Pretty stoked about my guest this week, Fire Chief Les Karpluk! Of course we're talking fire service, leadership and his NEW BOOK Coffee Cup Leadership. Les has written a phenomenal book that the fire service needs! It's all about putting rank aside and leading like a human being... It's about having those real conversations in the firehouse over coffee. Yah know, the hard ones we put off because we don't like being vulnerable... So sit back, listen in and let's get started with Part 1 of 2 with Fire Chief Les Karpluk! You can grab his latest book over at https://a.co/d/70Y8tSn

Guest Bio:

Les Karpluk

Starting his career in the Prince Albert Fire Department in 1982 and retiring in 2014, Les held several positions within the fire department, Battalion Chief, Deputy Chief and Fire Chief for over 8 years. In 2009 Les was recognized by the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs as the Fulltime Career Chief of the Year.

From 2014 to present Les has spoken about leadership across Canada and in the United States over 60 times and has written over 100 articles about leadership for online magazines. He has presented coast to coast at fire conferences in Canada and more specifically in the U.S at Fire House Expo in Nashville, Fire House World in San Diego, and the Smoky Mountain Rescue weekend in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN.

Les has been the Fire Chief of the Waskesiu Fire Department for Parks Canada from 2018 to present day. In 2007 He graduated with Distinction in the Bachelor of Applied Business: Emergency Services, (Lakeland College), and currently possesses FO-IV (JIBC), Emergency Management Certificate (JIBC) and certificates in Fire Service Leadership and Fire Service Administration (Dalhousie University), NFPA 1035 and Level 2 instructor NFPA 1041 and numerous courses through Athabasca University and Western Oregon State College. He is also an adjunct instructor for Dalhousie University, Justice Institute of British Columbia and Lakeland College in their fire service and business programs.

Les is president of his consulting company Genesis 20/20 Solutions Inc and works with fire departments to create strategic plans, master plans and emergency management plans.

Lt. Carl Lee Throckmorton - Part 2 of 2: Functional Fitness and Kaizen Groundworks

This is Part 2 with Lt. Carl Lee! Check out the bio below and be sure to check out part one if you haven't already. This week we finish up our conversation about functional fitness, tactical athletes, informal leadership and other fun fire department things. Sit back, listen in and let's get started mi compadres!

Extensive Guest Bio:

In 1993 Lee joined the Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service. Lee was part of a team of lifesavers that guarded and patrolled more than 5 miles of public oceanfront beaches in one of the busiest tourist destinations on the east coast. He was trained in surf lifesaving, surveillance and rescue techniques, as well as emergency medical response. He worked his way through the ranks and left the lifesaving service in 2015 as the First Lieutenant of Operations in charge of 250 members at the Virginia Beach OceanFront.

And there’s more…

Lee has also been a Strength and Conditioning Coach since 2008 and owned his own Gym from 2015-2018. His wife currently owns a strength and condition gym that he is very much a part of. He has degrees and certifications that I can’t even begin to mention, but most important of all has the experience matched with education. He recently founded a company called Kaizen Groundworks. He specializes in making sure all your needs are met as a tactical athlete as it pertains to fitness.

Let’s get right to it. The fire service is not a competition of who can do it better or what department is better. This is a collective effort to provide the communities we serve in with the best possible outcome during an emergency! I would say we are competitive in nature, but it’s gotten to the point where some days the competition turns into mud slinging. Maybe let's work together?! 

Well, it's January and everyone is making those "fitness changes." So, I couldn't think of a better month to bring on my friend Carl Lee Throckmorton. He is a 26 year veteran of the fire service, joined the Virginia Beach Life Saving service in 1993, and has been a strength and conditioning coach since 2008. He has a passion for fitness in the fire service and 100% believes that we are tactical athletes (I agree with him.) Listen in as we discuss all things informal leadership, tactical athletes, and functional fitness. This is Part 1 of a 2 part episode! Check back next week for Part 2! 

Guest Bio:

Carl Lee Throckmorton has over 25 years with Norfolk Fire Rescue in Norfolk, Virginia and has just recently retired as a Lieutenant. He did a significant amount of that time as a firefighter/paramedic and was a proven informal leader in the fire service. Lee also has a law enforcement background. He was appointed to the Norfolk Fire Rescue’s fire Marshal's office in 2009 and graduated from the police academy in 2010. He served as a fire investigator until 2012 when he returned to operations. Lee is also the founding member of the Norfolk Fire Rescue fitness committee and has been passionate about moving fitness forward in the department.

