Narcan has been pitched as the single best way to deal with opioid overdose. And while it does work, it’s being overused and misused. Some EMS providers and cops are administering it just-in-case … even if they aren’t sure they’re treating an opioid overdose. But Narcan has a lot of nasty effects on the patient. My guest today says EMS provider ...…

Here’s an idea: Yoga for firefighters. Wait—don’t skip this episode yet! You owe it to yourself to hear about this, because, even if you think yoga’s not for you, it can probably help. It’s got a lot of benefits for firefighters. Here to explain why is Shannon McQuaide, the Director of FireFlex Yoga. That’s right, she runs a business specifical ...…

The most powerful position in the firehouse is likely NOT the Captain. You know who I’m talking about: the Senior Man. He commands respect simply because he’s seen a lot. But, whether he recognizes it or not, he’s also got a lot of responsibility. My guest today is a Senior Man, and he’s here to tell us what that really means and why. Casey Cli ...…

Training is the key to knowing how to fight fires, especially when your department doesn’t respond to frequent real-world structure fires. It’s also the way to make sure no one gets hurt. But there’s a right way to train and a whole lot of wrong ways, according to my guest today. He’s here to tell us how training goes wrong and how it can be mo ...…

Let’s talk safety. Or, rather, let’s talk risk, because we know firefighting isn’t safe. Risks are all about choices. The objective is to make choices that minimize risk. There are ways to do this, and my guest today says we need to do them. David Cain retired as a deputy chief at the Boulder Colorado Fire Department, where he served for 34 years.…

It’s been over 70 years since President Harry S. Truman issued the first Presidential Report that told citizens how to survive a house fire. But people still don’t seem to give fire the respect it deserves. They go back in to burning homes to save pets or property. They still won’t change smoke alarm batteries or call the fire department, even ...…

A few years back, the NFPA said that just 27 percent of fire departments had a basic firefighter fitness and health program, and that was down from 30 percent in 2010. My guest today says that the time has come for the fire service to prioritize the health and wellness of its firefighters on a national level. It’s time to stop talking about how ...…

Is EMS work a trade or a profession? There’s a growing push to require at least a 2-year associate’s degree for certification. Some officials want a bachelor’s degree to be required. Here to give us some perspective on all this is David Becker. He’s currently a Faculty Member for Columbia Southern University’s programs in Emergency Medical Serv ...…

Are you tired of hearing about diversity in the fire service yet? I’m going to assume you are. The question is, why, in 2018, almost 2019, are we still talking about it? My guest today has an interesting theory: The hiring process brings in more diverse probies, but then the training process homogenizes them all over again. Here to explain how ...…

What’s a firefighter worth to the community? Now what’s a professional athlete worth? There’s no doubt that pro sports generates a lot of revenue for a city, not to mention intangible benefits. But my guest today has crunched the numbers, and found that pro athletes – despite their millions of dollars in salaries – don’t come close to the fisca ...…

Just about everyone will find that there are the official rules in EMS – and then there are the unwritten rules. They’re often more helpful to know than the stuff you learn in class. For those EMTs or medics who are new on the job and want a jump on these real-world rules, my guest on this show wrote a column for Firehouse.com about them. Gary ...…

Leadership in a volunteer fire department doesn’t work the same way as it does in a career department. For starters, the officer positions may rotate, as frequently as every year. That means it can be tough to develop a consistent leadership culture. My guest today says there’s also been a change in attitudes facing those leaders, and it’s not ...…

The transitional attack. Some firefighters swear by it, some swear at it. The NFPA says it’s a way to soften the target. Does it help, or does it have the potential to make firefighting harder? My guest today says a transitional attack is like a bunt in baseball. Ray McCormack is a 30-year veteran and a lieutenant with FDNY. He publishes Urban ...…

My guest today has a new book, titled The Functional Fire Company -- Positioning Small Groups for Success & Survival. It’s intended to explain how to develop a culture of learning and training in your department. It’s working: his department has a record of retaining motivated firefighters, even though neighboring departments pay more. Some fir ...…

What do you know about acupuncture? Yeah, it involves needles. But do you know what it can do for you? Here’s one benefit: it can be used to treat PTSD. It’s also helped relieve depression, chronic fatigue, joint pain, and low back pain, and a lot of others. Plus, it works without drugs.That’s why my guest today says it’s perfect for firefighte ...…

If you’re injured on the job, you’ll likely be prescribed an opioid pain medication. They’re a double -edged sword: it can be tough to get enough, even when you really need them. But you might be surprised how quickly you can become addicted to them if you do get what you want. And believe me, doctors are terrified of losing their licenses thes ...…

If you’re a probie or you want to be, listen up. This show’s guest, Mauro Porcelli, has written a new book titled “Surviving the Firehouse.” It’s a guide to life as a firefighter for newbies, and it’s full of real-world tips and advice. Mauro retired from the Orlando Florida fire department with twenty-five years of fire service experience. He ...…

Habits can improve your health...and bad ones can screw it up. That’s why building healthy habits is so important for firefighters. This isn’t just some trendy idea.This stuff will prolong your career, and your life. Back with us again today is Aaron Zamzow, and he has five of them for us. Aaron is the owner of Fire Rescue Fitness, a company th ...…

How fast do you get a knockdown on an average fire? Our guest on this show says you should see the effects in 30 seconds. If you don’t, he says, you’re not flowing enough water. Paul Shapiro is a back to talk about overwhelming a fire with massive water. Paul’s been involved with the fire service since 1981. He was an engineer with Las Vegas, N ...…

Firefighters both train and work out. Though they share some elements in common, they’re two different disciplines. This show's guest says it’s important to do both well. Matt Page is an assistant chief with the Alpine Fire Department in Louisiana. He’s also a captain at the Lincoln Parish Fire Department.…

Engine company riding assignments are the key to a ready arrival at a scene. They eliminate confusion. But some departments don’t actually specify who’s doing what, and my guest on this show says that’s a mistake. Chad Menard is a Captain/Paramedic for a city fire department in Alabama. He’s a graduate of the National Fire Academy's Managing Of ...…

With recent increased attention on sexual harassment in the workplace, now may be a good time to address it in the firehouse. On this episode, we discuss what departments and officers need to know about sexual harassment with John K. Murphy. He’s a retired firefighter with 32 years of service who is now an attorney. He deals with cases concerni ...…

I’ll bet your least favorite house fire is a hoarder house. They’re tough to navigate, have lots of fuel, and can hide some nasty surprises. If you haven’t dealt with one yet, you will. Compulsive Hoarding Disorder is a psychological mental condition that affects up to five percent of adults and the number is growing. My guest on this show wrot ...…

When you did your early training, did you make a lot of mistakes? If so, you likely learned more from the screw-ups than anything else. It was valuable experience. And hard to replace effectively. But my guest today says a lot of today’s younger firefighters are short-cutting that training— and missing the point—by using the internet. Benjamin ...…

With more and more firefighters being injured as they work to ventilate roofs during a structure fire, we need to ask:Why are we still putting crews up there in the first place? Is it time to admit that vertical ventilation is an obsolete concept? Our guest this week says it is. Mark Cotter is a third generation firefighter, who entered the fir ...…

If you or someone you know had a broken arm, you’d want it treated right away. Well, PTSD or clinical depression are no different. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean you can ignore it. And just like a broken arm, it is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.Here to talk about why that stigma exists and how to overcome it is Todd Donovan. H ...…

Sometimes it seems that engine companies don’t always get the respect they deserve. It may be rescue squad crews or truckies that feel engine crews have a simple job: put the wet stuff on the red stuff. But this show's guest says he’s seen those guys have change of heart when they pay attention to what engine companies really do. Jarrod Sergi i ...…

We’ve been talking over the past few weeks on this show about whether firefighters have become too risk-averse. But there are also some department cultures that condone overly risky behavior. It’s not in the SOPs or SOGs – culture is an unwritten feeling or understanding of what firefighters expect to do. How do we balance safety with being agg ...…

If you’re of a certain age, you were probably strongly influenced to become a firefighter-paramedic by a couple of guys named Johnny and Roy, the two heroes of the 1970’s TV show “Emergency!” They played a couple of the country’s first firefighter-paramedics. The characters on that show were good role models. Our guest says we could use some of ...…

If you’re a company officer or a command-level officer, you know the job is all about decision-making. The trick, of course, is to make good, defensible decisions in a big hurry at a chaotic scene. How do you do it? Scott's guest has some ideas that could help you make the right decisions under pressure. Nick Salameh is a 36-year veteran of the ...…

We’ve talked several times on this show about working with younger firefighters. But we haven’t heard their viewpoint. That’s about to change. Millennials are sometimes a mystery to previous generations. They learn differently, they react differently. They relate differently.Here to offer some advice to the new guys is a millennial who’s been a ...…

How do you conduct a primary search? It’s one of the most critical actions a firefighter can undertake at a fire. It’s also a dangerous task. There are several ways to conduct them. On this episode, Paul Mastronardi goes over a few tips on safely conducting a search.

The number of women in the fire service seems to be stalled at about four percent, despite efforts to recruit more. Why is this, and what can be done? Cheryl Horvath addresses that question and discusses what she thinks of the term “Brotherhood” on this episode of Code 3.

Do you go above and beyond, not for the praise, but because it’s necessary? Maybe you're a grinder. TJ Ward joins Scott to explain the grinder mindset. It’s an attitude that says—good enough is never good enough. And grinders absolutely do not believe in leaving anything to luck or chance.

What does it mean to “own it?” To a firefighter, it should mean taking pride in their job, and taking initiative to ensure it’s done right. Guest Andrew Sauder says that’s lacking among some younger firefighters, and it’s up to the more experienced crew to make sure they learn to own it.

What if you had unlimited funds to design and build the ultimate fire engine for your department? Yours would undoubtedly look different than one designed halfway across the country. My guest on this show is Ricky Riley. We discuss what features he’d like to see on the ultimate fire engine.

We all know we’re facing fewer structure fires these days… but the ones that do ignite are more dangerous than ever. More lumber is being used, and, worse yet, it’s not the old-style 2x4 or 4x4. The lumber industry is turning to manufactured lumber. It’s also called lightweight lumber. Our guest to talk about the danger of today’s wood construc ...…

On this episode, we discuss a major line-of-duty-death incident: the loss of the Charleston Nine. It happened on the evening of June 18, 2007, at the Sofa Super Store in Charleston, South Carolina. About 40 minutes into the call, there was a flashover, and the roof collapsed. Firefighters caught in the flashover were unable to escape and were t ...…

How do you conduct a primary search? I’ll bet you do it by having the whole search crew follow the walls, staying in a line, right? Doesn’t that seem a little slow and even wasteful? My guest on this episode says yes, and he says the oriented search is the way to do it. Chris DelBello is a third-generation firefighter and a 30-year veteran of t ...…

When you’ve got a great plan, but some team members just aren’t quite on board, how do you get them to meet your expectations? Dr. Liane Davey is back to give us some tips on how to make that happen on this episode.

On this show, we talk with Cindie Schooner-Ball, who retired a couple years back from a firefighting career that began in1987. She writes a blog, titled, “Sister in a Brotherhood,” and is working on a book by the same name. Find out what it was like for a woman in the fire service back in the day.

When a man climbed into a narrow pipe and then became trapped 12 feet below ground, New Jersey rescue crews found a difficult situation. Mike Daley explains how they extricated the man from the pipe, while trying to limit damage to the wastewater facility’s infrastructure.

When is it appropriate to call for a helicopter to a scene? Even when you have a flowchart to make the determination, there’s still a lot of subjectivity involved. In this episode, Joseph Uridil of medical helicopter operator Air Methods and Prescott Fire Operations Division Chief Cory Moser join Scott to discuss when to call for aerial transport.…

If you feel as if the culture of safety in the fire service has been replaced with a culture of fear, then you’ll want to listen to Chris Tobin. An old-school firefighter at heart, he explains why fear holds today’s firefighters back, why supposedly-vacant buildings need to be treated as occupied, and the merits of being aggressive.…

Just about everyone agrees that community paramedicine is a great idea. But, trouble is, no one wants to pay for it. Mesa, Arizona, had a very good program but had to shut it down for lack of funding. Gary Ludwig joins Scott on this episode to discuss what can be done.

There is a shortage of 911 dispatchers nationwide, and it can lead to unfortunate outcomes. PSAP and 911 consultant Barry Furey explains why there’s a problem and offers some suggestions for how it can be fixed. *** NOTE: This interview had some technical glitches in the sound quality. We hope you’ll bear with us. Barry’s comments are worth it. ***…

Firefighters love to pass on information, and that’s what accounts for the numbers of speakers lining up for events like FDIC. But how do you know you’re qualified to teach others? Is there a certain rank you need to attain first? Guest Randy Hanifen explains in this edition of Code 3.

Safety at motor vehicle crash scenes can be difficult, and sometimes, there are non-vehicle related problems, too. Expert Jack Sullivan of the Emergency Responder Safety Institute drops by to discuss ways to keep from getting into trouble at crash scenes.

With community paramedicine, a/k/a mobile integrated health care, gaining popularity in the U.S., there are some challenges to be met when you’re building a new program. Chief Porter Welch of the Scioto, Ohio Township Fire Department helped write the Ohio laws that allow these programs, and he explains what you need to know.…

If you thought Millennials were a confusing group, wait til you meet the iGen. Guest Linda Willing says they may be more comfortable with virtual communication than face-to-face, but they could ultimately prove to be the best group of firefighters yet.