Shows / Better Every Shift
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…
Episodes
- Better Every Shift
‘As goes the Metro, so goes the global fire service’: Inside the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association
“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…
- Better Every Shift
‘We rehearsed this’: Chief Eric Morgenthaler talks mayday command
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…
Better Every ShiftExtra Alarm: Emergency logistics — who’s your go-to officer?
This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Paul Fawcett, tackling the critical role of logistics officers in emergency response operations. Fawcett…
- Better Every Shift
‘Come from curiosity’: Chief Corey Smedley on earning trust as an outside hire
“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…
- Better Every Shift
‘Sleep washes the brain’: How shift workers can improve sleep
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…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: The do’s and don’ts of commanding your first fire
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…
- Better Every Shift
‘Release of calmness’: Detailing the procedure helping firefighters manage PTSD
“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…
- Better Every Shift
‘Everything went lights out’: SoCal firefighter details close call
“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…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: Squad programs — reshaping fire response
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…
- Better Every Shift
‘I don’t want to see grieving families’: Danny Kistner talks NFFF mission and support
“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…
- Better Every Shift
Accreditation in action: CPSE’s Preet Bassi talks tracking FD practices and progress
“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…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: Mixed signals – managing conflicting orders within the chain of command
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…
- Better Every Shift
The National Firefighter Registry is back: Help fellow FFs ‘be healthier and live longer’
The National Firefighter Registry is back! The registry – a massive project to understand and reduce risk of cancer among U.S. firefighters – was temporarily…
- Better Every Shift
How to hit the ‘RESET’ button on behavioral health
“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…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: The all-in engine company – making it work with 3 members
This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Jeffrey Bryant Jr., a firefighter/paramedic with the Aurora (Illinois) Fire Department. Bryant outlines…
- Better Every Shift
Dr. Reggie Freeman returns to talk higher education, plus Zam’s MBA
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…
- Better Every Shift
Chief Reid Vaughan: ‘If you can fog a mirror, I’ll find you a job’
“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…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: Fire service pruning – make way for fresh ideas, technology and practices
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…
- Better Every Shift
NFL lineman honors fallen firefighters through ‘My Cause My Cleats’ program
It’s Draft Day – a perfect opportunity to spotlight one player who has chosen to support the fire service through the NFL’s “My Cause My Cleats” program. Colts…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: The importance of proportional response on and off the fireground
This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Linda Willing, who tackles the significance of proportional responses. Willing emphasizes how underreaction…
- Better Every Shift
Chief Kim Zagaris reflects on the Oklahoma City bombing 30 years later
“I’ve seen some horrendous accidents and things – never in my life had I seen anything similar to this.” Chief Kim Zaragis describes the scene of the Oklahoma…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: Fleeing to the firehouse – when work becomes an escape
This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Dr. Rachelle Zemlok, a clinical psychologist focused on first responders families. Dr. Zemlok examines the…
- Better Every Shift
‘Interior offensive aggressive attack’: Juratovac shares her favorite words
Firefighters sometimes get “too cute” on the fireground, trying to do too much or step outside their area of expertise. On this Better Every Shift playback…
- Better Every Shift
Chief Brian Fennessy talks ‘mind-blowing’ L.A. urban conflagration
When fires erupted in Los Angeles in early January, the incidents seemed to shift from wildfire to urban conflagration in an instant. Orange County Fire…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: It’s time for a cabinet-level Department of Emergency Services
This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Chief Marc Bashoor, who addresses the crucial need for a unified and elevated national fire service structure…
- Better Every Shift
Thermal imagers: Andy Starnes talks fireground ‘force multiplier’ technology
“What’s the building hiding from you?” That’s a key question from Chief Andy Starnes, our resident thermal imaging expert on this special episode of Better…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: Electric vehicle fires – where the waiting game wins
This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Captain Patrick Durham with the Troy (Michigan) Fire Department. Captain Durham addresses the issues…
- Better Every Shift
Critical connections: The challenges and solutions in public safety communication
Whether responding to a medical emergency, coordinating disaster relief, or ensuring officer safety in high-risk situations, public safety radio systems…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: Conduct a personal AAR in 45 minutes or less
This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Chris Paskett, a battalion chief with Eugene Springfield (Oregon) Fire. Paskett details how incident…
- Better Every Shift
‘Restore classes immediately’: Fire service leaders urge action after NFA training cancellations
“There’s no better time than now to watch the Fire Service One Voice message being exercised,” notes former U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell on…
- Better Every Shift
Chief Kevin Quinn: ‘If you do retention right, you don’t have a recruitment problem’
Recruitment and retention are critical issues impacting fire departments across the country, and while it’s important to level up our efforts there, Deputy…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: How battalion chiefs can win the hearts of their firefighters
This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Battalion Chief Ben Thompson from the Birmingham Fire Department. The article explores how battalion chiefs…
- Better Every Shift
‘Hyper-connected to the people we serve’: Chief Dean Crispen talks SFFD goals
