Fire-Dex still have tons of educational resources available for you on our blog and social channels. Make sure to check them out!  

Again, thank you so much for listening! 

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• Prepping Firefighter Recruits  
• How Well Firefighters are Educated on PPE  
• What Comes Between You and the Danger  
• Realistic Training Scenarios Beyond the Textbook  
• Comfortability on the Fireground  
• Taking Care of Mental Health and Balancing Family  

ABOUT OUR GUESTS 

Shane Bentley is an 18-year veteran of the Georgia Fire Service and is currently serving as the Assistant Fire Chief of Operations at a suburban department in Northeast Georgia. Shane’s passion for training has allowed him to be a part of and serve as a member of multiple fire service organizations including Do Your Part Training, FDIC, MAFFC, North Florida Fire EXPO, Georgia Fire Academy, Forge Fire & Company, Honor the Fallen Fire Conference, Capitol Fire Training, and Build Your Culture. He also serves as one of the founding members of the Bearers of the Oath Training Cadre and enjoys every opportunity he gets to give back to the Fire Service. 

Web Marshall has been a firefighter for 21 years and currently serves at the Gwinnett County Fire Department as a Lieutenant and at the Jackson Trail Fire Department as Deputy Chief. Web is also the founder and owner of Command and Control, LLC and has experience as an NPQ Instructor III. His diverse career in the fire industry also includes emergency and non-profit management, technical rescue, command & leadership, and medical & wellness advocacy for the Fire Fighter Cancer Foundation. Most recently, Web has been appointed to serve on the NFPA 1971 and 1851 Technical Committee. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgia College and State University focused on Rhetoric and Leadership. 

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WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO LEARN:

• How to be a better fire instructor  
• The basics of search & rescue training  
• How to utilize data to better your search tactics 
• Ways to train at home  
• Best practices for efficient tool placement 
• Search curriculum  

ABOUT OUR GUEST:
Grant Schwalbe is the Division Chief of Operations at Estero Fire Department in Fort Myers, Florida, and has served with the department since 2003. He is also an Instructor for When Things Go Bad, Inc. and has taught at FDIC, The Orlando Fire Conference, Wichita HOT, and Fire Rescue East.  He’s had several articles published in Fire Engineering Magazine. Grant is passionate about Search, Engine Company Ops, Firefighter Survival, and RIT. Grant is an FL Instructor 3 and has earned an Associate’s Degree in Fire Science and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.   



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#rapidfirepod #firedex #firegroundsearch  

• How realistic training is conducted  
• Why consistent training is critical to a firefighter's job 
• Maintaining a safe work environment  
• Tips to conduct in-department trainings and when to outsource 
• Family first mentality & growing your support system  

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO LEARN 

• Effects of exposure within the body and cancer risks 
• How to reduce cross contamination in the fire house  
• Why PPE is helpful and not a hinderance  
• The importance of proper doffing  
• Understand how firefighter PPE works  

ABOUT OUR GUESTS

Dr. Farzaneh Masoud, Director of Research at IFSI, has earned her Ph.D. from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign from Department of Molecular Biology. Dr. Masoud has a broad background in Molecular, Cell and Developmental biology as well as mammalian reproductive biology.  Her doctoral research focused on identifying factors that underlies cancer metastasis.

Dr. Masoud has joined Illinois Fire Service Institute as the Director of Research in 2019, where she leads numerous research projects concerning the health and safety of firefighters.  Prior to joining IFSI, Dr. Masoud was leading large interdisciplinary projects at National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) as a Strategic Research and Proposal Development office and has served as an Interdisciplinary Research Development Officer.

Richard Kesler, Deputy Director of Research Programs, focuses on biomechanics, and physical performance, specifically examining the physiological demands of firefighting activity and the impact of firefighting on the firefighter. Richard serves on the National Fire Protection Association Fundamentals of Fire Control Within a Structure Utilizing Fire Dynamics technical committee. He is also a physical training instructor for the Illinois Fire Service Institute’s Basic Operations Firefighter Academy and teaches in numerous other fire service classes. Richard is a graduate of the University of Illinois with a Master of Science degree in Bioengineering and is currently pursuing his PhD in Kinesiology.


