Better Every Shift

Community risk reduction doesn’t have to start with smoke alarms, fall prevention or another familiar program. Sometimes it starts with a firefighter asking, “What does our community actually need?” Cherry Grove (Michigan) Fire and Rescue Chiefs Noah Knauf and Aaron Sogge have taken that approach with Dad 101, a class created by dads for dads that tackles everything from infant care and choking to what parents can expect when they call 911. But the bigger story is how one idea opened the door to more: safe-sleep education, car-seat checks, bike safety, autism-focused training and programs aimed at the next generation of firefighters and EMTs. Knauf and Sagi also make the case for giving members room to act on what they see in homes every day. The takeaway for leaders: Stop treating CRR like a checklist. Listen to your people, find the right partners and give good ideas room to run.

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore.

Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback.

“Stop talking. Give me reps.” That’s the message from the What Firefighters Want survey report focused on training. Captain Lisa Burton joins Zam and Janelle to break down the survey findings, including the fact that motivation isn’t the issue; it’s securing training that respects firefighters’ time and prepares them for the job. The discussion gets into checkbox drills, instructor qualifications, measurable objectives, micro-training, realistic scenarios and the challenge of fitting meaningful development into already packed schedules.

This episode of the Better Every Shift podcast is sponsored by FirstNet, Built with AT&T. The only wireless network built with — and for — firefighters like you. Learn more at FirstNet.com.

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The worst time to figure out how you’ll respond to trauma is after it happens. Resilience has to be built beforehand — through sleep, relationships, fitness, trusted peers and a culture where asking for help is part of the job, not a last resort. That idea sits at the heart of our conversation with retired FDNY Captain Frank Leto, who helped shape the department’s counseling and peer support programs in the years after 9/11. As the fire service approaches the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, we’re revisiting this episode because many of the lessons born from that tragedy still apply to every department today. Leto explains why FDNY’s early attempts to embed clinicians in firehouses fell short and why fellow firefighters became the key to effective peer support.

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore.

Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback.

“Call the meeting. Get them in the same room.” That simple advice helped spark a leadership think tank that has spent more than a decade connecting fire service leaders around the problems, ideas and pressures that rarely fit neatly on an agenda. Fort Lupton (Colo.) Fire Protection District Fire Chief Greg Ward explains how to make it work: Keep it simple, bring in people who don’t all think alike, and create enough trust for real conversations to happen. But the value goes well beyond brainstorming. Sometimes leadership support looks like sharing a solution. Sometimes it’s a text that says, “Are you OK? What do you need?” Ward makes the case for building these networks before you need them — and offers a practical tips for starting your own.

Read next: Building a leadership think tank: A practical guide for fire service leaders

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There’s no single leadership style that works for every person, problem or moment — and Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski learned that through plenty of trial and error. Raised around two very different leadership models, Lipski describes his grandfather as measured and graceful, while his father was direct, information-driven and confrontational when necessary. Over nearly 30 years in the fire service, Lipski tried both approaches and “everything in between,” eventually realizing that good leadership requires knowing when to adjust. He also gets candid about a period when he leaned too heavily on an autocratic style and had to hear some uncomfortable truths about himself. The takeaway for officers at every level: Your approach should evolve with experience, but the reason you’re leading in the first place should remain the through line.

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore.

Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback.