Tailboard Talks Firefighter Podcast

Send a text Recently the Chicago Fire Department dropped a monster policy change regarding first due operations at residential dwellings.  Uproar was easy to find online but we take closer look and see what the new guidelines actually mean. Firefighters hate change, but also the way things are so we'll see how this one turns out. Tailboard Confessions are back and this time Angie and I are pr...

Send a text Want it from the top and complain about it from the bottom. Firefighter morale runs through the middle and with a weak middle management core, morale will suffer. We’re also talking about some self worth, and inappropriately holding others to your standards and expectations. Support the show Affiliate links: Rescue1CBD Use code TAILBOARD for 15% off Frontline Optics use code TAILBOARD...

Send a text Picture yourself sitting at the table on shift.  Stories are flying and you've got the perfect one to tell, but the wrong person is sitting next to you.  Well guess what, we are the right persons.  In our new segment Tailboard Confessions, we want to hear all the details of you best and worst moments. Dirt, scandal, conflict, and some victories of course. On the topic of the wrong...

Send a text So many problems in the fire service are from firefighters looking at something and thinking "I can do it better". That's how Mike Ettenberg started Fronline Optics.  Hear how he is doing it differently and how his company is deeply tied to charity. Then we're talking about Zone 2 training and why we want an alternative to the CPAT.  Angie hates the vests, I hate th...

Send a text This week we are speaking with Dr Daniel Higuera.  Dr. Higuera works in Southern California and has dedicated his education to improving firefighter performance.  He and his team handle over 2000 firefighters a year and he is a professor at the Santa Ana College.  We're talking about at wearable technology, call volume impacting body composition, and how to make the best of your s...

Send a text Direct from the floor of FIDC we got an inside scoop of their presentation on cannabis in the fire service.  We're talking Cannabis, CBD, and Firefighters. The conversation around THC and CBD is a polarizing one in the fire service and when the title of the presentation was posted on Facebook, it was met with numerous firefighters running towards retirement instead of getting with...

Send a text Our experiences and perspectives as firefighters is continually changing and updating.  Recently the development of fire conferences for women has grown in popularity but Angie had a different experience with one. We talk about how our perspectives have changed through the years on topics like discipline, women's conferences, probationary members, and being part of a union. Thank...

Send a text FEMA has put out notice that National Fire Academy has cancelled all courses for the time being.  It's not often that we are affected by the actions of others but we are in a new age and a strange time.  What does this mean for us, you, your crew, and the future of firefighters? Then, Angie goes to the dim web for some sleep advice from ChatGPT.  Sleep is a major point of frustrat...

Send a text Keto, paleo, carnivore, intermittent fasting, buzzword, influencer diet, fad, call it what you will but firefighters are suckers for them.  Is one diet better than the other, is carnivore the ultimate (mistake) for firefighters?  What about the GLP-1 movement?  Can and should firefighters use medication to lose weight if it can help improve their performance, or is it the easy way out....

Send a text Leadership in the fire service can look like a lot of different things.  Different styles, tactics, and success rates.  Servant Leadership has become popular for a reason and the fireservice has the chance to implement it every day. Angie and Chris tell some stories of leadership and what traits make effective leaders, besides the company line of integrity and honesty. Support the show...

Send a text We have both been pretty critical of the working out in gear contingent in the past but times are changing and we have to reevaluate our stance from time to time. We're going over our old arguments against the practice of working out in firefighting gear along with why those reasons might be outdated. We're also revealing the 5 foundational movement patterns for firefighters...

Send a text In a world where each new week brings a new risk, what is a firefighter to do?  Well, do the things we know how to, control the controllables.  Modify the modifiable.  Risk is part of the job but so is protecting yourself. Angie and Chris review some of the staples of the fire service and how they positively and negatively impact our health.  Alcohol, smoke exposure, IDLH stuff, diesel...

