The Firehouse Podcast

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 departments play in their community while ensuring today’s firefighters are confident in their duties. He said officers can find themselves trying to bridge multiple generational gaps in understanding, technology and know-how at the same time.  
They discuss the challenges of some chiefs who take the helm as fire chief to fix a 20-year-old problem, blocking progress in their organization and possibly pushing it backward. Vermeulen says the fire service, in some ways, is the U.S. Post Office in it’s antiquated ways.  
Related links: 
The Modern Fire Officer  
Jared Vermeulen on LinkedIn
The Modern Fire Officer (Book 1)
The Modern Fire Officer: Building Legacy That Endures (Book 2)
The Firehouse Yak: Jared Vermeulen – Foundations for The Modern Fire Officer 

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. 

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 efforts and the members on the streets. Listeners will learn how they can take part in FDSOA’s outreach efforts and why Valliere says smart and educated firefighters can see the importance of safety and health programs. 
Valliere highlights the challenges and success ISOs and HSOs are seeing in the fire service and how their roles continue to evolve beyond emergency incident scenes. He also talks about FDSOA’s annual conference in January and the various award programs they offer. 
Related links: 
Fire Department Safety Officers Association website 
FDSOA Facebook 
FDSOA YouTube
FDSOA LinkedIn
From FDSOA: 5 in 2025: Fireground Safety Considerations for Incident Safety Officers
Simon Sinek’s The Golden Circle TedTalk 

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.

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 reports. Myers talks about the NIOSH 5 from the perspective of the incident commander and how they must manage the fireground with all five factors playing a part in their decision making. 
In his region, with multiple fire departments assigned to fire incidents, Myers developed Scene Watcher to help the incident commanders manage assignments, track personnel and provide an overview of the incident from benchmarks and accountability.  
Related links: 
Scene Watcher 
Connect with Doug Myers on LinkedIn 
Fire Studies: Volunteer Firefighting Strategies: Where We’ve Been. Where Are We Headed? 

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 the week-long conference, displaying robotics, software and how the Europeans view the use artificial intelligence for the fire service now and in the future. Blume also saw a variety of PPE innovations, rigs and other equipment being used by firefighters in other countries.
In a variety of classrooms, Blume engaged in conversations with members of the fire service from around the world and shares what their priorities are while he also highlights some of the unique and awe-inspiring hands-on training that they offer.
Related links:
Kristopher Blume Firehouse.com biography and articles
Interschutz

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. 

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 of EMS, hazardous materials, operations and leadership. After his death, the Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation was launched to provide scholarships to those whose goal was to promote leadership development in the U.S. fire service. Since 1989, nearly 150 scholarships have been awarded to active members of the fire service who have crafted impactful essays in their response  
Hildebrand details the process to submit and the various resources available to applicants, including the top attributes of the scholarship recipients. They have also made available the Chief Alan Brunacini Special Project on Leadership, which provides a large award for an ongoing project to improve the fire service. 
Related links: 
Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation 
Yvorra Leadership Development Foundation Awards and Scholarships 
Jim Yvorra’s National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Role of Honor page 
Robert Burke’s Tribute to Ludwig Benner 
Texas HEAT
Texas HEAT Hazardous Materials Education and Training Scholarships

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 young age, including how the school coaches students in decision-making and provides them with the tools they need to be successful in life.  
Gordon details some of the military maxims he wrote about his in book, including the pathway to making decisions, the chain of command and character development. He also reflects on what he calls his greatest failure in the Marines and how that shaped the remainder of his career.  
Related links: 
Marine Maxims: Turning Leadership Principles into Practice 
Marine Maxims 
FireFusion 2025: Military Leadership Principles for Today's Fire Officers 
The Citadel 

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 life, on the job, different situations and how to come out on the winning end.