Student Of The Game Fire Podcast

36 years of combination experience. Deputy Chief in Division 13 Queens South Command with the FDNY. Chief Ditaranto wholeheartedly believes in CHARACTER. How you carry yourself when no one is paying attention. Upon entering the FDNY Gene was fortunate to be surrounded by very seasoned veterans which laid down the foundation of how he treats others. A very humble gentleman who took all the skills and traits he learned coming up into the fire service and applies them when dealing with the men and women he serves with. Just because Gene is a Deputy Chief he still put’s forth the effort of stopping in at different firehouses under his command to check in on the well being of the Firefighters he is very proud of. LinkedIn: Eugene Ditaranto Jr.

36 years of combination experience. Captain with Baltimore City on Truck 5. Mike Started out as a volunteer Firefighter which he credits raised and kept him on the straight path, created a strong work ethic internally and credit’s his experience along with who he surrounded himself with shaped him to be the Firefighter he is today. Truck 5 consistently runs over 5000 calls a year. One of Mike’s key points with being a Company Officer is looking out for the men and women you serve with. Making sure that they have what they need and most importantly that they’re okay mentally.IG: eastsidehookman

45 years of combination experience. 2nd generation Firefighter. Like a good number of individuals I’ve been fortunate to interview being Chief was never on Rick’s radar. He just wanted to be the best Firefighter Paramedic for his organization. And Rick could not settle for mediocrity. So he took the advice of a great mentor in his life who told him if he wasn’t happy with the way things were to consider becoming a Fire Chief to effect change and that’s exactly what he did. I don’t need to further explain what this man has been able to do for the fire service as his work, reputation and name speaks for itself.IG: chieflasky

17 years of career experience. Tailboard Firefighter on Ladder 4 for the City Of Jacksonville Fire Rescue. Co-founder of Build Your Culture LLC. Pablo is a straight shooter type of Firefighter who loves the job with so much passion and energy you can clearly hear it by the way he speaks. He’s going to tell the truth no matter who’s around. But what’s important is that he speaks all FACTS. I truly appreciate the conversation I had with Pablo and I hope the listeners will too.IG: pgen305

22 years of career experience. Division Chief Of Training with Rural Metro Fire in Knox County Tennessee. Firefighting wasn’t on his radar for Brandon but after having a discussion with his father he decided to apply and within a few weeks into his academy he fell in love with it. What I like about Brandon’s story is the fact that with any occupation there’s going to be high’s and low’s but all it takes is that one individual to see the potential that you might not see within yourself that forever changes the path in your career.IG: brandonsdouglas

16 years of combination experience. A Firefighter Driver for the City Of Butler Bureau Of Fire and part time Firefighter for the City Of McKeesport in Pennsylvania. Sean is a man of few words and doesn’t like the lime light being shined on him. But was a key component in making the Jimmy Ellis Training Weekend a success along with members of the Butler County Fire Chief’s Association. It’s no secret that to become professionals whether career or volunteer we must not let training take a back seat and allow complacency to make a home within ourselves or our organization and Sean drives home why that and leadership go hand in hand. IG: ssokołowski23

16 years of combination experience. A Lieutenant, Paramedic & Police Officer with Bald Head Island Department Of Public Safety in North Carolina. No your ears aren’t deceiving you as Steve holds all 3 positions. Bald Head has a very unique and challenging way of operating for the residents and visitors. While you don’t hear very many stories like Bald Head what I hope the listeners appreciate is how Steve and others within the department view their situation and not let it deter them from being all in when it comes to physical fitness, training and basic skills of the job. Steve also openly discusses his struggles when it comes to Firefighter wellness and how he overcame what some cannot.IG: dad_bod_running

30 years of combination experience. A Division Chief Of Operations & Training with Estero Fire Rescue in Florida. An instructor with When Things Go Bad, and creator of the Grabs podcast. Grant has a strong passion and yearn for everything and anything search. Why, because he experienced an incident that changed the way search was approached and performed within his organization. Grant is definitely a Fire fighters Chief who at any chance he can get still rides the truck and runs calls with the men and women of his organization when possible.IG: gscwalbe

39 years of combination experience. Fire Chief with Florissant Valley Fire Protection District in Missouri. Jason is a contributor to Fire Engineering, Fire/Rescue Magazine, instructs at FDIC, various conferences and departments throughout North America on leadership, officer development and fire ground operations. Jason is another prime example of a Chief who remembers his roots but also hasn’t forgotten that the men and women of his organization are the fore front and important in providing excellent customer service to the community but also EXPECTS them to meet the benchmarks of the organization.

Ken Oishi, a dedicated firefighter with 23 years of service in the Honolulu Fire Department, shares his journey from California to Hawaii, emphasizing hard work and humility. He discusses the importance of continuous learning in firefighting and the unique challenges of 24-hour shifts in Hawaii. Ken emphasizes the crucial balance of physical fitness and gear acclimatization, along with fostering relationships within the fire service community to drive positive change. His mantra, 'It’s better to stay in shape than to get in shape,' resonates throughout their conversation.