Student Of The Game Fire Podcast

40 years of combination experience with 27 of those being served with the FDNY. Retired Capt of Ladder 123. Mike started as a volunteer with Hailsite Fire Department in NY. Going career wasn’t on his mind as Mike was making very good money as a heavy machinery rigger. It wasn’t until a friend told him about career civil service that Mike then transitioned to being a Police Officer for a stint then...

22 years of combination experience, 3rd generation Firefighter. A Second Lieutenant EMT with Colleton Fire-Rescue in South Carolina. Fire service runs deep within the Weber family. Shane started out as a junior volunteer FF before moving up and ultimately pursuing a full-time career position. What’s important throughout Shane’s story is how even though they didn’t know at the time they were giving...

12 years of combination experience. Backstep Firefighter for Rutherford County Fire-Rescue assigned to Station 60, Citizens First cadre instructor. Josh was going to school pursuing an education when he discovered the volunteer fire service. After a few years under his belt as Josh states he was hit by the “Bug” and fell in love. Doing some homework Josh found out he could live his dream full-time...

30 years of combination experience, 3rd generation Firefighter. A Lieutenant with the FDNY on a truck company in East Harlem & creator of Top Floor Tactics podcast. Mickey’s indoctrination into the fire service was during a time America as a whole were more united than ever. When you hear Mickey speak there’s no denying the love he has for the profession. Fireman can sense BS a mile away. When...

Troy Gibson- 20 years of career experience. A Battalion Chief for Hawaii Fire Department. Troy was a surgical technician in the medical field and never had notions of the fire service. It wasn’t until he had a discussion with a Firefighter that told him how the department works and what they could do to help accelerate his education which in return got Troy intrigued, where he then applied and the...

33 years of combination experience 3rd generation Firefighter. Battalion Chief for A shift in the 4th Battalion for the City of Durham Fire Department. Firefighting is in the bloodline for the Ray family so it was inevitable that Richard was going to gravitate towards it. Going career wasn’t exactly what Richard planned but it was in his cards. If you ever get a chance to hear Richard speak when y...

Gary “Yeti” Bullock- 15 years of combination experience 2nd generation Firefighter. Captain on Engine 31 with Tulsa Fire Department in Oklahoma. Build your culture cadre member, Smoke diver graduate from Georgia and Oklahoma. At first glance Gary looks intimidating. 6’6 weighing in at 260 could have that effect on a man. Being quiet and keeping to himself make no doubt about it Gary is all in when...

7 years of combination experience. A Engineer on Truck 1 with the City Of Salisbury. Christian always wanted to be a Firefighter. When you watch movies such as Backdraft and Ladder 49 it’s only apparent to live out your dreams and that’s exactly what he did. Salisbury was ultimately where Christian wanted to be due to the positive reach and influence of social media. He wanted to go to jobs and th...

27 years of career experience. Captain on Engine 6 with Nampa Fire Department who will be getting made as Battalion Chief in a few months. Most of Frank’s family is in the armed forces which is the path he thought he would also go down. But was always intrigued with the fire service. At a young age Frank obtained most of the certifications he needed and applied to Nampa and was accepted. Frank abs...

26 years of combination experience. A Captain On Truck 2 with Wichita Fire Department. Mark was a mechanic in the automotive industry and told himself he just doesn’t see his future in this field. He had a friend tell him about a volunteer opportunity in the fire service within the county he lived. Once Mark joined he formed relationships and friendships with individuals within the fire service wh...

17 years of career experience 2nd generation Firefighter. A Captain on Engine 4 with Norfolk Fire/Rescue. Kamal had zero intentions of becoming a Firefighter. During his junior year in college things weren’t working out. His father told him if his plans didn’t make he was going to become a Firefighter. His first day in recruit school on a lunch break Kamal was not feeling the journey he was in. Bu...

25 years of career experience. Division Chief of Training with The Colony Fire Department in Texas. Firefighting wasn’t in the Garrett scope of practice but he had a friend invite him to come by the station and as many other guests I’ve had on once he entered in the halls of the fire house that’s all he needed. The mindset Garrett has is a testament to who you’re around. If you are aspiring to be...

