FIREFIGHTER SUCCESS PODCAST: Recent Episodes
Jim Moss
When lives depend on us, success is our only option. Learn from successful firefighters and fire service leaders on how to achieve excellence, continuously improve, and leave a lasting impact and legacy in the fire service. Learn more about the Firefighter Success book at FirefighterSuccessBook.com.
David Hesselmeyer started in the emergency services in 1997. He holds certifications such as North Carolina Firefighter Level II, Advanced Firefighter, Rescue Technician, Hazardous Materials Level I Responder, EMT-Paramedic, Executive Emergency Management Coordinator, and Certified Emergency Manager.
Currently David volunteers with Buies Creek Fire Rescue as a Firefighter/EMT, is an adjunct instructor at Campbell University in the Homeland Security program, and speaks at state and national conferences. David is also a contributing writer for the Carolina Fire Rescue Journal and Fire Engineering magazine.
Lastly, he is the President and CEO of On Target Preparedness, an all hazards emergency services consulting company located in North Carolina.
Learn more at OnTargetPrep.com.
Jared Vermuelen is a captain with Boca Raton Fire Rescue in Florida where he has served for over 15 years. He is a first generation firefighter that entered the fire service in 2007 after working as a paramedic for a local ambulance company and hospital. Jared Specializes in hazardous materials, rope rescue, trench rescue, confined space, and heavy extrication as a part of his department’s regional hazmat team for Boca Raton and Palm Beach County.
Jared is the author of the book “The Modern Fire Officer,” which is intended to help officers create healthy crews and prepare for the many challenges they will face throughout their leadership.
Learn more about him and his book at ModernFireOfficer.com
Arjuna George is the author of “Burnt Around The Edges, A guide to Mastering Stress and Surviving Burnout.” He retired in 2021 as the Fire Chief for Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue after 24 years of service.
Chief George is a trauma-informed resilience coach and T.R.E.® Provider specializing in performance coaching for burnout prevention and recovery for fire chiefs and fire leaders.
He is a family man, entrepreneur, and author with a passion for helping others lead healthier and happier lives.
Learn more at his website: BurntAroundTheEdges.com
Ryan Rodriquez is a firefighter/paramedic who has been on the job for 16 years. He is the founder of IGNITEd, a company where he provides public strength training and nutrition coaching services as well as private leadership and teamwork consulting services. Ryan also hosts the IGNITEd Firefighter Podcast, where he talks about all things fire service related in order to help his audience deal with the mental, physical, and emotional stressors of the job.
Ryan’s new book is called “Own It! Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability.” You can learn more about his book and listen to his podcast at IgnitedFF.com.
Jesse Quinalty is a Master Instructor and the owner of Red Helmet Training in Southern California which houses four classrooms and a command training center. He specializes in Company Officer Training as well as table top and digital fire simulations. He is a Captain with the San Bernardino County Fire Department working in Battalion 10 and was the Operations and Training Captain at his previous department.
Jesse has authored several articles in fire service magazines and has recently published a book titled Rescue Me: Strategies and Tactics for Employee Fires.
He has presented at several conferences including the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC), Firehouse World San Diego, Firehouse Expo Nashville, Fire Rescue International (FRI), Fire Shows West – Reno, Fire Rescue South Carolina and the Virginia Fire Rescue Conference.
Lastly, he is the producer and host of the monthly video series “Firefighters in Fire Trucks getting Ice Cream” and “The Firefighter Book Club.”
Learn more at RedHelmetTraining.com and FirefighterBookClub.com.
Chief Curt Isakson is a 30-plus year veteran of the fire service, with experience working in volunteer, career, and combination departments in urban, suburban, rural, and countywide settings.
He is currently a battalion chief for Escambia County Fire Rescue in Florida where he has worked for the last 21 years. Before his time with Escambia, Curt was a Company Officer with the Pensacola Fire Department assigned to Heavy Rescue 31 for 9 years.
Lastly, he is the founder of County Fire Tactics, a go-to resource for firefighter training. With popular conferences such as Water on The Fire, High-rise Operations, Command Officer Bootcamp, and THE Fire Conference coming in 2023, County Fire Tactics is making a huge impact on the fire service.
Learn more at CountyFireTactics.com
John Cuomo is a firefighter and paramedic, author and owner of Wild Bull Media, Inc. With over 20 years as a firefighter, John is passionate about the fire and police communities and the service they provide to our country. In his career, John served as a driver/engineer, lieutenant, and captain and stepped up as EMS chief, battalion chief, and training chief.
John is currently working on a new book about PTSD and mental health within the fire service, a subject he considers a priority. With more advocacy, John hopes to reduce the stigma associated with PTSD. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he now lives in Florida with his wife and children.
Learn more at FDLeadership.com.
Josh Wells is an Arizona native who has been a firefighter for nearly two decades. He currently serves as a captain for the Sedona Fire District.
In 2010, Josh took his first promotional test for captain and failed miserably. He was discouraged after this loss, but this set him on a quest to find a path to promotional testing success.
In 2016 Josh placed #1 on a captain's test and was promoted shortly thereafter. After his promotion, Josh helped many other firefighters reach the top of their promotional testing lists. Josh refined this system and published “The Promotion Playbook” in 2020, which reveals a proven path to promotional test success.
Josh is happily married to his wife, Faith, and the couple enjoy raising three great kids.
Doug Mitchell is a captain in the New York City Fire Department with 30 years of fire experience, the last 23 being with the FDNY.
He is a principal member of the NFPA 1400 committee and co-authored Fire Engineering’s “25 to Survive: Reducing Residential Injury and LODD” in 2013 with his fire service brother Dan Shaw. Make sure you go back to episode 50 of the Firefighter Success Podcast and check out Chief Shaw’s popular episode.
Doug also has a Bachelor’s degree from University of MD Baltimore County and resides in Orange County NY with his wife and three children.
Julian Serrano is a firefighter with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue in Florida. He is passionate about mentorship, leadership, training and firefighter fitness. Early in his career, he decided to take ownership of his fitness, losing nearly 100 pounds. Since then, he has become a Florida Smoke Diver and ultramarathon runner.
Since the last time he was on the Firefighter Success Podcast, Julian created Prepared to Fight Fire, an intense 8-week fitness program which helps aspiring firefighters get physically and mentally prepared for the job.
To sign up and get a FREE Firefighter Success book, go to PreparedToFightFire.com/FirefighterSuccess
Dan McBride isa firefighter in Chelan County, Washington. He started out as a volunteer firefighter, following in his dad’s footsteps, who is a 39-year fire service veteran and deputy chief. Dan shifted gears and went into law enforcement, serving 7 years as a corrections officer in maximum security.
In addition to serving as a firefighter in Chelan County, he is the founder and CEO of Thinline Anthem, a company whose mission is to assist first responders with their mental and physical health so that they can take care of themselves, their families, and the communities they serve.
Learn more at ThinLineAnthem.com
Eddie Buchanan began his fire service career in 1982 and is currently the Chief of Administration for Hanover Fire-EMS in Richmond, Virginia. He is a past president of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors and was the George D. Post Instructor of the Year in 2015 for the creation of the SLICE-RS concept, which was incorporated into the ISFSI’s Principles of Modern Fire Attack Program.
Eddie serves on the Executive Advisory Board for FDIC and Fire Engineering Magazine and on the NFPA Technical Committee for Fire Services Training. He is the author of the “Volunteer Training Officer’s Handbook” from Fire Engineering Books and Videos.
Mike Matros is a career firefighter paramedic of 16 years and is currently with the Sudbury Fire Department in Massachusetts. Mike is also the founder and executive director of the Hero's Cup Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on the health and safety of all first responders.
In addition to Mike's non-profit work, Mike is also the founder and President of RedLine Gear Cleaning, a nationwide turnout gear cleaning company that provides on-site cleaning services directly at fire departments.
Learn more at: https://redlinegearcleaning.com and http://heroescuphockey.com
Paul Hasenmeier is a 22-year fire service veteran and the fire chief of the Sunset Beach Fire Department in North Carolina. He is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program. He also possesses a bachelor’s degree in Fire Science from Columbia Southern University as well as a master’s degree in Public Administration from Capella University.
Paul is also a lead faculty member at Columbia Southern University where he teaches online courses in their fire administration program. He has presented on various topics across the United States and Canada, including the following classes: It’s Not a Costume: No Excuses Firemanship, Evaluation Strategies for Mentors, Company Bosses, and Chiefs, and School Bus Extrication.
Scott Geiselhart is a 24-year retired assistant chief from the Frazee Fire Department of Minnesota. He is a PTSD, addiction, and suicide-attempt survivor. Scott escaped a near-death experience on his road to discovery and recovery from his post-traumatic stress disorder.
Scott is now a national speaker who shares his message of healing and redemption with thousands of first responders. He is also a co-author of the IAFC’s Yellow Ribbon Report “Under the Helmet: Performing an Internal Size-Up.” As a mental health practitioner and a certified peer support specialist, he has received crisis intervention training, suicide prevention training, and critical incident stress management training.
Learn more about Scott and his journey at SeeingInColorAgain.com.
Nicholas Papa is a lieutenant with the New Britain Fire Department in Connecticut, where he has served for more than 14 years. A second-generation firefighter, he entered the fire service in 2003, volunteering for a neighboring suburb until his appointment to the New Britain Fire Department.
Nick is the author of Coordinating Ventilation: Supporting Extinguishment & Survivability, and has been an FDIC classroom instructor since 2017. He is a technical panelist for the UL-FSRI Study on Coordinated Fire Attack in Acquired Structures. Lastly, he is the founder of Fireside Training, an organization that “empowers initiative through competency.”
Learn more at https://firesidetraining.org
Nicholas J. Higgins is a firefighter and district training officer for Piscataway Fire District #2 in Piscataway, New Jersey. He is a New Jersey State Level 2 Fire Instructor, a National Fallen Firefighters Foundation state advocate, and a member of the Board of Directors for the 5-Alarm Task Force—a 501 (c) (3), non-profit organization.
Nick is also the founder and a contributor of The Firehouse Tribune website. He has taught “Critical Thinking and Fireground Decision Making” and “Critical Thinking and The Fireground Officer” at various fire departments throughout the country, at Firehouse Expo, and other fire conferences nationwide.
He is the author of “The 5-Tool Firefighter,” a book that helps firefighters perform at their highest level.
Learn more at: TheFirehouseTribune.com
Ryan Johnston is a 30-year student of the fire service, with the last 24 years as a career firefighter. Ryan is also a rescue technician at the Waterville Fire Department in Maine. He is also a lieutenant in his hometown with the Oakland Fire Department.
Ryan is also a contributing writer for Firefighter Nation and a charter member of the Managing Officer Program at The National Fire Academy.
He is the owner of Maineiac Training: A small fire training company that prides itself on providing realistic fire training. Follow Maineiac Training on Facebook and Instagram at @maineiactraining.
Murphy Arsenaux is a retired captain and 37-year veteran of the fire service. He started his career at the New Orleans Fire Department and finished it at St. George Fire Department in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Check out episode 054 with Murphy, where we discuss his book: A Company of Leaders: Leading at Every Level
On this episode, we welcome Murphy's co-author for Firehouse Mentor, Lieutenant Nick Joiner. Nick has been in the fire service for 26 years. In 1995, at 19-years-old, he started his career at Abbeville Fire Department in Louisiana. In 2008, he made the move to Industrial Emergency Services in Baton Rouge to work as an industrial firefighter in an oil refinery plant.
