Forged by FIRE with Ryan Rodriquez

In a profession where our physical fitness can literally mean the difference between life and death, it’s critical for us to do what we can to stay in ideal physical shape.  We do that by working out, but one of the aspects of living a healthy lifestyle is to maintain a proper diet.

In this episode, I’m going to review the elements of going on a sugar detox.  It’s something that you can do to help cut sugar from your diet and help you drop some lbs so that you can gain some momentum toward a healthier lifestyle.  Keep in mind, this isn’t necessarily designed to be a sustainable way of life for us as firefighters, because we need carbs and sugars to perform many of the strenuous activities on a fireground.  However, this is simply a way to kickstart some good habits.

When bad stuff happens, you’ve probably heard people say things like, “Look on the bright side!” or  “No rain, no rainbows!” and you might feel like punching that person in the face.  But, what if I told you that they’re onto something?

Sometimes all you wanna do is break something or punch a hole in the wall, but in a career where your mentality plays a big part on your own personal well-being, we can’t afford NOT to maintain a positive attitude. 

Keep in mind, this doesn’t mean to be unrealistic.  What it means is to seek out the positive in a crap situation.  And while you don’t have to shove that attitude down peoples’ throats, making them want to punch you, you CAN set the tone for yourself, your crew, and your patients; ultimately changing your mentality and environment for the better.

We've recently had some "probies" come out of their 16-week fire academy and we’ve been able to put eyes on them and see their personalities come out.  While in the academy, everything was regimented for them and planned out.  Now, they’re having to adapt to their crew, adapt to the interruption of emergency calls coming in, and adapt to the emergency situation itself.  It can be overwhelming at times…

They may have been confident in the academy, but now that they are on the trucks, shift work will provide them with an entirely different environment when it comes to getting along with their crew, being adaptable, and knowing when to relax, if ever.

I’ve got some friends who just got the call to start an academy soon.  So, I’ve decided to dedicate this episode to those who are about to start an academy, are currently in one, or have just come out of one and may be looking for some guidance or advice on things they can keep in mind in order to help them manage the first impressions they leave and build bonds with their crew.

Firefighters are typically known for their physical strength, not necessarily their emotional strength.  When people stop to think about the job we do, they often realize just how much impact we absorb not only physically but mentally and especially emotionally.

How many times do we hear members of our organizations say things like, “I come to work to relax and get away from the stress of home.”  For some, it IS a respite and sort of sanctuary.  Which, is sad to me, but it’s the truth for others.

We spend one-third of our lives at the firehouse.  Our job is stressful enough.  So, when the relationships at work become a source of stress for people, that stress has a huge impact on our mental health.

In this episode, we’re going to talk about the 8 traits of toxic leadership to avoid.  I’m taking this approach because if you know where the landmines are, then you can avoid stepping on them.  Also, the solutions to overcoming these traits will be unique to your organization.  So, I can identify the common problems, but it will be up to you & me to identify the unique solutions.

You may have heard the term “Servant Leadership” before. People talk about the different styles of leadership there are and servant leadership has been brought up many times lately in circles of conferences and presentations.

But what does it look like and how can we become servant leaders?

Today we explore what it means to be a servant-leader and how we can enact the principles of servant-leadership in our own lives.

In order to be able to take care of others, you must first take care of yourself.  This can be difficult for us as firefighters as it is in our nature to help others in need and oftentimes risk our own well-being for the sake of others.  However, if you’ve ever flown in a plane and listened to the pre-flight safety instructions, you’ll remember that if the cabin pressure drops and the oxygen masks drop down, you are instructed to put the oxygen mask on yourself FIRST.  This is for good reason.  If you are incapacitated, then you become a part of the problem and are of no use to anyone.

In this episode we talk about the importance of taking care of yourself first so that you can take care of those you serve.

The entire plight of the IGNITEd movement is to challenge the status quo through self-improvement and accountability.  But how exactly does one take active steps toward accountability?

When I say the “A-word”, people do one of two things; get quiet and change the subject OR they ask me what I mean by accountability.  Either way, it’s a HUGE red flag that lets me know that there is a severe lacking of accountability among the ranks.  Only through an established system of accountability will an organization thrive and fulfill its purpose and vision.

In this episode we discuss 5 things that you can do to actively promote accountability within your organization and sphere of influence.