2nd generation Firefighter with 14 1/2 years of service with the FDNY who retired out of Rescue 3 and life member with Haverstraw Volunteer Fire Department in Rockland County NY. Jeff was one of 6 members that were forced to make a difficult decision on January 23, 2005 on what is known as the Black Sunday Fire. 2 of those members were killed instantly one passed away 6 years later and the 3 who s...

20 years of career experience, 2nd generation Firefighter. Assistant Chief with Cayce Fire Department in South Carolina and co-owner of Soda City Training. My conversation with Ryan was fantastic. Upon entering into the fire service he had individuals who were helping and guiding him in a way that he might not have caught onto just yet. When you’re young and in the fire service after a few years s...

15 years of combination experience. Unknown to him until later 2nd generation Firefighter. At the age of 10 a grass fire accidentally started in front of his home. While his mother called 911 Nick filled up a bucket with water and extinguished the fire prior to the Fire Department’s arrival. He took a picture afterwards with one of the Firefighters who later on in life became the Chief of the volu...

Franco Martinez- 31 years of combination experience. A Captain for Company 2 Tacoma Park with Montgomery County Fire/Rescue in Maryland. Franco wasn’t seeking the fire service at first. It was a friend who essentially put him on and asked to come by and see what it was about. Once he did the smell of the bay and gear had Franco hooked and that’s all he needed. While enlisted in the military, the r...

Dave Nowacki- 21 years of career experience. A Sergeant on Engine 50 with Detroit Fire Department, creator of 4th Man Fire. Dave isn’t a legacy Firefighter. He never dreamed at a young age of joining the fire service. What got Dave into the profession was a friend who told him all the things he gets to do while on the job and he gets to do it all while working only 9 days a month. Yep he admits th...

26 years of career experience. Battalion Chief for City Of Mesa Fire & Medical Department. Chris actually wanted to be a police officer. While volunteering for a local sheriffs department he was able to meet Firefighters who explained to Chris the skills he had in mountain rescue most definitely translates to Fire Departments. With the being said the wheels started spinning for Chris and he ap...

2nd generation Firefighter with 27 years of combination experience. Captain with The Training Division for Little Rock Fire in Arkansas. From an early age Bo watched his Grandfather operate as a volunteer. There were times when they were completing a task and a call comes in and his Grandfather would stop what he was doing to run the call and from there Bo knew he wanted to do just that. Bo applie...

Joel Kanasky- 46 years of combination experience. Retired Firefighter from the FDNY who rode Rescue 1 for 16 out of his 20 year career. From a young age Joel knew he was destined to become a Firefighter following 3 of his 4 brothers who were volunteers. Joel started out with Alexandria FD moving up the rank of Lieutenant before deciding to switch departments after 9 years. The move wasn’t easy but...

45 years of combination experience. Retired Deputy Assistant Chief of the FDNY who has held many ranks within the organization including Chief of Fire Academy, Training & Safety. Currently Managing Director of the First Responder Center For Excellence which focuses on addressing crucial issues like firefighter cancer, mental health, and suicide. Frank started out as a volunteer Firefighter fol...

21 years of combination experience. First career Firefighter within his family which has a long tradition of volunteers. Technician for Fairfax Fire/Rescue on Engine 436. Creator of “The Art Of The Company Chauffeur.” This episode is a little different from the rest as Brian and I discuss what it truly means being a driver/operator for fire departments and seeing how the art form of holding that p...

19 years of career experience. A Captain with Montgomery County Fire/Rescue assigned to the Rockville Station. Becoming a Firefighter wasn’t a goal for Enrique. While in college he heard an ad on the radio promoting Montgomery. With college tuition bills on the brain Enrique decided to apply to see what would happen. To his shock he received a phone call that would change and view the way he looks...

12 years of combination experience 2nd generation Firefighter. Part time Firefighter with Greene County Fire Department in Georgia & Creator of Next Rung whose mission is to help combat mental health issues among Firefighters and First Responders. I had the privilege to sit on a presentation at this past Carolina Fire Days where Blake discussed having love and passion for the job, family and f...

31 years of career experience. 2nd generation Firefighter. A Battalion Chief in the 4th Battalion on B Shift for the City Of Detroit. As a young child Dave watched how his father treated and respected all aspects of the fire service. Unfortunately due to the nature of the job Dave’s father passed. But during those times he was also able to witness first hand the true side of brotherhood of the fir...