In 2010, Nick left the industrial scene and joined the St. George Fire Department, where he currently holds the rank of Lieutenant. Nick also serves on the honor guard for SGFD. He is passionate about promoting leadership, physical fitness and pursuing his education.
In 2018, Nick started “10 Rounds Firefighting”, a fire service, task-related fitness program to help inspire other firefighters to get into top physical condition. He is a part-time Training Instructor, Physical Fitness Instructor and also leads leadership forums at SGFD for captains, lieutenants, and firefighters. In 2017, Nick was overwhelmingly voted as “Firefighter of the Year” by his peers.
Murphy Arsenaux is a 37-year veteran of the fire service. He is the author of A Company of Leaders, Leading At Every Level andCo-author of Firehouse Mentor.
He entered the New Orleans Fire Department in 1984 and rose to captain in 1995. In 1999 he transferred to the St. George Fire Department in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and in 2000 he was promoted to captain again. His assignments have varied, from leading one of the busiest engines in the city of New Orleans, assisting in the development of a first responder pilot program for the NOFD, to serving as a training officer at St. George Fire.
Murphy is a contributing writer for B Shifter Magazine where he writes articles on leadership. He looks forward to retirement and spending more time with his wife of 33 years, their 21 year old autistic son, daughter, and grandchildren. His passion is studying the Holy Scriptures and helping others.
Both of his books can be purchased at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.
Jared Van Ek is a lieutenant with the Spartanburg City Fire Department in South Carolina - an ISO Class 1 and Internationally Accredited Fire Department. He is a 31-year fire service veteran – serving 24 years as a volunteer and the last 7 as a career firefighter.
Jared is passionate about fitness and is an avid trail runner and Spartan racer. He is a certified Peer Fitness Trainer, a CrossFit level 1 Trainer and leads a Fitness Team as the Fire Department’s Peer Fitness Coordinator.
Jared is also a shift Training Coordinator for the department and is a part time instructor at the Spartanburg County Emergency Services Academy.
In addition, Jared is also the President of the Spartanburg City Professional Firefighters Association, IAFF Local 369.
Jared has been married to his wife Mary for 25 years and has two daughters, Rachael and Leah. He enjoys spending time with his family at the beach and the lake.
Stephen Shaw is a 26-year veteran of the fire rescue service. He is the Assistant Chief for Training & EMS for Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue. Chief Shaw is an accredited Chief Fire Officer and the chair of the EMS Subcommittee for the Fire Chiefs Association of Broward County. He serves as Vice Chair of the South Florida Local Emergency Planning Committee. He is an IAFC Hazmat Committee member and a Hazmat Specialist for USAR Task Force 2.
As an instructor and writer, his articles have been featured in Fire Engineering magazine and he is a regular contributor to the Humpday Hangout focusing on training. He has presented at multiple conferences on topics including leadership, officer development, EMS, and training.
Lastly, he is a dedicated family man with a beautiful wife and two sons. In his spare time, he brews beer, makes handcrafted soap, and enjoys working in his garage.
Steve Pegram is a 35-year firefighter who has served in every rank from firefighter to Chief in both the volunteer and career fire services. Chief Pegram has been Fire Chief of Goshen Township Fire and EMS since 2009, and is set to retire on January 1, 2022. He will start his new role of Township Administrator for Goshen Township soon after.
He has a laundry list of accomplishments, which include (but are not limited to):
- Being the past president of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors,
- An FDIC Instructor and member of the Fire Engineering/FDIC Advisory Board,
- And he was awarded the President’s Award from the IAFC for his work as chairman of the COVID19 Economic Task Force
- And many more…
Chief Pegram is working towards his Masters in Public Administration and was recently accepted to the Harvard Kennedy School of Government credential program.
Lastly, he is active in his church, serves on the board of several non-profits, and owns a consulting business with three of his best friends. He and his wife, Mollie, live in Goshen, Ohio with their children: Jack and Riley.
Dan Shaw is a Deputy Fire Chief for the Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department in Northern Virginia and 29-year veteran of the fire service. He is a national fire educator who has instructed at FDIC since 2009.
Chief Shaw is a Vice President of Traditions Training, teaching all over the United States on fire service topics and leadership. He has been published in Fire Engineering magazine, is a regular contributor to the monthly Fire Engineering Google Hangout, and in 2013 co-authored the incredibly important book: 25 to Survive: Reducing Residential Injury and Line-of-duty Deaths with Captain Doug Mitchell.
Brian Olson is a 13-year veteran of the Eagle Fire Department in Eagle, Idaho. He is a founding member of the Firefighter Rescue Survey, a Brothers in Battle Instructor, and a Georgia Smoke Diver. He is also a dedicated husband, father, and man of faith.
Brian one of the hard-chargers in the fire service who takes a no-nonsense, no-excuse approach to every aspect of his life.
Take the Firefighter Rescue Survey at: FirefighterRescueSurvey.com
Dennis Reilly is a forty-eight-year fire service veteran currently serving as the Fire Chief in Pittsburg, Kansas. Prior to his current position, he was the Fire Chief in Sunrise Beach, Missouri, an Assistant Chief in North Carolina & California and he retired as a Battalion Chief in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. During his time in New Jersey, Dennis became one of the original members of the New Jersey Urban Search & Rescue Task Force 1. As part of Task Force 1, Chief Reilly made several deployments, including New York City as part of the response to the Terrorist Attacks of 9/11.
Chief Reilly holds a Master Degree in Public Administration from Penn State University and is a CFO. An accomplished author and lecturer, Chief Reilly is active in numerous professional development activities within the fire service.
