CalChiefs

Episode 36 - A Better Way to Bundle Benefits In a conversation with Ryan Donovan, Senior Director at Sourcewell, explore how cooperative purchasing helps California fire and EMS agencies access high-quality insurance and employee benefits options. By leveraging competitively awarded contracts and trusted vendor partnerships, Sourcewell offers a streamlined path to evaluate alternatives to traditio...

Episode 31 - Leading with Character In this episode, Chief Chris Tubbs sits down with leadership expert  Dave Anderson  to explore what it truly means to  lead with character . Together they discuss the habits, values, and daily decisions that define authentic leadership—especially when the pressure is high and the stakes are real. Listeners will gain practical insights on integrity, accountabilit...

Episode 30 - Strategic Advantage & Public Value In this episode of the CalChiefs / FDAC podcast, host Chris Tubbs is joined by leadership expert and author Steve Kent of The Results Group, Ltd. The discussion explores the essential relationship between strategic planning and organizational culture within public safety agencies. Drawing from decades of experience and his influential book  Strat...

Episode 29 - Psychosocial Hazards are Real! In this episode, we explore Psychosocial Hazards are Real! by Dr. I. David Daniels—a powerful and timely examination of the often-overlooked mental, emotional, and social challenges faced in today’s workplaces, especially in high-stress professions like public safety. Drawing on personal experience and professional insight, Dr. Daniels exposes the system...

Episode 28 - Fighting Fire with Funding The California Fire Service is facing a critical funding shortfall that jeopardizes the safety and preparedness of communities statewide. Fire protection districts and fire departments, which cover 125,782 square miles and serve over 39 million people, have seen service demand grow significantly over the last 50 years. Despite this, funding mechanisms have n...

Episode 27 - FirstNet and the 4.9 GHz Spectrum. This episode dives into the critical evolution of public safety communications, focusing on the recent FCC decision to establish a nationwide Band Manager framework for the 4.9 GHz spectrum, and discuss the evolution and deployment of the FirstNet System. Host Chris Tubbs interviews Chief Jeff Johnson, a leader in public safety technology and the dev...

Episode 25 - Quantifying the Negative In this episode in an interview with Chief Eric Saylors (El-Cerrito Fire), Chief Saylors discusses his Naval Post Graduate School Thesis, Quantifying the Negative. In this episode Chief Saylors shares how his thesis led to the creation of a method to quantify the value a fire agency brings to a community and how this aids I the fire service telling its story t...

Episode 26 - The Fire Prevention & CalChiefs Reorg President Heine and Past President Tubbs discuss why the Fire Prevention Section decided to leave Cal Chiefs after the Cal Chiefs Reorg and where is Cal Chiefs is going next as it relates to a new Fire Marshall's Section.

Episode 24 - Riverside vs Symons Ambulance On this episode, your host Chris Tubbs interviews Fire Chief & CalChiefs President Mark Heine, and CalChiefs Attorney Andrew Schouten, ESQ of Wright L’Estrange & Ergastolo (WLE).  We will be discussing the recent publication of the Riverside vs Symons case; the history of the litigation and various court decisions, and ultimately the publication o...

Episode Notes In this Episode Retired Fire Chief Ray Gayk interviews Glenn Leland about the first training opportunity presented by Cal Fire Chiefs Consulting and Training, The Ambulance Business Academy (ABA). The ABA is a two week in person academy teaching the California Fire Service the Ambulance Business from a private and public perspective. Glenn Leland has over 40 years in the ambulance bu...

Episode Notes In this episode we talk about the importance of Operationalizing your Strategic Plan with our friends at Envisio and how it can really change your agencies effectiveness.

In this episode we interview Dan Munsey Fire Chief for San Bernardino County Fire and IAFC Technology Counsel Chair and talk about where Technology is going in the fire service today and how it may affect tomorrow.

Episode Notes Past President Gayk interviews Battalion Chief Matta Miranda who is the Southern Section President for the Cal Chiefs Training Officers Section. Chief Miranda discusses what the Training Officers are doing in both the Southern/Northern Divisions, and he gives a great overview of the upcoming 2024 Fresno Training Symposium.

Episode Notes In this episode Past-President Ray Gayk interviews Fire Chief Mike McCliman from Rancho Cucamonga Fire District on today's firefighter recruitment challenges and what RCFD is doing to overcome those challenges. Rancho Cucamonga punches way above their weight when it comes to recruitment, and we dive into Rancho's philosophy and techniques that have given them an edge in the fight for...

Episode Notes In this Episode we talk with newly elected Cal Chiefs President Mark Heine about his background and what's coming up for Cal Chiefs over the next year. Chief Heine is the Fire Chief for the Sonoma County Fire District and has been a leader and board member in Cal Chiefs for almost a decade. His experiences in the Fire Service and Cal Chiefs will be explored in our discussion and how...

Episode Notes We have a conversation with Retired Firefighter Matty Fiorenza from the Anaheim Fire Department about his story that takes us through his journey of mental health challenges and his bouts with attempted suicide. This is a powerful story we all need to hear, because his story is unique but unfortunately it isn't unique in today's fire service.

Episode 16 In this episode we interview Fire Chief Colin Stowell, who is the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Fire Chief and President of the California Metro Fire Chiefs Association. Chief Stowell talks about several topics ranging from the challenges of running a Metro size department, Homelessness Crisis and how San Diego Fire tackled the Ambulance problem they faced in their city.

Episode 15 In this episode we interview Fire Chief John Binaski, who is the Fire Chief of the Clovis Fire Department and the Legislative Director for CalChiefs. Chief Binaski will describe our current legislation dictates how State Fire Service Training and its programs are funded, what has changed since the original legislation, and what SB 577 is intended to do relative to SFST programs and serv...

Episode 14 On this episode, President Tubbs discusses the Oxnard Court Case and current legislation introduced by Assemblymember Bennett, AB 1168, with Oxnard Fire Chief Alex Hamilton.

Episode 13 - The Tribal Chiefs Association On this episode, President Tubbs discusses the Tribal Chiefs Association with Fire Chief and Association President Jason Keeling.

Episode 12 - The Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act Ballot Initiative In this episode we discuss the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act Ballot Initiative, which is qualified for the November 5, 2024 ballot, with Kyle Packham, Advocacy and Public Affairs Director of California Special Districts Association (CSDA). CalChiefs believes it is important for all Cali...