From playing basketball in Chicago firehouse bays to spending 26 years climbing the ranks in Birmingham, OJ Kolodziej built his career on discipline, technical execution, and self-investment. Starting out, the now-retired captain from the Birmingham (AL) Fire Department spent a year and a half floating between stations before securing a spot on heavy rescue and truck companies—a role that required both physical toughness and deep mental agility. Through years of forced entry, search operations, and technical rescues, Kolodziej learned that true truck work isn't just about swinging tools; it's about reading the building, understanding the exact purpose behind every tactic, and operating seamlessly as a unit.

Now stepping into a new chapter as a firefighter-paramedic with the Cahaba Valley (AL) Fire District, he brings decades of leadership back to the ground level, offering a realistic look at transition, humility, and maintaining the highest standards of the fire service craft.

On this episode of the Women in Fire podcast, host Lisa Baker welcomes veteran lieutenant and assessment center SME Heidi Simon of the South Metro (CO) Fire Department. Simon walks through the in‑basket exercise used on firefighter promotional exams. She explains what an in‑basket looks like, the assessment dimensions (planning, multitasking, time management, problem solving, delegation, policy knowledge, verbal and written communication), and practical tactics: She emphasizes practice with real department issues, knowing local “hot topics” and policies, and the necessity of follow up.

Gary Ludwig, an expert EMS, fire, and 911 expert, joins the Politics and Tactics panel to discuss his role as an expert witness in an LODD case that had a multi-million-dollar verdict. They cover what went wrong at the Rock Falls, Illinois, incident.

Hosts Brian Brush and Anthony Kastros welcome guest Sean Duffy for this episode of Command Show. They open with a nod to the 25 years that have passed since September 11, 2001, and the 343 firefighters lost that day, talking about the ways 9/11 reshaped the fire service's mindset around risk, service, and search operations. The panel also explores how modern data from the Firefighter Rescue Survey and UL Research Institutes challenges older, more passive fireground assumptions. Duffy argues that firefighters shouldn't write off heavily involved spaces before evaluating survivability. The discussion highlights the importance of decentralized command, company-level decision making, and high standards for training to empower proactive firefighters. 

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Host Anthony Rowett welcomes Mickey Farrell, an  FDNY lieutenant, and James Stallings, a captain in Mobile, Alabama, to break down size-up and hose stretching. The panel talks through practical, repeatable methods for single‑family homes, garden apartments, center‑hall buildings, and standpipe/vertical stretches. They also emphasize slowing down to see the big picture and simple drills that turn unknowns into knowns. 

In this episode of The Command Post, hosts Rick Lasky and John Salka reflect on the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, and what it means for the fire service today. They discuss the toll World Trade Center-related illnesses continue to take, noting how post-9/11 deaths have now surpassed the original losses from that day. During the episode, the conversation also addresses the cultural importance of the firehouse itself, with Lasky and Salka addressing how these stations serve as sanctuaries, homes, and community anchors.

On this episode of Two Vollies and a Guest, hosts Jerry Knapp and Tim Pillsworth sit down with Kim Weppler, chair of the Rockland County (NY) Chiefs false alarm committee and long‑time code enforcement pro. During their conversation, they tackle automatic fire alarm overload. They discuss how false alarms are burning out volunteers, draining resources, and risking responses to real fires. Weppler offers solutions to these challenges, with a nod to engineering, education, and enforcement, aka the "three Es."

Leaving the fire service doesn’t necessarily mean leaving behind the friendships, memories, and sense of identity that came with it. In this episode of The Professional Volunteer Fire Department, host Tom Merrill and guest Chad Edwards explore how firefighters are treated after they leave. They discuss how the transition into retirement can be tough and finding purpose post retirement. They also talk about the impact that the way a new retiree is treated upon stepping away can have for years to come. 

On this episode of Mayday Monday, host Tony Carroll speaks with Captains Stephen Pettit and Michael Watts, of the Charlotte (NC) Fire Department. The guests walk through the May 18, 2023, SouthPark construction fire in Charlotte, North Carolina. They get into Ladder 1's inside crew's encounter with a fast, chemical-fueled fire in a parking-deck trailer full of spray-foam materials. They describe the radio and command challenges they ran into, as well as tunnel vision and use of search ropes. Pettit and Watts also address crew continuity and the engineer’s decisive master-stream application.

On this episode of Perspectives on Leadership, host Steve Shaw sits down with Dr. Robert "Navy Bob" Roncska. Shaw asks the retired U.S. Navy captain to translate submarine-tested leadership into practical fire service tactics. They unpack the concept of leading with love and a servant mindset. They also identify and explore three early-warning failures and demonstrate the benefits of relationship-first leadership.