National Fire Radio Podcast Platform

Welcome to another episode of The Gospel with National Fire Radio. In this episode, we have the privilege of sitting down with seasoned firefighter, Lt. David Quick, from the Manchester NH Fire Department, Engine Company 11. Today, Lt. Quick delves deep into a firefighting technique that's gaining momentum across North America - the vertical stretch. While this technique has long been a common practice in the Northeast, particularly in the heart of New England, Lt. Quick sheds light on the reasons why the vertical stretch is poised to become commonplace in fire departments all over North America. The driving force behind this shift? The evolving landscape of building construction. Lt. Quick emphasizes how the vertical stretch, when executed through company level training, represents a proactive and essential approach to modern firefighting. Join us as we explore the intricacies of this vital strategy, unraveling its potential to shape the future of firefighting tactics in your company and sharpen your edge as a company officer or someone in charge of training.

The Size Up Episode 42. Back to School - Jeremy King by Jeremy Donch

On Episode 2 of Maui Firestorm, with with Dr. Hokulani Holt, of the University of Hawaii, Maui College.

Mandatory hold overs, so commonplace today in career fire departments across the country can certainly take its' toll on firefighters. The dreaded "MANDO VAN" comes rolling through town so often it became an ongoing joke for John Gary and his comrades. The MANDO culture is a big part of his American Fire Brigade social media platform that has become so widely popular. John has found his comedy through memes and video to be a big part of his therapy off the job. Several years ago John was seriously injured during a fire. While taking his time off to heal, he realized he wasn't the guy he once was; that the job was tearing him apart. This time off allowed for him to refocus on himself by finding the right tools he needed to cope with the stresses of the job. Putting focus back on his own health and his family, John's renewed focus lead him to the creation of the Brigade. Today, John is a smiling, consuming guy who's infectious smile and love for 1980-1990's movies has built a great social media page and following. His ability to capture the reality of the job while being able to poke fun at it has helped change the MANDO culture in his department. John believes that we must "protect our days off" in order to ensure we have the down time needed for the important things in life. His close to career ending injury gave him his life back in a way, and John is ok with that!! -- Check out the American Fire Brigade on social.

Excited about training, Mike Wolfschmidt has gone all in on being the best he can be. A never ending quest, Mike believes that training should be retitled, "Self Improvement", always learning to be better and to do better. On and off the job, Mike has pushed himself to emulate those that stood out to him throughout his upbringing in the firehouse. True gentlemen, people who exhibited the very best values, that's who Mike wanted to be. Mike believes in a strong foundation and constantly learning and growing as an individual and firefighter. This 4th generation firefighter cannot get enough of the job. From his commitment to the volunteer companies to his career job, firefighting is in his bones. He shares this passion with his six year old daughter who routinely askes about what type of calls he has run during his shift. Involving her and exposing her to the upside of the job has created a very special bond between them. This fuels his desire to be a good man, one who carries on the foundation from which he learned from. He shares his knowledge and experience through Wolfschmidt Fire Training as well as being a part of the Eckert Fire Training cadre. He is unapologetic for his love of the craft and he makes no excuses about it. --- www.wolfschmidtfiretraining.com

Close to 37 years on the front lines in Boston, MA, Emmett "Pat" Nichols looks back on his career with a big smile. Even though he knew it was time to retire, his passion and love for the job is as strong today as it was all those years ago. Retiring as a District Chief, Pat worked is some of the busiest companies across the city. Always wanting to go to work, he found himself in Ladder 26, Truck 10 and Rescue 2 for most of his career. These companies didn't disappoint. Learning the technical rescue work along the way, Pat became a member of the Massachusetts Task Force 1, the USAR Team. This training led him to begin teaching and he eventually became involved with PL Vulcan Fire Training. Even after retirement, he is busier than ever with his family and the fire service as a whole. Traveling and teaching are now his focus and his experience and knowledge of the job certainly needs to be shared with firefighters everywhere.

As the old saying goes, Slow and Steady wins the race. Episode 41’s guest, Allison Grubbs describes herself as just that, Slow and Steady. Recently Allison became only the 2nd woman to complete the GoRuck Selection course. Pip and Allison talk about those grueling 48 hours and just how she became a BAMF (Bad A$$ M$ther F$ucker). But not just in GoRuck, in life as well. Allison's story is that of the silent warrior who doesn't want to quit or give up. Pip and Allison talk about her home schooling, adventure racing, inspiration and of course GoRuck. Listening to Allison’s calm descriptions of grueling events will definitely have you asking yourself the question. What’s My Size Up??? Because what you do OFF the Job, MATTERS.

Ikaika Blackburn Captain - Maui Fire Engine 11 Our first episode of Maui Firestorm features Captain Ikaika Blackburn of the Maui County Fire Department. Captain Blackburn was commanding one of the first in companies for the Lahaina, HI firestorm on August 8, 2023. His first hand account of his experiences paints a vivid picture of the impossible conditions they were confronted with on that day. His commitment to his crew and the people of Lahaina makes his story one that needs to be told.

Second generation firefighter Tony Alosi is plain and simple, that "guy". "Uncle" Tony is loved by all and has a way about him in which he goes all in on people. Always keeping the conversation going, he is genuinely connected to those he touches and when you need a "guy", Tony will answer the call. Growing up in the firehouse, he learned to engage and be fiercely protective of the firehouse way of life. He can navigate the complex world of personalities and find ways to connect with all of them. Finding that commonality amongst our people and then being able to use that to bring everyone together will create the culture and environment we all strive for in our companies. Tony learned early on while watching his father hold court each day at the firehouse that he wanted to be surrounded by smarter, better people so that he can learn from them. This has always been his mission so that he can be the very best he can be. But being that "guy" can consume you and sometimes you need to take pause and reflect upon your own well being. All of this can come with a sense of renewed focus. "Starting over" has become a common theme in Tony's life. Understanding that taking one step backwards to get three steps forward is sometimes the way to go. With great humility and accountability, focusing on a reset can ground you and bring everything back into focus. Tony discusses this common theme of his life throughout this episode.

Columbus, OH Engine Co. 18 Lieutenant Steve Robertson can rattle off numbers on nozzle and hose packages all day long. His deep knowledge on engine company operations is widely known across the globe with his conference lectures and hands on training, the countless training articles, podcasts, seminars and the list goes on and on. His highly popular class, Stretching for Success, is in his words, 30 years of mistakes wrapped up into one program. "We all make mistakes" and "we screwed up fellas" is easy to say, but how we go about addressing it and fixing it is what sets people apart. "We must train to our weaknesses" is an absolute for Steve. The mentors of Steve's early years truly left a mark with him and he now finds himself over 30 years later helping shape the next generations. It's often easy to forget that Steve still runs as a Lt. in a busy urban engine company. More than just fires, the routine of the job, including shootings and overdoses plague his first due. He speaks to these aspects of the job as well, discussing a recent mass shooting in which there were many lessons to be learned. The job is constantly evolving and "requires us to keep growing". This episode has so much packed into it and Steve Robertson is certainly a leader in the fire service. "Don't take my word for it, vet me" and "Knowledge without experience is just theory". Words that Steve Robertson truly believes in. Stretching for Success in my opinion is not just about stretching lines, it's about accountability and being sure we put the work in to be a successful.