Dragon's Den

Welcome to another episode of the Dragon's Den podcast. Today we sit down with the power couple, Aaron and Meg Kowal. Aaron is a captain on the special operations truck in St George, Louisiana and Meg is currently the Public Education Chief for the same department, although she also worked on the floor at St George before moving into that position. They are both 2nd generation firemen and Meg started her fire service time just outside of New York State. They are both dedicated and passionate individuals and we discussed everything from culture, training, the LIFT conference, their marriage and more. We really appreciate their willingness to come on and share some of their journey with me.

Welcome back to another episode of the Dragon's Den Podcast. On today's episode myself and fellow cadre member Josh Bourque recap our experience going through One Bad Tour, Class 9. Right out of the gates, if you are listening to this in order to know the "curriculum" of the program, then you are wasting your time. The how, why, when, where, what of the program are going to need to be experienced by you. What we will discuss is our preparation, nutrition, mindset throughout and then when we thought the value of the program. If it feels like we're being a little vague, it's very intentional. There were many impactful and important moments for both myself and Josh, but ultimately we want everyone to go through it and experience it for yourselves. We both highly recommend the program and hope that you enjoy the conversation, in spite of us being a little vague. Thanks for listening.

Welcome to the next episode of the Dragon's Den Podcast. Today we did something quite different. This is a collection of 12 or 13 clips of a bunch of guys from around the fire service answering the same question at Small-Town Job-Town. What, in your opinion, is the value of outside training and do you have a personal story in relation to that outside training? I've already released all of the individual episodes on youtube, but decided to put them all together as one long episode. I can talk till I'm blue in the face about outside training, but maybe hearing it from different ranks and different people might help push someone to attend ANYTHING that's not related to their department. I hope you find value in it.

Welcome to the next episode of the Dragon's Den Podcast. Today we filled the podcast with killers. We have Jacob Stolzle, Donald Smith and Ian Lopez. All of these men are Mississippi Smoke Divers out of St. Tammany Parish. Jacob is also an Oklahoma Smoke Diver and has completed One Bad Tour with Ian Lopez. I stepped aside for this episode and let Josh Bourque jump in to host because we truly didn't need me for this one. This is a conversation Josh has wanted to have ever since he graduated the MSD program, but we couldn't get the times to work until just now. We also wanted to have on Barrett Pittman, but he wasn't able to make the trip. This is a bit of a long one, but it mostly centers around the smoke diving programs, culture and what the programs meant to the guys that have completed them. We very much appreciate these guys for driving 4 hours to come and have a conversation that meant a lot us. We hope you enjoy.

Welcome to the next episode of the Dragon's Den Podcast. Todays guest is Chief Jacob Johnson. Chief serves as an Asst. Chief for the city of Pearland Texas. Disclaimer: I am a moron. For the entirety of this episode I called Pearland, Pearl Land. Why did my brain read it that way? I don't know. Did Chief say it correctly repeatedly and I never catch on? Yes. Because I'm a moron. Did Chief ever correct me? No, because he is a professional.

With that being said, we had a great conversation about what the Pearland fire department is doing that is different from other areas and how they are building an unbelievable culture of training and operational readiness. I haven't been everywhere and I haven't seen everything, but from what Chief Johnson described, it sounds like a killer place to work. I hope you enjoy this episode.

Welcome to another episode of the Dragons' Den podcast. Today we joined by Nick Ledin. Many know Nick for his heavy involvement in the Firefighter Rescue Survey, being part of committees and advisory boards and teaching around the nation. All of those things are true, but one of the things I love most about Nick is his unwavering commitment to truth, science and tracking down the facts to the best of his ability. We talked about his background and things he's involved in, but we also took a little detour and discussed things like truth on social media and how to navigate those waters. If I ever do a "philosophy podcast", I'm pulling in Nick as my first guest. That being said, I hope you guys enjoy this episode.

Welcome to the next episode of the Dragon's Den Podcast. Today's guest is Hannah Elmore. Hannah is the Senior Outreach Coordinator for the IAFF Center of Excellence. The CoE of a treatment facility for union firefighters that are battling things like addiction, PTSD, depression and other mental illnesses. We also have Chief Clint Sanchez. Clint went through the CoE program and put me into contact with Hannah because of how great of an experience Clint had during his time. He credited the CoE with saving his life, as have many others. Hannah discussed admissions process, potential costs, who would be a good candidate, tangible steps that fellow firefighters could take in order to help each other and many other things. Clint recaps his experience in going through the program. If you believe this episode is helpful to you and you would like to know more, please reach out to Hannah, Clint, or myself. Hannah and Clint are making themselves available to talk privately, if you want to know more about the CoE from the technical side or from the "Firefighter" side. Once again, please call and seek help. Your life matters.

Hannah's Bio:

As a member of the Community Outreach team at the IAFF Center of Excellence, Hannah is dedicated to helping clients, families, and organizations find quality treatment options. Before joining Advanced Recovery Systems in 2022, Hannah worked in community outreach providing trauma informed presentations and in direct clinical care with clients. Hannah holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work from Florida State University and is passionate about increasing mental health support and treatment options within the community. She is excited for the opportunity to widen the scope of impact of Advanced Recovery Systems and work each day to connect the community with life-saving treatment options.