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 What You Can Expect To Learn    

• Biggest misconceptions about mental health in firefighters  
• Addressing feelings vs recycling them  
• PTSD & peer support resources  
• Implementing mental health solutions within the fire house  
• The cause of most firefighter suicides  
• Individual coping mechanisms  

 
ABOUT OUR GUEST  

Dena Ali is a Captain with the Raleigh (NC) Fire Department and previously served as a police officer for five years. She is also the founder and director of North Carolina Peer Support where she helped to develop their statewide curriculum. During her career she earned the NC Office of State Fire Marshal Honor, Courage, and Valor award for her steadfast effort to bring awareness to firefighter mental health. Dena is advocate of awareness, education, and understanding of mental health disorders and suicidality. She speaks on these topics and is a QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Instructor. Dena holds a degree from North Carolina State University and an MPA from the University of North Carolina—Pembroke, where her research focused on firefighter suicide. 

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• What Hosting Has Meant to Bob
• Where Bob's Next Adventure in the Fire Service Will Lead Him
• How Andy Was Introduced to the Fire Service & What Organizations He's Currently Involved In
• Future Expectations for the Podcast

ABOUT OUR HOSTS:

Battalion Chief Keys completed a total of 31 years of service, beginning as a firefighter for a high volume station in the Bronx. As a Captain and Lieutenant, he served various municipalities including Midtown Manhattan, until settling into East New York Brooklyn, where he became Battalion Chief. Within his new role he took charge of Research and Development where he learned how new innovations are tested and introduced to the fire service.

Battalion Chief Andy Starnes works for Charlotte Fire Department and is the Founder of Insight Training. He has been involved with the fire service as a volunteer since 1992 and as a career firefighter since 1998. He is a fire service contributor on many topics including thermal imaging, fire behavior, and terminology. Andy is also the founder of Bringing Back Brotherhood, a nonprofit organization designed to guide firefighters in the areas of behavioral health and counseling.

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 WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO LEARN:

• Conceptualization of today's particulate blocking hoods  
• Expectations of gear inspections and cleaning  
• Inefficiencies in past PPE technology 
• Ergonomic design of modern turnout gear   
• Introduction of alternative PPE 

 
ABOUT OUR GUEST :

Jim Reidy was a Lieutenant on Ladder 46 for the San Antonio Texas Fire Department (SAFD) where he was a firefighter for 33 years. He was also an Assistant Safety Officer and was the SAFD Quartermaster in 2018. He was involved in PPE for 30 of his 33 years and served as Co- Chairman of the SAFD/Local 624 Firefighting PPE Committee, as a member of the SAFD Occupational Cancer Committee, Tool and Equipment Committee, and Apparatus Committee.

Jim is a member of the NFPA 1971-1851 Committee representing the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters. He currently serves as Helmet Task Group Chair for the next edition of NFPA 1971. He serves on the Texas Commission on Fire Protection Firefighter Advisory Committee as a member and past Chairman and is a Firefighter Cancer Support Network Rep in South Texas.

He also speaks at a variety of venues and events on Firefighter PPE Risk Assessment, Use, and Selection along with Firefighter Cancer Prevention and is known as a vocal advocate for firefighter health and safety.

ABOUT THE HOST:

Battalion Chief Keys completed a total of 31 years of service, beginning as a firefighter for a high volume station in the Bronx. As a Captain and Lieutenant, he served various municipalities including Midtown Manhattan, until settling into East New York Brooklyn, where he became Battalion Chief. Within his new role he took charge of Research and Development where he learned how new innovations are tested and introduced to the fire service.

