B Shifter

Hosted by Across The Street Productions

Management Education

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Episodes

189

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Fire command and leadership conversations for B Shifters and beyond (all shifts welcome)!

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 11, 2026Episode 5851 min

Silverback Leadership: Boss Power (Part 1)

Send us Fan Mail Terry Garrison, Nick Brunacini, and John Vance (The Silverbacks) are back with a new Silverback module (available to all Blue Card subscribers). We break down Boss Behaviors and the reality of boss power in the fire service, where leadership lives between City Hall pressure and the crews delivering the work. We argue there’s no neutral gear for a boss, and we share practical ways to protect credibility, service delivery, and values when budgets and politics get loud. • new Silverback Leadership module built from Alan Brunicini’s functional boss behaviors and no-brainer management • leading for service delivery rather than ego, ceremony, or titles • why fire chiefs cannot delegate away responsibility, only tasks • political leadership versus operational leadership and why operations must make sense • how community connection makes budget cuts harder to justify • what management wants versus what workers want and how to navigate both • value-based decision making when staffing cuts clash with safety • explaining staffing, response times, and resources by describing the work • a real efficiency committee story that ends with support for more funding • overtime and MOU realities and the importance of early notification • credibility loss, absentee leadership, and getting stuck in the middle • angels and demons as daily boss impulses, with “be nice” as a powerful discipline Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/ For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip Shop B Shifter here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com Share this podcast with your friends, and don't forget to like and subscribe! Thank you for listening!

July 30, 2026Episode 571 hr 1 min

The IAFF's Evidence-Based Fireground Operations

Send us Fan Mail The panelists on this B Shifter Podcast include: Grady Valencis, Jeff Seaton, John Ceriello, Chad Christensen, Sean Gray, Michael McCarthy, Ian Bennett, Sean Decrane, and it is hosted by Chris Stewart and John Vance. We talk with a nationwide IAFF instructor cadre about how evidence-based fireground operations turn UL FSRI research into decisions you can make on your very next incident. We break down why live fire and psychomotor reps create buy-in, tighten tactics, and help firefighters stay aggressive while improving safety and victim outcomes. The discussion includes: • why the IAFF builds an evidence-based fireground operations program and how the cadre forms • what changed when Houston hosts the first train-the-trainer delivery • why “tell them, show them, let them explain it back” beats PDFs and videos • course options from awareness to operations to train the trainer • what a host site needs for live fire demonstrations and rotations • how to scale regionally so small departments can afford the training • how we adapt the class to local buildings, staffing, and common incident profiles • why command officers must be in the room to prevent tactical and strategic gaps • hands-on stations covering fire behavior, stream mechanics, thermal imaging, search methods, and fire attack • what surprised us most about veteran buy-in and the humility that drives culture change Learn more about the Evidence-Based Fireground Operations program here: https://www.iaff.org/fire-ground-operations/ Learn about the IAFF Fire Ground Survival program here: https://www.iaff.org/fire-ground-survival/ Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/ For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip Shop B Shifter here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com Share this podcast with your friends, and don't forget to like and subscribe! Thank you for listening!

July 16, 2026Episode 5658 min

Strategic Decision Making & Blue Card (Permission To Kick A** With A Plan)

Send us Fan Mail We sit down with Worcester Fire’s (and Blue Card lead Instructor) Gary Fleischer, plus Blue Card lead instructors Eric Phillips and Chris Stewart, to unpack how strategic decision-making and critical thinking make Blue Card work on real calls. We connect the “why” to NIOSH lessons, legal risk, and the day-to-day habits that help crews put water on the fire faster and go home safe. • Worcester’s repeated NIOSH recommendations shaping a clear why for change • Rolling Blue Card out with chief-level support and SOP alignment • Why the rank and file needs the full picture, not just the mechanics • How the strategic decision-making model becomes trainable and repeatable • A real Worcester working fire story that validates the system • Sustaining the command system through daily use and refreshers • Integrating command, radio traffic, and critical factors into any drill • Avoiding training scars by finishing evolutions through the full problem • Measuring outcomes that matter, including faster water and better search • Keeping hard chargers aggressive while staying coordinated and accountable • Leadership that stops bad things from happening, even when unpopular Check out the B Shifter Podcast with Worcester Fire Chief Martin Dyer here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1785403/episodes/18879949 Check out Ed Hartin's 10 Minute Command Training here: https://bshifter.com/10-minute-training-first-due-at-a-structural-collapse-with-trapped-victims-whats-your-plan/ Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/ For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip Shop B Shifter here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com Share this podcast with your friends, and don't forget to like and subscribe! Thank you for listening!