Welcome to the next episode of the Dragon's Den Podcast. Today we finally return back to South Louisiana with our next guest, Matt Berkins. Matt serves as a fireman out of Slidell, LA. I first met Matt at the LIFT conference, just last year. We spent a good amount of the conference having conversations during breaks and social events and I loved his mindset and the things he was trying to implement, especially being so young in the fire service. What also intrigued me about Matt is that he is a former Ranger and also spent time with doing contract work with the CIA. The leadership lessons learned in that environment will serve him well through the rest of his career. Guys like Matt excite me for how good they could be in the coming years. We talked about everything from conferences, leadership, training the basics and much more. We hope you enjoy. Thank you for listening.

Matt's Bio:

It’s just me my wife and some dogs. We’ve been together for 10 years. Army for 7 years. I was a Ranger my whole career stationed in Savannah, GA with 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger regiment Contractor for the Agency for 3 years. Global Response Staff (GRS) Got back into firefighting in February 2022 🤘🏻Please like, subscribe and ring the bell for notifications.You can follow us on:Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dragons_den_training/Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/32CpxOAnxDbGGGvNb2UznvRSS - https://media.rss.com/thedragonsden/feed.xmlYouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@DragonsDen03

Welcome to the next episode of the Dragon's Den podcast. Today's guest is Preston Lyons. Preston is a firefighter in Colorado and runs the Relentless Rejects podcast. He first hit my radar when he was on the Weekly Scrap with Corley Moore. I had no idea who he was, but his story and message really resonated with me. It seems we shared a similar journey, mindset, and struggles in trying to make change within our own departments. It was a pleasure to be able to spend about an hour picking Preston's brain and talking about some of the more recent things he's doing. And for any Vigilantes listening. Apple is garbage and Android is supreme. Hope you enjoy listening.

Preston Lyons is a 10-year Navy combat veteran and a seasoned firefighter with North Metro Fire Rescue District in Colorado, where he has served for the past decade. Drawing on his extensive military and firefighting experience, Preston is a passionate writer and influential voice in the areas of culture, leadership, and personal development. His message resonates with those who serve and lead under pressure, inspiring others to cultivate resilience, authenticity, and purpose both on and off the job. Whether in uniform or on stage, Preston brings a grounded, relatable perspective shaped by real-world challenges and a deep commitment to growth and service.Please like, subscribe and ring the bell for notifications.

You can follow us on:

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dragons_den_training/

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/32CpxOAnxDbGGGvNb2Uznv

RSS - https://media.rss.com/thedragonsden/feed.xml

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@DragonsDen03

Welcome to the next episode of the Dragon's Den podcast. Today we have on Jacob McVey and Marcos Chacon. This episode was very last minute. Myself and Chief Sparacello went over to Bay St Louis to teach for the Coastal Magnolia FOOLS first ever training. Once I found out that the presidents for both the Coastal Magnolia FOOLS and the Old South FOOLS would be together, I thought it was the perfect chance to bring both of these guys together, along with Chief Sparacello, and talk about the formations of the chapters, the brotherhood, how the first training event went and what's the plans for the future. I did not say it on the podcast, but Jacob McVey's wife, Kayla McVey came with Jacob and took all of the photos for the event. They have 2 young children at home, so just leaving can be difficult, but we also appreciate her efforts in documenting the event. It was really enjoyable to talk to all of these guys at the same time.

Jacob McVey

President of the Old South F.O.O.L.S.

Jacob currently serves as an Engine Driver and EMT for the Lafayette County Fire Department in Mississippi. He assists with the Alcorn County Special Operations Response Team and works part-time across state lines in Tennessee, as well as in his hometown of Booneville, Mississippi, where he first joined the fire service in 2018.

Outside the job, Jacob is a husband and proud girl dad, balancing family life with his passion for building up the fire service through training, tradition, and philanthropy efforts.

Lieutenant Marcos Chacon

President of the Coastal Magnolia FOOLS

Lieutenant Marcos Chacon is a dedicated and passionate member of the fire service, having embarked on his career in 2022. With a natural leadership ability and a commitment to community service, Marcos quickly distinguished himself and earned a promotion to Lieutenant, where he now plays a pivotal role in guiding and mentoring fellow firefighters.

In 2024, after participating in a small-town training event, Marcos recognized the need for camaraderie and professional development among firefighters. Inspired by this vision, he initiated the formation of the Coastal Magnolia Fools chapter, a group dedicated to fostering a spirit of fun, learning, and support within the firefighting community. Under his leadership, the chapter has grown into a vibrant network that emphasizes training, mentorship, and the importance of a strong brotherhood and sisterhood among firefighters.

Marcos is known for his unwavering dedication to his team and community, always striving to improve the fire service and make a positive impact. His innovative ideas and commitment to excellence continue to inspire those around him, making him a respected leader in the fire service.