I’m very honored to be joined by Brian Brush today to discuss a “Road Map to a Successful Fire Service Career”. This was a topic requested by a listener and I immediately thought about bringing Brian on to join me for this discussion. I’uveitis been really looking forward to releasing this episode because it is full of great takeaways and I know you’ll enjoy listening. Brian is the Chief Training Officer at the Midwest City Fire Department in Oklahoma. He also runs Fire By Trade and is a partner...
Aug 13, 2020•55 min•Ep. 30
Monday Mindset Check - We have all heard the statement that “a bad attitude is more contagious than a good one.” Honestly I don’t know that I agree completely with that statement. Although I would agree in part, I think there are other factors that contribute to the spread of attitude (good or bad). To me the personality of the person has maybe more to do with how wide they spread their attitude. Do you have a quiet, subdued, withdrawn personality? If so you won’t get the same reach as someone w...
Aug 10, 2020•12 min•Ep. 29
Joining me today are 2 guys that are passionate about the culture of fitness; Aaron Quinn of Live.Serve.Thrive and Ian Palmer of Thin Line Fitness. We dig into the road blocks that keep departments from fully investing in fitness and all the benefits that come to those departments that do invest in it. Even if you are just one person at your department that wants to start changing the culture you need to start and sooner or later that work will spread to others. Start where you are at and invest...
Aug 06, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 28
Today’s Monday Mindset Check focuses on taking a break from the world and taking time for your family and for yourself. We have so step away and spend time with our families and on ourselves sometimes especially in a time that the circumstances may make it difficult to get away from the daily grind. This can be a great time to find yourself and build better relationships within your family. Have a great week! Thank you for listening! Click here to leave a message to let me know what you think &a...
Aug 03, 2020•23 min•Ep. 27
I am joined by a very special guest today, Justin Mann. Justin discusses with me the idea of competency based safety. This competency is gained through regular and purposeful training. We have a very inherently dangerous job so of course we want to make it as safe as possible but the best way to make a firefighter safe is not through policy but through competency. Great conversation that I know you will get a lot out of. Justin teaches across the nation and is apart of some very knowledgeable ca...
Jul 30, 2020•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 26
On this Monday Mindset Check I want us to think about the one person that we have to focus most on leading, that is ourselves. It starts with leading one. This thought was spurred on by a quote from Frank Viscuso and that is “If you can lead one, you can lead many. But if you can’t lead one, you’ll never lead any.” That quote speaks volumes to me and tells me that when I seem to be failing as a leader I First need to look at how I’m leading and what I need to do better. Enjoy your week! Thank yo...
Jul 27, 2020•17 min•Ep. 25
Motivation and inspiration, what do those terms mean to you? Are they the same and basically interchangeable or are there drastic differences in the 2? This discussion is one that I have begun to gain a deep interest in and feel like they are very different things. Join me in a discussion to dive deeper and to gain a better understanding of the difference between motivation and inspiration. Motivation is a good thing but to truly make a difference requires inspiration, an inward pull and drive t...
Jul 23, 2020•40 min•Ep. 24
Last week I saw a post by Mark Vonappen from @fullyinvolvedofficial and it really spoke to me so I wanted to share it and a few thoughts. Changing culture isn’t something that’s just happens, it’s a long process and requires a lot of patience and hard work. Sometimes we need to take a step back and maybe even adjusts our perspective to be able to see the positive changes that our work is creating. Thank you for listening! Click here to leave a message to let me know what you think & how this...
Jul 20, 2020•12 min•Ep. 23
Every one of you out there have something to give, something that someone else needs to hear to be inspired or to just not feel alone. With all of the negativity that we are bombarded with constantly the world needs all of you to take that first step towards helping others. That step is different for all of us and chances are that some of you aren’t even sure what that step is yet but it’s there you just have to look. Let’s be a light in the dark times, let’s share our message and our story so t...
Jul 16, 2020•31 min•Ep. 22
It’s so easy for us to become burned out, negative, and complacent at our job. Literally as I am releasing this episode I am coming off of a night on duty consisting of 2 full arrests including one involving a pediatric, and those are exactly the days that wear on you and build up. But it’s still the best job ever. We need to keep in mind the thousands of people hoping, praying, and working their butts off just trying to get this job. Let those people inspire us and no matter what we’re going th...
