Student Of The Game Fire Podcast

33 years of career experience. Retired Captain on Ladder 5 with Seattle Fire Department. Mike’s love for the fire service goes unmatched. Not saying they’re aren’t others out there with the same passion and drive but I’m telling you all listen to how Mike talks regarding what the fire service has given him and done for him regarding his family and his faith. I throughly enjoyed listening to Mike p...

17 years of combination experience, 3rd generation Firefighter. Back step Firefighter with Aurora Fire Department in Illinois on Truck 2. Brothers in Battle cadre member, Firefighter Rescue Survey member, President with Fire Nuggets and one of the main support members with Firemanship. Jeffrey is a part of a ton of great things going on within the fire service. But his main focus is SERVICE. Makin...

15 years of combination experience. Currently a Firefighter on Ladder 1 for Jacksonville Fire/Rescue. But before finding his way to the sunshine state Darius started out as a Firefighter for Columbia-Richland Fire Services where he rose to the rank of Captain before packing up and moving down South. From a very early age Darius always wanted to be a Firefighter. Luckily he was able to find a mento...

17 years of Career experience. A Battalion Chief over training with Georgetown Fire Department in Kentucky. Growing up Chris was undecided with what he wanted to do with his career. While managing a restaurant and missing a milestone in his son’s life Chris knew the job he was in wasn’t sitting right with him internally. So he quit, went to EMT school and pursued a career in the fire service. Afte...

Isaac Frazier- 2nd generation Firefighter with 21 years of career experience. Former Capt of Special Ops with St. John’s County Fire/Rescue in Florida. Currently a Firefighter on Truck 2 with Wichita Fire Department, Owner of Tactical Advantage Training & Creator of Into The Job Firefighter symposium. My interview with Isaac went down a few damn good rabbit holes but overall the message given...

29 years of combination experience. Former Assistant Chief of Training, EMS, Mobile Integrated Health and Professional Development for Fort Lauderdale Fire/Rescue. Currently Deputy Fire Chief for Jupiter Fire/Rescue which goes live in 2026. Like so many others I’ve been fortunate to interview the fire service wasn’t on Stephen’s radar. It was his dad who became interested in the profession and gra...

24 years of combination experience. Deputy Chief for Haltom City Fire/Rescue in Texas. Growing up Charlie always wanted to be a Firefighter. His dream position was riding Officer for a Ladder company. Charlie got his start with Newport Beach Fire in California and worked there for 20 years rising to the rank of Captain before deciding to move to Texas where he ultimately took the Deputy Chief posi...

Matt Adkins- 14 years of combination experience. A Back step Firefighter for South Adams County Fire Department in Colorado on Tower 24. Matt never had the thought of being a Firefighter. Back at home on Summer break Matt saw a help needed sign at the local volunteer department and figured why not give it a shot. Upon entering the doors of the firehouse he was introduced to how individuals coming...

Anna Beth Robertson- 4 years of career experience. A Engineer/Relief Officer with Starkville Fire Department in Mississippi. Firefighting was never on Anna’s radar. She has family members in the emergency service field but only working in the office setting. It wasn’t until one day a member with Starkville mentioned to Anna to come and train with them during their workouts. After a few sessions on...

27 years of combination experience. Battalion Chief with Sevierville Fire Department and Deputy Chief for White Pine Volunteer Fire Department in Tennessee. Josh is a Chief whose mindset centers all around leading by example in everything you do. The higher the rank doesn’t mean the less you do. Josh completed the Georgia Smoke Diver program at 41 becoming the 9th candidate out of Tennessee to do...

27 years of combination experience. Chief of Fire and Emergency Services for Cranberry Township. Scott got into the emergency services field from his father but it was the EMS route which led Scott to finding his passion with public safety starting out as a junior Firefighter. Scott believes in empowering individuals to be better versions of themselves. Scott also had a hand in forming the Standar...

9 years of combination experience. 2nd generation Firefighter. A Lieutenant on Ladder 1 for Roanoke Fire/EMS and Assistant Chief with Bedford Volunteer Fire Department. Matt is what I call bit by the fire bug and after hearing him talk you will clearly see why. Matt talks about the fire service with so much passion and conviction it’s contagious to go out there and want to better yourself which we...

