Better Every Shift

Chief Bryan Frieders: We need Super Bowl-level efforts to conquer firefighter cancer

Chief Bryan Frieders is fired up about preventing occupational cancer – fired up to the point where he’s putting firefighters of all ranks on blast for not doing everything possible to prevent an often-preventable disease. He calls out firefighters for not wearing their SCBA, cleaning their gear and taking care of their health (“Why are we risking our lives? Stupidity.”), as well as leaders who don’t prioritize member health and safety (“If you’re old school, then you’re lost”). And having just worked the Super Bowl, among many other large-scale events, Frieders considers the connections between preparing for big events and preventing the Big C – and even shares what Bono had to say to him before a recent performance. Plus, we dig into all this:

• Questioning our tactics related to car fires and ventilation
• The unfortunate connection between bugles and plungers
• The firefighters who might want to apply for work at Wendy’s
• The push to put the FCSN out of business – for the best possible reason

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.

Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

Rocco Alvaro: ‘Once you stop developing others, it’s time for you to leave’

Fairfax County (Virginia) Battalion Chief Rocco Alvaro is passionate about professional development, but he wasn’t always on a clear path himself. In fact, it took a metaphorical “punch in the face” from a mentor for him to go back to school and walk the professional development walk – and he’s incredibly grateful for the punch.

Alvaro joins Better Every Shift this week to talk all things professional development, including where departments can begin with standing up their own programs. Plus we get into all this:

• How fire departments can follow a “farm team” model;
• The three foundational elements we all need in our training;
• The lack of vision permeating the fire service today; and
• How higher education is the best way to answer the vital question, “What’s over the horizon?”

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by Columbia Southern University. Learn more about how you can earn an affordable, accredited quality degree 100% online at ColumbiaSouthern.edu/Fire. 

Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

‘Turn it up a notch’: Chief Keith Padgett on the power of higher education

“You’ll use it more than you’ll ever know,” Zam says about going back to school – and he would know, having recently started his own higher education journey. So this week, the Better Every Shift crew welcomes Chief Keith Padgett, the Fire and EMS Academic Program Director with Columbia Southern University, where Zam is currently taking classes, to talk all things advanced degrees, higher education and fire service training. Don’t miss all this:

• Padgett’s advice for firefighters who are new to higher education
• The #1 program in which firefighters are enrolling
• Padgett’s early struggles with school and his “look at me now” moment
• The degrees for “going beyond” chief-level education
• Padgett’s advice for firefighters who feel stagnant in their career

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by Columbia Southern University. Learn more about how you can earn an affordable, accredited quality degree 100% online at ColumbiaSouthern.edu/Fire. 

Jason Patton: ‘I’m not making fun of people!’

Jason Patton loves talking to people, even if it wasn’t always easy for him. The first firefighter-influencer of the YouTube viral video era explains his initial struggles with public speaking – the ultimate example of getting out of your comfort zone to make great things happen (think Fire Department Chronicles, among many other great ventures). That’s why we’re returning to Patton’s show this week, not only because it’s one of our most popular episodes of all time, but because the messages are vital for new and long-time listeners alike.

Plus, we get into all this:

• His best advice for firefighters getting into the social media space
• How he chooses his passion projects
• “Micro-dosing happiness” and his go-to stress reliever
• Don’t miss: The story of his first attempt to teach a CPR class
• Episode power quote: “I love naps, bro.”

Resources we mentioned on the show

• Fire Department Chronicles
• Fire Department Coffee
• DetecTogether
• Banyan Treatment Centers
• The Leary Firefighters Foundation

Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

Spanish for firefighters: Make your communication skills excelente

¿Hablas español? If not, you’re going to want to tune in to this week’s show to learn some phrases that could come in handy on the incident scene.

The impetus for this show: Zam was on a call where he found himself struggling to communicate with a patient who spoke Spanish. Always driven to improve, Zam sought out The Language Tutor for some help with Spanish for first responders, and now the tutor himself, Dr. Danny Evans, joins Better Every Shift to share some general phrases (“I am here to help”), keywords (“pain,” “medications”), directives (“breathe slowly”) and questions (“Where does it hurt?”) that can help any first responder looking to level up their communication skills.

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.

