Firefighter Nation Podcast Network’s

In this episode of Multiple Calls, Scott Hewlett sits down with Ziad Hameed to trace a harrowing and inspiring life journey. Originally from Baghdad, Iraq, Hameed brings resilience, perspective, and a deep sense of purpose to his profession. He discusses growing up in Baghdad during war, six-day military training as a teenage volunteer, surviving Apache strikes and the Highway of Death, UN resettl...

On this episode of Mental Health Monthly, hosts Dan DeGryse and Chris Muscle sit down with Captain Rich Stack of the Chicago (IL) Fire Department to talk practical leadership and mental wellness on the job. They cover peer support, debriefing after critical incidents, sustaining programs beyond the news cycle, and the stigma that keeps people from asking for help. Stack names the protective factor...

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Chris Marella sits down with behavioral health clinician Beth Flaherty to explore how ADHD impacts members of the fire service. Flaherty, who authored "ADHD: A Fire Service Handicap or Superpower?" for Firefighter Nation, is a licensed clinical marriage and family therapist in Virginia and Maryland. She is the clinical director of the Virginia Professi...

In this episode of Frontline Findings, Rachel Bozek welcomes guest Cassidi Dye, a licensed master level psychologist and first responder therapist, to explore ADHD in the firefighting community. They discuss ADHD symptoms, the importance of getting a professional diagnosis and the consequences of living with untreated ADHD. The discussion emphasizes the importance of creating systems and routines...

In this episode, 15-year firefighter paramedic Jason Patton joins host David Dachinger on Igniting the Shift Within to discuss the hidden struggles of first responder life. Patton, creator of the social media series Fire Department Chronicles, uses his platform to break the stigma surrounding mental health in emergency services. He shares his personal journey through childhood trauma and suicidal...

In this episode of The CAN Report, Captain Chad Criss from Austell (GA) Fire and Emergency Services opens up to host Mike Goldstein about how faith, family, and a deeply rooted desire to serve drive his firefighting career. He details how his late grandfather's community impact and a background in competitive sports shaped his dedicated, team-oriented approach to emergency response. He stresses th...

Hydration is one of the most overlooked performance factors for firefighters, especially during long shifts, live fire training, and high-heat incidents. On this episode of Fueling Fire, host Megan Lautz breaks down how much fluid firefighters typically lose on the fireground, why just drinking water is not always enough, and the critical use of electrolytes for performance and recovery. She goes...

In this episode of APS Radio, host Jim Burneka welcomes Katherine Boyle and Chris Perry to share their experiences growing up as children of first responders. Both Boyle's and Perry's fathers were big-city police officers, however, their childhoods were quite different from one another. Boyle notes how her family kept the job as background noise, whereas Perry grew up with an awareness of the afte...

Does your sleep schedule need help? Brandon Dreiman from ProTeam Wellness joins hosts Jim Burneka and Nick Magoteaux to discuss sleep wellness for episode 20 of We Can't Believe They Gave Us a Show. During their discussion, they break down practical, evidence‑based sleep strategies for first responders. They cover how common sedatives and sleep aids affect REM and deep sleep, the promise of dual o...

Dr. Candace Ashby, a battalion chief for the Indianapolis (IN) Fire Department. joins Mike Goldstein on The C.A.N. Report to tackle toxic culture in all its forms. They look at the "10% vs 90%" problem, informal leadership, accountability, and management vs. leadership. They also discuss officer development, psychological safety, and practical steps chiefs and company officers can take now. Ashby...

Scott Hewlett sits down with Brent Brooks, of Toronto Fire Services, to dissect the critical gap between controlled training environments and real-world fireground operations on this episode of Multiple Calls. Brooks challenges "perfect reps," arguing that controlled training serves merely as a situational reference point rather than a script for reality. They discuss mental health red flags, the...

On this episode of Mental Health Monthly, Dan DeGryse and Chris Muscle take a direct, experienced look at line-of-duty deaths, and how they affect families and crews. Part of the discussion focuses on what fire and EMS organizations should do before, during, and after an incident. They get candid with personal remembrances and discuss prevention strategies and post-event steps. DeGryse and Muscle...