Shortly after taking the helm as fire chief of the San Francisco Fire Department, Dean Crispen received the advice to “just be true to your basic values” –…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: What you need to know about the Social Security Fairness Act
This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Joan Hill, who details the need-to-know information about the Social Security Fairness Act, which eliminates…
- Better Every Shift
‘I’m proof that it works’: Zam talks resilience-focused habits
Zam has been through a lot in the past year, navigating some personal life challenges, plus adapting to an elevated position at work – a change that ultimately…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: How to develop a volunteer recruitment playbook
This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Dan Rogers, a third-generation firefighter with the Witt Volunteer Fire Department. Rogers delves into…
- Better Every Shift
Curt Varone: ‘Our biggest liability is sitting in the firehouse with us’
This week’s podcast revisits one of our most popular shows. Fire service attorney Curt Varone identifies the biggest liability for fire departments – the…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: Borrowing from business simply doesn’t work for the fire service
This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Johnny Torgeson, the assistant chief of operations for Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow Fire & Emergency…
- Better Every Shift
San Diego Fire Rescue chiefs talk recruitment, wellness and community connection
There’s a lot going on at San Diego Fire Rescue, as we hear from Fire Chief Robert Logan and Battalion Chief David Picone with the health and safety office on…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: ‘The Great AI Lie’ – greater efficiency does not always equate to improved mental health
This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Division Chief Chad Crouse, who addresses the impact of AI on mental health and productivity in the fire…
- Better Every Shift
Introducing the Firefighter Mayday Survey with Lt. Bassel Ibrahim
Orlando Lt. Bassel Ibrahim is carrying the mayday research torch through the launch of the Firefighter Mayday Survey. The project is a variation and…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: ‘I will stay connected to the members’ -- a challenging goal for newly promoted leaders
This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Chief Eric Linnenburger, who focuses on the importance of genuine connection for newly promoted fire service…
- Better Every Shift
Jo Terry: ‘PTSD does not have to end in tragedy’
Kentucky Assistant Chief Chip Terry called himself a public servant – and lived by those words, shares his widow, Jo Terry: “He was there to serve the public…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: Leading through the political conversation at the kitchen table
Welcome to FireRescue1’s Extra Alarm – your audible source of original content from FireRescue1. This week’s insights come to us from Eric Latimer, division…
- Better Every Shift
‘Do the next right thing right’: Kevin Sofen talks tech fundamentals
New tools and technology can feel daunting, particularly if you already feel behind the curve, but the opportunities are endless if you can embrace a learning…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: Fire is fire no matter what you call it
Welcome to FireRescue1’s Extra Alarm – your audible source of original content from FireRescue1. This week’s episode insights come to us from Linda Willing, a…
- Better Every Shift
Chief Bob Horton: ‘Wildfire is coming to a town near you’
Attention, structural firefighters: Wildfire does impact your community. If you’re thinking, “Nope, not here,” then you might be confusing wildfire and…
- Better Every Shift
Extra Alarm: Bridging the gap between firefighters and the 40-hour world
Welcome to FireRescue1’s Extra Alarm – your audible source of original content from FireRescue1. In this inaugural episode, learn how to minimize scheduling…
- Better Every Shift
‘It is never too late to start’: Kepra Jack details how to revive your cardiac health
“Why are healthy people having cardiac events?” This was the question that first fueled Kepra Jack’s interest in cardiac health among firefighters – and the…
- Better Every Shift
2024 reflections + 2025 bold predictions
Fire Chief Jason Caughey joins the team this week to reflect on the decisive themes of 2024, whether those hot topics will continue to make waves in 2025, plus…
- Better Every Shift
‘Work the problem’: Firefighter-survivalist shares ‘Naked & Afraid’ lessons
Ventura Fire Captain Fernando Calderon has appeared on five seasons of Discovery Channel’s hit reality TV show “Naked & Afraid,” where participants are dropped…
- Better Every Shift
‘Good, better, best’: Megan Lautz shares a realistic approach to FF nutrition
Megan Lautz understands that shiftwork makes it nearly impossible to follow a perfect diet – as do other life events that squeeze your time and impact your…
- Better Every Shift
Adm. Mike Studeman: Great leaders seek ‘maximum performance at highest morale’
We’re declassifying today’s podcast so everyone can learn from Rear Admiral (ret.) Mike Studeman, former commander of the Office of Naval Intelligence…
Better Every ShiftInside EMS: Accountability in action – building a culture that sticks in EMS
Crossover alert! On this week’s Inside EMS podcast, cohosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson dive into a vital topic: the culture of accountability in EMS…
- Better Every Shift
‘It raises my hackles’: Chief Chuck Ryan talks unsafe fireground actions
Many know that Tucson Fire Chief Chuck Ryan is a staunch advocate for firefighter health and safety, but he’s also a big believer in giving a little grace…
- Better Every Shift
Firefighter gift deals tastier than turkey
It’s time to make your list and check it twice to ensure you’re covered this holiday season. Unsure what to buy for your firefighter friends and family or even…
- Better Every Shift
Chief Derek Alkonis: ‘Everything you do is focused on life safety’
“There's so much we don't know about fires. We're still killing firefighters. We're still killing people in fires. There's still so much to know and to do…
- Better Every Shift
Greatest Hits: Chief Leeb returns to mark 100 episodes – and brings friends
To help Better Every Shift commemorate 100episodes, Chief Frank Leeb returns (again), this time with several surprise guests, live from the recent…
- Better Every Shift
‘We changed the entire dynamic’: Chief Mike Cunningham talks recruitment
Recruitment challenges continue to plague many fire departments, but there are simple ways to address the root issues head on – the key is knowing where to…
- Better Every Shift
‘It feels good to do good’: Kurt DeGroot talks Project Fire Buddies
It all started with a single question after transporting a kid battling leukemia: How can we do more? Kurt DeGroot noticed that the boy always perked up when…