San Bernardino County Fire: PIO Podcast

CAL FIRE Battalion Chief David Acuña joins the PIO Podcast to walk through a career that started with the Orange County Fire Explorers back in 1986 and wound through paramedic work, a stretch away from the fire service entirely, and stops at Riverside County Fire, CAL FIRE, the Emergency Command Center, and now statewide Battalion Chief and Public Information Officer. He breaks down what a CAL FIR...

Second District Supervisor Jesse Armendarez welcomes the PIO Podcast into his own office for a conversation on Fontana roots, public service, and building opportunity from the ground up.  Armendarez talks growing up the son of a steelworker, his path through the Fontana school board, city council, and mayor pro tem before becoming a county supervisor, and the mentorship that shaped him along the w...

Vice Chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors and Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. joins the PIO Podcast for a wide ranging conversation on family, public service, and what's coming next for San Bernardino County. Baca, Jr. talks growing up in Rialto, his years as a teacher and softball coach, and how those experiences shaped his approach to representing the 5th Distri...

Host Captain Shawn Millerick is back in the studio for a conversation with San Bernardino County’s Third District team: Chairman of the Board Dawn Rowe, Chief of Staff Claire Cozad, and Communications Director Scott Ward. Chairman Rowe shares her path to the board, from losing her husband in Iraq and staying in Yucca Valley to raise her kids, to land use frustrations that led her to the planning c...

Host Captain Shawn Millerick records live from Station 226, RODECaster on a trash can and all, for a conversation packed with brotherhood across borders, a full circle career story, and a mentor who showed up when it mattered most. ⸻ Firefighter Paramedic Memo Monreal: Mexicali Training Exchange Firefighter Paramedic Memo Monreal of Station 226 shares the story of County Fire's recent training...

Host Captain Shawn Millerick is back to educate, entertain and inform in a longer episode covering two days of CSTI media relations training hosted at County Fire headquarters and a conversation with former Fire Chief Mark Hartwig at the State of the Fire District. Graphic Content Warning : At the 54-minute mark mark, Chief Hartwig shares some graphic depictions of a few calls he was on in his car...

The episode features a fascinating field segment with Ken Nelson at the Norton Air Force Base Museum, offering listeners a behind-the-scenes look at one of San Bernardino’s most unique historical landmarks. Ken shares his personal experience as a former C-141 aircraft commander and provides rich insight into the legacy of Norton Air Force Base, once a major hub for global military airlift operatio...

Host Captain Shawn Millerick returns with a lively studio episode introducing San Bernardino County Fire’s new Media Specialist, Nancy Preciado, along with department updates, community outreach announcements, and plenty of humor from the podcast crew. The podcast welcomes new Media Specialist  Nancy Preciado  to the San Bernardino County Fire Public Information Office team. Joined by Host Captain...

Captain Shawn Millerick is back in the studio to inform, educate, and entertain with a field visit to Station 227, a surprise call with an engineer who moonlights as a serious artist, and audio from the department's pipe and drum band tour. ----- Probationary Firefighter Jessica Daniel – Heart of the Tower Award Winner Shawn visits Station 227 to catch up with probationary firefighter Jessica...

Host Captain Shawn Millerick is back with conversations with new Tower 20 graduate Firefighter Braeden Weekes about the transition from the academy to the firehouse and career reflections from Captain Jim Grigoli who is nearing retirement. ⸻ Firefighter Braeden Weekes: First Shift After Tower 20 Recently graduated firefighter Braeden Weekes joins the podcast from Station 222 in San Bernardino to t...

Host Captain Shawn Millerick is joined by Ryan in studio and Battalion Chief Jeff Allen, Captain Brian Agrelius, Captain George Tom, and Jeff Alexy to inform, educate, and entertain with updates from across the district. Battalion Chief Jeff Allen – I-15 Corridor & Dumont Dunes Chief Allen discusses improvements along the I-15 corridor, including staffing increases at Station 52 and ongoing st...

Host Captain Shawn Millerick is in the studio with in studio guest Firefighter/Paramedic Ryan Wonders. The team talks about the Drone Volt demo. The episode also includes a Black History Month segment led by Captain Kenny White, covering career milestones, mentorship, representation, and the department’s ongoing efforts to highlight cultures throughout the year. Drone Volt in the Field Shawn talks...

Host Captain Shawn Millerick is back in the studio with Bobby, Ben, Rosalie and a surprise cameo from Captain Eric Sherwin to inform, educate, and entertain while somehow keeping Bobby from hunting ducks long enough to hit record. Expect station banter, department wins, a deep dive into prevention, and a field segment that puts you inside a massive commercial drill. Studio Kickoff Duck Hunting Dad...