In 1993 Lee joined the Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service. Lee was part of a team of lifesavers that guarded and patrolled more than 5 miles of public oceanfront beaches in one of the busiest tourist destinations on the east coast. He was trained in surf lifesaving, surveillance and rescue techniques, as well as emergency medical response. He worked his way through the ranks and left the lifesaving service in 2015 as the First Lieutenant of Operations in charge of 250 members at the Virginia Beach OceanFront.

And there’s more…

Lee has also been a Strength and Conditioning Coach since 2008 and owned his own Gym from 2015-2018. His wife currently owns a strength and condition gym that he is very much a part of. He has degrees and certifications that I can’t even begin to mention, but most important of all has the experience matched with education. He recently founded a company called Kaizen Athletics. He specializes in making sure all your needs are met as a tactical athlete as it pertains to fitness. 

New Year, New You? No. Why do we feel the need to "reinvent" ourselves every year? What if we just figured out who we were as men and women in the fire service? What if we set some consistent goals we could be committed to? Someone should do a podcast on this....

It's the end of 2022 and everyone is talking about New Years Resolutions and what they are going to do next year. Why? There are still 19 days left in this year. Don't put off for tomorrow what can be down today! Why are you waiting till 2023 to accomplish what you set out to accomplish?! Use the last part of this year to hit it hard and finish strong. Let's not finish the year eating cheese and crackers and drinking egg nog. Don't go in to 2023 with your foundation being procrastination! Take advantage of the time we have left! 2022 is not over. 

P.S. I do like cheese and crackers and egg nog. 

This episode is all about taking ownership of your career in the fire service, staying fully involved in your decision to take ownership, and making the decision not to quit. The fire service is not easy every day. Our standards, morals, and patience are tested DAILY! These are three simple things you can do to make your career in the fire service all the more enjoyable! Sit back, listen in, and let's get started!

This is Part 2 of 2 with my guest Jake Barnes. Jake is a training Chief and is passionate about three things. Pride, training, and physical fitness in the fire service. In this episode we get into pride, training, and you guessed it, physical fitness. We also discuss his passion for teaching NFPA 1403 courses as well as discussing a holiday argument that needs to be settled. Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? You can check out a more formal bio below and check out Jake's podcast, Three Point Firefighter as soon as you get done with this one. Sit back, listen in, and let's get started!

Jake Barnes’ career started in the U.S. Air Force, where he served for five years as a fire protection specialist. Since leaving the military, Barnes worked as a firefighter in Lexington, Kentucky, for eight years and in New Albany, Indiana, for 18 years, where he currently serves as Battalion Chief of Training. Barnes is an instructor for the International Society of Fire Service Instructors, teaching NFPA 1403, Fixed Facility, Basement Fire, and Training Officer Credential classes, and serves as the host of 3 Point Firefighter, a podcast focused on pride, training and physical fitness.

This is Part 1 of 2 with my guest Jake Barnes. Jake is a training Chief and is passionate about three things. Pride, training, and physical fitness in the fire service. In this episode we get into pride, training, and you guessed it, physical fitness. We also discuss his passion for teaching NFPA 1403 courses as well as discussing a holiday argument that needs to be settled. Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? You can check out a more formal bio below and check out Jake's podcast, Three Point Firefighter as soon as you get done with this one. Sit back, listen in, and let's get started!

Jake Barnes’ career started in the U.S. Air Force, where he served for five years as a fire protection specialist. Since leaving the military, Barnes worked as a firefighter in Lexington, Kentucky, for eight years and in New Albany, Indiana, for 18 years, where he currently serves as Battalion Chief of Training. Barnes is an instructor for the International Society of Fire Service Instructors, teaching NFPA 1403, Fixed Facility, Basement Fire, and Training Officer Credential classes, and serves as the host of 3 Point Firefighter, a podcast focused on pride, training and physical fitness.

This weeks episode is all about self reflection. That's why its called look in the mirror... One of the most powerful things you can do in the fire service is take a look at where you are at in your career and begin to make the necessary changes. It's either that or talk trash about where other people are in their career to make yourself feel better! The choice is yours my friends. So, sit back, listen in, and let's get started.