B Shifter

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to protect big box facilities from devastating fires? Join us as we sit down with Shane Ray, President of the National Fire Sprinkler Association and a long-time fire chief, who shares his expertise on big box fire protection strategies and the unique challenges that come with safeguarding various types of buildings. Discover the importance of understanding each...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered how to effectively engage adult learners in the fire service? Join us as we chat with Jeffery King, who oversees the curriculum for the Blue Card Program, and dive deep into the world of adult learning. Together, we explore Dale's cone of learning, examine how Blue Card complements adult learning, and discuss creating an environment where mistakes are seen as op...

Send us Fan Mail Somehow we misplaced this episode, but hallelujah- we found it! That means three more B Shifter's get a t-shirt! We asked for questions for the chiefs and we received some good ones! This episode we discuss the paramilitary structure of fire departments, officers who push back on good radio communications and avoiding burnout. Every question we use will get a Bruno OG IC T-Sh...

Send us Fan Mail Our popular segment "Ask The Fire Chief" has a new companion, "Ask The Ops Chief"! We tackle issues that you sent us that Josh Blum (our resident Ops Chief) takes the lead on.  If we use your question, you get an "OG IC" t-shirt.  We then finish this episode with a "Timeless Tactical Truth". This episode features Josh Blum ,  Nick Brunacini...

Send us Fan Mail This is another round of Ask The Chiefs! We asked for questions for the chiefs and we received some good ones! Every question we use will get a Bruno OG IC T-Shirt. This time around we discussed dealing with those who get their jobs back through arbitration and keeping the passion for our jobs in leadership. This episode features Terry Garrison , Nick Brunacini and John Vance. We...

Send us Fan Mail We listen and decontruct radio traffic from two different fires in Las Vegas. Listen to how they deal with some of the fireground challenges using a standard command and communications routine.  We then finish this episode with a "Timeless Tactical Truth". This episode features Josh Blum ,  Nick Brunacini , and John Vance. Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free wee...

Send us Fan Mail On this B Shifter we first listen to some "cool command" from Las Vegas Fire/Rescue, then we delve into an article written by Alan Brunacini on "Cool Command" and command presence. You can find that article here . We then finish this episode with a "Timeless Tactical Truth". This episode features Josh Blum ,  Nick Brunacini , and John Vance. Sign up f...

Send us Fan Mail Part 1 of 2 We asked for questions for the chiefs and we received some good ones! Every question we use will get a Bruno OG IC T-Shirt. This episode features Terry Garrison , Nick Brunacini and John Vance. We want your helmet (for the AVB CTC)! Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here. Shop B Shifter here . The Hazard Zone Conference is back. Register be...

Send us Fan Mail We cover various topics on this one; fire station bathrooms, our favorite bosses, electric fire apparatus and some fire house traditions explained. We take a lighter approach on this B Shifter. We turned on the mics and let the conversation take us to where it was going to take us! We hope that you enjoy it.... This episode features Nick Brunacini and John Vance. Sign up for the B...

Send us Fan Mail Let us clear this up. As an IC, you MUST manage risk. It is your job. Being a risk manager does not mean we are being risk averse. In this episode as a matter of fact we state the opposite. Managing risk allows us to get in and do our jobs when the conditions allow (often time very aggressively). We will start with a radio clip of a physical rescue then we talk about what risk man...

Send us Fan Mail Alan Brunacini left a lot of unpublished materials and programs that were in the progress of completion when he passed away. Terry Garrison and Nick Brunacini are putting all of those works together for a leadership program for the fire service using the "Brunacini model" of fire department leadership. We talk about that and some of this leadership lessons that have been...

Send us Fan Mail This episode is co-hosted by Josh Blum and John Vance . On this B Shifter our guest Adam Barowy, Research Engineer from UL's Fire Safety Research Institute will talk about fires involving lithium ion batteries. Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here. Shop B Shifter here . The Hazard Zone Conference is back. Register before April 1 and save $100! R...

Send us Fan Mail This episode is co-hosted by Nick Brunacini , Josh Blum and John Vance . We talk about continuous improvement on the fireground and the importance of common SOP's and a meaningful way to facilitate feedback for continuous improvement. Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here. Shop B Shifter here . The Hazard Zone Conference is back. Register before...