On this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Chris Marella sits down with David Frost from the University of Toronto to discuss a major overhaul of the Wellness Fitness Initiative (WFI) and the Fit to Thrive program. They discuss how these revamped, entirely free resources ditch the old "box-checking" certifications to focus on sustainable, daily physical activity habits. Frost details how the ne...

Mike Goldstein welcomes guest Rick Lasky to this episode of The C.A.N. Report. Together, they dissect what really breaks and rebuilds modern fire departments. Lasky explains why leadership failure beats budgets as the root cause of so many challenges associated with morale and retention. They discuss ways in which chiefs can stop being the "boss" and start being mentors. 

On this episode of Igniting the Shift Within, host David Dachinger speaks with Nick Marsan, chief of the Westport (CT) Fire Department about responder resilience and visionary leaders. Marsan shares how is his mantra, "mission first, people always," isn't just a slogan, but a guiding principle that can reshape leadership in the fire service. They explore the critical intersection of leadership and...

In this episode of Frontline Findings, hosts Rachel Bozek and Stephanie White explore the latest research from the Firefighter Cancer Cohort Study with Dr. Sara Jahnke and Dr. Jeff Burgess.    While early data focused heavily on high rates of miscarriage and lower reproductive reserves in women, the discussion reveals this isn't just a female issue. Male firefighters face severe reproductive risks...

This episode of APS Radio features Vickie Speed, who lost her husband, Mitch Speed, of the Los Angeles (CA) County Sheriff's Department, to occupational cancer in 2018. Speed established Blue Cancer Connect ( bluecancerconnect.org ) to honor Mitch's legacy. Host Jim Burneka welcomes Speed to the podcast to talk about raising awareness about this important issue. Speed emphasizes that simple admini...

On this episode of We Can't Believe They Gave Us a Show, hosts Jim Burneka and Nick Magoteaux welcome Chris Perry, son of a former police officer. Perry, who ultimately followed in his father's footsteps, describes how his childhood was shaped by the constant, heavy awareness of the dangers his father faced. He recounts the 1979 murder of one of his father's colleagues, and how it shattered his si...

Captain Eric Jones of the Scottsburg (IN) Fire Department joins host Mike Goldstein on this episode of The C.A.N. Report. They break down practical training, fire service culture, and real-world use of thermal imaging. Jones discusses building a regional academy, prioritizing victim search tactics, live-fire safety, and how to implement sustainable training programs for smaller departments. He als...

Are you skipping carbs? If so, your energy is paying the price. On this episode of Fueling Fire, host Megan Lautz breaks down how many carbohydrates you need before training, when to use carbs during longer or more demanding efforts, and how timing affects energy and performance. She dives into simple guidelines and tips, including how to recover effectively. Lautz shares practical, shift-friendly...

On this episode of Mental Health Monthly, Garrick Herbert of the Seguin (TX) Fire Department, joins hosts Dan DeGryse and Chris Muscle to explain a simple but powerful practice: family dinner. Herbert details how they build the foundation of mental health for their rookies before they even start with the department. With a unique approach to setting rookies up for success, he explains that after a...

On this episode of Multiple Calls, host Scott Hewlett speaks with Phil Montgomery, a captain with Central York Fire Services, about how his career came to be. Montgomery describes how the disciplined life of growing up on a small farm shaped his life. He highlights how being on a competitive swim team with a tough coach set the foundation for him to tackle the hard things. This foundation paved hi...

On this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Chris Marella breaks down why traditional resolutions are inherently flawed and offers a better way to spark lasting change. Marella introduces "temporal landmarks"—personal milestones like birthdays, anniversaries, or even the approach of retirement—that provide a more meaningful foundation for growth. He also details the "Fresh Start Effect." This is...

A major conference like FDIC isn't just about the training—it’s an excuse to fully embrace being a firefighter. On this episode of The Revolutionaries, hosts John Velez and Preston Lyons discuss navigating the ins and outs of of the Indianapolis, Indiana, show. They explore how for many in the fire service, training at the station is a constant battle against the next lift assist or fire alarm. At...

Is your firehouse culture vent limited or fuel controlled? In this installment of Igniting the Shift Within, host David Dachinger sits down with Dr. Candace Ashby, a battalion chief for the Indianapolis Fire Department. Ashby is a 35-year career firefighter and doctor of organizational leadership who pulls no punches. She calls out the broken cycle of officer promotion, the soft skills gap nobody...