Better Every Shift

‘Do the next right thing right’: Kevin Sofen talks tech fundamentals

New tools and technology can feel daunting, particularly if you already feel behind the curve, but the opportunities are endless if you can embrace a learning mindset that focuses on simply doing the next right thing right – fundamentals first, then baby steps. For example, when someone suggests a new tool, start by changing a knee-jerk “no” to a more open-minded “maybe,” then take another step, even watching a single video about the new technology. That’s the advice from technology advisor Kevin Sofen, who has spent more than a decade making connections between fire service organizations and industry to help fire departments implement new technology and data management tools. We dig into all this and more:

• New innovations, like AI, satellite communications and drones

• Top sessions from the IAFC’s Technology Summit International

• How to involve more seasoned members without expecting them to be tech “champions”

• Reframing the phrase “death by a thousand cuts” to “solutions by a thousand little things” for technology

• Shifting the mindset from having to use tech tools to wanting to use tech tools

Enjoying the show? Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

Extra Alarm: Fire is fire no matter what you call it

Welcome to FireRescue1’s Extra Alarm – your audible source of original content from FireRescue1. This week’s episode insights come to us from Linda Willing, a retired career fire officer, who makes the case that too many deaths and injuries have occurred secondary to training incidents where live fire was a factor. Specifically, Willing’s article highlights two tragic incidents – one in Miami, Florida, and another in Boulder, Colorado – that underscore the critical need for safety during firefighter training exercises. Listen to the end for additional insights from Chief Marc Bashoor.

Chief Bob Horton: ‘Wildfire is coming to a town near you’

Attention, structural firefighters: Wildfire does impact your community. If you’re thinking, “Nope, not here,” then you might be confusing wildfire and wildland fire. This small difference in wording has a big impact, not only on training and tactics but also the funding and resources that go toward battling these fires. Chief Bob Horton, the USFA’s newly appointed branch chief for wildfire policy breaks down the terminology and explains how easy it is for any community in the United States to face a serious wildfire scenario. Plus, we dig into all of this:

• The unique challenge of evacuations in wildfire events

• New technology that can help fire service leaders

• How to leverage insurance company changes

• Why it all comes back to “constraints, tradeoffs and competing interests” – and making the best decisions for the community

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore.

Enjoying the show? Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

Extra Alarm: Bridging the gap between firefighters and the 40-hour world

Welcome to FireRescue1’s Extra Alarm – your audible source of original content from FireRescue1. In this inaugural episode, learn how to minimize scheduling strains and mission misalignment between the department’s shift-workers and administrative workforce, insights courtesy of Chris Paskett, a battalion chief with Eugene Springfield (Oregon) Fire.

Listen to FireRescue1 content when you’re out and about, driving to or from work, when you’re looking for some alone time at the station or during your career development time. Listen to the end for additional insights from Chief Marc Bashoor.

‘It is never too late to start’: Kepra Jack details how to revive your cardiac health

“Why are healthy people having cardiac events?” This was the question that first fueled Kepra Jack’s interest in cardiac health among firefighters – and the fact that her husband is a firefighter further drove her investment in the topic. As the co-founder and director of HeartFit for Duty, Jack builds education programs for first responders and physicians alike. Jack has made it her mission to support firefighter health, and she’s got some great guidance. We dig into all of that and more:

• The 10-minute exercise with the greatest impact on overall health.

• What surprises doctors about firefighting.

• Why “what you eat today directly impacts your retirement.”

• The #1 habit every firefighter should start.

Resources we discussed on the show:

• Download the Provider’s Guide to Firefighter Medical Evaluations.

• Read next: “A fire department physical saved my life – twice!”

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore.

Enjoying the show? Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

2024 reflections + 2025 bold predictions

Fire Chief Jason Caughey joins the team this week to reflect on the decisive themes of 2024, whether those hot topics will continue to make waves in 2025, plus the critical areas of focus for any fire service leader who’s working to support their members. Plus, we dig into all this:

• Innovative events and forward-thinking groups driving change

• Reimagining the debate about what it means to be safe and aggressive

• Why fire service leaders can no longer get away with being “full of sh*t”

• How to take proactive steps to break down silos

• Embracing a “train ’em, trust ’em, let ’em go” mindset

• A reminder to focus on the positive – and why you joined

Thank you for your support of Better Every Shift in 2024! Are you ready to thrive in 2025?

