The FireDawg Podcast

Ben talks with Christian Jacobs regarding collection, use, and implications of data in the fire service.

Matt connected with Keith Collins of Fort Huachuca Fire Department in Arizona to discuss the importance of firefighter fitness and occupational fitness assessments.

Matt connected with Chris Lopardi to discuss the importance of building up your relationships, and how his trust network helped him while dealing with a tragic loss.

Ben, Kevin Ferguson, and Chris Engelke have a conversation about the importance of education.

Matt sat down and talked with Cody Freel about the permanent change of station (PCS) process, the experiences those have provided, and the importance of networking.

In Episode 28, Matt speaks with Brigadier General William Kale to discuss his experiences so far in the Air Force and the role he played as a Base Fire Marshall and Commander. So far in his career, he has commanded at the squadron, group, and wing levels, has served on three headquarters staffs, and has served as a Legislative Fellow. In addition to sharing his personal experiences, he also discusses what his role is for Air Force Firefighters, career field initiatives on his radar, and what his expectations are for Firefighters currently serving. Brig Gen Kale currently serves as the Air Force Director of Civil Engineers, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection at the Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.

In this episode, Matt & Ben talk with Chief David Donan. Chief Donan currently serves as the Fire Chief at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. He is a retired Chief Master Sergeant and has served in the Air Force Fire Service for 38 years. In the episode, he shares insights into his philosophy on training and leadership, explains some future FES initiatives, and also shares his experience with the C-17 crash on Elmendorf AFB in 2010.

In this episode, Matt connects with Nathan Hutslar and Erik Montes, both Silver Flag Instructors for the United States Air Force. Silver Flag is intended to prepare Air Force Civil Engineers and other support functions to operate in contingency environments. Nate and Erik share their experiences teaching firefighter contingency operations at the Tyndall AFB, FL, and Anderson AFB, Guam sites. They describe what students experience during a typical class, share some of the differences between the sites, and much more.

In this episode, Matt and Ben connect with CMSgt Daryl Hogan who shares his Air Force experiences. He has served as a Firefighter, First Sergeant, and now Command Chief for the 30th Space Wing, Vandenberg AFB, CA. In this energetic and inspiring discussion, he explains how each position has shaped his success and what others can do to achieve their own success.

Chief Hogan is on his way to be the Commandant of the Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course at Maxwell-Gunter AFB, AL which is the pinnacle of enlisted professional military education. In this position, he will lead a team in developing and preparing CMSgts to become strategic level leaders.

In Episode 24, Matt talks with Chris Bauchle and Travis Bender who are both Air Force Reserve and Indianapolis Firefighters. They developed and teach the AFRC Firefighter Rescue and Survival Course held at Dobbins ARB, GA.

They talk about their instruction methodology, discuss Firefighter response to stressful situations, and reinforce the importance of training reps to create "recognition primed decision-making" markers. Their instruction also incorporates fire service statistics such as mayday events and line of duty deaths.