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• The History of THL and TPP
• Positive Culture Changes in the Fire Service
• The Reasons to Consider Alternative PPE
• Cardiac Issues, Heat Stress, and Your Gear
• Firefighting Tech Advancements

ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Instructor Andy Starnes of Insight Training is a lifelong student of the fire service and has been involved with the fire service as a volunteer since 1992 and as a career firefighter since 1998. He is a fire service website contributor on the topics of thermal imaging, fire behavior, leadership, modern fire terminology, and behavioral health. Andy is also the founder of Bringing Back Brotherhood, a nonprofit organization designed to guide firefighters in the areas of behavioral health and counseling.

ABOUT THE HOST:

Battalion Chief Keys completed a total of 31 years of service, beginning as a firefighter for a high volume station in the Bronx. As a Captain and Lieutenant, he served various municipalities including Midtown Manhattan, until settling into East New York Brooklyn, where he became Battalion Chief. Within his new role he took charge of Research and Development where he learned how new innovations are tested and introduced to the fire service.

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WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO LEARN:

• Why You Should Schedule Regular Monitoring of Your Health
• How to Take Precaution Even When You're Asymptomatic 
• Why It's Important for Doctors to Translate Science to Firefighter Speak 
• The Importance of an Annual Preventative Exam
• How COVID-19 Can Have an Impact on Your Cardiovascular Health
• How to Access Preventative Monitoring Resources

ABOUT OUR GUESTS:

Todd J. LeDuc, MS, CFO, FIFirE, retired after nearly 30 years as an Assistant Fire Chief of Broward County, Florida, an internationally accredited career metro department. He serves as a Chief Strategy Officer for LifeScan Wellness Centers, a national provider of comprehensive physicals and early detection exams. For over a decade, he has served as a member of the International Association of Fire Chief’s Safety, Health & Survival Section and is currently the Secretary of that section. LeDuc is also the editor of Surviving the Fire Service (Fire Engineering Books) and serves on numerous advisory boards and publications.  

Rob Brown began his fire service career in 1992 with the Glenwood Fire Department in Long Island, NY. He currently serves as a Lieutenant with the New York City Fire Department and has been an active member since 1996. FDNY Lieutenant Rob Brown, who is also a Physicians Assistant, and the founder of the New York Firefighters Heart & Lung Institute, has also previously written for Firehouse Magazine, WNYF Magazine, and continues to speak about firefighter health & safety issues on a national level.  

ABOUT THE HOST:

Battalion Chief Keys completed a total of 31 years of service, beginning as a firefighter for a high volume station in the Bronx. As a Captain and Lieutenant, he served various municipalities including Midtown Manhattan, until settling into East New York Brooklyn, where he became Battalion Chief. Within his new role he took charge of Research and Development where he learned how new innovations are tested and introduced to the fire service.

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WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO LEARN:  

• The history of fire as a weapon  
• Police and fire service coordination during riots  
• Joint Terrorism Task Force strategies and implementation  
• Utilizing modern firefighting robot technology  
• Fusion Center intelligence sharing and task forces 

ABOUT OUR GUESTS:

 For the last 36 years, Homer Robertson has served with the Fort Worth Fire Department where he holds the title of Executive Assistant Chief. Currently, he leads the Educational and Support Service Division of the Department as well as the Office of Emergency Management for the City of Fort Worth. Recently, the Fort Worth Fire Department hosted the country’s first conference discussing Fire as a Weapon with some of the world’s leading experts on the subject. Homer holds a Master’s Degree from Tarleton State University in Political Science and resides with his family in Granbury, Texas.  

 
As the Special Agent in Charge (SAC), Christopher Combs of the San Antonio Field Office oversees the Austin, Brownsville, Del Rio, Laredo, McAllen, and Waco Resident Agencies. Throughout his extensive 25 year career, SAC Combs has directed numerous domestic and international critical incidents. Previously, he co-authored the White House Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina Lessons Learned after-action report and was appointed as the Senior Federal Law Enforcement Official where he oversaw 1,800 federal law enforcement officials completing rescue operations during Hurricane Katrina. In 2008, he received the FBI Director’s Award for Distinguished Service to the Law Enforcement Community for President Obama’s 2008 Inauguration. Before joining the FBI, SAC Combs was a volunteer firefighter for eight years with the Freeport, New York, and New Berlin, Wisconsin Fire Departments.  

