The Forward Firefighter

In this episode, I welcome back Marc Hill to talk about his second book, Read Before You Lead. Learn from Marc as we discuss his experience becoming a new fire chief for a volunteer fire department. Listen to episode 10 to learn more about Marc and his first book, Two Dark Thirty.Marc Hill has devoted over two decades to public service, holding diverse roles as an educator, coach, principal, firefighter, engineer, and fire chief in both volunteer and career departments. An accomplished author, his Amazon bestseller Two Dark Thirty: True Stories to Inspire Teaching and Learning in Our Local Heroes and his latest book, Read Before Leading: 20 Essential Leadership Lessons to Help You Succeed and Avoid Failure, provide invaluable insights on leadership, professional growth, and lifelong learning.Hill holds a master’s degree in educational leadership and numerous state and national certifications as an instructor, firefighter/paramedic, and incident commander. His contributions to education and leadership have been recognized with three Teacher of the Year awards and the prestigious Core Values Award.As the founder and chief instructor at Two Dark Thirty Consulting, Hill is dedicated to equipping leaders and educators with the tools to navigate complex challenges, advance strength, and drive meaningful change.

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Benjamen K. “Ben” Lauren, Captain at the Forsyth Township Fire Department in Upper Michigan. Ben was a respected firefighter who tragically lost his life in the line of duty at the age of 23 in the year 2020. Tune in to this podcast as I chat with Brandon Cory, who was beside Ben on that tragic day and shares Ben’s story. Learn about the importance of Rapid Intervention Teams (RIT) and get valuable RIT training advice that departments can use. Brandon is a second-generation firefighter and has been dedicated to the fire service since 2010. He began as a volunteer firefighter, working his way up to Lieutenant before leaving to pursue a full-time opportunity. Currently, he is a senior firefighter for the City of Marquette in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and serves as the training officer for the county's special rescue team. Brandon is Michigan’s state lead advocate for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. He has published articles on Firefighter Survival and Rapid Intervention Teams (RIT) for FireRescue1 and contributed a chapter to the book 30 Fires You Must Know. He has also taught at FireHouse Expo and other conferences nationwide. In addition, Brandon is the Vice President of Great Lakes Hot, Michigan’s premier fire conference, and an instructor/cadre member of Build Your Culture. He holds an associate’s degree and various certifications in the fire and EMS fields from Michigan and Illinois. Born and raised in the UP of Michigan, Brandon lives there with his wife Jamie and their daughter. He is passionate about training and helping others become the best firefighters they can be, while continually seeking his own professional and personal growth.

In this episode, I chat with Nathan Schneider, Assistant Chief of the Chilton Wisconsin Fire Department. We discuss the department's makeup, the new fire station, and how its dive team started. Nathan also shares how they celebrated their 150th anniversary with a special video that doubles as a recruitment tool. We also discuss a clever way the Chilton Wisconsin Fire Department established a water supply system in a rural area during the Fox Valley Alfalfa Mill fire in September 2024.

In this episode, I talk with Chris Klahn, President of the Wisconsin State Firefighters Association. Have you heard about the new OSHA proposed Emergency Response Standard? Learn from Chris what these proposed standards could mean for your department. In this episode, you will also learn about the Montello Fire Department and the different work done by the Wisconsin State Firefighters Association. You will also hear Chris’s advice on recruitment and retention. Chris has been a firefighter for the Montello Wisconsin Fire Department since 1985. He has experience in almost every position, and served 30 years as assistant chief. Chris is now retired from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) where he worked as a fire ranger.

Firefighter Fitness and The Safety Officer Join us as we dive into the world of firefighter wellness with Roy Smalley, the Health and Safety Officer for the Mayville Wisconsin Fire Department and an EMT with Mayville EMS. With his dual expertise as a certified personal fitness trainer and stress management coach, Roy offers invaluable insights into the intersection of emergency response and physical well-being. This episode unpacks the critical role of a Health and Safety Officer and explores ways to improve firefighter fitness.

In this episode, Adam Barowy discusses the latest research projects about electric vehicle fires and lithium-ion batteries. Barowy is a Lead Research Engineer for the Underwriters’ Laboratory’s Fire Safety Research Institute (UL FSRI).