The Firehouse Yak

Big Blazes, Fire Investigations and Arson Arrests Big Fires – Bill Niemann

Peter Matthews talks with Bill Niemann, who spent nearly two decades in the Prince William County, VA, Fire Department Fire Marshal’s Bureau. During that time, Niemann and his team relaunched the department’s arson investigation unit and logged many headline-making arson arrests. 
Niemann provides insight into his 17-year assignment in the fire marshal’s bureau and the relaunch of their fire investigation unit, which they mostly built from scratch because there were no investigation standards or policies at the time. From attending the police academy to creating their own processes, Niemann and his small crew handled hundreds of arson fires annually.  
He reflects on some close calls and big blazes during his time as a line firefighter and some of the most memorable and impactful fire investigations and making high-profile arrests and how a serial arson case led him to the end of his career.  
Related links: 
Heavy Fire Showing 
Heavy Fire Showing Audio Book 

The Habit of Risk: Normalization of Deviance in the Fire Service - Grant Tinker

Peter Matthews talks with Battalion Chief Grant Tinker about the normalization of deviance, often mistaken for complacency, and how deeper in the fire service and carries serious consequences. 
In this episode the two discuss how it shows up in day-to-day habits at home or the fire service and can result in dangerous consequences. They talk about crew resource management, pioneered by the aviation industry and adopted by the fire service, and how aviation incidents have prompted headlines and questions about checks and balances in both industry and end-user operations. 
Tinker shares real-world examples of the normalization of deviance and the need for accountability and hard discussions to prevent close calls. 
Related links: 
Mile High Fire Conference 
Center for Public Safety Excellence  

Recruiting and Educating Gen Z Firefighters – Jeremy Blair & Courtney Hull

Peter Matthews talks with Jeremy Blair and Courtney Hull about a unique program that prepares high school seniors to become firefighters through Waukesha County Technical College in Wisconsin. 
The two share how fire departments can better connect with Gen Z recruits by rethinking education and engagement through recruitment. Blair explains why today’s students want to feel part of something bigger and why teaching methods must evolve. Hull offers insight into adolescent brain development and why vulnerability-based trust is essential for building strong future firefighters. 
Related links: 
Don’t Blame the Lettuce! Developing the Next Generation of First Responders
Waukesha County Technical College: Fire and EMS Training Center
Plugged In 

Mental Health: The Rocks in a Firefighter’s Backpack? – Steve Baker

Peter Matthews sits down with Assistant Chief Steve Baker to discuss the mental health challenges firefighters face, and the life-changing events of a single day in 2019 that reshaped his journey. 
With two decades in emergency services, Baker shares how he reached a breaking point, what he discovered when he took a hard look at the “rocks” weighing down his backpack, and how he began shedding those rocks while rebuilding himself. He outlines five key steps that everyone can use to take care of themselves and his reflection offers valuable lessons for anyone in the fire service who is carrying more than just their gear. 
Related links: 
The Firehouse Yak: Steve Baker - Pushing Beyond the Status Quo in the Fire Service 

Is Your Department’s Culture Helping or Hurting Your Firefighters? – Michael Dozier

Peter Matthews talks with Battalion Chief Michael Dozier of The Company Officer about the deep-rooted cultural challenges facing today’s fire departments.  
Dozier starts by breaking down what “culture” truly means in the fire service and how departments across the country, at every rank, are struggling with communication, trust, and aligning expectations. He explains how key points contribute to cohesive teams, and what firefighters at each rank can do to maintain accountability and strengthen commitment. 
The podcast also explores the unwritten rules that influence daily operations, including those that help firefighters succeed—and those that create barriers. Dozier closes by sharing how regional differences, especially in areas like his where many firefighters are transplants, further shape the way culture is built and sustained. 

