5-alarm Task Force!

If you are a firefighter dedicated to being the best you can be, then this podcast/video is for you! Our guest is Capt. Mike Daley, who has nearly 40 years’ experience as a firefighter, officer and instructor. He has presented at national, regional and local conferences. He is also the current president of Kill the Flashover, the organization that runs educational programs and demonstrations, teaching safe and effective firefighting practices. On this episode, Capt. Daley tells us about the details of the new NFPA 1700 standard, which will encompass both the previous 1710 and 1720 standards. However, he explains that this new standard includes an implementation section that will assist career and volunteer departments to put the new standard into effect. This is a "game changer," as this will guide departments to put the info from 1700 to good use. "Kill the Flashover" is a program to teach firefighters fine details of fire behavior and much more in their program, "Fire Behavior University." Visit their websi

When we talk about the fire service and firefighters, our thoughts often go to firefighters working at a fire, HazMat scene, big and shiny apparatus, the firehouse and more. However today, more than ever, we need to look at the humanity of the fire service!No matter if we are discussing career, volunteer, part-pay or WUI firefighters, they are humans first, they are sons and daughters, moms and dads, husbands, wives, aunts and uncles, etc. Sadly, we are often so focused on the words in the first paragraph that we lose sight that every single firefighter is a person. Our returning guest and friend, Assistant Chief Jacob Johnson of the Pearland TX Fire Department and I dig beneath the smoke, flames and turnout gear to talk about the men and women who come to the station every day, ready to meet the challenge of our oaths, “…To protect the lives and property.”The Chief shares several occurrences in his years as a firefighter and officer. You’ll also learn how his meme, “Do Your Damn Job,” was coined through his

For decades and decades, young children have always been enamored, curious and excited to see fire apparatus. Whether it was/is an engine, truck, rescue or even a “buggy,” we all loved to see the flashing lights and hear the sirens. For some, this is where their “connection” ends. For others, they follow through and join the fire service. And some of those children find other paths in life yet are still enthralled with their local fire service and do what they can to follow them and shoot photos of active fire scenes correctly and legally. These are the “Fire Buffs.” And in some communities, Buffs even support the firefighters with cold drinks, hot coffee and sandwiches, if the department does not have it own canteen or rehab support team.My guest on this episode of “5-Alarm Task Force,” Andrew Cunningham, has been buffing for over twenty years with the Wheeling WV Fire Department. Andrew shares how it started for him and how, year later he and his co-founder created the Wheeling Fire Buffs. And it bears ment

As firefighters we spend a large part of our careers learning our craft. Some learn from the start and keep it going throughout their careers. Others think that from the academy they learned what was necessary and only continue their learning when they have to, i.e., mandatory department training. Across the country, there are often local, regional and national conferences with excellent speakers, instructors and often, “Hot Classes,” too! Yet, how many of us have attended a class to learn how to interface with the people we protect? My guest today is Chris Kessinger the founder of Citizens First Fire Training in Ohio. From their website, we see part of their mission statement:            “Our training and tactics are designed to put the citizens in which we serve as number one and to be the difference in saving their lives when they call us.”One of our best fire service leaders, the late Chief Alan V. Brunacini of the Phoenix Fire Dept., taught, “Our job is to care for Mrs. Smith on her worst day – even if t

We see it almost every day and sometimes, we are as much to blame as anyone else. We’re talking about distracted driving and the very real, very dangerous and fatal toll that it causes. From long conversations on your cell phone to watching videos, sports, etc., each contributes to a distracted driver. This driver may not even notice our flashing lights and multiple emergency vehicles and winds up plowing through the scene, injuring or killing anyone unable to get out of his/her way. My guests today are deeply involved in the effort to reduce these incursions and, educate both first responders and the public, that distracted driving is indeed dangerous for all; the driver, anyone in that vehicle, as well as any first responder that cannot get out of the way fast enough. Jack Sullivan and Todd Leiss are lead educators for the Responder Safety Institute (www.respondersafety.com). Brock Aun is with HAAS Alert, (www.haasalert.com) a company that, along with others, is pioneering new technology that, using cellula

