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PODCAST

Better Every Shift

FireRescue1’s Better Every Shift Podcast spotlights the passion and perseverance of firefighters. Hosted by Madison, Wisconsin, Firefighter Aaron Zamzow, the show brings kitchen table conversations to the airwaves, always focused on solutions, positivity and the realities of station life. Zamzow and guests tackle myriad hot topics, whether fire service, news or even pop culture-focused, bringing some levity to the often very serious nature of the profession. Dig into what drives firefighters to

government

All Episodes

48:58

‘You can really decrease your risk’: Dr. Jeff Burgess...

Better Every Shift ·

2025/07/24

“We can now answer all sorts of questions” about firefighter cancer risks and mitigations, shares Dr. Jeff Burgess, one of the most well-known fire service researchers who is fighting the good fight — for you. Dr. Burgess, who serves as director of the Center for Firefighter Health Collaborative Research at the University of Arizona, details the two major categories where firefighters can take action to reduce their cancer risks — exposure reduction and healthy living — and offers simple steps

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09:22

Extra Alarm: Continuation of command — what happens...

Better Every Shift ·

2025/07/23

This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Deputy Chief Vince Bettinazzi, addressing the critical steps for managing a situation where the incident commander (IC) becomes incapacitated. Bettinazzi emphasizes the importance of preparing for such scenarios, including training and designating backups. He explores the impacts on fireground operations and various strategies for continuity of command, such as transferring responsibilities to other battalion chiefs, safety officers or rapid

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51:45

‘As goes the Metro, so goes the global fire service’:...

Better Every Shift ·

2025/07/17

“Metro Chiefs is leading the fire service — and I know there are other entities that would argue that, but I’ll take that to the bank.” Fire Chief John Butler, president of the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association,” emphasizes the influence of the association, which represents just 1% of departments but covers 50% of population. Part of Metro’s influence stems from its unique governance, with its “two parents” — the IAFC and the NFPA. Chief Otto Drozd, Metro Chiefs executive secretary, also explains

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56:11

‘We rehearsed this’: Chief Eric Morgenthaler talks...

Better Every Shift ·

2025/07/10

In the nanosecond after hearing the mayday, Castle Rock (Colorado) Battalion Chief Eric Morgenthaler went from “Is this really happening?” to “I know what I need to do.” His crew had trained repeatedly on scenarios just like this — a firefighter through the floor. Morgenthaler shares a play by play of the mayday as well as his command mindset throughout the event. Additionally, Castle Rock Fire & Rescue has developed an after-action review and video so others can learn lessons and best practices

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12:48

Extra Alarm: Emergency logistics — who’s your go-to...

Better Every Shift ·

2025/07/08

This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Paul Fawcett, tackling the critical role of logistics officers in emergency response operations. Fawcett addresses the necessity for a logistics team to manage and streamline complex responses, highlighting their responsibility to provide supplies and ensure that facilities, food, sanitation, lighting, power and communication needs are met. Additionally, learn about training resources offered by FEMA and other institutions to equip logistics officers

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54:15

‘Come from curiosity’: Chief Corey Smedley on earning...

Better Every Shift ·

2025/07/03

“Everybody’s going to be a leader.” Fire Chief Corey Smedley encourages his entire workforce to step into their own leadership roles and not be afraid to make mistakes. Smedley, who is nearing one year as fire chief for Montgomery County (Maryland) Fire & Rescue, is the organization’s first outside hire for the top spot. The chief reflects on how he worked to learn the in-and-outs of the department’s culture and the importance of asking questions from a place of curiosity, not judgment — key

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58:19

‘Sleep washes the brain’: How shift workers can...

Better Every Shift ·

2025/06/26

The recipe for sleep health: “Build a sleep window, protect the sleep window, and let your sleep accountant balance the books.” On this Better Every Shift playback, we revisit one of our most enlightening episodes, as Dr. Glenn Landry — a self-proclaimed “sleep geek” — details how shifter workers can improve their sleep. He explains the science behind how to prepare the body for sleep, when to nap and why sleep is a “team-based sport.” Landry also shares information about a curriculum for shift

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14:20

Extra Alarm: The do’s and don’ts of commanding your...

Better Every Shift ·

2025/06/24

This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Senior Captain Chris DelBello, who focuses on the dos and don'ts for commanding your first fire, including checklists for before, during and after the incident. Other topics addressed: pre-fire preparations, such as sharing expectations with firefighters, familiarizing oneself with command worksheets, and practicing size-ups; common mistakes to avoid, like being overly restrictive or switching command modes frequently; and the importance of post-fire

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54:48

‘Release of calmness’: Detailing the procedure...

Better Every Shift ·

2025/06/18

“The calmness comes because the fire alarm in the brain has stopped flogging your body.” That’s how Dr. Jim Lynch describes the effect of a stellate ganglion block — an injection he says turns off the unproductive and chronic fight-or-flight response experienced by many firefighters with PTSD or anxiety conditions. Dr. Lynch details the science behind the procedure, and Firefighter Paul Duran shares not only his experience the SGB procedure but also what made him seek out this treatment in the first

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01:12:38

‘Everything went lights out’: SoCal firefighter...

