In episode 48, Matt and Chris speak with Ryan Julius and Leah Lloyd, both recent graduates of Firefighter Rescue and Survival (FRAS), Class 9. Ryan and Leah recount their experiences and offer advice to anyone interested in attending one of the most mentally and physically demanding courses offered to DoD Firefighters.

Visit https://firedawg.us/fras/ for more info on FRAS and to sign up for the next class.

Episode 48 - After Action Review - Firefighter Rescue & Survival (FRAS) Class 9 - Ryan Julius & Leah Lloyd

In episode 47, Matt speaks with Robert Gerry, the Logistic Officer at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Fire Department in New Jersey. RJ is a contributing member of the Air Force Fire & Emergency Services “Reinvigorate the Flight” strategic line of effort (LOE) #2 and championed the new Logistics Officer Course intended to introduce new logistics officers to the information and resources necessary to be successful in the job. In the episode, he explains the rationale behind the course, some of the information included within it, and the other plans for improving the availability of information for the Logistics Officer position.

The FireDawg Podcast - Episode 47- Improving the AF Fire Service Logistics Officer Position - Robert Gerry 

In episode 46, Matt and Chris talk with FDNY Firefighter Jeff Cool. On January 23rd, 2005, Jeff survived what later became known as “Black Sunday”. Jeff and 5 other New York City firefighters bailed out of the 4th floor of an illegally divided tenement in the Bronx, killing two firefighters and leading to the death of a third as a result of his injuries.

Jeff started his firefighting career in 1984 as an active-duty Air Force firefighter at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. From there, he did some time with the Air National Guard and spent four years as a civilian airport firefighter. Following that, he began his FDNY career at Ladder 19 in the Bronx. Following September 11, 2001, he moved to Rescue Company 3.

In the episode, he recounts the events of “Black Sunday”, highlights the heroics of those Firefighters on that day, and discusses how we prevent similar tragedies in the future.

The FireDawg Podcast - Episode 46 - Recounting “Black Sunday” with FDNY and Former Air Force Firefighter - Jeff Cool

In this episode, Matt speaks with Chief Michael Ott, former Air Force Firefighter and now Fire Chief for Tulare Fire Department, California. They discuss his transition out of the military, how to maximize your marketability as a former military firefighter, and what to expect during the transition.

Chief Ott is a retired Air Force Firefighter who served 21 years at multiple locations across the US, Europe, and the Middle East. He achieved the rank of Senior Master Sergeant and served as a Deputy Fire Chief at Vandenburg Fire Department before retiring in 2021. Since transitioning out of the military, he secured a job as the Tulare Fire Department Fire Chief and serves as an Adjunct Instructor for Fresno City College. His department responds to nearly 8000 calls per year and serves a community of over 70,000 residents.

The FireDawg Podcast - Episode 45 – Don't Sell Yourself Short - How to Maximize Your Transition Out of the Military - Chief Michael "Mikee" Ott

In episode 44, Matt speaks with Andrew Starnes. Andy currently serves as a Battalion Chief in a large career department in NC. He is a well-known fire service contributor on the topics of thermal imaging, fire behavior, leadership, behavioral health, and faith-based devotions. He is also the founder of Bringing Back Brotherhood, a nonprofit organization designed to encourage and provide guidance for firefighters in the area of behavioral health, counseling, and more. He has trained and assisted departments with Thermal Imaging Training in all 50 states and 16 other countries and also consults manufacturers and assists with product development. His company, Insight Fire Training, LLC. offers a wide range of fire behavior and thermal imaging training and education and is the first company to offer a thermography-based firefighter certification credentialed through the Infrared Training Center.

Find out more about Insight Fire Training, LLC. at https://insighttrainingllc.com/

The FireDawg Podcast - Episode 44 - The Importance & Application of Fireground Thermal Imaging - Andrew Starnes

In Episode 43, Matt speaks with Chief Josh Loescher. Chief Loescher is the Fire Chief at Traux Field in Madison Wisconsin, home of the 115th Fighter Wing.  He has served in the Air National Guard for over 22 years.  He is also an Academic Associate at Arizona State Watts College and an Adjunct Fire Protection Instructor at Fox Valley Technical College. In the episode, he highlights the unique characteristics of Fire Protection in the Air National Guard including manpower, funding, support for state and federal emergencies, and differences in promotions and training, among other things. He and I also discuss how active duty Air Force compares with the Guard and how members from each can complement each other well when working together.

The FireDawg Podcast - Episode 43 - Air National Guard Deep Dive - Chief Josh Loescher

In Episode 3 of Table Talk, Matt Wilson is joined by Jared Aardema. They discuss education pursuits, networking, and workplace performance. Where should you aim with your educational pursuits? What does right look like in regard to networking? How do you motivate someone to care about the job? How do you rid an organizational culture of mediocrity? These are just a few of the topics that Matt and Jared discuss.

After you've listened, please head over to our Facebook Group, FireDawg Mentorship, or any of our other social media sites, to continue the conversation.

Table Talk - Ep 3 - Education, Networking & Workplace Performance

In episode 42, Matt and Chris sit down with Nick Martin, a well-known fireground training advocate and founder of Combat Ready Fire Training. They discuss the “combat ready” mentality and the importance of always being ready to perform. Nick also offers advice to departments with lower call volumes and advice for effective training drills. Head over to his site www.combatreadyfire.com to learn more about what training he and his team offer. You can also check him out on Facebook or on Instagram @nmartin33.

The FireDawg Podcast - Episode 42 - Creating an “Always Ready” Training Regimen & Mentality - Nick Martin

In this episode, Matt speaks with MSgt Roy Campos about the Air Force Fire Protection Support given on Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) in Kabul Afghanistan in August 2021. Roy led the 13 person Fire Protection Quick Strike Team (QST) for 12 days in support of the Afghanistan evacuation and the largest human airlift in history. In the episode, he recounts the experience and highlights specific events during their time on HKIA. As a result of his leadership and the teams efforts, Roy received a Bronze Star Medal on March 31, 2022.

The FireDawg Podcast - Episode 41 - Fire Protection Support for the 2021 Afghanistan Withdrawl - MSgt Roy Campos

In this episode, Matt talks to former Ohio State Fire Marshal Bob Rielage. They speak about his service in Vietnam as an Air Force Intelligence Officer, fire service leadership, and transitioning from the military to civilian fire service. Chief Rielage has been a chief officer in several departments with over 30 years of experience. He is a graduate of the Kennedy School's Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at Harvard University. He also holds a master's degree in public administration from Norwich University and is a past president of the Institution of Fire Engineers – USA Branch. He has worked with national-level organizations, such as FEMA, the USFA, and the National Fire Academy, and has served as a committee member for NFPA 1250 and NFPA 1201. For his service to the state of Ohio, Chief Rielage received the Ohio Fire Service Distinguished Service Award in 2019.

The FireDawg Podcast - Episode 40 - Advice on Leadership & Military Service Transition - Retired Ohio Fire Marshal Chief Robert Rielage

The FireDawg Podcast is rooted in the United States Air Force and serves to foster connection, learning, and growth within all ranks of the American fire service. Topics covered include fire service best practices, lessons learned, leadership, firefighting tactics, history, and much more.