Better Every Shift

Returning (again!) to Better Every Shift, fire service scientist-extraordinaire Dr. Sara Jahnke gets real about the firefighter/research connection: Historically, “we’ve done a sh*tty job translating science to practice” — but that’s changing with the growing movement around Science to the Station , an event that brings together firefighters, researchers and health experts to bridge the gap and fo...

Fire-Rescue International is underway, and with that comes the leadership handoff at the IAFC. Before Chief Josh Waldo hands the baton to Chief Trisha Wolford, the two return to Better Every Shift to reflect on Waldo’s time as president and what awaits Wolford as she steps into the president’s boots — or really, if you know her, high heels. The chiefs discuss the most common issues they see facing...

The two smartest Johns in the fire service are digging into the hottest topic in the fire service. Chiefs John Oates and John Tippett unpack the What Firefighters Want in 2025 survey results, tackling the much-debated question of whether safety culture and aggressive tactics can coexist. Spoiler alert: They can! But it’s how they coexist that’s drives this nuanced discussion of training priorities...

This week’s Extra Alarm insights come to us from Chief Keith Padgett, who emphasizes the importance of clear, consistent communication from the first-arriving officer to establish command and set the tone for incident operations. He outlines a standard format for initial reports that includes arrival notification, structure description, visible conditions, tactical actions and command declaration....

“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 act...

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 comm...

“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...

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 &a...

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. Addition...

“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 depar...

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...

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 avoi...

“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 shar...

“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...

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, r...

“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 support...

“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 bein...

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 Stanl...

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, w...

“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 Tr...

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 sti...

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...

“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 plu...

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...

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 t...