15 years of career experience. A Backstep Firefighter for New Braunfels Fire Department in Texas. When I invited Joshua to come on his response was why me? I’m just a nobody from nowhere. But when you hear Joshua’s story and most importantly his why the invite to come on will make sense. The conversation had was genuine and flat out awesome. It’s so easy to let getting better at this job sometimes...

22 years of combination experience. Captain on Tower 3 for Charlotte Fire Department and Cadre member/instructor with Insight Fire Training LLC. Growing up Thomas wasn’t really on the path of becoming a career Firefighter or attending college. It wasn’t until his senior year of high school that shed possibility of making that dream a reality. So with the advice of his Volunteer Fire Chief and coll...

14 years of combination experience. A Lieutenant on Truck 1 for Whitfield County Fire Department in Georgia. Lee had no ambition of becoming a Firefighter but one of his friends was an explorer at a local volunteer department which got Lee intrigued. Once he saw what the job entailed Lee was hooked and never looked back. Lee is as humble as they come and didn’t like talking about himself too much...

27 years of career experience. A Captain on Engine 38 for Clark County Fire Department in Nevada, County Fire Tactics Cadre member. The conversation Clark and I had should invigorate any Firefighter who truly has love for the job, wants to leave the service better than they found it and hopefully creates change with the future generation of Firefighters within your own organization. Clark talks wi...

14 years of career experience. A Battalion Chief with Birmingham Fire/Rescue. Ben was a jack of all trades who traveled across the country while exploring what exactly he wanted to do with his life. When the recession in 2008 hit the country hard Ben decided to enter into the world of EMS where he found a huge passion and yearn for but has no problems letting others know it was very hard work. Whi...

Donovan Carrasco- 10 years of combination experience. A back step Firefighter for Cedar Park Fire Department in Texas, creator and founder for Coyote Fire Training. Donovan believes in PRIDE and that Firefighters possess it in all aspects of the job. Pride in your appearance, attitude, work ethic, training and camaraderie. During our conversation Donovan also discussed why you need to make sure th...

18 years of career experience. 2nd generation Firefighter who really never had notions of becoming a Firefighter himself. When you’re a generation or legacy child sometimes you’re constantly being compared to your mother or father’s achievements and may struggle to establish your own identity. Eric was fully transparent when he openly discussed the allure of getting into this field. Once he did ev...

12 years of combination experience. Fire Chief for Trinity Fire Department in South Carolina. Becoming Fire Chief is never easy. When it comes to holding that title comes great responsibility. Cody achieved this rank at a very young age and most definitely went through big changes and undertaking a lot when it came to the organization he serves. I want the listeners to hear his story but also see...

17 years of combination experience. A Captain on Engine 1 with Mooresville Fire-Rescue. It’s very easy for a Company Officer to talk about expectations and not execute. I’ve been fortunate to witness first hand how putting words into actions leads to building a crew that actually wants to show up to work, train, run calls and overall just get good at the job. Captain Smith said it best in his inte...

9 years of combination experience. A newly promoted Lieutenant on Ladder 96 with Woodlawn Fire Department. From a very young age Zak always wanted to be a Firefighter. The path that it took to get there wasn’t as easy as most would like but Zak was able to maintain persistence, resilience, continuously learning and adapting, built a strong support network, and overcame challenges with determinatio...

3rd generation Firefighter with 19 years of career experience. A Captain with Shawnee Fire Department in Ohio. Mike believes that you can teach the skill set when it comes to the mechanics of being a Firefighter but you can’t teach passion to go with it. That must come within the individual. At the workplace not everyone is passionate, so it's extremely important for organizations and Leaders to i...

28 years of combination experience. 2nd generation Firefighter. A Captain on Squad 7 with City Of Camden Fire Department in New Jersey. Published author, creator and owner of Eckert Fire Tactics. Love him or don’t Bobby has a huge passion and love for the fire service and will let you know that. There’s a story behind every person. There’s a reason why they are the way they are. Think about that b...

14 years of combination experience. Former tiller-man now driver on Ladder 1 for Tacoma Fire Department in Washington. Jon got his start a little later on in life with the fire service but it was always something he thought of doing. His wife pushed him to fulfill his dream and he did just that. The road wasn’t easy upon entering but Jon stayed true to himself and sought out mentors and attended c...