Better Every Shift

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 Pruning is necessary to eliminate outdated methods and make way for new, more efficient practices. Areas for potential pruning include outdated policies, unsafe practices, irrelevant tools, and administrative methods that fail to leverage new technologies.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 mindful evaluation led by adaptable and communicative leaders can lead to a more efficient, effective and safer fire department. 

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 center Danny Pinter, who has several ties to the fire service, honors fallen firefighters on custom designed cleats each season. Zam and Janelle met Pinter a recent National Fallen Firefighters Foundation event where Pinter connected with the fire service leaders and the loved ones of fallen firefighters, reinforcing his commitment to the cause. We dig into Pinter’s support for the fire service, plus a host of football-to-fireground lessons. This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore. Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Linda Willing, who tackles the significance of proportional responses. Willing emphasizes how underreaction can condone inappropriate behavior, while overreaction can waste resources and damage trust. Using real-life examples, she illustrates that responses should be fair, consistent and proportional to the incidents, whether on the fireground or in organizational settings. Disproportionate responses can lead to further problems, trust issues and morale damage.

“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 City bombing – a terrorist attack that killed 168 people and injured more than 600 others on April 19, 1995. As we mark 30 years since the horrific incident, Chief Zagaris recounts his 16 days working the scene as the planning section chief – a role he was tasked with due to his extensive experience in USAR responses, emergency management and homeland security. Zagaris, who currently serves as the Wildfire Policy and Technology Advisor for the Western Fire Chiefs Association, highlights the challenges faced at the scene, coordination with the FBI, the highly personal dedication of the first responders during recovery efforts, and the importance of humility when providing mutual aid, among other key takeaways from the incident. This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by MagneGrip. Eliminate diesel exhaust fumes from inside the fire station with a MagneGrip exhaust removal system. Learn more at MagneGrip.com. Enjoying the show? Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

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 tendency of some firefighters to spend extra hours at work to escape personal problems, leading to emotional distance and strained relationships at home. The structured environment of firefighting contrasts with the complexity of home life, causing some to avoid addressing domestic issues. Dr. Zemlok suggests a four-step approach to tackle these challenges, and encouraged firefighters to confront emotional challenges head-on, seek professional help if needed, and strive for a healthy work-life balance.

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, San Francisco Assistant Chief Nicol Juratovac shares some examples and urges firefighters to focus on their bread-and-butter tactics for a strong “interior offensive aggressive attack” – her all-time favorite words. Juratovac is a student of the game day in and day out, honing her skills on everything from incident command and apparatus positioning to forcible entry and roof operations – and she shares her lessons with you today! This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore. Enjoying the show? Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

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 Authority Fire Chief Brian Fennessy, who grew up in Altadena, hurried back to his home community as it was being run over by the Eaton Fire. What Fennessy witnessed was mind-blowing – only a few homes in a massive area spared from the fires. Fennessy shares his experience during the firestorm, including his use of milk and beer to address one hazardous condition; his reflections on the state of wildfire, WUI and urban conflagration training; his perspective on resource ordering systems that can delay critical apparatus getting on the road; and information about the California Fire Service Leadership Alliance. Next: Watch Chief Fennessy on “60 Minutes.” This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by MagneGrip. Eliminate diesel exhaust fumes from inside the fire station with a MagneGrip exhaust removal system. Learn more at MagneGrip.com. Enjoying the show? Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback.

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. Bashoor argues against the closure of the National Fire Academy (NFA), emphasizing its critical role in providing consistent, advanced training across all states. He also critiques the fragmented federal oversight of various fire and emergency services, and proposes the creation of a cabinet-level Department of Emergency Services to consolidate and streamline these efforts. Bashoor calls for the fire service community to challenge the status quo, advocate for structural changes, and demonstrate true leadership.

“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 Every Shift. Starnes, the founder of Insight Fire Training, joins Zam to dig into all things thermal imaging technology, including how TICs can reveal the building’s hidden dangers, how and why so many firefighters misuse their devices, plus tips and tricks for spending less time staring at a screen and more time locating and mitigating the fire. Starnes details some unique features of Seek Thermal’s imagers and encourages listeners to check out instructional videos from Insight Fire Training’s TIC Resource Center to use during crew training. Visit TheFireStore at FDIC (booths 110 and 111) to shop Seek Thermal’s products and receive a special Seek Gear Grab Bag with any camera purchase. This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore. Enjoying the show? And email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Captain Patrick Durham with the Troy (Michigan) Fire Department. Captain Durham addresses the issues firefighters face when dealing with electric vehicle (EV) fires, particularly the challenges posed by thermal runaway events in lithium-ion batteries. Durham covers various methods and tools for extinguishing EV fires, such as firefighting foam, Class D extinguishers, pancake and piercing nozzles, and fire blankets, and ultimately concludes that the best strategy is to let the battery burn out, a process that takes about an hour.