“It’s kind of surreal,” Joanne Rund says of her retirement from the Baltimore County Fire Department where she has served as chief for the past five years. But Rund isn’t done with her service mission. As she hangs up the helmet in Baltimore, she’s donning a new cap to serve as director of family programs with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. At this milestone moment, Rund reflects on everything from her early introduction to the fire service to that last major call – the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. Plus, we dig into all this:

Rund’s transition from hair stylist to firefighter

Rebuilding trust at the command staff level

Her proudest moment from her tenure at Baltimore County Fire

Advice for her successor

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore.