Our goal is to provide insights and quick take aways from subject matter experts on trending and innovative topics in the fire service. In doing so, we also provide insights and tips to help guide fellow fire service leaders. If you’re tuning into this week’s episode only through audio, check us out on YouTube and our other social media platforms to be face-to-face with the conversation. This is just a little preview of what’s to come in the new Fire Headlines format that’s coming soon!

Fire Headlines is currently in the process of reformatting the podcast. While we are hard at work behind the scenes, please enjoy revisiting Episode 7: Mental Health Training for First Responders in honor of May being Mental Health Awareness Month.   An article shared by the Daily Dispatch addressed recent policy changes to support firefighter mental health. Early retirements, employee retention difficulties, and increasing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnoses are all indicators of escalating mental health struggles among first responders. In response, 11 fire agencies in South King County, WA, are in the process of creating a behavioral health unit for its crews. Guest expert Dr. Kelly Morgan joins Chiefs Bob Horton and Jeff Buchanan to discuss the science of trauma and the importance of policies that support first responders’ mental health.

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This week, we continue our discussion of the After-Action Report (AAR) of the Maui wildfires of August 2023. If you haven’t already, make sure to catch up on the conversation by listening to Part 1 - Episode 51.   The AAR, produced by the Western Fire Chiefs Association (WFCA) and released on April 16, 2024, provides critical insights into the challenges faced and lessons learned during this catastrophic event. Fire Headlines host Samantha Didion is joined by Chief Bob Roper, WFCA’s Senior Policy Advisor and Lead Content Author of the AAR, and Chief Kim Zagaris, WFCA’s Senior Operations Advisor and Subject Matter Expert. Their firsthand experiences and expertise offer invaluable perspectives on the Maui wildfires and the subsequent review process.

In this episode, explore the after-action report (AAR) of the Maui wildfires that ravaged the island in August 2023. The AAR, produced by the Western Fire Chiefs Association (WFCA) and released on April 18, 2024, provides critical insights into the challenges faced and lessons learned during this catastrophic event. Fire Headlines host Samantha Didion is joined by Chief Bob Roper, WFCA’s Senior Policy Advisor and Lead Content Author of the AAR, and Chief Kim Zagaris, WFCA’s Senior Operations Advisor and Subject Matter Expert. Their firsthand experiences and expertise offer invaluable perspectives on the Maui wildfires and the subsequent review process.

This week on Fire Headlines, Samantha Didion hosts alongside Chief Bob Horton to announce the departure of Chief Jeff Buchanan from the show, as he pursues a new professional opportunity. The Fire Headlines team is extremely grateful for his past contributions and eagerly anticipates his return as a guest in the future. Throughout this episode, Bob highlights recent developments from wildfire conferences and discusses an article that outlines California’s firefighter insurance crisis. The article points out the alarming situation where even the state’s own firehouses struggle to obtain coverage.

This week we are giving our listeners an inside look at a live roundtable event hosted by a friend of the show, Kevin Sofen, on his podcast, Smart Firefighting. Chief Bob Horton and Chief Jeff Buchanan were special guests on the show and shared their thoughts on the question, “If technology is so great, why don’t we use it?”   Stay tuned – our team will be on a break next week, but we’ll return with a brand-new episode of Fire Headlines on April 17th!

With fire season just around the corner, Chief Horton and Chief Buchanan are away in Reno this week for the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) conference. Fire Headlines host Samantha Didion takes this time to talk with Natalie Weber, the Public Information Officer (PIO) for the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Southwest District, about public outreach efforts for fire season.   Natalie began her career in television news, eventually transitioning to becoming a reporter and anchor. Her diverse experience in media and government communication came together in her current position as a PIO. Natalie sheds light on her dynamic interactions with her colleagues, emphasizing the integral role of teamwork in emergency response. As a PIO, she collaborates closely with firefighters on the ground, ensuring accurate and timely communication to the public.

AT&T’s recent announcement of a significant 10-year investment exceeding $8 billion in FirstNet has garnered attention. This week, Fire Headlines host Samantha Didion is joined by Chief Jeff Buchanan and former FirstNet Vice Chairman, Chief Jeff Johnson. Chief Johnson, who retired as Fire Chief from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue in Oregon, also served as a Past President of the IAFC and currently holds the role of Executive Director of the Western Fire Chiefs Association. With a broad range of experience in public safety at the local, national, and international levels, Chief Johnson brings valuable insight to this discussion.

This week’s discussion centers around a recent article shared in the Daily Dispatch. It features the collaboration between a North Texas fire department and a video game maker, resulting in the development of a first-of-its-kind simulator. Host Samantha Didion of Fire Headlines is joined by Chief Bob Horton and Chief Jeff Buchanan on our panel to explore the benefits of firefighter training simulators.

An article from the Daily Dispatch highlights a prefab modular fire station in Southern California that has a rapid construction timeline of six months and a substantial size of over 4,600 square feet. Fire Headlines Host Samantha Didion is joined by a panel consisting of Chief Bob Horton and Chief Jeff Buchanan to discuss their thoughts on modular builds in the fire service.

