Forged by FIRE with Ryan Rodriquez

WIth Thanksgiving coming up, you’ll be around a lot of food.  Not only that, you may be the one cooking.  Cooking for your family is great!  Now, imagine cooking for a large group of loud, boisterous, and very opinionated firefighters.

As a firefighter, you may even be on duty during holidays like Thanksgiving where the saving grace of working on these holidays and being away from your family is sitting down with your fire department family and sharing a great meal.

A lot of important conversations happen around our dinner tables whether at home or on duty, you don’t want one of those conversations to be how gross the food is that you’ve prepared.

In today’s episode I will share my thoughts on the standards you should have when cooking a meal at the firehouse and I will give you some tips and tricks you can adopt to make sure that you aren’t just a one-trick pony and your reputation as a good cook stands the test of time.  And at the very end, I will share one of my personal firehouse recipes!

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Theodore Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena”

IGNITEd Recruit Academy

Dijion Glazed Salmon Recipe:

You’ve heard me say this before, the hiring process for the fire service is a gauntlet.  There are a series of tests that include mental and physical aspects, not to mention the rounds of panel interviews!  And if you’re currently in the testing process and have experienced what a fire service interview is like, then you know the stress that can come along with not knowing what to say or how to say it.  If you’re just starting, then this will be a great episode for you to pay particular attention to and take notes!

My guest today is Captain Brendon Trayner with the Gilbert Fire Department and he just published a book called Fire Interview - “The Storyteller Method”.  In his book, he talks all about how to formulate the perfect answers to any question you could be asked.  His approach isn’t based on having canned answers to expected questions.  It’s about having a strong foundation on principles that will allow you to answer any questions that might be thrown at you.  His framework has helped numerous people get hired and promoted over the years and has become a sought-after mentor here in the Phoenix metro area where he and I live and work.

If you’re looking to get hired or are looking to promote within your current organization, you won’t want to miss this episode!  Stay tuned to hear my conversation with Captain Brendon Trayner.

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Fire Interview “The Storyteller Method” by Brendon Trayner

IGNITEd Recruit Academy

When I was trying to get a career in the fire service, I didn’t have anyone to help me.  I didn’t have family or friends that were doing the job.  I don’t come from a “legacy family”.  I worked hard and forged ahead down a path of self-education and institutionalized education.  It was hard and I really wish I had someone help me along the path.  I could’ve avoided some pitfalls and some setbacks.

My goal with the IGNITEd Recruit Academy is to provide that mentorship to you.  I’ve been a firefighter/paramedic for 15 years and I’ve been a part of numerous hiring processes.  I’m here to provide you some insight and guidance on things you need to incorporate and refine in order to get your dream job!

In today’s episode, I will go over what the IGNITEd Recruit Academy is and why you should join if you’re currently trying to get hired on

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Firefighter Podcast Facebook Community

IGNITEd Recruit Academy

When I was in the academy I heard the saying “if you want the whole department to know a secret, tell a firefighter”.  This is one of those jokes that is sad, but true.  I call it the “fire wire”.  Gossip exists within the walls of the firehouse and it’s destroying us.

This issue of gossip isn’t exclusive to the fire service, it can be found in a lot of organizations around the world.  But why does it exist?  Why do we perpetuate it?  And what, if anything can we do to put a stop to it?

In today’s episode, I will define what gossip is, how it affects us in the fire service, and I will provide some strategies we can put in place to fight this toxic behavior.

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Dave Ramsey on Gossip

Saving Private Ryan - The Gripe

IGNITEd Recruit Academy

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One of my most favorite quotes, one that has guided my life for years, is a samurai proverb.  You’ve heard me reference it numerous times throughout the podcast.

“Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.”

In today’s episode I will break down the two different parts to this proverb and I will discuss the elements that I utilize to make sure that I’m living by this ancient code.

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IGNITEd Firefighter Podcast Facebook Group

Audible

SpartanRace

Tough Mudder

It takes a lot to get a career in the fire service.  There is a gauntlet of elements in the process; turn in an application, take the written test, perform some kind of physical performance test, panel interview or TWO, then it’s onto the academy.  Even then, an invitation to the academy isn’t a guaranteed spot on the truck.  A full-time spot is conditional upon successful completion.

It also sometimes takes a lot to stay engaged and focused on the mission when you’ve been on the job for a while. Staying engaged and focused on the reason why you got into this profession to begin with can take effort.

Something that this profession definitely takes is GRIT!  But what IS grit?  If we don’t have it, what can we do about it?  In today’s episode, I’m going to review what it is, how we can foster it, and how having grit is NOT a team sport even though some people might have you think that.

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IGNITEd Firefighter Podcast Facebook Community

28-Day Ignition Workout Program

Grit to Great by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval

Whenever you try to achieve something more, there will always be those people who are like crabs in a bucket who will try to pull you down.  They will mock, they will ridicule, and some will even use their resources and active efforts just to hold you back.

But not matter how many times they pull you back down, no matter how many times you may get knocked on your butt, you’ve gotta get back up and keep going.

One of my most favorite quotes is “Lions do not concern themselves with the opinions of sheep” and in today’s episode, I will talk about what it means to be a “lion” among “sheep”, how this mindset will help you focus on your personal development and success, and I will provide you some strategies you can implement in order to awaken the lion inside of you.

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Lion Speech - Poolhall Junkies (2002) YouTube

28-Day Ignition Workout Plan

IGNITEd Hats - Flash Sale!

BrandedBills

I’m not one to go on about “war stories”, but I sure had a rough one the other day.  And as a result, I was reminded as to why I do this job, and why I love it.

We’re going to have some hard days and we’re going to have some fantastic days.

My goal in today’s episode is to share with you what things came to my mind, share a bit of perspective, and how we can be active in having gratitude!

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Flash sale on all hats!

Episode 048 - Health Benefits of Gratitude

Branded Bills

Today I'm talking to my friend and author Skye Fagrell.  He has provided performance coaching and leadership training for over 20 years and his book "More Fit 4 the Kingdom" delivers truths of faith-based principles that can be applied to anyone, anywhere.  The focus of Skye's effort is on how incorporating measurable principles into our lives and tracking them, we can improve our wisdom, stature, favor of man, and favor of God.

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Buy the book!

If you aren’t investing in yourself, then you are wasting your time!  In this day and age where knowledge is at your fingertips, the only reason we DON’T take action toward bettering ourselves is the direct result of complacency.

Being a firefighter and working in EMS, we need to make sure that we are keeping at the forefront of the new trends in medicine as well as the advancements in our ability to fight fire.

But this isn’t just about training and practical application.  This is also about investing yourself in a way that helps better prepare you to be able to be a better all-around version of YOU.

In today’s episode, I will talk about why that’s important and I will provide you some strategies that you can use to start actively investing in yourself.

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Echelon Front

The Sixth Floor Museum