Frustration Is the Enemy

Frustration doesn't just slow projects down — it quietly kills them.

In this Flash Points episode, Lieutenant Duke Cuneo breaks down why frustration is often more dangerous than failure, resistance, or lack of resources. Drawing clear parallels between incident command and project leadership, this episode explores how unclear authority, stalled decisions, and unmanaged uncertainty create frustration that leaks downstream and erodes discipline.

You'll learn why frustration is rarely a people problem and almost always a system signal — and what effective leaders do to absorb friction instead of transmitting it. From reducing ambiguity and defining clear lanes to naming the friction and shortening feedback loops, this episode delivers practical leadership tools you can apply immediately.

Because clarity is the antidote. And leadership is the filter.

Grant writing is one of the most important and most frustrating tasks in the fire service. In this episode of Project Command, I break down my seven step grant writing process and show exactly how ChatGPT and other AI tools can support you at every stage.

From identifying needs and aligning projects with funding priorities, to drafting narratives, strengthening justifications, and refining final submissions, AI can save time, improve clarity, and help you produce more competitive grant applications. This episode focuses on practical, real world use cases, not hype or theory.

This is the fourth installment in the AI in the Fire Service series, following ChatGPT for Firefighters, ChatGPT for Fire Chiefs, and ChatGPT for the Fire Training Officer. If your department is short on time, staff, or grant writing experience, this episode provides a clear framework and ready to use ideas to help you get started.

Prompt 1: Find and Rank Grants for Extrication Equipment

You are acting as a grant research specialist for a municipal fire department.

I am looking for grant opportunities that can fund the purchase of new extrication equipment.

Please: Identify federal, state, local, and private grant programs that commonly fund fire service equipment or rescue tools Filter to grants open to municipal fire departments or public safety agencies Note which grants are currently open or have upcoming application windows, if available

For each relevant grant, provide: Grant name Funding purpose Typical award amounts Key eligibility requirements Application timeline or cycle A direct link to the official grant website or application page

Rank the grants based on alignment with purchasing extrication equipment. If exact deadlines are unavailable, include the most typical application periods based on past cycles. Present results in a clear table or bullet format.

Prompt 2: Identify and Coordinate Grant Stakeholders

You are acting as a project manager and grant coordination specialist for a municipal fire department.

I am preparing a grant application to fund new extrication equipment.

Please identify all internal and external stakeholders involved in both the grant application and post award project execution.

For each stakeholder group, include: Their role in the grant process The information or support they provide When they should be engaged in the process

Consider stakeholders across: Fire department leadership Operations and field personnel Finance and budgeting IT and data systems Procurement and logistics Training divisions Legal or compliance, if applicable Community partners or governing bodies, if applicable

Present the results in a clear table or structured list that can be used as a stakeholder coordination plan.

Prompt 3: Analyze Operational Data with Methodology and Assumptions

You are acting as a data analyst and project evaluation specialist for a municipal fire department.

I will provide four to five data tables related to department operations and project outcomes, such as incident volume, response times, equipment usage, training records, and costs.

Please: Analyze each table to identify key trends and findings Cross analyze the tables to identify relationships or correlations Summarize insights that support a grant application or project evaluation

Also include: A clear explanation of the methodology used A list of assumptions made during analysis Any limitations or data gaps that impact accuracy

Present the results with: Key insights in bullet points Supporting references to the provided data A short methodology and assumptions section at the end

The goal is transparent, defensible analysis suitable for grant narratives or reporting.

In this third installment of the AI in the Fire Service series on Project Command, we break down how fire training officers can use ChatGPT and other AI tools to improve training, organization, and program development.

We start with a simple AI 101 overview to explain what artificial intelligence is and what it is not in plain language for the fire service. Then we dive into real world use cases for training officers, including:

• Building lesson plans and training presentations

• Creating drill ideas and multi company training evolutions

• Developing curriculum

• Supporting project management and long term training initiatives

• Saving time on administrative and organizational tasks

Whether you are new to AI or following along with the series, this episode delivers practical, fire service focused ways to leverage AI tools to make your training program more efficient, consistent, and professional, while reinforcing that experience, leadership, and accountability remain the foundation of effective fire service training.

In this episode of Project Command we examine how fire chiefs and chief officers can use ChatGPT in 2026 as a practical decision support and executive productivity tool while maintaining professional judgment. We cover how AI can be used for targeted research to support strategic decision making policy development and revision and synchronizing complex documents across divisions agencies and governing bodies. The episode also explores using ChatGPT for data interpretation aggregation and structuring information so leaders can quickly identify trends risks and priorities. Finally we discuss how chiefs can use ChatGPT to design and structure meetings including agendas pre reading and objectives so participants arrive prepared aligned and ready to work on the issues that matter.