ABOUT THE HOST:

Battalion Chief Keys completed a total of 31 years of service, beginning as a firefighter for a high volume station in the Bronx. As a Captain and Lieutenant, he served various municipalities including Midtown Manhattan, until settling into East New York Brooklyn, where he became Battalion Chief. Within his new role he took charge of Research and Development where he learned how new innovations are tested and introduced to the fire service.

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ABOUT OUR GUESTS:

Battalion Chief Keys completed a total of 31 years of service, beginning as a firefighter for a high volume station, Engine 48, in the Bronx. As a Captain and Lieutenant, he served in many areas of NYC including Midtown Manhattan. Soon after earning a promotion to Battalion Chief, he was assigned to Battalion 39 in East New York Brooklyn. Toward the end of his career he was asked to become the Chief-in-Charge of their Research and Development Unit where he learned how new innovations are tested and introduced into the fire service. Chief Keys holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Hofstra University.

Allen Rom joined the sales team at Fire-Dex in 2000 before transitioning to METRO Account Manager in 2015 and eventually worked his way up to Director of METRO & International Sales in 2019. His expertise is in building relationships with Fire Departments staffed with over 350 personnel and managing all international accounts. Allen holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Ashland College and has years of experience in sales, management and customer relations.

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WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO LEARN: 

• Major differences between Urban and Wildland firefighting 
• How Wildland Departments adjust to COVID-19 impacts 
• Wildland fires and their unique names 
• Challenges with Wildland PPE during COVID-19 

ABOUT OUR GUESTS: 

Tony Petrilli is an Equipment Specialist for the Fire and Aviation Program in the U.S. Forest Service’s National Technology and Development Program (NTDP) in Missoula. In 1982, he began working for the Forestry Service as a Firefighter for the Lewis and Clark and Beaverhead National Forests. Tony has served on more than 35 fire entrapment investigation teams as a PPE Specialist, and maintains fire qualifications as a Safety Officer, Division/Group Supervisor and Incident Commander Type 3. 

Deputy Chief Douglass Ferro began his 29 year fire service career in 1991 with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) where he was assigned as a Resident Firefighter before moving on to become an Engineer, Paramedic, and eventually, Fire Captain. Currently, Doug is a Deputy Chief for state and federal programs where he develops and fosters cooperative agreements and contracts with dozens of assisting agencies of CAL FIRE. Contributing to his diverse experience through CAL FIRE, Doug has also been a Training Specialist in both the Fire and Law Enforcement Recruitment Academies, a member of the Incident Management Team 4, and Lead Investigator for Serious Accident Review Teams.

ABOUT THE HOST:

Battalion Chief Keys completed a total of 31 years of service, beginning as a firefighter for a high volume station in the Bronx. As a Captain and Lieutenant, he served various municipalities including Midtown Manhattan, until settling into East New York Brooklyn, where he became Battalion Chief. Within his new role he took charge of Research and Development where he learned how new innovations are tested and introduced to the fire service.

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WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO LEARN:

• Comparisons between having spare PPE vs. a 2nd set of gear
• In house decontamination steps 
• Ways to reduce carcinogen exposure 
• Proper steps during on-scene decon for gloves and SCBAs 
• Policy changes due to recent protests
• Tactics for de-escalation training 

ABOUT OUR GUESTS:

Fire Chief Christopher Bowcock started his career within the fire service in 1994 at the City of Burnaby Local 323 Department. He’s spent time as the spokesperson for the City of Barnaby, specializing in community risk and hazard, was the Union-Management Liaison for the development of Fire Departments, and is the past director of Burnaby Municipal Benefit Society. Currently, he is the lead member of the department’s COVID-19 Task Force and the designated leader for the Trans Mountain Expansion project. 

