On The Line

The original Jose's Bag podcast had such stellar and rave reviews (fake news?), that we are back with another installment. In Jose's Bag 2.0, Luke Alford from the University of Montana's Health and Human Performance Department steps in for Jose, and he is joined by host Charlie Palmer and UM exercise physiologist/sport nutritionist Dr. Chuck Dumke to examine and discuss four items: coffee, Copenhagen, Vitamin C, and coconut oil.

This podcast was made possible in part through support from the U. S. Forest Service and the University of Montana. The University of Montana is an equal opportunity provider.

Prodigious friends Drs. LLoyd Queen and Carl Seielstad from UM's National Center for Landscape Fire Analysis stumble across a suitcase full of questions posed to them by podcast host Charlie Palmer. The pair, who live dual lives as both fire scientists and fire managers, have their patience and their brains tested as they contend with Palmer's at times sophomoric queries.

This podcast was made possible in part through support from the U. S. Forest Service and the University of Montana. The University of Montana is an equal opportunity provider.

As a wildland firefighter, if you don't recognize the name Brian Sharkey, you probably should. The author of twelve books, developer of the pack test and work to rest guidelines, and some of the earliest examinations of woodsmoke exposure around, you name the topic and Sharkey probably studied it during his four and a half decades of firefighter research at the University of Montana and with the Forest Service. Professor Emeritus Sharkey joins the podcast, along with his one time mentee, Dr. Brent Ruby, to discuss a wide range of fascinating topics.

This podcast was made possible in part through support from the U. S. Forest Service and the University of Montana. The University of Montana is an equal opportunity provider.

Eating the proper foods at the appropriate time is an essential component of recovery, especially for tactical athletes like wildland firefighters. Dr. Brent Ruby from the University of Montana's Center for Work Physiology and Exercise Metabolism re-joins the podcast for a follow up to his season one pod on nutrition, this one focusing upon post-shift nutrition.

This podcast was made possible in part through support from the U. S. Forest Service and the University of Montana. The University of Montana is an equal opportunity provider.

University of Montana Health and Human Performance Department graduate student Jose Pena joins the podcast to discuss over-the-counter, alleged performance-enhancing products. Jose is a Chilean who came to the U. S. to play collegiate soccer, and has been involved with UM's wildland firefighter research. While performing numerous surveys and interviews with WLFF, Jose heard of the widespread use of dietary supplements similar to that in athletics. Jose's bag contains various items, all of which claim in some way to make users bigger, stronger, faster, or more alert. UM sport nutrition professor Chuck Dumke provides research based analysis on what role, if any, they play in helping WLFFs meet the demands of their job.

This podcast was made possible in part through support from the U. S. Forest Service and the University of Montana. The University of Montana is an equal opportunity provider.

Wildland firefighting represents a high risk occupation, and exposes those who engage in it to a significant amount of danger and uncertainty. Decision making and cognitive function take on added importance as firefighters attempt to manage these risks. Canadian researcher Dr. Michael Williams-Bell from Durham College joins the podcast, along with Drs. Chuck Dumke and Charlie Palmer from the University of Montana, to discuss recent research they have completed in cognitive function, and what these findings mean for wildland firefighters.

This podcast was made possible in part through support from the U. S. Forest Service and the University of Montana. The University of Montana is an equal opportunity provider.

Never before have wildland firefighters been assessed for physiological changes over the course of an entire fire season. Until now. Dr. Trey Coker from the University of Alaska Fairbanks teamed up with our own Dr. Brent Ruby to investigate seasonal alterations in a group of firefighters, and their surprising results have led to more questions than answers. Coker and Ruby join the podcast to discuss their research, it's counter-intuitive findings, and possible directions for future investigations.

This podcast was made possible in part through support from the U. S. Forest Service and the University of Montana. The University of Montana is an equal opportunity provider.

The Work Capacity Test, otherwise known as the pack test, has been in use for nearly 25 years. Designed as a measure of muscular strength and aerobic capacity, the arduous version of the test entails hiking three miles on even terrain while carrying 45 pounds in 45 minutes or less. Drs. Brent Ruby and Matt Bundle join host Charlie Palmer to discuss the science behind the pack test, misconceptions surrounding it, and strategies on how to train more effectively for load carriage.

This podcast was made possible in part through support from the U. S. Forest Service and the University of Montana. The University of Montana is an equal opportunity provider.

Maclean. The name is synonymous with many things: great writing, fishing, and fire to name just a few. On this, the tenth and final episode of season one, author John Maclean joins the podcast, along with University of Montana researcher Brent Ruby and host Charlie Palmer to discuss South Canyon, the history of hotshots, and John's current book project on the Yarnell Hill fire that killed nineteen Granite Mountain Hotshots.

This podcast was made possible in part through support from the U. S. Forest Service and the University of Montana. The University of Montana is an equal opportunity provider.

About 42,000 Americans take their own lives every year. While no known research has looked specifically at suicide prevalence rates within wildland firefighters, it appears to be a major concern within our population. Studies looking at structural firefighters indicate that they are three times more likely to die by suicide than a line of duty death. University of Montana professors Annie Sondag from the Health and Human Performance Department and John Sommers-Flanagan from the Counselor Education Department join host Charlie Palmer to discuss this important topic on the podcast.

This podcast was made possible in part through support from the U. S. Forest Service and the University of Montana. The University of Montana is an equal opportunity provider.