Send us Fan Mail We give you the lowdown on what you can expect from us in 2023, including the return of the Hazard Zone Conference, Big Box Workshops and how to tie tactics into Blue Card. This episode is co-hosted by Josh Blum , & John Vance . Sign up fore the B Shifter Buckslip here.   The full schedule of Blue Card classes and events here. If you would like a FREE command worksheet templat...

Send us Fan Mail Nick, Josh, Erik Phillips and Vance are reviewing radio traffic from three different fire grounds in three different states with at least one thing in common - they could all operate together with Blue Card! It is our first time with Erik Phillips as a guest, but you have heard his size ups from Las Vegas Fire/Rescue. Erik Phillips is a Fire Captain assigned to Engine 4, with Las...

Send us Fan Mail We say a-hole in this episode a lot. So much so that instead of heavy editing we embraced it and let our unfiltered selves fly. We cover continuing Bruno's work, retirement, "call fatigue", lessons learned as chiefs, how we should behave, second chances and  being nice. Is it nice to call 'em like we see 'em? You be the judge. Welcome to this B Shifter whe...

Send us Fan Mail We call this "Open Shift", discussing a variety of topics with the crew this time around including health and wellness, wild land fires, communications and out of control IC's. This episode features Nick Brunacini ,  John Vance ,  Sean Glaser and Mike Dobesh. Sean Glaser is currently a lead instructor for the Train the Trainer Blue Card Command Training and Certific...

Send us Fan Mail It's Leadership Thursday so we gathered the chief's around the table to talk about stuff on the strategic level and tell a few light hearted stories too. It like having microphones at a support group for chief officers (and you are invited too!). This week we talk about ballistic protection for firefighters, alternative response and taking care of the safety of Firefight...

Send us Fan Mail We are talking to Deputy Assistant Chief Frank Leeb of the FDNY (see his bio below) about cancer prevention and work life balance. The day after we interviewed Chief Leeb, the FDNY performed a heroic rope rescue at on the 20th floor during a working fire. Read all about it here: https://www.firefighterclosecalls.com/from-the-ic-about-the-fdny-rope-rescue-fire/ A free Healthcare Pr...

Send us Fan Mail It's Leadership Thursday so we gathered the chief's around the table to talk about stuff on the strategic level and tell a few light hearted stories too. It like having microphones at a support group for chief officers (and you are invited too!). This episode features Terry Garrison , Nick Brunacini and John Vance. Sign up for our two day command training workshops here....

Send us Fan Mail This episode is co-hosted by Josh Blum , John Vance & Doug Wehmeyer. The guys are talking hazard zone accountability and how proper accountability on the task, tactical and strategic level outperforms any other system  Sign up for our two day command training workshops here. Shop B Shifter here .  This episode was recored in Westbrook, Maine on October 6, 2022.  Please subscri...

Send us Fan Mail This week there was a joint safety advisory issued regarding the emergency alert button (EAB) on portable radios. You can read that here. This episode is co-hosted by Josh Blum , John Vance & Doug Wehmeyer. Sign up for our two day command training workshops here. Shop B Shifter here .  This episode was recored in Excelsior, MN,  Phoenix, AZ and Deerfield Township, OH on Octobe...

Send us Fan Mail This episode is co-hosted by Josh Blum , John Vance & Doug Wehmeyer (making his B Shifter debut!). Douglas Wehmeyer is a thirty-three-year veteran of the fire service holding every rank from fire cadet to fire chief. He is currently a Deputy Fire Chief and Shift Commander for Deerfield Township Fire Rescue Department in Warren County, Ohio and a part-time Fire Chief for his ho...

Send us Fan Mail This episode is co-hosted by Josh Blum and John Vance . This episode features rescue radio traffic from Georgia and an Arizona department that does Blue Card without an active tactical radio channel dispatcher. Sign up for our two day command training workshops here. Shop B Shifter here .  Please subscribe! This episode was recorded in Minnetonka, MN on September 21, 2022

Send us Fan Mail You can find information on the FSRI study here . This three-year Research and Development Project examines fireground size-up measures and search and rescue operations as part of a coordinated fire attack on a residential structure. Our guest is Craig Weinschenk, Research Engineer. Craig is a Research Engineer with UL's Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI). He holds a Maste...