Challenges…this job has plenty of them! To be a firefighter, there are certain attributes necessary, e.g., good physical condition, willingness to learn, practice tasks, dedication to the task, being aware of what you are getting yourself into, etc. Perhaps this last example is the most important. For while we understand that we will see things that we would not want most others to see, sometimes, those incidents are what trouble us, as well. And some of those can be troubling to us; not just when they occur, but days, weeks, even years later. Our guest, District Chief Vernon Hiller of the Toronto Canada Fire Department. With thirty-five years of experience, Chief Hiller has seen it all. And while he has many fire service stories to tell, we discussed what is “beyond” the job of being a firefighter. We discuss the psychological side of the work we do and what the results can be. We are seeing increased occurrences of depression and PTSD troubling our brothers and sisters. The Chief discusses the challenges he

If you’ve been a firefighter for more than a year or two, you probably realize that this job is not what you thought it was when you were an adolescent, teen or even a young adult. This profession, career, volunteer, paid-on-call and WUI, is not all fun and excitement. We see and do things that we wouldn’t want our loved ones or good friends to have to do. And those can and often do, exact a huge price!Our two guests today, Brad Davidson, a former Fire Investigator in Manitoba Canada and Chief Arjuna George of the Vancouver area, share with us the parts of their personal journeys that led them to write their individual books. As you will hear, we discuss the efforts by both of our countries to promote and ensure the Firefighter Behavioral Health Initiative. However, it is incumbent upon each of us to know when this job is taking too heavy a toll on us and work to correct that situation. Chief George’s book, “Burnt Around the Edges” is available on http://www.BurntAroundTheEdges.com and Amazon.Inspector Davids

If you purchased a toaster-oven and it either did not toast correctly or it burned everything you put in, what would you do? What about that beautiful new refrigerator that matches your décor, but all the frozen food defrosted and in the Cold side, everything was room temperature? What would you do?There is growing evidence that the ionization type of smoke detectors may not be working properly, giving proper notice of smoke being detected. What if you went to bed, a fire starts in your den, where there is a smoke detector and by the time it sounds its alert, you have succumbed to smoke and poisonous gases.Dennis Fox has been working on this very topic for almost seven years, while a close friend of his first saw this problem and said something about it, almost 46 years ago! While he notified the manufacturers and the various governmental bodies, all to no avail. Yes, there is a better smoke detector (Photo-Cell) and heat detectors available and they do cost more than the ionization type. But what price do yo

Chief Anthony Correia has over forty years’ experience in both Fire and EMS. A past chief in Missouri and New Jersey of both career and volunteer departments, he has taught around the country and at local, regional and national conferences. He is a strong supporter of “retention and recruitment” and offers strong, positive hints as to how to be successful at both of these topics, so very important today. In this episode of “5-Alarm Task Force,” the Chief shares his wisdom regarding “Character, Attitudes & Values,” and the how these traits should be seriously considered within your retention and recruitment efforts. Though many departments including career, volunteer, combination and WUI, are “hungry” to add new members, we have to be sure we are hiring the men and women who will be a good fit for the department. And Chief Correia explains why these three traits are so necessary, especially in these times of acute need for many Fire and/or EMS agencies! As always, you can catch the video version on our You

Chief (ret) Todd LeDuc is currently the Chief Strategy Officer of Lifescan Wellness Centers. Prior to this position, he served as the Executive Assistant Chief of the Broward Sheriff’s Office – Division of Fire-Rescue, working his way up from paramedic 30 years ago. Chief LeDuc has been a frequent guest and long-time supporter the podcast. In this episode we discuss his long relationship with the late Chief Bobby Halton, as both a friend and an author of several books and numerous articles that Chief Halton approved. We also discuss the rise in firefighter Line-of-Duty Deaths in 2022 and, how Lifescan’s early detection exams very likely saved the lives of two more firefighters in the department that he once help to lead!We extend to all our viewers and listeners our best wishes for a Happy, Healthy & Safe New Year!As always, you can catch the video version on our YouTube® channel, 5-Alarm Task Force Corp., on our Podomatic page at https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/dalmatprod206  or tune in to the audio v