Outside of his fire service career, Dennis is a US Army veteran having served in Iraq during the Operation Desert Storm. From 2007 – 2010, he worked as an independent contractor providing protective services to several different government clients in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Chief Reilly has been married to his wife Ann for over 35 years. They have two adult children, and three grandchildren.
Chris Hickman has served for nearly 27 years in the emergency services. Chris currently serves as a Captain/Paramedic for Ocala Fire Rescue in Florida.
During his career, Chris has remained active as a mentor, coach, and advocate for the community’s youth. His passion for inspiring the next generation of leaders has been highlighted accomplishments that range from Florida High School Football Championships, to teaching/coaching martial arts, to mentoring the future and present members of the fire service.
Chris is the coordinator for the Ocala-Marion Mentorship Program. The program has developed nearly 350 aspiring firefighters and has helped gain employment for many of these candidates. Chris is also passionate about training, leadership, and fitness.
Chief Eric Dreiman has been a firefighter since 1990. He has served in every rank from firefighter up to division chief. He is currently the Chief of Training at the Indianapolis Fire Department. He serves on several state and local training boards and he is currently the Chairman of the Indiana Board of Firefighting Personnel Standards and Education.
Chief Dreiman holds multiple fire and EMS certifications and has a Bachelor’s of Science from Indiana University and a degree in Fire Science from Vincennes University. Eric teaches nationally at FDIC, Firehouse Expo, Firehouse World and other regional fire conferences. He is also a contributor to Fire Engineering magazine. He has taught 1000's of firefighters across the United States and several foreign countries.
Julian Serrano is a firefighter with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue in Florida. He is passionate about mentorship, leadership, training and firefighter fitness.
Early in his career, he decided to take ownership of his fitness, losing nearly 100 pounds. Since then, he has become a Florida Smoke Diver and ultramarathon runner.
Julian is also passionate about firefighter mental health, teaching fellow firefighters about PTSD and suicide awareness.
Tilden Billiter is a 24-year fire service veteran and the assistant chief at the Sacramento Fire Department in California. He also serves as the director of training, overseeing all in-service training, recruit and lateral training academies, college fire academy, health and fitness program, and emergency vehicle operations program.
Tilden is the previous assistant chief of EMS and a previous shift commander. He also served as the drill master of the Regional Fire Academy, teaching nationwide on firefighter safety and survival, as well as truck company operations.
P.J. Norwood is the Director of Training at the Connecticut Fire Academy. He is a retired deputy chief from the East Haven Fire Department in Connecticut and has served four years with the Connecticut Army National Guard.
Chief Norwood is a FDIC classroom, workshop, and HOT Instructor, a Fire Engineering Advisory Panel Member, a Fire Engineering book and video author of “The Evolving Fireground - Researched Based Tactics” and the “Tactical Perspectives” DVD Series. P.J. is a Contributing author to “Pass It On II & III.”
He also serves on the UL-FSRI Technical Panel for the Study of Residential Attic Fire Mitigation Tactics and Exterior Fire Spread Hazards on Fire Fighter Safety. P.J. is a Public Safety Education Group advisory member for UL-FSRI. He has lectured across the United States and internationally. He is certified to the Fire Instructor II, Fire Officer III, Fire Marshal and paramedic levels.
Learn more at: StopBelievingStartKnowing.com
Listen to Jim Moss' interview from the "Fire & Iron Podcast," where Matt, Ryan and Jim discuss the Firefighter Success book, personal leadership, living intentionally, and much more. Make sure to subscribe to the Fire and Iron Podcast and listen often.
Learn more at FirefighterSuccessBook.com.
Benjamin Martin currently serves as a captain with a large metro fire department in Virginia. He provides leadership training workshops and keynotes internationally and throughout the United States. Ben blends over 18 years of public safety experience with his ongoing Ph.D. study of human behavior and motivation to provide an entertaining and unfiltered view on a variety of leadership topics such as communication, command and control strategies, conflict management, and emotional intelligence.
Ben is the founder of the popular website and leadership movement EmbraceTheResistance.com, which features leadership training for existing and aspiring leaders. In addition to his leadership blogs, he is a contributing author to several leadership books and has published articles in Fire Engineering, FireRescue, Fire Department Training Network (FDTN), International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI), FirefighterToolbox, and FirefighterWife.
Benjamin Martin currently serves as a captain with a large metro fire department in Virginia. He provides leadership training workshops and keynotes internationally and throughout the United States. Ben blends over 18 years of public safety experience with his ongoing Ph.D. study of human behavior and motivation to provide an entertaining and unfiltered view on a variety of leadership topics such as communication, command and control strategies, conflict management, and emotional intelligence.
Ben is the founder of the popular website and leadership movement EmbraceTheResistance.com, which features leadership training for existing and aspiring leaders. In addition to his leadership blogs, he is a contributing author to several leadership books and has published articles in Fire Engineering, FireRescue, Fire Department Training Network (FDTN), International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI), FirefighterToolbox, and FirefighterWife.
Ali Rothrock has been a firefighter and emergency medical technician in the volunteer fire service since 2005. She has delivered more than 500 presentations nationwide and she is the Founder and Lead Instructor for 'On the Job and Off,' an online platform dedicated to building more resilient first responders. Since its creation in 2018, its training programs are regarded as some of the best first responder mental health courses in the country.
Ali is a CISM Team Member, Behavioral Health Specialist, and Certified Trauma Responder. She is also the Executive Director of First Responders Care, a non-profit that educates first responders to take an active role in their communities' resilience.
Ali is the author of Where Hope Lives, a 2010 self-published memoir detailing her journey through her first few years in the fire service and the adversity she had to face as a young, female firefighter. Her second book After Trauma details her story of trauma recovery and features others' stories as well. After Trauma is set to be published on April 12, 2022.
Learn more at AliWRothrock.com.