Introducing the Resilient 50: Your back-to-basics health routine

Who doesn’t love a little healthy competition – the keyword there being healthy. Zam has created the Resilient 50 Challenge to help firefighters get real about getting healthy in the new year. It’s a back-to-basics approach that spans a spectrum of lifestyle habits, all designed to make you a more resilient firefighter. After all, health isn’t solely about losing weight or getting in shape; it’s about staying hydrated, sleeping better, feeding your brain and, really, any goals you set to help you be better every shift.

Here’s how it works: Zam has identified 10 key habits for improved health. You pick 7 and do them every day for 50 days. And yes, there is a reward at the end, that is, in addition to the greatest reward of all – improved health!

Tune in to hear Zam and Janelle share the 7 habits they selected for themselves.

Sign up for the Resilient 50 Challenge today! It’s FREE and can only help you feel better! And remember, you don’t have to sign up for the challenge to start implementing the 10 habits in your life – but the system will add that level of structure and accountability that we all need. (Note: It's important to consult your doctor before starting any exercise or nutrition program.)

Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your questions and feedback!

Dr. Glenn Landry: Firefighters can ‘shock the system’ back to a healthy sleep routine

If we do our jobs today, we’re going to help you get some much-needed sleep – hopefully after the show. Joining Better Every Shift this week is Dr. Glenn Landry, a sleep expert who specializes in shift work, detailing how firefighters can work at night without shifting circadian rhythms and disrupting critical sleep functions.

We dig into all this:

• Tips for preparing the body for sleep
• How sleep “washes the brain”
• Misconceptions related to the body’s ability to adapt to less sleep
• Why we aren’t who we think we are when we’re sleep-deprived
• The impact of sleep deprivation on fireground decision-making
• Landry’s “Surviving Shift Work” curriculum – “Netflix for sleep health”

Landry explains that sleep deprivation, at its core, is accelerating the aging process and borrowing from the health of your retirement years, which is why we must prioritize sleep as the foundation of health and wellness, now.

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.

‘The podcast of misfit firefighters’ team reflects on 2023

“We’re a bunch of misfits, and we’re not alone,” Zam says of the dedicated listeners who are committed to making themselves better every shift, every year.

Closing out 2023, the crew reflects on the top episodes of the year and what made them so memorable, plus the most popular content on FireRescue1. And don’t miss Zam and Janelle's “words for 2024.”

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? Please take a moment to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. You can also follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts. And email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

Curt Varone: Beware the ‘human equivalent of a lightweight wood truss building’

"The lawsuit is coming from inside the firehouse.” Much like a horror film twist where the protagonist realizes the killer is already inside the house, far too many firefighters don’t realize that our biggest liabilities are sitting with us in the firehouse. Most fire service lawsuits involve a firefighter suing the fire department or another firefighter. These are the issues we must address, as fire service attorney Curt Varone urges – everything from HR issues like discipline to operational issues related to policies and training. We also dig into the need to educate fire service leaders about how to identify those conflict-seeking members who often become frequent litigators.

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.

Li-ion battery fires: Barowy and Goldfeder tackle the ‘spaghetti’ of tactical considerations

“Just when I think I’m ready to handle any fire you throw my way, now this comes along.” Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder channels Al Pacino in “The Godfather” when discussing the complexities of lithium-ion battery fires with Adam Barowy, lead research engineer with UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute. Barowy and Goldfeder break down the science behind Li-ion batteries and what makes operational options so challenging to navigate.

The team digs into all these factors dominating ‘The Lithium-ion Years’:

• The impact of various products on containing these fires;
• The logistics of relocating the burning battery;
• The questions we simply can’t answer yet – but that the FSRI team is actively studying; and
• How secondary responders could be part of the solution.

Listen in for these moments:

• “This fire does not require oxygen … you cannot get the cooling water where it needs to go – that’s the number one problem.” — Barowy
• “The fire report reads, ‘Fire started Dec. 1; we returned to quarters New Year’s Eve.” — Goldfeder
• “Start being ready for this even-faster-growing fire.” — Barowy

Resources mentioned on the show:

• FSRI’s Take C.H.A.R.G.E. of Battery Safety campaign
• FireRescue1’s special coverage series supporting FSRI’s campaign
• FDNY Fire Tactics and Procedures, Hazardous Materials: Lithium-ion Battery Mobility Device Fires

Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback.