Let’s talk safety. Or, rather, let’s talk risk, because we know firefighting isn’t safe. Risks are all about choices. The objective is to make choices that minimize risk. There are ways to do this, and my guest today says we need to do them. David Cain retired as a deputy chief at the Boulder Colorado Fire Department, where he served for 34 years.

It’s been over 70 years since President Harry S. Truman issued the first Presidential Report that told citizens how to survive a house fire. But people still don’t seem to give fire the respect it deserves. They go back in to burning homes to save pets or property. They still won’t change smoke alarm batteries or call the fire department, even when they live in a city where firefighters will do it for them. Why? Here to give us some possible answers and solutions is Ray Reynolds. He’s the Director of Fire & EMS for the Nevada, Iowa, Fire Department and a member of the IAFC’s Fire & Life Safety Section's Board.

A few years back, the NFPA said that just 27 percent of fire departments had a basic firefighter fitness and health program, and that was down from 30 percent in 2010. My guest today says that the time has come for the fire service to prioritize the health and wellness of its firefighters on a national level. It’s time to stop talking about how important firefighter fitness is and start doing something about it. Here to explain why is Dan Kerrigan. Dan is a 32-year veteran of the fire service. He is Chief Fire Marshal and department fitness coordinator for the East Whiteland Township Fire Department in Pennsylvania. He’s co-author of the best-selling book Firefighter Functional Fitness, and a international speaker on firefighter health and wellness.

Is EMS work a trade or a profession? There’s a growing push to require at least a 2-year associate’s degree for certification. Some officials want a bachelor’s degree to be required. Here to give us some perspective on all this is David Becker. He’s currently a Faculty Member for Columbia Southern University’s programs in Emergency Medical Services Management and Emergency Medical Services Administration. David worked for twenty-two years in the fire service including fifteen years as a Chief Officer. He has held a current paramedic license since 1977.

Are you tired of hearing about diversity in the fire service yet? I’m going to assume you are. The question is, why, in 2018, almost 2019, are we still talking about it? My guest today has an interesting theory: The hiring process brings in more diverse probies, but then the training process homogenizes them all over again. Here to explain how and why this can be avoided is Trisha Wolford. She's an assistant chief with the Spokane, Washington Fire Department.

What’s a firefighter worth to the community? Now what’s a professional athlete worth? There’s no doubt that pro sports generates a lot of revenue for a city, not to mention intangible benefits. But my guest today has crunched the numbers, and found that pro athletes – despite their millions of dollars in salaries – don’t come close to the fiscal value provided by firefighters.

Just about everyone will find that there are the official rules in EMS – and then there are the unwritten rules. They’re often more helpful to know than the stuff you learn in class. For those EMTs or medics who are new on the job and want a jump on these real-world rules, my guest on this show wrote a column for Firehouse.com about them. Gary Ludwig has four decades of experience in the fire service. He’s currently chief of the Champaign, Illinois fire department, and he's responded to an estimated 25,000 fire, rescue and EMS calls during his career.

Leadership in a volunteer fire department doesn’t work the same way as it does in a career department. For starters, the officer positions may rotate, as frequently as every year. That means it can be tough to develop a consistent leadership culture. My guest today says there’s also been a change in attitudes facing those leaders, and it’s not a good one. John Sahatjian has been in the fire service for 17 years. He’s the Fire Chief at the South Wall Fire Rescue Company, Fire District #3 in Wall Township, New Jersey. John is a certified National Level 2 instructor.

The transitional attack. Some firefighters swear by it, some swear at it. The NFPA says it’s a way to soften the target. Does it help, or does it have the potential to make firefighting harder? My guest today says a transitional attack is like a bunt in baseball. Ray McCormack is a 30-year veteran and a lieutenant with FDNY. He publishes Urban Firefighter Magazine. He delivered the keynote address at FDIC in 2009.

My guest today has a new book, titled The Functional Fire Company -- Positioning Small Groups for Success & Survival. It’s intended to explain how to develop a culture of learning and training in your department. It’s working: his department has a record of retaining motivated firefighters, even though neighboring departments pay more. Some firefighters even take a pay cut to join his agency.
Scott Thompson is a 35-year veteran of the fire service and chief of The Colony, Texas Fire Department. He has been a member of volunteer departments as well as worked for some of the fastest growing and most progressive departments in Texas.
Scott has been a classroom presenter and hands-on instructor at FDIC International since 2002.