Firehouse Sergeants Podcast

On this episode, we're joined by Fire Marshal Erik Mickelsen, a highly respected fire investigator, educator, and public safety professional with more than two decades of service. Erik currently serves as Fire Marshal for Franklin Township Fire Prevention in Somerset County, NJ and is Chief Fire Marshal for the Borough of Bound Brook. He has been an Investigator with the Somerset County Prosecutor...

This week we are joined by Dr. Johnny Torgeson. "Dr. JT" holds a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership and is an Assistant Chief of Operations at US Marine Corp Logistic Base Barstow, California.   He is a college instructor, Owner of Fire Dawg Consulting, US Army Veteran, and author of the Fire Engineering Books Best Seller Forging Your Team: Demystifying Team Development for First Responders. Throug...

This wee on the Firehouse Sergeants Podcast, we're joined by Firefighter Mike Greco. Mike is a second-generation firefighter who started his career as a volunteer in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ. Mike rose through the ranks to Chief of Department and remains an active firefighter today. In 2010, he was hired as a career firefighter in the City of Hackensack Fire Department, where he has built a reputatio...

 With more than 30 years in the fire service, Chief Dave Robertson has served in multiple departments and worked his way through the ranks as a firefighter, paramedic, company officer, training chief, and fire chief. Along the way, he’s become a respected voice on leadership, mentorship, incident command, firefighter development, and building healthy fire service cultures.   Dave is also the found...

Kicking of our rebranding with a true titan of fire service media, Kevin "Kubes" Kubler.  Kubes, is a retired FDNY Firefighter and Plank Holder of Squad Co. 288. He is co-founder of Gettin' Salty Apparel, co-host of The Gettin' Salty Experience Podcast "the self-proclaimed greatest fire service podcast on the internet" and NOW AUTHOR of the newly published book The War Years and Back. Find Kevin a...

NJ Fire Guys Run#: 25-007 Date: Nov. 6, 2025 Guest: Captain Karl Ramm   With 29 years of service, Captain Karl Ramm’s career reads like a masterclass in rescue operations and leadership under pressure. From 13 years as a Rescue Officer to leading missions as a Search Team Manager with NJ-TF1 FEMA Urban Search & Rescue, Karl has been on the front lines of America’s toughest disasters — from Sup...

NJ Fire Guys Run#: 25-006 Date: June 19 Guest: Jason Rivera ⠀ Jason Rivera is a 31-year veteran of the fire service and has served in career and volunteer departments starting in Boonton, NJ. Jason began his career service with Picatinny Arsenal where he worked until leaving for Stamford, CT. He retired from the Stamford Fire Department after 14 years, while serving as the Captain of Rescue 1/ Act...

NJ Fire Guys Run#: 25-005 Date: June 12, 2025 Guest Captain Robert LeBrun Captain Robert LeBrun is a dedicated and accomplished fire service professional with extensive experience across both volunteer and career departments. He currently serves as a Captain and the Training Officer for the Plainsboro Township Fire Department (NJ), a role he has held since 2022. He began his career with Plainsboro...

NJ Fire Guys Run#25- 004 Date: May 29 Lieut. Scott Callahan ⠀ Lieutenant Scott Callahan is a seasoned fire service professional with 23 years of experience. He currently serves as a Lieutenant on both a Quint and Rescue unit with the Mount Laurel Fire Department, Station 362 A Platoon. Scott began his fire service career with the Maple Shade Fire Department, where he advanced through the ranks to...

NJ Fire Guys Run#: 25-003 Date: Feb. 13, 2005 Guest: Fire Chief William Kramer Jr.   Chief William Kramer Jr. has lead a career spanning five decades, Chief Kramer’s impact on fire and emergency services is nothing short of extraordinary. From his early days as a junior firefighter following in his father’s footsteps to leading the Cinnaminson Fire Department as both a volunteer chief and later as...

NJ Fire Guys Run#: 25-002 Date: Feb. 6, 2025 Guest: Fire Chief Michael West ⠀ Chief Michael West is a fourth generation firefighter, with over 40 years of fire service experience. Beginning his journey in 1982 with the Monmouth Beach Volunteer Fire Co. and working fulltime as a fire dispatcher with the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office starting in 1987. In 1988 he moved to Colorado and transitioned...

NJ Fire Guys Run#: 25-001 Date: Jan. 9, 2025 Guest: Dep. Chief Butch Cobb “Empty Sky, Empty Promises” ⠀ Join us for a powerful episode of the NJ Fire Guys Podcast as we sit down with retired Deputy Chief Robert “Butch” Cobb to discuss the heart-wrenching story of “Empty Sky,” New Jersey’s official 9/11 memorial. Ceremoniously dedicated on September 10, 2011, this poignant tribute to the 749 New Je...

NJ Fire Guys Run#: 24-044 Date: Dec. 26, 2024 Guest: Captain Constantine Sypsomos ⠀ Constantine Sypsomos is a seasoned fire service professional with extensive experience in emergency response, training, and public safety education. Currently serving as a Career Fire Captain in Deptford Township, he is the department’s Training Captain and liaison for highway response, traffic incident management,...

