36 - The Best of Us. Filmmaker Ben Cook and Chief Matt Boulding on the documentary featuring the Cornell Volunteer Fire Department
From The Forward Firefighter by Dan Retzlaff
November 6, 2025 · 49 min · Season 3 · Episode 36
About this episode
Dan Retzlaff interviews filmmaker Ben Cook and Chief Matt Boulding about the documentary 'The Best of Us' featuring the Cornell Volunteer Fire Department.
Join Dan for a conversation with the creative force behind the documentary "The Best of Us," Emmy award-winning editor Ben Cook, and the man at the center of the film, Chief Matt Boulding of the Cornell, WI Fire Department. Ben, a Cornell native, shares the precise reason he felt the need to turn his lens on the all volunteer fire department that serves his hometown, capturing their sacrifices, challenges, and resilience. Chief Boulding provides a unique, behind the scenes perspective on what it's like to have your department filmed. He also opens up about the demands of balancing family life, running multiple businesses, and leading the department, while giving us an overview of the Cornell Fire Department's operations.
People in this episode
Host: Dan Retzlaff
Guests: Ben Cook, Matt Boulding
Topics covered
- documentary
- fire department
- volunteerism
- community resilience
- leadership
- family balance
Keywords
- documentary
- fire department
- Ben Cook
- Matt Boulding
- Cornell
- volunteer fire service
- community challenges
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Cornell Volunteer Fire Department
Places: Cornell, WI
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