Refined By Fire

“You guys are in the middle of it. You're the front lines.”

Dr. Graham Peaslee is a Professor of Experimental Nuclear Physics at University of Notre Dame. His current research project studies the quantity and persistence of PFAs contained in firefighter turnout gear.

Your Turnout Gear and PFOA Facebook

Last Call Foundation

“There’s no advanced-level training. There’s only advanced-level performance.”

Our guest for Episode 14 of Refined By Fire podcast is Jim McCormack of the Indianapolis Fire Department and the founder of Fire Department Training Network.

I have to be real with you guys. I’m kind of freaking out over this one. Jim is a wealth of knowledge with a pedigree as good as any, and he took the time to get deep into the weeds with me in discussions about training and skill acquisition. What an incredible privilege it was to have this talk with Jim, and to be able to share it with everyone.

Links:

FDTN (you should get a membership!)

My Facebook post re: skill acquisition

Emmanuel Fried’s Fireground Tactics

William Clark’s Firefighting Principles and Practices

A remembrance of Jim’s father, “Big Ed” McCormack

“Would you want you rescuing you?”

Episode 13 of Refined By Fire podcast featured Tom Johnson and John Spera of Fit to Fight Fire. Fit to Fight Fire is a website and platform that Tom and John use to motivate and educate firefighters in the realm of training and fitness. Fit to Fight Fire also produces a podcast, Lead Yourself, where this interview can also be found.

Reading links:

The Mission, The Men, and Me by Pete Blaber (Tom)

Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin (Tom)

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller (Stephen)

1 Corinthians 9:25-27 (John)

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This podcast features the song “Spray Paint it Gold”, by Little Glass Men, available under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

“I’ve always been a big believer that the fire department is there to give people hope.”

“Man, you just gotta go inside and look underneath it….”

"I may not go to a lot of fires, but I've never wasted one."

"What can I do to be that guy on my department?"

Chris "Stretch" Martin join us for Episode 9. Since entering the fire service as a high school cadet in 1996, Stretch has had an uncommon path through the profession. Serving as a firefighter during college at Notre Dame (which staffs its own standalone FD), a part-time FF, career FF, and multiple roles over two stints with Elkhart Brass, where he now operates as the Municipal Products Manager.  

Stretch walks us through his unique perspective on the fire service, the Brass Tacks and Hard Facts video series, great fire conferences, ditching the 1" tip on your ISO stack, classic literature, and ... the InstaPot? 

Articles:

The Instant Pot

Inspired by his choice for "What every firefighter should read": 100 Books Every Man Should Read

Jay Comella's Planning a Hose and Nozzle System

Resources:

Brass Tacks and Hard Facts YouTube

www.elkhartbrass.com

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This podcast features the song “Spray Paint it Gold”, by Little Glass Men, available under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

"The work, the suffering, the endurance -- that's where the beauty of our profession lies."

James Greenwood and Luke Miller are our guests for Episode 8. James and Luke (along with Joe Lunghofer — sorry we couldn’t get you there, Joe) are the driving forces behind the superb Boise Firefighter’s Symposium. Their backgrounds and experience are varied and have helped shape their unique perspectives and capabilities. 

James began his career in fire over twenty years ago as an engine dork on a wildland fire crew. Despite his ignominious beginnings (“The first time I ever slept outside was on my first fire”), James has gathered a wide and unique array of experience since that time, including completing law school and practicing law in Nevada, operating as a hotshot and a smokejumper, and transitioning to the structure firefighting world with Santa Fe FD before moving to Boise Fire Department in 2012. 

Luke has served with the Boise Fire Department since 2012, but has been serving our country since 1999 as a reservist in the Marine Corps. Luke was called into duty in 2004 for a tour in Iraq as a tanker. During this time, he was involved in a battle for which he was later decorated with the Military Vanguard Award and a Bronze Star. As one of the most humble men I’ve ever met, Luke only shares this story with us after much badgering, and continues to downplay his own role. You can read about this battle in Brian Stann’s book, Heart for the Fight, and well as this newspaper link.

Luke and James worked tirelessly to create and perfect the Boise Firefighter's Symposium (which is a part of FireNuggets, check out their classes and online magazine), along with many other passionate members at Boise Fire Department. Brothers in Battle will be there with our VES and both Basic and Advanced classes. Registration is open now. 

Books/articles discussed:

What Does It Mean to Be a Quiet Professional? By Rob Shaul

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

The Murder of the Impossible by James Greenwood

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This podcast features the song “Spray Paint it Gold”, by Little Glass Men, available under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

"Since he died, I have been obsessed. That might be a bad word, but I have been."

 Curt Isakson is a 28 year veteran of the fire service, a Battalion Chief at Escambia County Fire & Rescue, and a second generation firefighter. Curt is the owner of County Fire Tactics, a website resource for rural-to-urban firefighting. He's the driving force behind several incredible conferences, including High Rise Operations Conference, Command Officer Boot Camp, Water On the Fire, and the upcoming Leadership & Tactics Seminar. Chief Isakson is a passionate and renowned speaker, presenting at FDIC, Firehouse World, and Firemanship Conference PDX. Curt also owns the website www.firefighterrescues.com, which highlights the success of fire departments in saving civilian lives.

I had a blast talking with and learning from Curt. Our topics included the importance of team building, impetus for his mantras "It's Worth the Risk" and "Tactics Put Out Fires", the example and empowerment providing by his late father, Chief Roy Isakson, his support for the 7/8" smoothbore nozzle, and the LODD of his friend and co-worker Maurice Bartholomew and the impact it had on Curt's life and career. You can read Curt's tribute to his friend and the lessons learned

Regarding being "Picasso" on the nozzle: A Fading Art, "The Nozzle"

County Fire Tactics videos

Books Discussed:

 The Book of Andy

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This podcast features the song “Spray Paint it Gold”, by Little Glass Men, available under a Creative Commons Attribution license.

"If you're making it about you, then you're doing it wrong."

Dena Ali is our guest on Episode 5 of Refined By Fire . Dena is a 10 year veteran of the fire service -- having previously spent several years in law enforcement -- and serves as a Captain with Raleigh Fire Department. She's a board member for the incredible benevolence organization, the Carolina Brotherhood. She's an avid fitness junkie and an advocate with 5-5-5 Fitness. Dena is a prolific author and researcher, with over a dozen articles in national publications. Dena's writing niche comes in the form of conducting and/or studying academic research and then applying it to the fire service. Some great articles Dena has written that are discussed in the show:

Understanding Fire Service Suicide, the Key to Prevention

Awareness Level Firefighter Suicide Prevention

Also check out the November 2017 hard copy issue of Fire Engineering (Firefighter Wellness Supplement) for Dena's excellent article titled, Can Peer Support Prevent Firefighter Suicide? In this piece, Dena presents research by Dr. Thomas Joiner of Florida State University, including this theory:

PEER SUPPORT RESOURCES: Create, join, or receive peer support.

IAFF Behavioral Health Programs

Illinois Firefighter Peer Support

Florida Firefighters Safety and Health Collaborative

North Carolina Peer Support

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, PLEASE CALL (24/7):

Safe Call Now: 206-459-3020

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

Seriously, these resources save lives. Please consider getting involved as a Peer Supporter in your department or region. 

Books discussed:

The Last Men Out by Tom Downey

Podcast Referral:

Behind the Shield Podcast: Episode 39, Dustin Hawkins

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This podcast features the song “Spray Paint it Gold”, by Little Glass Men, available under a Creative Commons Attribution license.