July 2, 2026Episode 5541 min

The Cyanokit Conversation: What Firefighters Need to Know

Send us Fan Mail This episode features Dr. Dustin Calhoun, Scott Williams , Steve Lester and John Vance . About our guest: Dr. Dustin J. Calhoun, MD, FAEMS is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and Associate Director of the Division of Emergency Medical Services at the University of Cincinnati. A board-certified emergency physician and EMS physician, he practices at UC Medical Center and West Chester Hospital. Dr. Calhoun serves as the Medical Director for the Springdale Fire Department and the Cincinnati Fire Department and provides medical direction for numerous other fire, EMS, law enforcement, and special operations agencies throughout the Cincinnati region, including airport fire-rescue, SWAT teams, and multiple suburban fire departments. He is also a flight physician with Air Care and Mobile Care and serves as Medical Director for Emergency Management at UC Health. Nationally recognized for his expertise in prehospital emergency medicine, disaster preparedness, and tactical EMS, Dr. Calhoun is a frequent instructor and speaker on EMS leadership, special operations medicine, and emergency response. We break down how Cyanokit (hydroxycobalamin) fits into fireground care when smoke inhalation includes the toxic twin threat of hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide. We focus on patient selection, rapid delivery to the front yard, and the practical steps that help incident commanders, EMS crews, and hospitals work from the same playbook. • what Cyanokit is and why older cyanide antidotes were risky with carbon monoxide exposure • where hydrogen cyanide comes from in structure fires, smoldering, and overhaul plus dermal absorption risks • why time to administration matters, especially for altered mental status and fireground cardiac arrest • how departments deploy kits on district cars, battalion chiefs, engines, and ALS rescues to reduce delays • real incidents and outcomes, including pediatric rescues and lessons when kits are limited • IV and IO administration considerations, including push-pull delivery and flushing the line • what the incident commander does to stage medical resources and get the kit to the patient fast • what information helps the emergency department when there is no rapid cyanide test • balanced use, costs, side effects, and why training should prevent wasting kits • training approaches, trainer kits, and restock plans that keep programs sustainable Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/ For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip Shop B Shifter here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com Share this podcast with your friends, and don't forget to like and subscribe!

June 25, 2026Episode 551 hr 2 min

Big Box To Mega

Send us Fan Mail This episode features National Fire Sprinkler Association President Shane Ray, Assistant Chief Scott Williams, Blue Card Program Director Josh Blum, and John Vance. We break down why today’s mega warehouses and cold storage facilities create fireground problems that residential tactics cannot solve, especially when fires start on the roof or exterior and burn inward. We share field-proven steps that keep firefighters alive by supporting sprinkler systems, slowing the pace, and managing the incident like a strategic operation instead of a quick interior push. • why “big box” and “mega warehouse” are different hazards • how roof and exterior fires drive bad sprinkler narratives • the Ohio case study where training and patience prevent firefighter losses • building the “big four” before entry: FDC supply, attack team, roof report, on-deck crew • why sprinkler-controlled fires are not compatible with routine ventilation • reading the riser plate, fire pump, and alarm panel to measure fire growth • requesting sprinkler and alarm contractors plus the water utility early • what NFPA 13E and NFPA 1700 change in SOPs, preplans, and training • why codes, owners, and access decisions shape outcomes long before dispatch Links shared / talked about by Shane Ray: NFPA Warehouse Fires Report: https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/research/nfpa-research/fire-statistical-reports/warehouse-structure-fires NFPA Challenges In Storage facilities: https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/research/fire-protection-research-foundation/projects-and-reports/identifying-challenges-to-fire-service-response-in-storage-facilities Indiana Fire In Large Distribution Center: https://www.firehero.org/2026/01/14/plainfield-fire-territory-warehouse-fire/ The Blue Card Big Box Bulletin: https://conta.cc/3QpvT8u Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/ For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip Shop B Shifter here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com Share this podcast with your friends, and don't forget to like and subscribe