Mike Dugan is a 27-year veteran of the FDNY and served as the captain of Ladder Company 123 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. As a lieutenant, he served in Ladder Company 42 in the South Bronx. While assigned as a firefighter in Ladder Company 43 in Spanish Harlem, Dugan received the James Gordon Bennett medal in 1992 and the Harry M. Archer Medal in 1993---the FDNY’s highest award for bravery.
Captain Dugan is also a longtime instructor at FDIC. He is a contributing editor to Fire Engineering magazine and also on the FDIC and Fire Engineering Executive advisory boards. Mike is a nationally featured lecturer on topics such as: truck company operations, building construction, size up and today’s fire service. Lastly, Mike was also the recipient of the "Tom Brennan Lifetime Achievement Award at FDIC 2021.
Jason Sautel entered the fire service at the age of 18 with CAL Fire in Riverside County. Shortly thereafter, he became an Alameda County Paramedic assigned to the city of Oakland and then joined the Oakland Fire Department. He spent 22 years on the frontline as a first responder followed by an additional five years of teaching at a private training center.
He now spends his days writing, speaking at events nationally, and podcasting. His first book, The Rescuer: One Firefighter’s Story Of Courage, Darkness, And The Relentless Love That Saved Him,has hit the shelves internationally and is receiving amazing reviews from readers worldwide.
You can learn more about him at Rescuerbook.com, JasonSautel.com and on Facebook.
Based on their popular FDIC class, Jim Moss and Dan Kerrigan give firefighters and fire departments 11 steps to creating a culture of firefighter fitness and wellness.
TOPICS DISCUSSED:
- Fire department culture change
- Personal accountability
- Positive peer pressure
- Medical and fitness evaluations
- Physical agility assessments
- Fire department fitness committees
- Functional fitness equipment
- Fitness training/education
- Firehouse gyms
- Fitness/wellness policies
- Incentivization
Get their bestselling book Firefighter Functional Fitness and host their interactive fitness workshops: FirefighterFunctionalFitness.com
Mike Gagliano has over thirty years of fire/crash/rescue experience with the Seattle Fire Department and the United States Air Force. He retired as the Captain of Ladder 5 and remains a proud member of Fire Station 31.
Captain Gagliano has written numerous fire service articles, and is co-author of the bestselling books: Air Management for the Fire Service and the Challenges of the Firefighter Marriage.
He is a member of the Fire Engineering/FDIC Advisory Board, Firefighter Air Coalition board member, on the advisory board of the UL-Firefighter Safety and Research Institute and teaches across the country on air management, fireground tactics, leadership and company officer development.
Mike co-hosts the popular Fire Engineering radio webcast “The Mikey G and Mikey D Show” and partners with his wife Anne (Firelife.com) to teach strategies for developing and maintaining a strong marriage and family.
"Credibility is the currency of the fire service."
Host Jim Moss shares his thoughts on why credibility is an essential quality of successful firefighters and leaders. Jim shares why credibility is critical at every level, and how every firefighter can build credibility through trust, respect, and example.
Jim reads Chapter 12 - Credibility from the Firefighter Success book, and offers some closing thoughts on credibility for the promotional process, as well as how mistakes affect credibility.
Learn more at FirefighterSuccessBook.com.
Jim Silvernail is the fire chief of the Kirkwood Fire Department of St. Louis County, Missouri, and a 25-year veteran of the fire service. He is also a graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program and is internationally accredited as a Chief Fire Officer through the Center of Public Safety Excellence.
Chief Silvernail is the author of Suburban Fire Tactics and the co-author of Suburban Fire Tactics from the Right Seat. In addition to Suburban Fire Tactics, Jim has written numerous articles for Fire Engineering Magazine. He was a lead instructor at the St. Louis County Fire Academy, specializing in truck company operations. He shares his message nationally and has presented at FDIC for the past 10 years.
Chief Silvernail served on the board of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors and has also served as a Planning Team Manager of Missouri Task Force 1, a FEMA Urban Search & Rescue team.
Brian Soller has been an active volunteer firefighter for the last 31 years. He currently serves as the assistant chief of the Rock Hill Fire Department and was their fire chief from 2018-2020. Soller also served as chief of the Monticello Fire Department from 2001-2002.
Brian is a nationally certified level 2 fire instructor, nationally certified fire officer, an advanced swift water / flood rescue technician and instructor. For the past 17 years has been a New York state fire instructor assigned to Sullivan County, NY.
He speaks extensively on the promotion of professionalism in the volunteer fire service through his podcast and YouTube channel, "The Professional Brotherhood." Lastly, he is the co-creator of the class: “Setting Our Volunteers Up For Success.”
Learn more at: ProfessionalBrotherhood.com
Kara Judd is a fire lieutenant in upstate New York. She is also the only female in her fire department and the first to hold a line officer position. Additionally, she is a firefighter/EMT for Clark Burn Center at Upstate Hospital in Syracuse, New York, where her role is outreach and education.
Kara is the founder and owner of St. Florian Fitness, where she brings education and awareness to reducing firefighter line-of-duty deaths. It is her passion and mission to help firefighters get healthy and stay healthy.
Follow St. Florian Fitness on Instagram and Facebook: @st.florianfitness
Jeremy Sanders has served for 19 years on a suburban career fire department in central Oklahoma where he currently holds the rank of Captain. In 2020 he created Crew 1st Culture and the Crew 1st Culture Podcast in which he shares the importance of the pursuit of daily personal growth. This daily growth has helped him to not only become a better firefighter and officer but also a better dad and husband. He is married with 7 kids and lives on a small farm just outside of Tulsa.
