Fear

These are the first responder situational awareness and decision making issues and opportunities related to fear.

Episode 134 | Assessing resources

  In this episode, we discuss the importance of setting operational strategy based on available resources and the impact of understaffing on situational awareness. Length: 25 minutes click the YouTube icon to listen         _____________________________________________________ If you are interested in taking your understanding of situational awareness and high-risk decision making to a higher […]

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Episode 127 | Teaching responders how to speak up

    In this episode, we discuss the challenges of teaching responders how to speak up when they think something is going wrong.  As we will see, it goes way beyond telling them to speak up if they see something. Length: 39 minutes click the YouTube icon to listen     _____________________________________________________ If you are

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Episode 125 | The top 12 reasons why first responders won’t discuss their near-miss events

    In this episode we look at the top 12 reasons why first responders are so hesitant to discuss their near-miss events and the lessons they learned from them that could save the lives of other responders. Length: 34 minutes click the YouTube icon to listen     _____________________________________________________ If you are interested in taking

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Episode 113 | Six Red Flags for Danger

            In this episode we discuss six red flags for danger that may get overlooked or ignored at a structure fire. Length: 30 minutes click the YouTube icon to listen     _____________________________________________________ If you are interested in taking your understanding of situational awareness and high-risk decision making to a higher level,

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Obsession

The Irrational Obsession With Loss

There is a growing body of research revealing that many human’s have an irrational obsession with loss. Or, perhaps more accurately, an irrational obsession with AVOIDING loss. This phenomenon is something I have seen played out in my evaluation of many casualty incidents. Ironically, the human trait to avoid loss is the same trait that

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Episode 38 – Interview with Dr. Burt Clark

In this episode I interview Dr. Burt Clark, author of the recently released book “I can’t save you but I’ll die trying: The American fire culture” shares his passion for firefighter safety and the need to change our culture.   Length: 79 minutes click the YouTube icon to listen       _____________________________________________________ If you

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Episode 35 – PART 1 Interview with Close Call Survivor Lionel Crowther

This episode is PART 1 of a two-part interview with Winnipeg Firefighter Lionel Crowther. Listen in as Firefighter Crowther recounts his close call survivor story about an incident where he sustained 2nd and 3rd degree burns and two of his comrades lost their lives while fighting a dwelling fire.   Length: 65 minutes click the

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Episode 34 – Firefighting: A whole new ballgame

This episode discusses the long-term impact of the economic downturn of 2008 on fire department staffing and how firefighting strategy and tactics should be adjusted to the “new normal.” In the near-miss segment, we discuss freelancing at a residential dwelling fire and one officer’s actions directed toward correcting the misbehavior. Length: 43 minutes click the

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Situational Awareness Matters

Episode 27: Preparing for your climb down the ladder: Retirement

On this episode, I interview Jeff Dill from the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance and Fire Chief (ret.) Les Karpluk who operates Genesis 2020 Solutions, a leadership teaching and consulting company located in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada. This interview focuses on a topic we are all going to face one day – leaving the fire service.

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Episode 20: Mayday for Mental Health

This episode chronicles a father’s story of inspiration from tragedy. Listen in as I interview Fire Chief Patrick Kenny from the Village of Western Springs, Illinois Fire Department. Chief Kenny talks candidly about losing his son, Sean, to suicide – and the importance of mental health for first responders. Length: 33 minutes click the YouTube

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