Better Every Shift ·

2025/06/12

“I thought he was dead. He thought I was dead.” Firefighter Andrew Klein shares the harrowing story of a recent flashover that left him disoriented and worried his captain was dead in the same terrifying instant his captain thought Klein was dead. Klein shares the play by play of the commercial fire scene — a light smoke condition that turned violent eruption where “everything went lights out.” He details what happened, what saved him and how he’s managing his mental health post-incident.This

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13:58

Extra Alarm: Squad programs — reshaping fire response

Better Every Shift ·

2025/06/10

This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Assistant Chief Chad Costa, highlighting squad programs as a solution to rising medical call volumes in fire services. Squad programs involve deploying smaller, specialized units for medical emergencies, preserving larger apparatus for critical incidents and extending their operational lifespan. Costa argues that these programs enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve service delivery by implementing data-driven decision-making, tiered response

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53:12

‘I don’t want to see grieving families’: Danny...

Better Every Shift ·

2025/06/05

“There’s always a better way to do something; we just haven’t discovered it yet.” Chief Danny Kistner, the new director of fire service programs for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, underscores the need for continuous improvement, especially when it comes to finding new ways to reduce firefighter LODDs. Kistner details the threefold mission of the NFFF, highlighting that while supporting firefighter families after a tragedy is the core mission, the foundation is also deeply committed to

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55:27

Accreditation in action: CPSE’s Preet Bassi talks...

Better Every Shift ·

2025/05/29

“We often do what is inspected, not what is expected.” Preet Bassi, CEO for the Center for Public Safety Excellence, joins the show this week to talk fire department (and personal) accountability and improvement, specifically through the process of accreditation and credentialing. Bassi underscores that if a department doesn’t have a way to track their practices and progress, it could go from being a progressive, emerging department to one that’s considered old school before its leaders realize the

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15:54

Extra Alarm: Mixed signals – managing conflicting...

Better Every Shift ·

2025/05/27

This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Battalion Chief (ret.) Greg Rogers, addressing the critical issue of conflicting orders in fire department operations and underscoring the importance of adhering to the established chain of command. Rogers acknowledges the tendency of individuals to obey authority figures, even when orders are conflicting or unsafe, as demonstrated by infamous Stanley Milgram's obedience experiments. This behavior can lead to dangerous situations on the fireground,

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49:36

The National Firefighter Registry is back: Help...

Better Every Shift ·

2025/05/22

The National Firefighter Registry is back! The registry – a massive project to understand and reduce risk of cancer among U.S. firefighters – was temporarily offline following layoffs at several NIOSH programs. Fortunately, the administration has restored the NFR employees’ positions, and the site is back up and running.Dr. Kenny Fent, the NFR team lead, joins the podcast to detail the program, which helps connect the dots between cancer and firefighting well beyond previous studies. The good news:

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49:01

How to hit the ‘RESET’ button on behavioral health

Better Every Shift ·

2025/05/15

“You’re not Superman; you can’t carry it all.” Sarasota (Florida) Deputy Chief Darin Wallentine urges all listeners, no matter your rank, to carve out time to focus on your behavioral health. If you don’t know where to start, this year’s Safety Stand Down offers a variety of resources centered on the theme “Break the Stigma: Behavioral Health RESET” – Recognize, Educate, Strategies, Empower and Training. Use the resources for your personal health needs, and share them with your crewmembers as part

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08:48

Extra Alarm: The all-in engine company – making it...

Better Every Shift ·

2025/05/13

This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Jeffrey Bryant Jr., a firefighter/paramedic with the Aurora (Illinois) Fire Department. Bryant outlines strategies for a three-person engine company, highlighting the roles of the officer, driver and firefighter, and their tasks in search and suppression. Bryant underscores the importance of training crewmembers to adapt to staffing levels while still prioritizing life safety. He also tackles how two-in/two-out policies can affect

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52:44

Dr. Reggie Freeman returns to talk higher education,...

Better Every Shift ·

2025/05/08

It’s a special show this week, as Dr. Reggie Freeman returns to talk all things higher education and help us celebrate a milestone moment for Zam. It was Chief Freeman who, during his first appearance on Better Every Shift, encouraged Zam to go back to school – and he did. Zam and Freeman share their personal education journeys, detail what they have learned about how they learn, and encourage all fire personnel to consider what’s stopping you from taking the next step in their leadership

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55:26

Chief Reid Vaughan: ‘If you can fog a mirror, I’ll...

Better Every Shift ·

2025/05/01

“There’s a job for everybody” at the volunteer fire department. That’s Chief Reid Vaughan’s perspective on recruitment. Cuba, Alabama, where Vaughan serves as fire chief, doesn’t have a lot of financial support, meaning officials have to get creative about how to best serve the community. Vaughan shares volunteer recruitment strategies plus smart ways to do more with less. We dig into all this plus:Mutual-aid relationships that make a big difference Hybrid education programs that fit volunteers’

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07:48

Extra Alarm: Fire service pruning – make way for...

Better Every Shift ·

2025/04/29

This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Division Chief Eric Latimer, who uses the metaphor of pruning a rose bush to emphasize the importance of evaluating and updating fire department practices, policies and technology. Pruning is necessary to eliminate outdated methods and make way for new, more efficient practices. Areas for potential pruning include outdated policies, unsafe practices, irrelevant tools, and administrative methods that fail to leverage new technologies. Continuous and

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291 results

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