Listen to the Crew 1st Culture Podcast on all podcasting outlets and follow Jeremy on social media: @Crew1stCulture
Craig Stalowy started his fire service career in the Chicago area in 2004 before eventually moving to Colorado in 2009. He worked for the City of Colorado Springs for 6 years and is currently a Firefighter/Paramedic on a truck company for East Metro Fire Rescue (CO).
Joining John Spera and Tom Johnson, Craig became a member of the Fit to Fight Fire team in 2019. He is the primary author of Fit to Fight Fire’s newest book: The Backstep.He has completed the Ironman race and multiple ultramarathons. He is also a lead instructor with Elevated Safety, a company that provides world-class training on confined space and rope rescue. Lastly, Craig was awarded the Medal of Valor for his efforts as the SWAT Medic at the 2015 Planned Parenthood Shooting in Colorado Springs.
Learn more at FitToFightFire.com.
James Geering was born and bred in Bath, England. After moving to the United States in 2002, he began his journey in the fire service, ultimately serving for fourteen years as a firefighter/paramedic on both the East and West Coasts.
James started The Behind the Shield Podcast in 2016 after losing multiple first responders to a host of physical and mental health issues. In 2020, James released his book: “One More Light: Life, Death and Humanity Through the Eyes of a Firefighter” to make even more of a difference in the first responder and civilian wellness arena.
Learn more at JamesGeering.com
Robert C. Owens Sr. is a captain and EMT intermediate with the Henrico County, Virginia Division of Fire. He began his fire service career with the Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department and previously served as a career firefighter in Stafford County, Virginia.
Owens is a certified Fire Instructor II and Fire Officer IV by the Virginia Department of Fire Programs, and a Mass Casualty Incident Management instructor for the Virginia Office of EMS. He graduated as a member of the Charter Class for the National Fire Academy’s Managing Officer Program and holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbia Southern University.
He is perhaps best known for the AverageJakeFirefighter.com Blog and for hosting the Average Jake Firefighter Podcast.
Josh Chase is a lieutenant with Norfolk Fire Rescue in Virginia, and is a 15-year veteran of the fire service. He has a passion for leadership and strengthening firefighters to lead at the informal level. Josh is the author of Jump Seat Leadership: The Guide to Informal Leadership in the Fire Service, and also Take the Lead: The Guide to Taking Ownership of Your Life. He currently runs the Jump Seat Leadership Facebook page and teaches informal leadership in the fire service. Josh is also the recipient of the fire service Medal of Honor, which he received in 2019 after rescuing a child from a two-alarm apartment fire.
Before he entered the fire service, his leadership abilities were developed and tested while he served as a sergeant in the United States Army. Josh was a crew chief and door gunner for black hawk helicopters in western Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Through his military service, fire service career, and life experience, it is his mission to strengthen, encourage, and empower others to embrace leadership as a core principle to succeed in any venue.
Learn more at JoshChase.org.
101 Rules For Firefighter Success is the Special Report download, available for free at FirefighterSuccessBook.com. It provides readers with a taste of what is inside the pages of the #1 bestselling book: Firefighter Success: 20 C's to Firefighter Excellence.Download the free Special Report at: FirefighterSuccessBook.com
John Dixon is currently serving as the Chief of Training and Safety in the Teaneck Fire Department in New Jersey and has over 23 years in the fire service. He has earned his Fire Officer (FO) credentials from the Center for Public Safety Excellence, Graduate Grade from the Institution of Fire Engineers, Training Officer credentials from the International Society of Fire Service Instructors, and is a National Fire Academy alumnus.
Chief Dixon has a passion for training, mentoring, and inspiring up-and-coming officers and firefighters. He is a member of Project Kill the Flashover Executive Board, Peer Reviewer for the Center of Public Safety Excellence, and currently serves as the New Jersey State Lead Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
Learn more at: InstructorJohnDixon.com
Cayla Harper is a firefighter/paramedic for the Virginia Beach Fire Department on a heavy rescue, and has been in the fire service for 10 years. She has also been part of an ocean rescue lifesaving service for 14 years.
Cayla is certified at the technician level for rope rescue, confined space rescue, trench rescue, vehicle rescue and structural collapse, and she is also a hazardous materials technician. Cayla’s mission is to always be better than the day before and to never lean on excuses for anything. She believes you can never stop learning in this profession, and you can never be good enough at a job that can kill you.
Get the Firefighter Success Book at: FirefighterSuccessBook.com
Captain Brendon Trayner started his public safety career 15 years ago, and currently works in the town of Gilbert, Arizona. Brendon is the author of the Amazon #1 Bestseller: Fire Interview - The Storyteller Method. He is passionate about firefighter recruitment as well as assisting firefighters with the promotional process. Brendon is always seeking to find ways to innovate and make the process better.
He has also been a recruit training officer, health and fitness instructor, Haz-Mat technician, paramedic, and teaches special operations throughout Arizona. Captain Trayner is also an Executive Board member for the International Association of Firefighters, overseeing recruitment and promotional processes.
Buy the Fire Interview book at Amazon.com.
Gary Ludwig currently serves as the Fire Chief of the ISO Class 1 Champaign Fire Department in Illinois and he has 43 years of fire, rescue, and EMS experience.
Chief Ludwig started his career with the City of St. Louis at age 18, just two months out of high school. He eventually rose through the ranks and retired as the Chief Paramedic of the St. Louis Fire Department after 25 years of service. He has also served 10 years as Deputy Fire Chief for the Memphis Fire Department, managing EMS and the Emergency Management Office. He has a Master’s degree in Business and Management, and has been a licensed paramedic for over 40 years.
He has written over 500 articles for professional fire and EMS publications and is the author of four best-selling books, including Fully Involved Leadership. He has also been invited to speak at over 400 professional EMS or fire conferences or seminars.
Most recently, he served as the President and Chairman of the Board of the International Association of Fire Chiefs during the 2019-2020 term.
