The Chief's Challenge

Across the Street Productions

A leadership podcast for those who are chief officers or aspire to be chief officers in the fire service. We will talk about what challenges the chief faces and some of the solutions/coping skills we have adopted through the years. read less
EducationEducation

Episodes

Ask The Chiefs; Pretty Good Career Advice
May 14 2024
Ask The Chiefs; Pretty Good Career Advice
This week, we will be hosting a Q&A session with the chiefs - Terry Garrison, Nick Brunancini, John Vance, and Greg Timinsky, to answer questions submitted by B Shifter listeners. We understand that dealing with a non-progressive fire chief who denies outside training requests can be challenging, but we have some insights that can help you navigate through the resistance. We will be discussing strategies for personal growth and the systemic issues of departments that avoid progressive leadership. We will also be drawing parallels to the importance of continuous training. Our conversation will extend to the repercussions chiefs may face when they fail to adapt and nurture their department’s personnel.This episode features Nick Brunacini, Josh Blum, Greg Timinsky and John Vance.B Shifter Buckslip: No one listened to the workers better than Bruno. In this edition's Silverback Leadership column, 17 observations from the workers that Big Al collected through the years. Read it here: https://conta.cc/4a8M11ZWe want your helmet (for the AVB CTC)! Check this out to find out more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg5_ZwoCZo0Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/BuckslipShop B Shifter here: https://bshifter.myshopify.comRegister for the 2024 Hazard Zone Conference here: http://hazardzonebc.com/All of our links here: https://linktr.ee/BShifterPlease subscribe and share. Thank you for listening!This episode was recorded at the Alan V. Brunacini Command Training Center in Phoenix,  Arizona  on May 9, 2024.
Labor
Apr 4 2022
Labor
If you want light hearted serious fire service leader talk - we have it here for you!This time Nick Brunacini, Terry Garrison and John Vance delve in to labor relations, particularly the Chief - Union relationship. We hit on some other stuff too. If you like this and don't want to miss an episode, please subscribe! Mayday Management Workshops are open! Sign up here.Also, if you are looking for a shirt, book or other B Shifter item, please visit the B Shifter Store! In 2007, Terry Garrison retired from the Phoenix Fire Department after serving more than 30 years. Working for Alan Brunacini and reaching the level of assistant chief of operations helped shape Terry’s consistent values: firefighter safety and customer service. After a long weekend of retirement, Terry served as the fire chief of the Oceanside (Calif.) Fire Department, where he worked for almost three years. Terry then moved to Texas, where he served as the chief of the Houston Fire Department for more than five years. Currently, Terry is the fire chief in Glendale, Ariz., where he was born and raised. Terry has traveled throughout the world teaching fire command. He has a master’s degree in education and attended the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Terry and his wife, Annette, live in Phoenix. Nick Brunacini joined the Phoenix Fire Department (PFD) in 1980. He served seven years as a firefighter on different engine companies before promoting to captain and working nine years on a ladder company. Nick served as a battalion chief for five years, and in 2001, he was promoted to shift commander. He then spent the next five years developing and teaching the Blue Card curriculum at the PFD’s Command Training Center. His last assignment with the PFD was south shift commander; he retired from the department in 2009. Nick is the author of “B-Shifter—A Firefighter’s Memoir.” He also co-wrote “Command Safety.” John Vance started as a Fire Explorer in 1982 and has been involved in fire department and/or municipal service ever since. He has been the Fire Chief of the Minnetonka, Minnesota Fire Department since August of 2013. Prior to that he spent nearly 12 years as a chief officer with the Harris Township Fire Department and the Clay Fire Territory in South Bend Indiana. He holds a bachelor degree in Fire Service Management from Southern Illinois University, a certificate in Executive Management from the University of Notre Dame and is an accredited Chief Officer from the Center for Public Safety Excellence. John has been a Blue Card Lead Instructor since its inception since 2008 and leads by the mantra of “Be Safe, Be Effective and Be Nice”. Got a question or comment for us? Email here!Production Assistance from Katie Brunacini
Culture
Mar 6 2022
Culture
We are talking culture. How to capture it, improve  it and make it authentic. In 2007, Terry Garrison retired from the Phoenix Fire Department after serving more than 30 years. Working for Alan Brunacini and reaching the level of assistant chief of operations helped shape Terry’s consistent values: firefighter safety and customer service. After a long weekend of retirement, Terry served as the fire chief of the Oceanside (Calif.) Fire Department, where he worked for almost three years. Terry then moved to Texas, where he served as the chief of the Houston Fire Department for more than five years. Currently, Terry is the fire chief in Glendale, Ariz., where he was born and raised. Terry has traveled throughout the world teaching fire command. He has a master’s degree in education and attended the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Terry and his wife, Annette, live in Phoenix. Nick Brunacini joined the Phoenix Fire Department (PFD) in 1980. He served seven years as a firefighter on different engine companies before promoting to captain and working nine years on a ladder company. Nick served as a battalion chief for five years, and in 2001, he was promoted to shift commander. He then spent the next five years developing and teaching the Blue Card curriculum at the PFD’s Command Training Center. His last assignment with the PFD was south shift commander; he retired from the department in 2009. Nick is the author of “B-Shifter—A Firefighter’s Memoir.” He also co-wrote “Command Safety.” John Vance started as a Fire Explorer in 1982 and has been involved in fire department and/or municipal service ever since. He has been the Fire Chief of the Minnetonka, Minnesota Fire Department since August of 2013. Prior to that he spent nearly 12 years as a chief officer with the Harris Township Fire Department and the Clay Fire Territory in South Bend Indiana. He holds a bachelor degree in Fire Service Management from Southern Illinois University, a certificate in Executive Management from the University of Notre Dame and is an accredited Chief Officer from the Center for Public Safety Excellence. John has been a Blue Card Lead Instructor since its inception since 2008 and leads by the mantra of “Be Safe, Be Effective and Be Nice”. Got a question or comment for us? Email here!Episode is LivePublished: Feb. 07, 2022 @ 7PM EditUnpublishAdd a TranscriptGet episode better indexed by search engines.Add Chapter MarkersListeners can tap through & see what’s coming up.Create a Visual SoundbiteBest way to share to social media for engagement.Share Episode On FacebookTwitterLinkedInMore OptionsEmail Link to EpisodeDirect Link to MP3Embed this ONE EpisodeView Episode Stats