NJ Fire Guys Run#: 24-042 Date: Dec. 12, 2024 Guest: Dep. Chief Robert Beattie ⠀ Deputy Chief Robert Beattie, a distinguished 36-year veteran of the New Jersey fire service and the administrative Deputy Chief of the North Plainfield Fire Department in Somerset County. Rob began his journey in the fire service as a 16-year-old junior member of the Green Brook Volunteer Fire Company before joining N...

NJ Fire Guys Run#: 24-041 Date: Dec. 5, 2024 Guest: Jim Aleski ⠀ Jim Aleski, a nearly 28-year veteran of the fire service who currently serves as a Lieutenant on Engine 1352 with the Cherry Hill Fire Department in Camden County, New Jersey. Jim’s fire service journey began in 1997 as a volunteer with the Melrose Hose Company of the Sayreville Fire Department, where he served over 12 years, holding...

NJ Fire Guys Run#: 24-040 Date: Nov. 28, 2024 Guest: Jeremy Donch   Some of you may know him as “Jeremy from National Fire Radio”, but Jeremy Donch got his start in Franklin Lakes Fire Department at an early age. While attending Marist College, Jeremy continued to follow his passion and volunteered at Fair View Fire District.   In 2018 Jeremy took his passion to an entirely different level and sta...

NJ Fire Guys Run#: 24-039 Date: Nov. 21, 2024 Guest: Chief Jeremy Robok ⠀ Fire Chief Jeremy Rebok exemplifies a lifelong commitment to fire and emergency services, having embarked on his journey as a firefighter at the age of 14. By 21, he was already serving as an Assistant Chief and live-in firefighter, laying the foundation for a distinguished 25-year career as an officer. A seasoned profession...

NJ Fire Guys Run#: 24-038 Date: Nov. 14, 2024 Guest: Andrew Ruiz ⠀ Firefighter Paramedic Andrew Ruiz is a dedicated public servant with nearly 20 years of experience in the fire and emergency services field. A former United States Marine, Andrew’s career spans multiple roles across New Jersey and New York, where he served as a firefighter, Haz-Mat technician, rescue technician, EMT, and paramedic...

NJ Fire Guys Run #: 24-037 Date: Oct. 10, 2024 Guest: Chief John A. Sahatjian     John is a 23 year emergency service veteran and a Police, Fire and EMS dispatcher since 2006. He served as Chief of South Wall Fire Rescue Company, Fire District # 3 in Wall Township, NJ. He was Chief of Department 2012-2018 and in that time was instrumental in developing a Uniform Division and established a Structur...

NJ Fire Guys Run #: 24-036 Date: Oct. 31, 2024 Guest: Michael G Abraham ⠀ FF/EMT Mike Abraham began his fire service career as a volunteer firefighter in Piscataway. While attending Rutgers University, he worked as an Emergency Services Officer. ⠀ After graduating with a degree in electrical engineering, he obtained his professional engineering license and provided design and construction consulti...

NJ Fire Guys Run#: 24-036 Date: Oct. 24, 2024 Guest: Donna Buscio   Donna Buscio, wife of the late Jersey City Fire Captain Dominick Buscio, is the founder of A Gift from Captain Buscio, a program dedicated to providing free medical screenings to first responders. Donna met Dominick in 1979 and they married in 1982. Together, they raised three children: Dominick, Dana, and Lou.   In 1984, Donna be...

NJ Fire Guys Run #: 24-034 Date: Oct. 17, 2024 Guest: Chief John H. Lightbody   Fire Chief John H. Lightbody began his firefighting career in 1978 as part of the East Dover Volunteer Fire Company’s Junior Firefighter program in Toms River Township, New Jersey. After graduating from Toms River High School South in 1980, he was appointed a career firefighter at the Naval Air Engineering Center in La...

NJ Fire Guys Run#: 24-033 Date Oct. 5, 2024 Guest: Captain Bryan Emenecker Captain Bryan Emenecker a 27 year veteran of the fire service and a retired Captain from the City of Camden FD, as well as a former member of NJTF1 (retired) . ⠀ Bryan started his career in the Cherry Hill Fire Dept and after 3 years was appointed to the City of Camden FD. Upon graduation of Probie school he was assigned to...

NJ Fire Guys Run #: 24-032 Date: Sept. 26, 2024 Guest: Chief Mike Wolfschmidt   Fire Chief Michael Wolfschmidt leads the Surf City Volunteer Fire Department with a commitment to excellence and service to the community. He has dedicated himself to the fire service for many years, demonstrating leadership both in Surf City and beyond. Currently serving as the Deputy District Fire Warden of Section B...

NJ Fire Guys Run #: 24-031 Date: Sept. 19, 2024 Guest: Chief Lou Venezia ⠀ Fire Chief Lou Venezia has proudly served the Bloomfield Fire Department since his appointment in 1999, advancing through the ranks over two decades of dedicated service. He was promoted to Fire Captain in 2009, Deputy Chief in 2014, and ultimately Fire Chief in 2018. Under his leadership, the department, which comprises 78...