This past Monday evening, December 19th, the Fire Service suffered the loss of a pillar of our  Community, Chief Bobby Halton. Chief Halton was the Executive Editor of "Fire Engineering," and the director of the annual FDIC. His love for and dedication to the Fire Service was unwavering. And if you ever had the chance to meet and speak with him, you know he treated you as if he had known you all your life. To honor his memory and service, we are honored to present his audio appearance on the then, very new podcast of "5-Alarm Task Force." We hope you will both enjoy and learn from the wisdom he shares. 

Chief (ret) Marc S. Bashoor has over thirty years of Fire/Rescue experience, including rising from firefighter to Chief of the Prince George MD Fire-Rescue Department, which is the largest integrated combination career and volunteer department in the U.S. He has presented at numerous local, regional and national fire conferences. Moreover, he has consulted with departments in Brazil and China.In this interview, the Chief discusses two, recently released After Action Reports from the Boyd St. Fire in Los Angeles, which seriously injured three firefighters and the S. Stricker St. Fire in Baltimore, which claimed the lives of three Baltimore Firefighters. The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) created a documentary regarding the Boyd Street Fire, which is available at https://www.firehero.org/2022/11/18/boyd-street/. Information on the Baltimore Fire can be found at https://cityservices.baltimorecity.gov/resources/LineofDutyDeathReport_205S_Stricker_Street.pdf In the second segment of this interview,

As society evolved  over the last fifty years, more and more people learned, either via determination or happenstance, to “wear multiple hats.” And that trend has probably grown as opposed to, abated. Our guest on this episode of “5-Alarm Task Force,” is one of those people who wears two hats, one is a fire protection systems engineer and the other is as a Captain in his local volunteer fire department, about an hour outside of the city of Philadelphia, where the volunteer fire service first came to be, thanks to Benjamin Franklin. Captain E.J. Henninger has been a fire protection systems engineer for over twenty years and he shares with us how his profession and avocation allow him to provide service, not only to his own community, but also to builders and businesses that are looking to protect their facilities and the people who work therein! As always, you can catch the video version on our YouTube® channel, 5-Alarm Task Force Corp. or tune in to the audio version on our website https://www.5-AlarmTaskForc

If you are a firefighter, we know that the work we perform is taxing, throwing and climbing ladders while wearing over 40 pounds of gear AND carrying tools, being on the nozzle, etc. With that said, many feel that they are in decent shape (most of the time) and for others, it can be difficult. Our guest today, Bill Dungey, is a firefighter in Brant County, Ontario Canada. Like many firefighters in the northern half of the U.S., they deal with a great deal of snow and very wintry weather. So, it is no surprise that Bill soon realized that it can take a real effort to maintain both the physical and mental demands of this job.In this episode, Bill explains the background of how firefighting led him to see what he himself needed and how that guided him into creating the “Wedge.” If you want to learn about resilience and how to find it in yourself, this is a podcast for you!As always, you can catch the video version on our YouTube® channel or tune in to the audio version on our website or your favorite podcast pla

There are instructors, local, regional and national conferences and you can learn tactics galore. But back in the late '60's and 70's, the late Chief Alan Brunacini helped to change our way of thinking on the fireground, especially for those who command those firegrounds. His first book, "Fire Command" taught us better ways of serving in that command function. Years later, a number of those lessons are not only still valid but have become the basis for the "B-Shifter Blue Card." Heading up the B-Shifter team is Chief John Vance, Nic Brunacini and Josh Blum. Whether it's at the Alan V. Brunacini Command Training Center or in your department's classroom, rec room, etc., you can now learn the importance and value of the Blue Card System. Joining us today are Nic Brunacini and Josh Blum and we discuss some of the important information regarding MAYDAYS and the value of necessary and concise radio traffic.

