Ep. 94: Chuck DeSmith, Deputy Fire Chief (ret.) - Resiliency & Peer Support

About this episode

Chuck DeSmith discusses the importance of peer support and resiliency in the fire service.

Chuck DeSmith, a retired Deputy Fire Chief with 35 years of service at Renton Regional Fire Authority in Washington draws from decades of leadership experience sharing his passion for peer support and the importance of modeling resiliency within the fire service. He challenges today’s leaders to move beyond treating peer support as a program, and instead embed it into the organization’s operating budget with clear policy and long-term commitment. This conversation offers practical insight into building a culture that truly supports the people behind the badge.

People in this episode

Host: Berlin Maza

Guest: Chuck DeSmith

Topics covered

• resiliency
• peer support
• leadership
• fire service
• organizational culture

Keywords

• resiliency
• peer support
• leadership
• fire service
• organizational culture
• mental health
• first responders

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Renton Regional Fire Authority

Places: Washington

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• Ep. 95: Mike Dugan, Captain (ret.) - It's Your Turn · March 25, 2026 · 1h 10m
• Ep. 93: Paul Conway, Assistant Chief (ret.) - A Life Full of Mistakes · February 23, 2026 · 1h 21m
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