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by MagneGrip. Eliminate diesel exhaust fumes from inside the fire station with a MagneGrip exhaust removal system. Learn more at MagneGrip.com.

Enjoying the show? Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

‘Work the problem’: Firefighter-survivalist shares ‘Naked & Afraid’ lessons

Ventura Fire Captain Fernando Calderon has appeared on five seasons of Discovery Channel’s hit reality TV show “Naked & Afraid,” where participants are dropped into remote locations – without clothes – to survive for upwards of three weeks. Most of the show’s participants have years of experience living off the grid or teaching survival strategies – but not Calderon. He went from watching the show at the fire station to feeling “possessed” to apply.” It was the ultimate test to learn what he was made of. Now over 10 years later, Calderon is what they call an All Star in the Naked & Afraid universe – and he’s sharing the many survival challenge lessons that apply to the fire service. Plus, we dig into all of this:

• How the show helps Calderon reset
• Feeling pressure to make his fire department proud
• The superpower that gives him an edge on the competition
• Implementing “mental mind control” to make it through tough times
• The worst thing he ate during one of his survival challenges
• The competitor he calls a “wild card”
• The #1 food he craves post-competition

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Better Every Shift listeners receive 10% off now through Dec. 31, using the promo code, FR10. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore.

Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

‘Good, better, best’: Megan Lautz shares a realistic approach to FF nutrition

Megan Lautz understands that shiftwork makes it nearly impossible to follow a perfect diet – as do other life events that squeeze your time and impact your outlook on food. That’s why her nutrition advice for firefighters centers on what’s realistic – the “good, better, best” approach, which encourages making smarter choices for the situation and setting yourself up for success with simple tools, like go-bags for snacks on shift. Plus, Lautz has worked with firefighters through her company, RescueRd, long enough to know when to push and when “a little bit of shame adds some razzle-dazzle” to the guidance. We dig into all of that and more:

• “Firefighter Math” in the context of health, namely donuts
• The truth about energy drinks
• Smart electrolyte supplement strategies
• Simple recommendations for caffeine and hydration

Resources: Get the free recipe book, “Firehouse Fresh, on Lautz’s website and learn more about the Kales Lab study on “Feeding America’s Bravest: Survival Mediterranean Style.”

Find Lautz on social media: Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by MagneGrip. Eliminate diesel exhaust fumes from inside the fire station with a MagneGrip exhaust removal system. Learn more at MagneGrip.com.

Enjoying the show? Send an email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback.

Adm. Mike Studeman: Great leaders seek ‘maximum performance at highest morale’

We’re declassifying today’s podcast so everyone can learn from Rear Admiral (ret.) Mike Studeman, former commander of the Office of Naval Intelligence. Studeman, who is one of the nation’s leading national security professionals, recently authored the thought-provoking book “Might of the Chain: Forging Leaders of Iron Integrity,” focused on critical leadership lessons that are easily applied to the fire service, including how to build buy-in, plus the top traits for leaders to cultivate among their members – and themselves.

Plus, we dig into all of this:

• The myth of the “always-in-command” leadership style
• The psychological impact of being singularly focused on the job
• The power of branding – mottos, flags, etc. – to organizational culture
• Fine-tuning your mode for enacting change

You can also find “Might of the Chain: Forging Leaders of Iron Integrity” at JPL Books.

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore.

Enjoying the show? Send an email to bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

Inside EMS: Accountability in action – building a culture that sticks in EMS

Crossover alert! On this week’s Inside EMS podcast, cohosts Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson dive into a vital topic: the culture of accountability in EMS. Sparked by FireRescue1 Senior Fire Advisor Chief Marc Bashoor’s article, "Where is our culture of accountability?", the hosts explore why change is so difficult to embrace, how leadership impacts culture and what steps agencies can take to help foster accountability across an organization.

Thank you to Pulsara for sponsoring this episode of Inside EMS. Discover more at Pulsara.com.

Enjoying the show? Please take a moment to rate and review on Apple Podcasts. Contact the Inside EMS team at theshow@ems1.com to share ideas, suggestions and feedback.