Mentoring New Company Officers – Ariel Jackson

Peter Matthews sat down with Capt. Ariel “AJ” Jackson to look at his role in developing an officer mentoring and training program for the Anne Arundel County, MD, fire officers. 
Jackson, a second-generation firefighter, talks about the night he was promoted and the working fire with entrapment that followed. That fire turned into a career-long learning experience for him in which he partnered with another firefighter to develop a company officer mentoring program that’s been used by the department. He takes listeners through the process and offers insights that can be used by any department. 
A veteran of the fire service, Jackson finishes up the podcast with an explanation of why he still attends conferences as a student to continue learning.

The Importance of Fire Service War Stories – Michael Glore

Peter Matthews invites author Michael Glore, who is a deputy chief with the Reading, PA, Fire Department, to share his interest in fire service history and how the war stories from the past has shaped today’s fire service.   
Glore, who has nearly 40 years in the fire service and has co-authored four fire service history books, explains why firefighters should know their department’s history to help make tactical decisions, but also to understand by certain tactics are understood. 
The show is filled with historical nuggets for all listeners from the recent 40th anniversary of firefighter fatality fire in Reading involving a flashover, to an early example of a BLEVE to firefighter cancer. Glore explains how firefighters can capture their history and how to share it with others. 
Resources 
Pottsville Firefighting
Reading Firefighting
Schuylkill County Firefighting
The Great Memorial Day Fire of 1945 and Other Schuylkill County Disasters
Fire Alarm Boxes Silenced in PA Town, For Now 

The Jersey Guys Reflect on Journey to Firehouse Hall of Fame – John Lewis and Robert Moran

Peter Matthews sits down with longtime Firehouse contributors John J. Lewis Jr. and Robert Moran, who have been named Firehouse’s Hall of Fame Class of 2025. The two reflect on their fire service careers, Lewis retiring as a lieutenant and Moran as a fire chief.  
The two, known as The Jersey Guys, entered the fire service Northern New Jersey and had lengthy careers in both volunteer and career fire services as well as two decades of instructing and writing.  
From close calls and the incident that led them to begin teaching firefighters, to advice for new firefighters, those seeking promotions and rising to the rank of chief, they share nuggets from across their career while looking back on major incidents and milestones with their time at Firehouse.com.2 
Resources 
Jersey Guys Fire Service Training
John J. Lewis Firehouse.com contributor page
Robert Moran Firehouse.com contributor page 

Transitioning to NERIS: Essential Information for Fire Departments – Tom Jenkins

Peter Matthews sits down with Chief Tom Jenkins to discuss the latest developments with the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS) and what fire departments should expect as NFIRS is phased out in 2026.  
Jenkins breaks down how departments can begin the transition, outlines timelines, and how more than a dozen records management systems have already been approved to integrate with NERIS, paving the way for more seamless, platform-based data sharing.  The expanded capabilities of NERIS, include critical time stamps, resource tracking, and a broader range of incident types and actions.  
This new data sets allow fire departments to identity emerging trends that they can respond to, including risk reduction strategies, response methods and more. The data, Jenkins says, allows departments to tell their story. 
With data integrity so important in 2025, Matthews discusses why that mindset prompted Firehouse to reevaluate our annual run survey publications. 
Resources 
National Emergency Response Information System
NERIS Onboarding
Infographic: NERIS Essentials: What You Need to Know
Research Corner: NERIS—Firefighting Data in the Digital Age 

Pushing Beyond the Status Quo in the Fire Service – Steven Baker

Peter Matthews talks with Assistant Chief Steve Baker of the Plymouth, MN, Fire Department about how fire service delivery has evolved in his region.  
Baker shares how the transition from volunteer and paid-on-call firefighters to combination and full-time agencies has led to faster responses and more efficient operations. He highlights the role of regionalized training, inter-agency collaboration, and a consistent command system in driving progress.  
Baker emphasizes that lean staffing continues to limit departments from reaching their full potential and both current and future leaders need to understand the mandatory overtime and long work hours will take a serious toll on the next generation of the fire service.   
Resources 
MN Public Safety Agencies Partner for Active Shooter Training