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This morning, I give an update on the fires that started and burned through the night in Southern California. Multiple new starts have evacuated nearly 100,000 people, likely destroying hundreds of homes and businesses and tapping wildfire resources in the State.

People are understandably looking to place blame for these fires, but it is still incredibly early in these disaster situations. As of this morning, I cover the details we know and discuss the known issues ignored in Southern California for years that intensify these types of fires.

This will likely be some of the most devastating fires we have seen in Southern California in some time. There are already reports of looting, hydrants running out of water, civilians interfering with fire radio frequencies, and more.

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Today, I welcome Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, who heads the U.S. Fire Administration.

Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell was appointed by President Joseph Biden as the U.S. fire administrator on Oct. 25, 2021. Prior to her appointment, Lori served nearly 3 years as the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the International Public Safety Data Institute, which she founded after retiring from a 26-year tenure as a senior executive in the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).

Today, we discuss the autonomous helicopters being developed for wildfire, some of which we may see in California as early as next year, and the new wildfire AI systems being installed for detection. We also discuss the difficulties with the post-fire recovery that took place after the Lahaina Fire in Hawaii.

We dive into the PFAS studies being conducted by the U.S. Fire Administration and other agencies with concerns about firefighter cancer rates at all-time highs. They are working to find new gear and retardants for firefighters that don’t contain these chemicals.

A wide-ranging and fascinating conversation.

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Today, I welcome Scott Gorman, who ran the Dalton Hotshots before making the jump to Orange County to run Santiago Crew 1. Scott started his career in 1995 and was motivated to challenge himself and pursue a wildfire career after finding a mentor in an El Cariso Hotshot who ran his Americorp crew. Through the apprenticeship program, he soon found himself on Dalton Hotshots and worked his way up the ranks, ultimately taking the crew over in 2017.

After a long time with the Fed fire agencies, he made the decision to move to Orange County to run Santiago Crew 1, where he continues his work today. We discuss his career, his decision to leave the Feds, and the ongoing issues we see today that he tried to address with his time on planning committees and as superintendent. He faced the same roadblocks many experience today.

We also discuss what it’s like to take on the role of superintendent, looking out for your people, building a culture, and dealing with the inevitable tragedies that firefighters face along the way.

A very timely and important conversation.

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more. https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/

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Today, I welcome Dr. Luke Montrose, assistant professor of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences at Colorado State University. His work focuses on the health effects of wildfire smoke, and he studies how human behaviors and environment affect the way our bodies read DNA.

We discuss his ongoing study, which focuses directly on wildland firefighters and their reproductive health when exposed to prolonged durations of wildfire smoke.

Montrose’s lab investigates wildfire smoke effects “from cell to society” and translates findings to assist vulnerable populations in identifying mitigation strategies that limit exposure impacts. Further, the lab looks beyond the lung to understand how other sensitive organs – like the brain and reproductive system – are affected.

Montrose earned his B.S. in biology at Heidelberg University and his Ph.D. in environmental toxicology at the University of Montana. He completed his postdoctoral studies at the University of Michigan and began his career as faculty at Boise State University.

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

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I am honored to welcome Chief Brian Fennessy, who has a long and distinguished wildfire career that has led him to become President of the California Fire Chiefs Association (CalChiefs) and Chief of the Orange County Fire Authority.

We had a very candid conversation about the ongoing issues with the Forest Service’s aviation supervisor policy that made the news last week. Chief Fennessey lays out what he is seeing on the ground and asks the important question of why now.

We discussed how the workforce shortage, wage issues, and policy issues affect everyone in the field and the communities surrounding our forests. I also asked him about the arson fires in California, the Park Fire this year being the fourth largest in California’s history, and why we are seeing an increase in this criminal behavior.

Chief Fennessy began his career in 1978 with the US Department of Agriculture's Forest Service and the US Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management as a Hotshot crewmember, Helitack Captain, and ultimately crew superintendent.

This was an incredible conversation, and I thank Chief Fennessey for taking the time to come on the show.

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

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THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

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I welcome the founders of FiredUp Partners, a wildfire advocacy group working to advance real solutions for wildland firefighters nationwide. They have recently returned from Washington, D.C., where they worked on the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act, better housing, benefits, and more. We discuss the realities of working with Congress and the Agencies right now and what the future looks like.

It’s a straightforward, candid conversation about what firefighters and their families can expect from the WFFPPA and the many hurdles to getting to where we are today. We also talk about fire families' struggles while their partners are away for the season and the very real struggles when they return home.

We get into so much, and it was great to have Janelle and Lacey on the show. They are both married to wildland firefighters and know the ups and downs of what that entails. That’s precisely why they have taken the steps to create FiredUp Partners to advocate for all the wildfire families out there.

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.

On Today’s Episode: Subscribe 👇https://thehotshotwakeup.substack.com/

THE HOTSHOT WAKE UP — Thank you to all of our paid subscribers. Your support allows us to donate generously to firefighter charities and supports all of our content. You also receive all of our article archives, more podcast episodes, Monday morning workouts, and also entered into our giveaways, plus more.