This marks the continuation of our conversation about outcomes in the fire service. To catch up on part 1, please refer to episode 43. The Fire Headlines team received an email from a fire service leader inquiring about the concept of outcomes in the fire service. The email outlines the challenges faced in translating this concept into actionable strategies in their organization. Fire Headlines Host Samantha Didion is joined by a panel of experts to discuss these questions. Joining Samantha on the panel this week are Chief Jeff Buchanan, along with Dr. Matt Hinds-Aldrich, a senior risk strategy lead at the American Association of Insurance Services, and his colleague Sara Wood, an expert in Community Risk Reduction and Data Analysis.

The Fire Headlines team received a listener email from a fire service leader inquiring about the concept of Outcomes in the fire service. The email mentions the struggle it has been to operationalize the concept of outcomes in their organization. Fire Headlines Host Samantha Didion is joined by a panel of experts to help dissect this topic. On the panel this week is Chief Jeff Buchanan, joined by Dr. Matt Hinds-Aldrich, a senior risk strategy lead at the American Association of Insurance Services, and his co-worker Sara Wood, an expert in Community Risk Reduction and Data Analysis.   Chief Bob Horton is away this week.

Dr. Matt Hinds-Aldrich, a senior risk strategy lead at the American Association of Insurance Services, and Retired Deputy Chief of the Atlanta Fire Department, Byron Kennedy, join Chief Bob Horton on the panel to discuss mixed-use fire stations with Fire Headlines Host Samantha Didion. Chief Jeff Buchanan is away this week. This week’s guests bring their valuable insights and expertise to the table as they discuss an article featured in the Daily Dispatch, which highlights the upcoming construction of apartments atop Fire Station 15 in midtown Atlanta. Many community members are surprised by this new development, but how new is this concept and what should be taken into consideration when gathering the funds for mixed-use fire stations?

The Daily Dispatch recently featured an article about Baltimore City’s initiative to address a shortage of emergency medical services (EMS) providers by introducing a recruitment and retention bonus program offering $7,500. This program is aimed at making Baltimore more competitive in attracting EMS providers amid a shrinking candidate pool. Fire Headlines host Samantha Didion is joined by a panel consisting of Chief Bob Horton and Chief Jeff Buchanan to discuss their experiences and thoughts around hiring incentives as well as recruitment and retention.

This week’s episode of Fire Headlines is “Dealer’s Choice,” where a member of the team selects a topic of their choice for discussion. Chief Bob Horton takes the helm with his chosen topic: consolidation in fire departments. He engages in conversation with Fire Headlines host Samantha Didion and panelist Chief Jeff Buchanan. Their dialogue centers around an article that explores the Sunbury Fire Department’s decision to consolidate six agencies into a unified entity. During the episode, both Chief Horton and Chief Buchanan analyze the benefits and challenges associated with this consolidation, drawing upon their own experiences with similar situations.

A recent article published in the Daily Dispatch highlights the latest advancements in firefighter helmets, showcasing next-generation designs that offer protection not only against fires, but also against bullets. These helmets also promise to reduce the risk of blunt head trauma and improve mobility and postural stability. On Fire Headlines, host Samantha Didion is joined by the panel, consisting of Chief Bob Horton and Chief Jeff Buchanan. Together, they discuss the challenges that need to be addressed for the adoption of advanced helmets, while also exploring the potential benefits these helmets could offer.

A recent article discusses the verdict of a critical case from Colorado involving the death of Elijah McClain. The incident occurred in 2019 when McClain, detained by the police, was subjected to a chokehold and injected with a powerful sedative by paramedics on the scene. Those two paramedics were later found guilty in the death of McClain. Fire Headlines Host Samantha Didion is joined by the panel, Chief Bob Horton and Chief Jeff Buchanan to discuss the challenges faced by paramedics in cases at the intersection of law enforcement and medical response.

The Daily Dispatch recently featured two articles discussing anniversaries of significant historical fires. The first covers the Deadliest Nightclub Fire that occurred on November 28, 1942, the other focuses on the Worcester Cold Storage Fire from December 3, 1999. Fire Headlines Host Samantha Didion is joined by a panel compromising Chief Bob Horton, Chief Jeff Buchanan, and the first special guest of 2024, Chief Rich Harvey. Chief Harvey, with over 20 years of experience in incident management and currently serving as the Fire Chief for Central Lyon County Fire Protection District, offers valuable insights into historical wildfires and commanding Type 1 incidents.

To kick off the year 2024, the Fire Headlines team presents the most-listened episode of 2023. Enjoy the discussion and be sure to tune in next week for a brand new episode of Fire Headlines. The Mayo Clinic Health System and the La Crosse Fire Department in Wisconsin have joined forces in a sports science collaboration. Utilizing technology-based systems, they are assessing the mobility of each firefighter to create personalized exercise regimes to improve strength and stamina. Firefighting requires a combination of physical fitness and endurance, yet the definition of physical fitness can vary for each individual. Dr. Kelly Morgan, our guest expert, shares her insight on the important parts of fitness, including body composition measurement and the development of tailored training regimens.