Host Captain Shawn Millerick is back in the studio (and out in the field) to inform, educate, and entertain with Episode 24 of the PIO Podcast—alongside Bobby and Kyle for another round of station talk, real-world interviews, and classic dad-joke chaos. Studio Updates: Mercury Warnings, Promotions, and a “Secret” Deployment Drill The crew kicks things off with a strange sight at the Bloomington po...

We’re back with Episode 15 of the San Bernardino County Fire PIO Podcast!  Host Captain Shawn Millerick and the team continue the mission to inform, educate, and entertain.   Division 2’s Living History Batallion Chief Mike McClintock  drops by with a treasure trove of vintage photos dating back to the  late 1800s —including relics from when the city’s fire department began in 1878. Learn how crew...

We’re back with Episode 13 of the San Bernardino County Fire PIO Podcast!  Host Captain Shawn Millerick and the team continue the mission to inform, educate, and entertain.   Episode Highlights Haunted Firehouses and Real Ghost Stories Bobby recalls filming at the Sharon Tate house. Rosie shares eerie stories from her family’s past. The team discusses ghost sightings at Station 9 and Fifth Street....

Host Captain Shawn Millerick is back in the field and in the studio to inform, educate and entertain with Episode 23 of the PIO Podcast. Recruitment Roundtable with Captain Andrea Binley Shawn is joined by Andrea Binley for a deep dive into everything recruitment. Andrea breaks down current and upcoming hiring opportunities, including Firefighter/Paramedic, Firefighter/Paramedic Trainee (EMT), Nur...

Host Captain Shawn Millerick is back in the field and in the studio to inform, educate and entertain with Episode 22 of the PIO Podcast. Episode Highlights Training Division spotlight with Capt. Scott Abraham Shawn catches up with Scott for a behind-the-scenes look at what’s new in Training: digitizing task books and textbooks, tightening up certification tracking, coordinating state fire training...

Host Captain Shawn Millerick is back in the studio and ready to inform, educate and entertain with Episode 21 of the PIO Podcast. Episode Highlights Transition to Planning and long term projects Ryan Beckers shares an update on his move from PIO duties into the Planning Section, discussing what the transition looks like, upcoming projects, and the importance of seeing the big picture beyond day to...

Host Captain Shawn Millerick is back with Episode 20, this time recording from Fire Station 26 in the mountains near Crestline and Twin Peaks, with firefighter Ryan Lopez and a special call in from Jason “J Mac” McLaughlin to talk about the Spark of Love Toy Drive. Episode Highlights Mountain station talk at Station 26 Shawn and Ryan kick things off on a Sunday afternoon at Station 26, mixing humo...

Host Captain Shawn Millerick is back in the studio with OES PIO Brianna Viteri and the team for Episode 19 of the PIO Podcast. Episode Highlights Inside the Office of Emergency Services (OES) Shawn sits down with Brianna and the OES communications team to break down what the Office of Emergency Services actually does. From coordinating county departments to supporting cities, towns, and partner ag...

Host Captain Shawn Millerick comes to you from the kitchen table at Station 72 in Fontana in Episode 18 of the PIO Podcast. Episode Highlights Camp Life, EMT School, and the Road to Becoming a Paramedic Shawn sits down with Firefighters Dominguez and Pitts while dinner finishes on the stove. The group walks through time at the fire camps, EMT school, AO assignments, tower spots, and what it takes...

We’re back with Episode 17 of the San Bernardino County Fire PIO Podcast!  Host Captain Shawn Millerick and the team continue the mission to inform, educate, and entertain. Episode Highlights Training Day at Station 221 Shawn Millerick takes the PIO podcast on the road and sets up in the training room at Station 221, recording with a full mobile studio. Mike Arvizo joins him on the mic, and they w...

We’re back with Episode 16 of the San Bernardino County Fire PIO Podcast!  Host Captain Shawn Millerick and the team continue the mission to inform, educate, and entertain. Episode Highlights Turkey Day at Headquarters Shawn Millerick hosts a Thanksgiving episode recorded early so the PIO podcast still drops on time. He shares how a simple sign up for a small office potluck turned into a massive f...

We’re back with Episode 15 of the San Bernardino County Fire PIO Podcast!  Host Captain Shawn Millerick and the team continue the mission to inform, educate, and entertain. This week’s episode was recorded in pieces between busy schedules, so expect  real emotion and some sharp turns in tone —but every moment is sincere. Episode Highlights Mountain Life & Rooster Overtime Shawn and Bobby kick...