incident – on her very first fire. What’s more: One of the fallen firefighters was her friend Victor Isler. But McColloh didn’t consider quitting; firefighting was her dream. Now a Salisbury FD battalion chief, McCulloh joins Better Every Shift to share how she processed the abnormality of experiencing such trauma so early in her career and, more recently, how she discovered the power of vocalizing her experience – something she hadn’t done for 15 years.

We dig into all this:

• Impact: How the Salisbury Millworks fire drives her decision-making

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Self-described “pracademic” Dr. Randall Hanifen knows two languages – academic speak and boots-on-the-ground speak – a skill he uses to bridge the gap between the more theoretical university world and our practical fireground experiences. This is one of the many talents he’s honed during his work with the Institution of Fire Engineers-USA Branch for which he now serves as president, in addition to serving as assistant chief of operations for the West Chester (Ohio) Fire Department.

On this week’s show, Chief Hanifen and the team dig into all this:

• What it really means to be an “engineer” in the eyes of the IFE-USA – and how to get involved in the bigger-picture processes around us;

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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Part 2 of our interview with Ben Vernon includes descriptions of violence and suicidal ideation that may be triggering for some, as well as explicit language. Please listen with caution.

For months after being stabbed on the job – a “routine” medical call gone wrong – Ben Vernon was in a world of hurt, unable to sleep due to constant nightmares, barred from talking to his crew about the incident due to the impending criminal trial, and even experiencing suicidal ideation. Vernon shares the triggers that rocked him as well as the moment he knew he needed to seek help. He explains how he found a therapist who understood what he was going through and ultimately used eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) to realign his logic and emotions. Today, Vernon feels “lighter, better” and travels the country speaking out his experience and advocating for mental health awareness, resources and treatment.

(ICYMI, in Part 1, Vernon offers a detailed play by play of the incident, from his initial complacency and the rapid escalation of the call to his emotional recollection of seeing his wounded partner and being rushed to a local hospital.)

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Please note, this episode includes descriptions of violence that may be triggering for some, as well as explicit language.

“To witness in real time an attempted murder is pretty intense,” says San Diego Fire-Rescue Captain Ben Vernon recalling the first time he saw slow-motion body camera footage of his own stabbing during a seemingly “routine” medical call. No one expected that a bystander would turn violent, leaving Vernon and his partner with serious injuries. Vernon offers a detailed play-by-play of the incident, from his initial complacency about the call through its quick escalation and ultimately to his emotional recollection of seeing his wounded partner and being rushed to a local hospital. Vernon also shares the moment during his recovery when he realized he was mentally not OK to return to work.

In Part 2, Vernon shares the behavioral health challenges he experienced after the stabbing and how he was able to, over time, not only better manage his post-traumatic stress but also become a champion for first responder PTSD recognition and treatment.

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IAFC President John Butler – “the chief of chiefs!” – joins Better Every Shift this week, talking all things leadership, including why the adage “It’s lonely at the top” has never applied to him. In addition to his superpower of always seeming calm, cool and collected, the Fairfax County fire chief has a knack for being able to spot talent and knows how to surround himself with passionate people who support the mission and the organization.

Plus, we dig into all this:

• IAFC presidency and priorities – “the clock is ticking”

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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Don’t get the wrong idea here. “Rules are important,” says Orange County (California) Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy; however, firefighters need to be trusted to make smart decisions when things go awry in the world of chaos around us – and this trust is best achieved through an intent-driven culture where members understand the organizational mission.

Plus, we dig into all this:

• Learn: The OCFA Doctrine shaping the future of the department

Enjoying the show? Please take a moment to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. You can also follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts. And email [email protected] to share your feedback!

If Chief Thomas Bell of the Greensburg (Pa.) Volunteer Fire Department had a nickel for every time someone remarked that he had some “big shoes to fill” after taking the reins from a local legend who had 60-plus years on the job, well, he’d have a lot of nickels. But the new chief had a simple plan – being himself. Bell vowed to create his own destiny – in even bigger shoes – and revamp a department that needed an organizational culture change in a big way. Bell shares his focus on firefighter safety and health, fireground accountability, recruitment and retention (including the success of duty crews) and communications among members. And the sleepless nights paid off when Bell was named IAFC Volunteer Fire Chief of the Year.

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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Chief Jerry Brant – the 70-million-dollar man – joins the show this week, explaining the role that all firefighters play in the grants process, what application reviewers are looking for this year, plus common grant proposal mistakes. (And yes, Brant has indeed written more than $70 million in successful grant applications in his career, some for FireGrantsHelp.) The self-proclaimed “pope of the church of planning,” Brant urges people to work ahead, particularly since it’s no surprise that there’s a grant application period every year, and offers guidance for striking the right balance between data and storytelling in the grant-writing process.

• Don’t miss: The T-shirt story that exemplifies unnecessary grant-writing hurdles

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!

We’re not going to Stop, Drop and Roll over on our fire prevention messages; we’re going to embrace them with open arms to create simple but effective calls to action that can make a difference in your community. Helping us in this effort is Andrea Vastis, senior director for public education with the NFPA, which runs Fire Prevention Week™, coming up Oct. 8-14. This year’s FPW theme is “Cooking Safety Starts with YOU! Pay attention to fire prevention.™"

We dig into all of this:

• The top 3 cooking fire messages firefighters should know

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This episode of the Better Every Shift EMS podcast is sponsored by Verizon Frontline, the advanced network for first responders on the front lines. Learn more at verizon.com/frontline.

In this special crossover episode of the Better Every Shift, Policing Matters and Inside EMS podcasts, co-hosts Aaron Zamzow, Jim Dudley and Chris Cebollero discuss preserving the legacy of 9/11 responders and how to assess our readiness to respond to a large-scale MCI in our communities.

The hosts talk technology trends that we could (and should!) use to improve the security of citizens and first responders, from license plate readers to crime-mapping, facial recognition, drone surveillance and AI, plus all this:

• Keeping the 9/11 legacy alive with new generations

Read more reflections, tips for processing and lessons for training to respond to MCIs in our 9/11 coverage, sponsored by Verizon.

Enjoying the show? Please take a moment to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. You can also follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts. And email [email protected] to share your feedback!