Learn more at GaryLudwigBooks.com
A.B. Turenne is a 22-year veteran of the fire service and currently a career firefighter in Middlesex County, Connecticut.
Starting in 2017 at nearly 40 years of age, A.B. made an amazing personal transformation to his health and fitness, losing over 150 pounds.
A.B. is also a certified fire instructor II at the eastern Connecticut Fire School and a graduate from the Master of Public Administration program at Anna Maria College. Lastly, he is a contributor to the Fire Engineering Training Community.
Chief Aaron Heller is a 37-year veteran of the fire service, beginning his fire service career in 1984. He is a Deputy Chief in the Hamilton, New Jersey Fire Department. He previously served as the Fire Chief for the Hamilton Township Fire District #9. Deputy Chief Heller is a NJ Level 2 instructor, fire official, and EMT. He is a past chief of the New Egypt Volunteer Fire Company and past chairman of the Plumsted Township Board of Fire Commissioners.
Chief Heller is a senior instructor with the Mercer County Fire Academy. He instructs and presents at several national, regional, and local training events throughout the United States and abroad. He has been published in Fire Engineering Magazine, Fire & Rescue Magazine, The Fire Department Training Network, and several local publications. He is a former co-host of Fire Engineering’s Humpday Hangout on Training. Aaron is a founding member of the Jersey F.O.O.L.S chapter of the Fraternal Order Of Leatherhead Society. Chief Heller holds a Bachelors degree in Fire Science from Columbia Southern University. Lastly, he is the founder and owner of On Scene Training Associates, LLC.
Learn more at OnSceneTraining.com.
Forest Reeder is a 43-year veteran of the fire service and is currently the Fire Chief in Tinley Park, Illinois, just outside of Chicago. He has instructed at FDIC for over 20 years and teaches nationally on fire service training, safety, and officer development-related topics. He is a previous recipient of the George D. Post Instructor of the Year award.
He is the co-author of Foundations of Instructional Delivery; Fire Instructor 1 and Fire Service Instructor, Principles and Practices. He is the author of the weekly drill feature at FirefighterCloseCalls.com and at FireEngineering.com.
Learn more at TheTrainingOfficer.com.
Ryan Rodriquez is a firefighter/paramedic who has been on the job for 15 years. He is the founder, owner, and operator of IGNITEd, a company where he provides public strength training and nutrition coaching services as well as private leadership and teamwork consulting services.
Ryan is also in the podcast arena where he writes, produces, and hosts the IGNITEd Firefighter Podcast. On his show he talks about all things fire service related in order to help his audience deal with the mental, physical, and emotional stressors of the job.
He lives by the creed "Civilize the mind, but make savage the body." He is also a peer fitness trainer and peer support team member. Ryan is a firefighter I and II instructor, as well as a paramedic and EMT instructor.
Learn more at IgnitedFF.com
Devon Wells is a 30-year veteran of the fire service and retired Fire Chief of Hood River Fire and EMS in Oregon. He has been on the Board of Directors of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors since 2008, serving as the President of the organization from 2018 to 2020.
Chief Wells is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program, serves on several national advisory boards for conferences, magazines, and college programs and manages the Facebook page the “Rural Fire Officer.”
Steve Prziborowski is the author of 101 Tips to Ace Your Promotional Exam. He is a 29-year fire service veteran currently serving as a deputy chief at the Santa Clara County Fire Department in California. He received the 2020 Ronny Jack Coleman Leadership Legacy Award from the Commission on Professional Credentialing/Center for Public Safety Excellence. He was also named the 2008 California Fire Instructor of the year, and has authored three other books on entry-level and promotional fire service preparation.
He is the founder of Code3FireTraining.com and an international speaker who provides his Courage Under Fire Leadership sessions. Lastly, Chief P. is also an adjunct faculty member at the National Fire Academy.
Learn more at Code3FireTraining.com.
Paul Combs is the editorial cartoonist for Fire Engineering Magazine and is the author of three books: Drawn by Fire, Drawn by Fire, Too, and Drawing Lines: The Art of Making a Difference.
Paul joined the fire service in 1995, and has been a fire service instructor since 2000. He is a former Lieutenant for the City of Bryan Fire Department in Ohio, retiring in 2019, where he was a Firefighter, EMT, HazMat Technician, and instructor for the City of Bryan Fire Training Academy. Paul is an FDIC presenter, keynoter, and Hands-On-Training instructor, and recipient of the George D. Post ISFSI 2018 Instructor of the Year Award. Paul is currently an instructor with On-Scene Training Associates.
Learn more at PaulCombsArt.com
Corley Moore is currently a Battalion Chief at the Moore Fire Department in Oklahoma. He is the founder of Firehouse Vigilance, which is dedicated to the never-ending fight against complacency. He is also the author of Challenge Your Leadership, a book of action designed to push every firefighter to be the best version of themselves. Lastly, he is the host of the Weekly Scrap, a live web show where he interviews the “movers and shakers” of the fire service.
Learn more at FirehouseVigilance.com
Blake Stinnett is a firefighter/paramedic for Sandy Springs Fire in Atlanta, Georgia. His passions include faith, family, training, teaching, and fitness. He is the founder and director of Next Rung, a non-profit organization that helps first responders tackle mental health issues by providing real avenues for help. These include professional counseling, professional treatment for addiction and substance abuse, and a help line that is available 7 days a week. As you can tell, Blake is a firefighter who genuinely wants to help other firefighters succeed and that’s why I wanted to make sure that you heard his message of hope.
Learn more at NextRung.org.
Jarrod Sergi is a captain and a proud member of Norfolk Fire-Rescue in Virginia. He is also the author of No-nonsense Leadership: A Realistic Approach for the Company Officer. Prior to working for Norfolk, he served 6 years in the U.S. Navy on-board the U.S.S. Iwo Jima. He is an instructor with the Virginia Department of Fire Programs and Real Fire Training LLC, where he focuses on Engine and Ladder Company Operations. Jarrod is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program. He shares his leadership message across the country at fire conferences and fire departments.
