On this episode of Catching Wildfire, join Chief Jeff Johnson, Chief Kim Zagaris, and Chief Brian Fennessy as they discuss how effective leadership in the modern fire service requires a commitment to authenticity, a willingness to embrace technological innovation, and the persistence to overcome systemic resistance to change.

This conversation serves as a powerful mentorship session, capturing wisdom from seasoned fire service leaders. It underscores the idea that while the core mission of firefighting remains, the tools, tactics, and leadership philosophies must evolve. The key takeaway for current and future leaders is the need to balance respect for tradition with an urgent embrace of new technologies and a leadership style founded on humility, persistence, and a deep, service-oriented heart.

Chief Fennessy began his career in 1978 with the US Department of Agriculture's United States Forest Service and the US Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management working as a hotshot crewmember, hotshot/helishot/helitack captain and ultimately crew superintendent.

In 1990, Fennessy joined the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) and ultimately became Chief of the Department in 2015. One of his many accomplishments while with the SDFD was developing & establishing a multi-mission Fire/Rescue/EMS helicopter program designed to serve the citizens of the City of San Diego and the region.

Chief Fennessy has enjoyed a diversity of executive leadership and management experiences in both the wildland fire and metropolitan fire service communities. He believes that Mission-Driven Culture (MDC) is the future of the fire service and has presented on this topic at a variety of local, state, and national venues.

#catchingwildfire #publicsafety #fire #psbta #firstnet #leadership #wildfire

In this powerful episode of Catching Wildfire, Chief Jeff Johnson is joined by Michael Coad, Head of Product at Sonim Technologies, and Chief Zagaris, retired California State Fire & Rescue Chief. Together, they explore how Sonim’s ultra-rugged mobile devices are transforming wildfire response and public safety communications.

📱 Key Highlights:

The origin and impact of Sonim’s Band 14 FirstNet-enabled devices

Introduction of the XP Pro Thermal with FLIR imaging for hotspot detection and search & rescue

Launch of Mega Connect, a portable 5G high-power hotspot supporting up to 64 devices

Explanation of MegaRange and how it boosts connectivity up to 6x in remote areas

Sonim’s commitment to ruggedness, mission-critical audio, and FirstNet certification

Future innovations: high-power phones, off-cellular comms, satellite support, and AI-enhanced imaging

💡 Whether you're a firefighter, emergency responder, or tech enthusiast, this episode dives deep into the tools that keep first responders connected, safe, and effective—no matter the conditions.

#WildfireResponse #PublicSafety #FirstNet #SonimTechnologies #MegaConnect #ThermalImaging #CatchingWildfirePodcast #EmergencyTech #FirefighterTools #fire

https://www.sonimtech.com/

https://thepsbta.org/catching-wildfire/

During the 2025 Vision Summit, the Catching Wildfire podcast hosted the leaders representing the FirstNet public/private partnership. Chief Kim Zagaris had the opportunity to sit down with Scott Agnew, President of FirstNet, Built with AT&T, and Jeff Bratcher, Deputy Executive Director, Office of Operations and Chief Technology Officer with the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority).

This special edition podcast focuses on the origins of the FirstNet technical vision, the interactions and expectations between FirstNet, Built with AT&T and the FirstNet Authority to manage responses to wildfires, how the sustainable FirstNet reinvestment model ensures service and expansion of the network, and future forward actions benefitting public safety.

To learn more about FirstNet, Built with AT&T, please visit www.firstnet.com

To learn more about the FirstNet Authority, please visit www.firstnet.gov

#firstnet #wildfire #psbta #FNA #publicsafety

Welcome back to our podcast!

On this episode, our hosts, Chief Jeff Johnson and Chief Kim Zagaris, are joined by Chief David Winnacker to discuss the art of strategically staging resources and tools to effectively combat wildfires. Chief Winnacker shares the challenges and successes of his efforts to create a common operating picture for fire response. Chief Winnacker also speaks to the importance of developing and mentoring the next generation of talent in the fire service.