Send a text Angie does not like new years resolutions.  Firefighters do not like new years resolutions.  When you can't even figure out what day of the week it is, it really makes January 1 a pretty poor date to try and make any changes. Instead, listen to our takes on starting your fitness or nutrition journey and some ideas on how to make the programs work for you.  Look for the 14ish to st...

Send a text Firefighters are notorious for being hard on their tools.  But that doesn't mean you have to spend a ton of money to accommodate the rough use.  Finding durable, inexpensive, replaceable tools is a better approach for most of us. Follow along and check out my pick for the four best categories of tools and the best options in those categories. Support the show Affiliate links: Resc...

Send a text Say hi to the new hosts of Firefighter Nation's latest show, Beyond The Headlines.  Angie and I will be talking to authors and contributors to the Firefighter Nation homepage and getting the story behind the article. In this episode fellow firefighter Angie introduces herself and we start the conversation talking about an article but quickly spin off on tangents including hustle c...

Send a text Way back in 2022, Curt and I answered a handful of listener questions.  The last question was from a person who had some unhappy feelings about paramedic school, job requirements, and some bad characters they had dealt with along the way. Turns out the way Curt and I answered this question created some hurt feelings and emotional responses.  But here we are, more than two years later,...

Send a text So there I was, feeling fat, looking for a reason to workout and needing to record an episode.  Years ago Joe Galli and I had talked about a Hot Ones type of show but with fitness instead of wings.  Well today was the day that it all came together. In the future these will be with a guest and tons of fun.  For now, I'm doing deadlifts, and answering questions that you submitted on...

Send a text This episode originally aired in Feb of 2023, and we're still playing the 'sick or allergies' game today.  Some firefighters are stingy with their sick time and will always blame allergies no matter how obvious their illness is.  Others are just looking for a reason to call in and barely need a sniffle. The decision to workout or not when you're sick can be an extre...

Send a text Informal leadership is the absolute lifeblood of a functioning firehouse.  Firefighters want to be counted on in the streets and given massive responsibilities  during emergencies.  But for an officer to trust you during an emergency, they have to first trust that you can handle yourself the other 75% of the time. Solving problems, pushing activity, and being the go-to crew is more tha...

Send a text This episode was originally titled Diversify Your Happiness and was posted earlier this year.  After a short story about Nathan's bike crash record, we talk about building out a list of stuff you can do to get your mind right. Having a pre set list or at least a mental algorithm of things to do can keep us happy and healthy instead of idle and frustrated.  Firefighters have an inh...

Send a text Your ability to consider something a challenge or a threat has direct implications on you success.  And as ridiculous as it sounds, your body will fire off different chemicals for challenges than it does for things you consider threats.  Cortisol is the main player in so many of our health and wellness issues and threats make your body secrete it at a rapid pace. Adrenaline is the chal...

Send a text Stephanie White is the new Managing Editor of FirefighterNation.com. I spoke with her over year ago and we talked about all things pregnancy in the fire service.  Her work with the Beltane Guild assisted departments in writing policies and procedures for pregnancy and postpartum as well as grants for those struggling to start a family.  One thing to remember is that better policies for...

Send a text Hit the Buy Me A Coffee Button if you like the show! Firefighter Nation launched earlier this month and they're doing some very good things.  I'm giving a quick look at their mission and what they are delivering to the fire service. Then I'm giving a nod to a lieutenant who is retiring this month.  I worked with this guy in the last couple years and he has been throwing...

Send a text This week is all about making training work for you.  Three ways that firefighters can increase their success on the training ground and the instructors can set the membership up for success. The original air date of this episode was 70 episodes ago in 2023.  The points are still valid and I'm planning on taking them for some new content in the future. Check out www.4thshiftfirefi...

Send a text Go to 4thShiftFirefighter.com and download the new free PDF's that are available.  Daily DOSE, 14-ish, the Firefighter Wellness Ladder, and the Strength Workout Template. Training new firefighters is a tough task and even harder when we can't get out of the way.  I'm hitting some points that I've seen and used when training probationary members. Patience is number o...