When chaos reigns, make your project an island of stability.

Organizational chaos is not the exception in large systems — it's the environment. Leadership changes. Priorities shift. Direction arrives late, inconsistently, or through side channels.

In this Flash Points episode, Lieutenant Duke Cuneo breaks down why successful projects don't wait for clarity from above — they create stability inside their own span of control.

Drawing a direct parallel to complex incident management on the fireground, this episode focuses on how project managers can prevent organizational dysfunction from leaking into execution.

You'll learn how to:

• Lock scope clearly without becoming inflexible

• Establish a steady project cadence when everything else is moving

• Separate noise from legitimate change

• Document decisions to protect your project's institutional memory

• Control communication so uncertainty doesn't infect the team

This episode isn't about blaming leadership or complaining about dysfunction. It's about professionalism. Because chaos above you is not permission to run a sloppy project.

When everything around you feels unsettled, structure becomes leadership — and boring projects are the ones that finish.

In this episode of Project Command, I'm joined by Jared Vermillion, author of The Modern Fire Officer, for a grounded conversation on what effective officer development really looks like in today's fire service. We dig into the soft skills that matter most for officers, including leadership, communication, conflict resolution, coaching firefighters, and building trust within a crew. Jared shares practical insights on developing people, navigating difficult conversations, and creating an environment where firefighters can grow and perform at a high level. This episode is ideal for current and aspiring officers who want to lead with intention, improve their influence, and become better leaders for their people.

If you don't measure it, you don't control it.

On the fireground, measurement is non-negotiable. We track air, time, accountability, and benchmarks because guesswork gets people hurt. But too often, when we step into projects—that same discipline disappears.

In this Flash Points episode, Lieutenant Duke Cuneo draws a direct line between fireground command and project management. Being busy doesn't mean you're making progress. Meetings, emails, and spreadsheets don't equal control. Data does.

This episode breaks down why most projects don't fail dramatically—they quietly drift. Costs rise. Timelines slip. Outcomes shrink. And leaders can't explain why, because nothing was measured.

You'll learn:

• Why unmeasured projects rely on hope instead of control

• How simple, usable metrics beat perfect data every time

• What SCBA air management teaches us about project performance

• Practical, repeatable indicators that bring clarity and accountability

Measurement doesn't mean drowning your people in spreadsheets. It means asking the right questions, tracking what matters, and adjusting before surprises catch you off guard.

Because whether you're running a fire or running a project, the rule never changes: What you don't measure, you don't control.

In this episode of Project Command, we break down project metrics and how to use them to understand whether your project is actually on track. We cover what to measure, when to measure it, and how to turn data into actionable insight so fire officers and project leaders can make better decisions before small issues become big problems.

If it isn't assigned, it isn't going to happen.

On the fireground, unassigned tasks don't magically get done — and projects are no different.

In this Flash Points episode of Project Command, Lieutenant Duke Cuneo breaks down one of the most common (and quietest) reasons projects fail in the fire service: lack of ownership. Not bad ideas. Not missing funding. But the dangerous assumption that "someone else is handling it."

Using clear fireground parallels, this episode challenges vague project language like "let's circle back" and "someone should probably own this" — and replaces it with a simple, tactical truth: until a task has a name next to it, it's just smoke.

You'll learn:

Why unassigned tasks create delays and resentment in projects

How small gaps between ownership and execution stall progress

The leadership difference between collaboration and accountability

Why explicit ownership enables initiative instead of limiting it

A simple test to keep your projects moving with momentum

If you want your projects to run with the same clarity, purpose, and follow-through as a well-managed incident scene, this episode gives you a practical framework you can apply immediately.

Because in projects — just like on the fireground — if it isn't assigned… it isn't going to happen.

Project Command: Flash Points delivers quick, high-impact lessons that turn big project-management concepts into everyday tools for the fire service.

If you found this episode valuable, please like, share, or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Questions or comments? Email us at [email protected]

In this episode of Project Command, Captain Peter Younes sits down with Alec Wons to discuss the lessons he has learned from interviewing over 100 fire and police chiefs across North America. Drawing from those conversations, Alec breaks down the common patterns he has seen in organizational culture, leadership, and decision making that directly impact firefighter wellness and a department's ability to get meaningful work done.

The conversation explores why culture is often the deciding factor in whether initiatives succeed or stall, how leadership behaviors shape wellness far more than standalone programs, and what high performing public safety organizations consistently do differently. Alec also shares practical insights fire officers and administrators can apply immediately to build healthier teams, improve trust, and move complex projects forward without burning people out.