Side Alpha Leadership

This month I have Stephnie White back on the show. We discuss the new firefighters coming into the service. Are they too soft or are we projecting our rookie time onto them and is that fair? We discussed station members' expectations of seinor staff and vice versa.  if station members run for cover when the chiefs come to the station, the chiefs have a huge communication issue. we discussed how to...

This month I welcome back Dr. Shelly Wheeler. Shelly is a Captain assigned to the training academy in Montgomery County Maryland. Shelly and I talk about how to make morale good in the fire service, foster a culture where firefighter make decision and prepare them for the next step in their careers. Start the officer prep the moment firefighters come off probation and continue until they sit for t...

This month I welcome back RJ (Robert James) we dig into the topic of being a mentor. It is important to take the new firefighters under your wing, guide them and set them on the path to be successful. It is everyone's job to ensure we are turning out the best firefighters. Remember your rookie is a reflection of you and your shift.  In the 2nd part of the show, we discuss officer development. The...

This month I sit down with Chief Dave McGlynn. We talk about his new book " The Training Officer " Being a training officer is hard work, but rewarding. We talk about the culture of the fire service. Many say we need to change the culture of the fire service, but I don't believe that. I think we should always try to enhance the culture of the fire service and strive to make it better, but not chan...

You need to invest in your people to know when something is wrong. Firefighters are reluctant to ask for help, so you need to spot trouble and get the help members may need. When you promote to a leadership position you are always on duty for your people. You have to answer the phone when someone reaches out to you. You may be their last call when their whole world is falling apart around them.  A...

This episode I speak with Steve Prziborowski. Steve and I talk about the low recruitment numbers in the fire service. Many jurisdictions are struggling with recruiting the number of potential candidates to come to the job.  Once again I discuss officer development and how to get experience to become a successful officer.

This month I talk with Steve Hamilton. Steve explains the complex incidents the police face and how the fire department fits in to help. There are many hurdles to overcome: building trust building relations training together knowing each others limitations having each others backs There is a role for the fire department during active shooter incident, barricade incidents and SWAT/SRT callouts.

This month I go solo with no guest. I took the time to answer some questions from listeners from social media. I touch several subjects  Promotion exams Dealing with difficult people Recognize your shortcomings  What made me decide to be a chief My advice to the new firefighter How do we make training friendly to volunteers  

This month I speak with Stephanie White. Stephanie is an 18 year veteran career firefighter in the Washington Metro area. She hosts a podcast on Fire Engineering called "5 after Midnight" Stephanie and I talk about EEO in the fire service and how it falls short in the fire service. Although we follow the laws there are gray areas that EEO does not account for. As firefighters and officers we must...

This month I speak with Jessica Shafer. Jessica talks about her time as a young Coast Guardsmen to being the first female commanding officer of Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment. She navigated many hurdles to become a respected officer in the Coast Guard. Her thought about leadership, self-reflection and desire to be better everyday, made her the strong person she is today.

I welcome back Dr. (Capt.) Shelly Wheeler We talk about risk management, how we approach it on the fire ground and how the business world deals with it. Our fire service has evolved over the years, but the dangers are still there. We have become a smarter service and we still do the job, accept the risk, but now we are armed with the lessons from the past. Our job will always be dangerous and we a...

On this episode Frank Ricci and I offer advice on dealing with a boss who only has his interests in mind. How can the Sr. firefighter approach the officer to initiate a conversation. What to do if there is a trust issue with line officers or chief officers and how to have effective conversations. Frank and I offer advice on starting the conversations in a respectful way and getting the positive re...

I welcome Asst. Chief Justin McCarthy of the New Haven Fire Dept. to the show. Justin and I talk about the lack of leadership training in the fire department. What would a good leadership class would look like. How do we encourage our people to make decisions and not live in fear of getting in trouble.  Never forget we are always students and we must strive to learn everyday  

I took the show in a different direction this month. As emergency service workers and military, we are exposed to terrible things. There are times we need help to cope and process. We are fortunate to have Behavioral Health Specialists imbedded in the fire service, police force and military to help. I had the pleasure of speaking to Frederick County's Behavioral Health Coordinator Natalie Bowers....

Sam and I talked about what to do when the boss has his hands in your job and how you can resolve the issue. Good respectful communication is key. Most likely the boss does not realize he is micromanaging you.  As an officer you need to make decisions. it is ok to make mistakes. Own your mistakes and share what you learned with your crew and peers.

I welcome Dave McGlynn to my show. Dave is the Training Assistant Chief at Letterkenny Army Depot. Dave shares his experience as a chief on how to overcome shortcomings, lack of experience and administrative  knowledge through training, putting your ego in check and asking for help. Having pride in your company is great, make sure your pride does not blind you to learning new things. 

RJ and Sam join me in the studio to discuss combination fire and rescue system and the challenges that arise in these systems. COVID has eased up and we are being called to teach more. We talk about upcoming classes we are teaching and how training helps bring career and volunteers together to focus on the fire service mission. 

Frank Ricci and I discuss firehouse communications. There are many ways, as leaders we communicate with our officers and firefighters. It is an art and as a boss you have to learn how to master it. The kitchen table is a great place to have discussions and learn to listen to your people. Mastering 1 on 1 communications allows you to gain great insight as to what is going on inthe stations and reso...

Part 3 of my interview with Dave Braun. Dave has a great story that you have to hear. Make sure you listen to part 1 and 2.  To all the leaders out there, make sure you are there for your people. Make sure you recognize when they are in need of help.

I continue the podcast with Dave Braun. 

Dave Braun joins me on the show again. David dives deep into his personal life through all the ups and downs and how he succeeded as a Marine, husband, dad and a firefighter. He tells all the lessons he learned along the way.

In this episode I take a different direction. I had the pleasure of talking to my long time friend Kemo. Kemo was the guitar play in our band. Kemo has been busy over the last 30 years including music, stand up comedy, recording a parody album, being a dad and a husband. We reminisce about the band days being on stage and just having fun.

This month I reflect on 2021 what has happened along the way what is up with me and what the future brings. I have no guest this month, it is just me and the podcast is short only 2o min. So enjoy and  will see you in 2022!

In this episode I once again speak to Retired Battalion Chief Frank Ricci about making yourself, as well as your organization successful. As a leader there are time you have to set yourself up for success. When you are interviewing for a new job or promotion you need to tell your bosses who you are what you have done and how you are the right person for the job. As a leader you understand that you...

I am happy to have Robert James (RJ) Fire Lieutenant and President of Capitol Fire Training. We discuss being the new officer and building you influence through staying humble, staying enthusiastic, and lead by example. RJ talks about his role as a newly promoted Lt. and succeeding by sticking to his core values.