Tiger Schmittendorf is Vice President of Strategic Recruitment & Retention Services for First Arriving, a full-service marketing team supporting the public safety community.
He served the Erie County Department of Homeland Security & Emergency Services in Buffalo, New York for more than 20 years before retiring as deputy fire coordinator in 2018. There he was responsible for the recruitment, training, and operations of the county’s 97 fire departments and 6,000+ firefighters.
Chief Schmittendorf is the author of the ever popular "From the Xbox to the Box Alarm - Connecting Today's Firefighters" and "Call to Duty - a Recruiter Boot Camp;" and he created a recruitment effort that doubled his own fire department’s membership which helped net thousands of new volunteers countywide.
Learn more at TigerSchmittendorf.com
Captain Larry Conley has over 28 years on the City of St. Louis Fire Department. He is the president and lead instructor of Leadership Development Concepts, LLC. He and his brother David share their GLUE message nationally at organizations and fire departments, and he is a perennial presenter at FDIC International. He is heavily involved with the International Society of Fire Service Instructors, and currently serves on the committee for curriculum development with the Training Officers Credentialing Program. He is also deeply involved in serving his community through various organizations, including being the Director for the Midwest Children’s Burn Camp. Last but not least, Larry is the host of The Larry Conley Radio Show, which is part of the Fire Engineering Talk Radio network, and can be heard on Monday nights.
Learn more at GlueNationLDC.com
Eric Wheaton is a second-generation fireman for Winter Park Fire Department (FL) and is currently assigned as a Lieutenant on Truck 61. Eric has spent the majority of his 14-year career on the Truck Company and serves on the Winter Park Fire Department Technical Rescue Team.
He is the Owner of VentEnterSearch, LLC. Eric is an instructor for the Truck Company Operations and Special Operations programs at Valencia College's Central Florida Fire Institute and has taught at many fire conferences across the country, including FDIC International’s Hands On Training. He holds an associate degree in Fire Science and is an advisory board member on the UL-FSRI Size-up and Search & Rescue Study.
Learn more: VentEnterSearch.com
Andy Starnes currently serves as a Battalion Chief in a large career department in North Carolina. He is a fire service website contributor on the topics of thermal imaging, fire behavior, leadership, behavioral health, and faith-based devotions.
Andy is the founder of Insight Training LLC, which is internationally recognized for thermal imaging training and education. He also serves as the Deputy Chief for Kill The Flashover Burns Division, and holds a Level II Thermography Certification, consults & teaches in the areas of Tactical Thermal Imaging.
Learn more: InsightTrainingLLC.com
John Spera is an 18-year veteran of the fire service and is currently a firefighter-paramedic with South Metro Fire in Colorado. He is the founder of the incredibly popular Fit to Fight Fire movement, the co-author of Mindset, and host of the Fit to Fight Fire: Lead Yourself Podcast. He is a national instructor who loves to share his message on firefighter training, leadership, fitness, and mindset.
Learn more: FitToFightFire.com
Frank Viscuso is a retired Deputy Chief who served in the town of Kearny, New Jersey. He is the author of the bestselling books: Step Up and Lead, Step Up Your Teamwork, and The Mentor. He is an international keynote speaker where he shares his passion for leadership, teambuilding, and customer service to a wide variety of audiences: both within the fire service and beyond.
In this episode, Jim Moss and Frank Viscuso define success, and discuss key qualities of successful firefighters and leaders, essential qualities of successful teams, why teams fail, informal and formal leadership, failure, and more.
Learn more at: FrankViscuso.com
Mark vonAppen is a captain and has been a member of the Palo Alto Fire Department (CA) since 1998. Through the Fully Involved movement and The Big 4, he has inspired countless firefighters to improve themselves and become the "rogues" of the fire service. He has been published in Fire Engineering, Fire Service Warrior, and many more. He shares his message internationally at fire departments and fire conferences, including FDIC International.
Dena Ali is a captain with the Raleigh Fire Department in North Carolina. Prior to becoming a firefighter, she served five years as a police officer in North Carolina. She has a masters degree from the University of North Carolina Pembroke, where her research focused on firefighter suicide. Dena is the founder and director of the North Carolina Peer Support team. Dena shares her message internationally, including such outlets as Fire Engineering Magazine and at FDIC International.
Jason Hoevelmann is the fire chief of the Florissant Valley Fire Protection District and a volunteer deputy chief/fire marshal with the Sullivan Fire Protection District in Sullivan, Missouri.
He is the author of No Exceptions Leadership and The New Company Officer. He has been a fire service instructor for 25 years and has a bachelor’s degree in Fire Service Administration from Eastern Oregon University. Jason is a member of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors and serves on the board of directors of the International Association of Fire Chiefs Fire-Life Safety Section and the Company Officer Section. He is also a contributor to Fire Engineering and Fire Rescue and shares his leadership message at fire departments and conferences throughout North America.
Learn more at EngineHouseTraining.com.
Dan Kerrigan is the co-author of the best-selling book Firefighter Functional Fitness and Fire Chief of the Upper Providence Township Fire Department in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He is a 35-year fire service veteran, certified peer fitness trainer, certified group fitness instructor, advocate for firefighter health and fitness, and international presenter on the topic.
He serves as an at-large director on the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ “Safety, Health, and Survival” section where he works regularly with national and international organizations on strategies to improve firefighter health and wellness. Dan is also an adjunct professor at several universities where he teaches fire service administration, leadership, strategic planning and emergency management courses at the graduate and undergraduate level.
Learn more at FirefighterFunctionalFitness.com.