Jul 13, 2020•21 min•Ep. 21
John Sahatjian from Jersey Shore Emergency Training joins me today to dig in to a statement he brought to my attention a little while back. “Lions don’t lose sleep over the opinions of sheep.” This statement has really stuck in my mind and helps me to keep driving forward. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation and know you will too. Definitely don’t miss John’s takeaway of “Do the right thing, for the right reasons, and in the right way”, which was really thought provoking for me. The more pass...
Jul 09, 2020•54 min•Ep. 20
Your mindset is a choice, your perspective is a choice, your attitude is a choice, and whether or not you grow is a choice. So what are you choosing today? We can easily fall into the trap of blaming people, outside influences, our life’s circumstances for our bad attitude and negativity but you are the only one responsible for making the choice to be that way. I am beginning on a quest towards positivity and I know that it won’t be a smooth ride and I will have wrong turns but I am determined t...
Jul 05, 2020•41 min•Ep. 19
Corley Moore join’s me today to dig into the topic of hope so we inspire and rekindle the passion for the job in those that may have lost it. This was a very eye opening conversation for me and I hope you all get as much out of it as I did. In an attempt to have a conversation on how to “fix others” I was very clearly hit with the realization that that just isn’t possible. The real answer comes from taking a look in the mirror and figuring out what you can do better yourself and hopefully that w...
Jul 03, 2020•49 min•Ep. 18
No matter how busy your department and firehouse is chances are you have some downtime each day and sometimes quite a bit. What are we doing with that time? Is the time we spend growing, learning, and getting better at the job comparable to the amount we spend griping about the department, society, politics, and so on? If we are truly doing this to help others then we better start focusing on being ready when called upon to help others. Put some time and effort into the job, don’t rely on the “I...
Jun 29, 2020•34 min•Ep. 17
Today I have a guest Aaron Quinn with me. Aaron is an 18 veteran firefighter with the Oakland Fire Department. We discuss the roles and responsibilities of the senior firefighter and the informal leader. We also touch on how we can rekindle the passion for the job that may have been lost for some. I really enjoyed this conversation and know there are a lot of people out there that will get a lot from it because I know I did. You can find Aaron on Instagram and Facebook at @live.serve.thrive Than...
Jun 26, 2020•59 min•Ep. 16
A little late but I wanted to give appreciation to all the Dad’s out there including mine who I love very much. I’ve never had a more exhausting, stressful, nerve racking, and irritating at times job but I love every minute of it. It’s also the most fun, rewarding, and humbling job ever. I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. Enjoy being a Dad and work hard to get better at it just like everything else. Thank you for listening! Click here to leave a message to let me know what you think &...
Jun 24, 2020•34 min•Ep. 15
There can be no personal growth without humility. I experienced a little bit of a lightbulb moment in my way home from work and felt like I needed to sit down and record some of my thoughts. No one wants to fail, I hate failing so much. But it’s failure that gives us the humility to learn and grow. I’m not afraid to be the voice of those out there that feel like they fail more than they win, that’s just being real. Personal growth works in a cycle and it’s in our best interest to stay in a good ...
Jun 17, 2020•36 min•Ep. 14
There are so many people out there just fighting to survive, I’ve been there and some days I still feel that way. Our stories are all so different yet there are always others that are fighting similar battles. We need to learn to open up to others because by doing so we not only help ourselves but potentially help others by letting them know they aren’t alone as well. We can’t just turn off the problems we have at home because we’re at work and vice versa so we need to take steps to better deal ...
Jun 10, 2020•54 min•Ep. 13
Today’s topic comes directly from one of the biggest growing experiences of my career. What kind of a mindset do we have towards training? For me, I have discovered that there are two ends of the spectrum; those that are there just to participate and those that are there to gain knowledge and skills that they can pass on to others. I have been at each end of this spectrum at different times of my career and everywhere in between. If we aren’t approaching training with the right mindset we won’t ...
Jun 04, 2020•21 min•Ep. 12
It’s amazing the spectrum of comments concerning social media. Everything from it’s an amazing tool to it’s one of the many tools of the devil 😁. We have the power to reach people around the world, are we using that power to help or to hurt? It is truly a gigantic responsibility and one we need to pay attention to. Are we using this amazing tool to bring growth and benefit to people’s lives or are we using it to tear people down? Thank you for listening! Click here to leave a message to let me ...
May 25, 2020•44 min•Ep. 11
In this show I sit down with Rob LaRocca who is the co-founder of Rapid Response Co. to discuss 360 Response. This is a program that they developed to help firefighters and is a great tool. A good conversation about the benefits of the program and how it can assist the fire service. I had a good time getting to know Rob and I hope you enjoy the show. Thank you for listening! Click here to leave a message to let me know what you think & how this episode impacted you. No matter where or what y...
May 23, 2020•37 min•Ep. 10
In this special episode I do a crossover show with Chief Brian Soller of The Professional Volunteer Podcast and guest host John Sahatjian of Jersey Shore Emergency Training. You’re not going to want to miss this conversation discussing a Frank Viscuso quote “Never push a loyal person to the point that they no longer care.” Thank you for your time! Shoutouts to both of my guests, they’re doing great things for the fire service. Check out John on Facebook and Instagram by searching Jersey Shore Em...
May 19, 2020•54 min•Ep. 9
It’s a constant battle to find the balance between work and home. Throughout a career in the fire service you have to be intentional about keeping the two balanced because if you aren’t one or the other may quickly take over. Especially in today’s world filled with distractions, we must work to find the balance. Thank you for listening! Click here to leave a message to let me know what you think & how this episode impacted you. No matter where or what you came from, great things can come fro...
May 14, 2020•41 min•Ep. 8
On this Mother’s Day I wanted to share my appreciation for my wife and mom. Also, speak a little for those listening to maybe learn how to love their spouse in ways that will better speak to them. Thank you for listening! Click here to leave a message to let me know what you think & how this episode impacted you. No matter where or what you came from, great things can come from you!...
May 10, 2020•28 min•Ep. 7
My guest for this show is Brooke Ames who goes by @miss_fit_hosedragger on Instagram. Brooke has a very inspiring story which she shares a little of along with what she’s passionate about. Brooke is an up and coming voice of the fire service and you should look her up if you haven’t heard of her. A great conversation, I hope you enjoy! Thank you for listening! Click here to leave a message to let me know what you think & how this episode impacted you. No matter where or what you came from, g...
May 01, 2020•55 min•Ep. 6
I spend some time checking in on everyone and discussing mental health. I discuss my passion for challenging people to grow and where the journey that it has taken me on. Then I get into the topic of “are we taking responsibility for our part in developing tomorrow’s leaders or making excuses”. Thank you for listening! Click here to leave a message to let me know what you think & how this episode impacted you. No matter where or what you came from, great things can come from you!...
Apr 27, 2020•54 min•Ep. 2
I give a little introduction to myself and the Crew 1st Culture Podcast. I also touch on a few topics that we will be spending time discussing in the future. Thank you for listening! Click here to leave a message to let me know what you think & how this episode impacted you. No matter where or what you came from, great things can come from you!
Apr 27, 2020•22 min•Ep. 1
We all love sharing all the positive things in our lives on social media but what about the other side of the coin. It’s ok to sometimes share our weaknesses, our screw up, and our lessons learned. We all have stories that we should be sharing of times like this because there are people out there that need to hear them. Thank you for listening! Click here to leave a message to let me know what you think & how this episode impacted you. No matter where or what you came from, great things can ...
Apr 27, 2020•23 min•Ep. 3
As a follow up to a post I put out on social media about not taking advantage of what the quarantine life has brought, I share the story of a good day. Quarantine sucks but it brings a lot of benefits, we just have to keep our eyes open and put some work into taking advantage of them. Thank you for listening! Click here to leave a message to let me know what you think & how this episode impacted you. No matter where or what you came from, great things can come from you!...
Apr 27, 2020•36 min•Ep. 5
In order to create an environment that others are willing to be open and honest in, the leadership has to be open and honest first. Don’t fall for the misconception some have that leaders have to appear to be flawless and unaffected by anything. We need leaders who are only interested in being real not who are interested in putting up a false front to protect their authority. Thank you for listening! Click here to leave a message to let me know what you think & how this episode impacted you....
Apr 24, 2020•36 min•Ep. 4
