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The Firehouse Podcast

The Firehouse Podcast

Endeavor Business Media 84 Episodes Aug 17, 2026

Editor-in-Chief Peter Matthews talks with Firehouse authors and speakers and members of the fire service about firefighter training and tactics, leadership, trends and traditions.

Episodes

Your Fire Department Legacy and the Company Officer - Jared Vermeulen
Your Fire Department Legacy and the Company Officer - Jared Vermeulen Aug 17, 2026 4707 Peter Matthews talks with Jared Vermeulen, who authored a new book, “The Modern Fire Officer: Building Legacy That Endures,” that is designed to help guide today’s fire officers through the many situations they encounter each day.  Vermeulen says that today’s fire officers often wear dozens of hats compared to a few hats for previous generations because of the all-hazards role that fire department
Beyond the Bugles: The Leader Within You
Beyond the Bugles: The Leader Within You Aug 10, 2026 4902 Chief Jacob Johnson sits down with long time friend, West Columbia, SC, Fire Department Battalion Chief Marc Aloan. They discuss all things leadership and dive into some deep questions. It’s fun, packed full of knowledge and provides important insight for all to hear and learn. 
Risk vs. Reality: Safety Starts with the Smart Firefighter - Eric Valliere
Risk vs. Reality: Safety Starts with the Smart Firefighter - Eric Valliere Aug 3, 2026 3652 Peter Matthews talks with Eric Valliere, CEO of the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA), about increasing the organization’s efforts in the awareness of firefighter safety and health.   For years, FDSOA has offered incident safety officers (ISO) and health and safety officers (HSO) education and today they fcus on bridging the gap between research, science and new operational effor
Beyond the Bugles: Leadership Through Disaster
Beyond the Bugles: Leadership Through Disaster Jul 13, 2026 3977 Chief Jacob Johnson interviews his lifelong friend Capt. Rusty Ryan, of the Pearland, TX, Fire Department, as they discuss general firehouse leadership and how that translate to leadership through disaster as Capt. Ryan lead search and rescue teams through the central Texas floods on July 4, 2025.
Fireground Accountability, Incident Command and Technology – Doug Myers
Fireground Accountability, Incident Command and Technology – Doug Myers Jul 6, 2026 3039 Peter Matthews talks with Fire Chief Doug Myers, from the Berrien Springs-Oronoko, MI, Fire Department, about commanding today’s fireground incidents. Myers led the development of the Scene Watcher App to help incident commanders track tasks and firefighters on scenes when command staff is limited.  Myers discusses the NIOSH 5, the five recurring factors that have been mentioned in the NIOSH LODD
Recap of the Interschutz, The World’s Largest Fire Conference – Kristopher Blume
Recap of the Interschutz, The World’s Largest Fire Conference – Kristopher Blume Jun 22, 2026 3189 Chief Kristopher Blume joins Peter Matthews to reflect on what products and innovations he saw while attending the largest firefighter conference in the world, Interschutz, earlier this month in Germany. From robots and apparatus to PPE and training equipment, Blume explains the difference between Interschutz and shows in the U.S. Blume explains how technology filled many of the exhibit halls at t
Beyond the Bugles: Leadership from the Lens of the Pearland, TX, Fire Department
Beyond the Bugles: Leadership from the Lens of the Pearland, TX, Fire Department Jun 15, 2026 3711 Chief Jacob Johnson gets to accomplish a dream of truly putting fire department members on the map by interviewing one of his own from the Pearland, TX, Fire Department, Chief Shane Bridges. The two discuss culture, mentorship and leadership from the lens of their own department. 
Inside the Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation – Michael Hildebrand
Inside the Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation – Michael Hildebrand Jun 8, 2026 3493 Peter Matthews is joined by Michael Hildebrand, who sits on the board of directors for the Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation, which honors the legacy of Prince George’s County firefighter Jim Yvorra, who died in the line of duty in 1988.  Hildebrand recalled his longtime friendship with Yvorra and his dedication to the fire service by being an active member and book publisher in the areas o
Leadership and Life Lessons from the Marines, The Citadel  – Thomas Gordon
Leadership and Life Lessons from the Marines, The Citadel – Thomas Gordon May 26, 2026 4255 Peter Matthews talks with past FireFusion keynote speaker Thomas J. Gordon, who completed a 30-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps, about leadership, resilience and his book, Marine Maxims, Turning Leadership Principals into Practice.”  After his military career, Gordon returned to his alma mater, The Citadel, to serve as the Commandant of Cadets and shares stories of developing leaders from a yo
Beyond the Bugles: It Comes Down to Legacy and Trust
Beyond the Bugles: It Comes Down to Legacy and Trust May 18, 2026 3953 Beyond the Bugles host and chief for the Pearland, TX, Fire Department Jacob Johnson interviews one of his best friends and mentors, Mark Campise, who is the chief of the Sugar Land, TX, Fire Department. They dive off into all kinds of subjects that they have encountered together over the last 23 years together. The conversation reaches depths of more than just chief talk, as they discuss real lif
How the Fire Service Psychology Association is Leading Efforts in Firehouses
How the Fire Service Psychology Association is Leading Efforts in Firehouses May 11, 2026 4335 Retired chief Robert Avsec and Dr. Tracy Hejmanowski, who work with the Fire Service Psychology Association (FSPA), dive into the topics of firefighter mental health and psychology as part of the annual Mental Health Awareness Month. Avsec relates firefighter mental health support for firefighters like hazmat responses, with four levels of resources, which was the basis of a report he wrote and he
Retirement and Lessons from the Hardest Days – David Griffin
Retirement and Lessons from the Hardest Days – David Griffin Apr 27, 2026 4424 Dr. David Griffin reflects on his 21-year career with the Charleston, SC, Fire Department before as he entered retirement. Griffin talks about the profound impact on his career when he lost nine colleagues at the Sofa Super Store Fire and endured the loss of firefighters from suicide and health-related issues, with a look at leadership and fire service culture. Griffin shares the short- and long-t

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