June 18, 2026Episode 5458 min

Blue Card Updates Plus Incident Audio From Harrison, Ohio

Send us Fan Mail We talk through mid-year Blue Card updates, why command training is worth paying for, and how regional leaders keep a shared system alive even when departments change chiefs. We also dig into big box fire realities and then break down working-fire radio audio that shows what clear size-up, assignments, and command transfer sound like. • Blue Card as a decision-making and incident organization system rather than a tactics class • Common myths about Blue Card and how bad information spreads • The real cost of training and why “free” is not a plan • Liability exposure tied to weak command training and predictable failure points • Sustaining a command program through leadership commitment and ongoing verification • ARFF program growth, upcoming train-the-trainer dates, and open seats • A regional collaboration model from the Seacoast Chiefs and why standard language matters • Big box and mega warehouse fires, sprinkler limits, FDC considerations, and defensive discipline • Working-fire audio breakdown: initial radio report, 360, patient handling, CAN reports, and command transfer • Timeless tactical truth on forecasting and doing now what saves time later The Ladder 11 Shirt is here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/ladder-11-shirt Check out the Big Box Bulletin here: https://conta.cc/3QpvT8u Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/ For free command and leadership support, visit: https://bshifter.com Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip Shop B Shifter: https://bshifter.myshopify.com Thanks for listening!

June 11, 2026Episode 531 hr 17 min

The Silverbacks On Performance Management

Send us Fan Mail The Silverbacks are back, talking about performance management as an essential tool for fire service leaders. This episode features Nick Brunacini, Terry Garrison, and John Vance. We lay out a practical performance improvement model that keeps looping through SOPs, training, field application, monitoring, and revision so the work gets better every time. We also get blunt about what breaks the system: outdated policies, ego-driven resistance to change, weak critiques, and leaders who stop training. • circular performance improvement model tied to service delivery • why outdated SOPs create operational risk and legal exposure • keeping SOPs simple, task-focused, and grounded in real standards • making shared SOPs work across automatic aid departments • change resistance driven by ownership and ego, and how leadership pushes through • what makes an after-action review honest, consistent, and useful • critique pitfalls like pet peeves, grandstanding, and excluding firefighters • why leaders must keep training and prove competence at strategic levels • decision-making truth: no perfect choices, only best upside with least downside You can download all your operational SOPs off bluecard.com right now Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/ For free command and leadership support, visit: https://bshifter.com Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip Shop B Shifter: https://bshifter.myshopify.com

May 28, 2026Episode 5359 min

Dan Madrzykowski And Fire Dynamics On The Exterior

Send us Fan Mail We talk with UL FSRI’s Dr. Dan Madrzykowski about how fire dynamics drives outcomes at outside fires, vehicle fires, and “container” incidents just as much as it does in homes. This episode connects real case studies to practical command decisions so crews stop feeding the fire with ventilation and start controlling conditions with effective water application and better size-up. In this episode: • AFG grant window timing and why command training remains a high priority • Fire dynamics basics that still get missed in structures • Why ventilation can increase smoke production and fire growth • Exterior fire spread that re-enters and traps interior crews • Lagrange incident lessons and the need to flow and move • Critical factors for IC1 and IC2 — because the fire gets a vote • EV fire response priorities: life hazard, approach angle, water supply, and exposures • When letting EV batteries burn out may reduce overall risk • Trailer and container fires as ventilation-limited pressure vessel problems • The “two-question pause” before giving orders and avoiding autopilot decision-making • Stored energy hazards including large tire explosion blast radius and positioning • CNG vehicle differences and why preplans matter • Using monitors and stream reach to gain standoff and improve visibility • Warehouse fire ventilation errors when water is not yet effective Resources Mentioned: Chula Vista Fire Report: Analysis of a Near Miss in a Warehouse Fire – California https://doi.org/10.60752/102376.30402382 Lagrange Fire Report: Four Firefighters Burned in Residential House Fire – Georgia https://dx.doi.org/10.54206/102376/GEKK4148 Lagrange Incident Video https://training.fsri.org/resources/409/residential-fire-near-miss-in-lagrange-ga-incident-video LaGrange Discussion Tool https://training.fsri.org/resources/53/026-near-miss-lagrange-continuing-the-conversation Online Course https://training.fsri.org/course/105/residential-fire-near-miss-incident-in-lagrange-ga Blue Card Lithium Ion Battery Fire SOG: https://bshifter.com/download/lithium-ion-battery-incident-sample-sog/ Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/ For free command and leadership support, visit: https://bshifter.com Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip Shop B Shifter: https://bshifter.myshopify.com About Dan: Dr. Daniel Madrzykowski is a Senior Research Engineer with the UL Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) and one of the leading fire dynamics researchers in the world. His work has helped shape the modern fire service’s understanding of fire behavior, ventilation, wind-driven fires, exterior fire attack, and tactical decision-making on the fireground. Over the past two decades, Dr. Madrzykowski has led and contributed to groundbreaking research focused on firefighter safety, fire spread, and modern building performance under fire conditions. His work has directly influenced operational tactics, training programs, and national conversations surrounding modern fire attack and command operations. Dan has worked extensively with fire departments across the United States, translating complex fire science into practical, street-level applications firefighters and incident commanders can use every day. His research continues to play a major role in improving firefighter safety and customer outcomes in both residential and commercial fire incidents.