The face of the volunteer fire service has changed dramatically since my days back in the mid-1970’s and early 1980’s. The day-to-day dynamics of our society have changed dramatically and made it more challenging for people to be able to volunteer time; not just to a volunteer fire department, but also to houses of worship, civic organizations, etc. Yet, with over 70% of America being protected by volunteer or paid-on-call firefighters, we still have excellent leaders. My guest today is Chief Brandon Fletcher of the Gilt Edge FD in western Tennessee. Chief Fletcher is dedicated to his community and his firefighters. His department has automatic mutual aid agreements with surrounding departments for certain types of calls. This takes a strong and confident leader to establish this type of agreement. We discuss recruitment and retention, training, challenges and more! And, you will hear more from him and you will able to learn from him, as well!You can watch us on our YouTube® channel, “5-Alarm Task Force Corp.

This is Part II of our presentation about the EFO (Executive Fire Officer) program, offered at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg MD. Our guests went through the long educational process needed to achieve this level. While one is required to have a bachelor’s or master’s degree to enter the program, what you will learn goes far beyond fire tactics and administration. This program will help you attain the true measure of a fire service leader. If you have that "hunger" inside you that keeps telling you to work harder, learn more and be the best that you can be, than this program might just be for you. Listen to our guests relate their experiences over thirty years ago and the bonds of both leadership and friendship that were an outgrowth of this amazing learning experience.You can watch us on our YouTube® channel, “5-Alarm Task Force Corp.” or tune in to our podcast via your favorite podcast platform or visit our website at https://www.5-AlarmTaskForceCorp.org and scroll down the homepage to listen in. To

Whether you call them ladders, trucks, towers, platforms or tillers, ladder operations are in their own category. And our guest on this episode of “5-Alarm Task Force,” knows his category very well!Ryan Johnston is a 24+ year career firefighter and a 30+ year volunteer firefighter. He is the owner if Maineiac Training, a small training group that prides itself on providing realistic, experience-based, fire training. Ryan is currently the Rescue Technician in A Shift at the Waterville ME Fire Dept. He is a lieutenant with the Oakland Maine Fire Department. You can watch us on our YouTube® channel, “5-Alarm Task Force Corp.” or tune in to our podcast via your favorite podcast platform or visit our website at https://www.5-AlarmTaskForceCorp.org and scroll down the homepage to listen in. To make a donation towards our 2022 Campaign goal to raise $12,000 to help our Brothers & Sisters, and/or their families in dire need, please visit our homepage! Thank you.

Many of us have seen or heard of the acronym, EFO. However, how many of us actually know what it stands for: Executive Fire Officer. Does the designation apply to any level of Chief? Could any firefighter, of ant rank, receive the designation? Just what is it and where did it come from?My guests today are Dr. Burton A. Clark, PhD, EFO, Chief Trey Mayo, EFO, Winston-Salem NC Fire Dept. and Chuck Burkell, an advisor and former instructor at the  National Fire Academy.In this episode, which is Part I in a series, they explain the origins of, not only the EFO, but the creation of the National Fire Academy and the various programs that were developed as the federal government and fire service leaders worked together to build an educational foundation for the fire service. You can watch us on our YouTube® channel, “5-Alarm Task Force Corp.” or tune in to our podcast via your favorite podcast platform or visit our website at https://www.5-AlarmTaskForceCorp.org and scroll down the homepage to listen in. To make a do

Within the last decade, one of most dangerous calls that first responders respond to, are emergencies on active roadways. In 2021 alone, 65 first responders (fire, police, EMS, recovery operators road rangers) died when stuck by a vehicle while on an emergency scene. And the number one cause falls on “distracted drivers.” While there is number of definitions for the term, “distracted,” drivers are simply not paying enough attention to the roads and to emergency scenes.Our guests today are Corey Hohs and Brock Aun of HAAS Alert. Haas Alert has been working for nearly six years, with local, state and national officials to provide a signal that would be initiated by the responding emergency agency and received in vehicles, either via the infotainment system or even as a message on the dash, to advise that there is an emergency ahead and to move over and slow down. It is quite likely that a car or truck you are driving now or maybe the next one, will have Haas Alert’s “Safety Cloud” included in its configuration.