Rapid Fire

First responders are expected to be calm and level-headed but the stressors faced by those in the fire service can have a cumulative impact on mental health and well-being. Listen in as Andy Starnes and Dena Ali discuss the stigma associated with firefighters seeking help and how peer support resources can be a solution.  

 What You Can Expect To Learn    

Tune in as Season 1 host Retired Battalion Chief Bob Keys passes the reigns to Battalion Chief Andy Starnes of Charlotte Fire Department and Founder of Insight Training. Join us as we bid farewell to Bob and get to know our new Season 2 host as he shares stories about his journey in the fire service and how he hopes to help make firefighting a little bit safer!

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO LEARN:

Learn about the changing culture within the fire service that has led to a better understanding of health and safety needs for firefighters through advancements in PPE in the years since 9/11.  

 WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO LEARN:

Listen in as Instructor Andy Starnes of Insight Training translates THL & TPP into firefighter speak, discusses why alternative matters to your health, and reviews advancements in firefighting technologies.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO LEARN: 

ABOUT OUR GUES...

Understand how preventative measures and regular monitoring can help reduce occupational health concerns like cancer and cardiovascular disease with Todd LeDuc, Chief Strategy Officer of LifeScan Wellness Centers, and Rob Brown, Physicians Assistant and founder of the New York Firefighters Heart & Lung Institute, who are helping firefighters gain access to regular health check-ups and spread awareness about early detection. 

WHA...

Explore the history of fire as a weapon and its uses within the fire service, law enforcement, and the latest technological devices. Listen as Chief Keys is joined by Assistant Fire Chief Homer Robertson of Fort Worth Texas Fire Department and Special Agent in Charge, Christopher Combs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation San Antonio Division.  
  

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO LEARN:  

Get a behind the scenes look into Chief Keys’ robust career as Allen Rom takes the lead as host while the Chief shares his experiences becoming a firefighter, completing his first engine run, and moving up the ladder in FDNY. 

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 are...

Discover how Wildland firefighting has evolved this year during the COVID-19 Pandemic. In this episode, Chief Keys is joined by Deputy Chief Douglass Ferro, who oversees state and federal programs under Cooperative Fire Protection at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and Tony Petrilli, a Fire Equipment Specialist for the U.S. Forest Service’s National Technology and Development Program. 

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT...

Join Fire Chief Christopher Bowcock and Firefighter Paul Rushton of Burnaby City Fire Department, and Lieutenant Kevin Tomyk of Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, with Chief Keys, to get an inside look into how their departments take steps to reduce carcinogen exposure and manage issued PPE.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO LEARN:

Assistant Chief Brandon Wade who is in charge of Operations and Communications at the Austin Fire Department in Texas, and Deputy Chief Chris Costamagna, who supervises Fleet, Facilities, Logistics, Information Technology, Communications and Support Services at Sacramento Fire Department in California, join Chief Keys to discuss how their departments respond to emergencies during recent protests and the growing civil unrest in thei...

Retired Chief Ron Siarnicki, who actively serves as the Executive Director of the National Fallen Fire Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) in Maryland, and Joe Minogue, retired FDNY Lieutenant and lead advocate for the NFFF on Long Island, join Chief Keys to discuss how firefighters are coping with COVID-19 and how to organize a line of duty death funeral despite the current social challenges.

ABOUT OUR GUESTS: 

Retired Chief Ronald Siari...

Assistant Chief Adam House, who is in charge of training, health and safety for the Sacramento Metro Fire District in California, and Assistant Chief Bryan Norris, the Executive Officer of Emergency Services for the San Antonio Fire Department in Texas, join Chief Keys to discuss how their departments implemented changes to procedures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABOUT THE HOST:
Battalion Chief Keys completed a total of 31 y...

Rapid Fire, hosted by Fire-Dex, is a podcast series that unlocks current and trending topics affecting the fire service. Join us as retired FDNY Battalion Chief Bob Keys explores relevant topics and news with highly-esteemed fire industry experts within the U.S. 

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 munic...