Chief Dave Winnacker is a retired fire chief who served in the fire service for 21 years, including his tenure as chief of the Moraga-Orinda Fire District from 2017 to 2024. He has a background in the Marine Corps, where he served as an infantry officer and later as the Commanding Officer of the 4th Force Reconnaissance Company. Currently, he is a Hoover Institution Veteran Fellow at Stanford University, focusing on wildfire risk and property insurance. He has also been involved in developing strategic wildfire risk reduction plans and has co-founded companies like ZoneHaven and XyloPlan Risk.

You can also stream our podcast on all major platforms. Learn more about the PSBTA and Catching Wildfire at www.thepsbta.org

#publicsafety #fire #emergencyresponse #wildfire #psbta

Welcome back to Catching Wildfire! On this episode, Chief Jeff Johnson and Chief Kim Zagaris speak with David Blankinship, President of Emergent. David shares how his background has contributed to the technical evolutions and innovations at Emergent. During the episode, they delve into how Emergent's fire apparatus hotspots and architectural design are making a difference in the fire industry.

About David Blankinship:

David has over 25 years of experience in Public Safety. He started in the Colorado Springs Fire Department and served as the Senior GIS Analyst applying technology to all-hazard risk analysis, tactical fireground support for major incidents and multiple national deployments. He has co-founded multiple Public Safety startups, including Intterra, an analytics and geospatial situational awareness company that produces software for public safety supporting municipal operations, wildland firefighting, performance analysis and pre-planning.

In 2020, he began serving as an Executive on Loan to the Western Fire Chiefs Association (WFCA) as the Senior Technology Advisor. In this role, he develops new technology use cases, problem solving for solutions at scale. He curates a portfolio of technology companies, and employs a standardized technology evaluation methodology to assist Public Safety Organizations effectively understand which technologies are best for them.

In 2021, after a successful exit from Intterra, he became the President of Emergent. This focuses on building a new generation in-field applications to firefighters, reducing cognitive demand for the front line of first responders during pressure-filled situations and a radical new paradigm for Public Safety interoperability.

In addition to being the President of Emergent and the Senior Technology Advisor to the Western Chiefs, he serves on both the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Technology Council and the WFCA Technology Committee. He is actively involved in local, state, and national initiatives addressing public safety technology, communications, policy, and risk initiatives.

For more information about Catching Wildfire, visit: https://thepsbta.org/catching-wildfire/

To learn more about Emergent, please visit: https://www.emergent.tech/

#publicsafety #wildfire #emergent #catchingwildfire #psbta #firstnet

Catching Wildfire: Cutting-edge technologies and innovations in wildfire

In this inaugural episode of the Catching Wildfire podcast series, Chief Jeff Johnson (Ret.) and Chief Kim Zagaris are joined by Dr. Neal Driscoll as they discuss the Alert West Wildfire Camera & Sensor Networks used to detect wildfires on the West Coast.

Dr. Neal Driscoll is the principal investigator of the ALERTCalifornia program at the University of California San Diego, where he is a professor of geology and geophysics at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Driscoll’s background in natural hazard research traces back more than 35 years. He has published more than 120 manuscripts in high impact peer-reviewed journals, including Science, Nature Geoscience, Geology, and the Journal of Geophysical Research on subjects ranging from earthquake hazards to devastating wildfires., He has received multiple awards during his career, including the Heezen and Storke Awards for excellence in research and UC San Diego’s inaugural Undergraduate Teaching Award. Driscoll has also appeared in articles published by The Associated Press, The New York Times, CBS News, The Los Angeles Times, KGTV, KPBS and other notable news outlets.

Driscoll received his Ph.D. in geology and geophysics from Columbia University and worked as an associate research scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Falmouth, MA before joining UC San Diego in 2000. His research interests at Scripps Oceanography include landscape and seascape evolution in response to tectonic deformation, sea-level fluctuations, climate, neotectonics, and geohazards.

#fireprevention #wildfire #psbta #publicsafety #technology #innovations