Lieutenant Kevin Tomyk of Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, began his firefighting career in 2003. He is currently stationed at the Rehab and Decon unit department hall where he is an active safety committee member for both the department and the provincial association. Lieutenant Tomyk is also an elected officer for Local 18 Vancouver Firefighters, and a proud board member of the Honour Guard. 

Paul Rushton has been a firefighter with the City of Burnaby Local 323 Department for the last 20 years. He’s currently the chairman of the Burnaby Fire Department OHS Committee, has held a variety of positions on the Burnaby Firefighters Local 323 Union Executive, is a member of the Central City Safety Committee, and has served as the director on the Burnaby Municipal Benefit Society representing Fire Local 323. Paul is a certified Fire Investigator for the Province of British Columbia and is most recently the Union Occupational Health and Safety representative for the City of Burnaby Local 323 COVID-19 Task Force.

ABOUT THE HOST:

Battalion Chief Keys completed a total of 31 years of service, beginning as a firefighter for a high volume station in the Bronx. As a Captain and Lieutenant, he served various municipalities including Midtown Manhattan, until settling into East New York Brooklyn, where he became Battalion Chief. Within his new role he took charge of Research and Development where he learned how new innovations are tested and introduced to the fire service.

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Deputy Chief Chris Costamagna
Deputy Chief Costamagna supervises Fleet, Facilities, Logistics, Information Technology, Communications and Support Services at Sacramento Fire Department. He’s currently a Urban Search and Rescue Task Force Representative, and educates fire departments on Nobody Gets Left Behind (NGLB), Ladder Operations, High Rise Operations and Searching, with thermal imaging cameras (TIC). Deputy Chief Costamagna served 8 years as a western representative to FEMA for all 28 national teams. 

ABOUT THE HOST:

Battalion Chief Keys completed a total of 31 years of service, beginning as a firefighter for a high volume station in the Bronx. As a Captain and Lieutenant, he served various municipalities including Midtown Manhattan, until settling into East New York Brooklyn, where he became Battalion Chief. Within his new role he took charge of Research and Development where he learned how new innovations are tested and introduced to the fire service.

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ABOUT OUR GUESTS: 

Retired Chief Ronald Siarinicki began his fire service career in 1978 with the Prince George’s County Fire and EMS Department where he progressed through the ranks to ultimately becoming the Fire Chief. After retiring in 2001, Chief Siranicki became the Executive Director of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.  Prior to joining the Prince George's County, he served as a volunteer firefighter with the Monessen VFD Hose House 2 and currently serves with the United Communities VFD in Stevensville, Maryland. Siarnicki is a member of the FireRescue1 and Fire Chief Editorial Advisory Board. 

Retired FDNY Lieutenant Joe Minogue started his Fire Service career in 1974, as a member of the Sound Beach Fire Department in New York. He currently serves in the Bethpage Fire Department, in Bethpage New York. Minogue is active with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) as a New York State NFFF Lead Advocate in Nassau and Suffolk counties in NY. He also serves as the liaison for FDNY and the Phoenix Society Burn Survivors.

ABOUT THE HOST:

Battalion Chief Keys completed a total of 31 years of service, beginning as a firefighter for a high volume station in the Bronx. As a Captain and Lieutenant, he served various municipalities including Midtown Manhattan, until settling into East New York Brooklyn, where he became Battalion Chief. Within his new role he took charge of Research and Development where he learned how new innovations are tested and introduced to the fire service.

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Check out the Sacramento Metro Fire District. 

Check out the San Antonio Fire Department. 

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Learn more about our COVID-19 PPE Selection and Care Guidelines for First Responders.

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Hosted by: Fire-Dex 

Chief Keys completed a total of 31 years of service, beginning as a firefighter for a high volume station in the Bronx. As a Captain and Lieutenant, he served various municipalities including Midtown Manhattan, until settling into East New York Brooklyn, where he became Battalion Chief. Within his new role he took charge of Research and Development where he learned how new innovations are tested and introduced to the fire service.