May 15, 2026Episode 5248 min

Blue Card Is A Safety System

Send us Fan Mail This episode features Josh Blum, Chris Stewart and John Vance We argue that firefighter safety on the fireground works best as a built-in system, not a lone safety officer trying to play catch-up outside the hazard zone. We connect real injury and fatality patterns to supervision, accountability, communications, and command decisions that match conditions in both residential and commercial buildings. In this episode: • Strategic Decision-Making Workshop overview and how it builds repeatable decision reps • New continuing education module on the eight functions of command for technical rescue • New first responder firefighter online module for non-IC roles and better scene communications • Why “safety is a system” and why a single roaming safety officer cannot prevent all bad outcomes • Residential fire threats including collapse and severe thermal events • Commercial fire threats including disorientation, getting lost, and air management failures • How Blue Card embeds safety through task, tactical, and strategic supervision • Division boss and support officer pairing for accountability, work-rest cycles, and resource control • SOPs, training, and performance monitoring as the foundation of incident safety • NIOSH top contributing factors and why incident command owns the fix • Recommended next steps, including Fire Command, Command Safety, and division ops training Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/ For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip Shop B Shifter here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com

May 7, 2026Episode 5140 min

Food Plant Fire In Ohio

Send us Fan Mail This episode features Fire Chief (Ret.) Thomas Lakamp, Assistant Chief Scott Williams, Blue Card Program Director Josh Blum, and John Vance. Thomas Lakamp, Fire Chief (Ret.), Fairfield (Ohio) Fire Department Chief Thomas Lakamp is the fire chief for the City of Fairfield, Ohio. He retired from the Cincinnati Fire Department as an assistant fire chief after almost 35 years of service. Tom holds an associate degree in Fire Science Technology and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Cincinnati. He also holds a master’s in homeland security from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. Tom is a graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program and was formerly a Task Force Leader for FEMA Ohio Task Force 1—Urban Search and Rescue Team. He is currently the commissioner for the Hamilton County, Ohio—Region 6 USAR Team. Scott Williams, Assistant Fire Chief, Springdale (Ohio) Fire Department Scott Williams has been in the fire service for 30 years and is a certified Ohio State Fire and Emergency Service Instructor II and a Live Fire Instructor. He is a Blue Card instructor, a national registered paramedic and a trained IAFF Peer Supporter. He has served the Springdale (Ohio) Fire Department for 22 years, holding the ranks of firefighter/paramedic, chief fire inspector and fire captain before his current position as the assistant fire chief. Chief Williams oversees fire department operations and develops the department’s SOGs. He is always looking to better himself and the fire service, supporting continuous improvement of fireground skills and operations through regular and consistent training. He is known for his honest approach and for teaching others through his first-hand experiences. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We break down the Koch Foods plant in Fairfield, Ohio and the lessons that come with a 600,000 square foot commercial incident involving thermal fluid, ammonia, multiple alarms, and critical injuries. We share how a regional command system, disciplined big box tactics, and drone intelligence helped protect firefighters and save most of the facility. We discuss: • Setting the scene at Koch Foods and the early alarm upgrade to a high hazard response • The report of a worker still inside and the rapid shift to defensive operations after untenable conditions • How a delayed roof report revealed extreme fire involvement and changed tactics • Thermal fluid flash conditions and why fire spread outran parts of the sprinkler system • Water supply challenges, extended FDC pumping, and coordination with public utilities • Managing ammonia tanks, cooling operations, and air monitoring as a hazmat problem • Building a scalable command team with Blue Card, unified command, HazMat and EMA integration • Using a regional drone team for situational awareness, leak location, and aerial placement • Cross-county mutual aid that works because of shared SOGs, training standards, and linked CAD • Why big box fires require abandoning residential tactics and slowing down before entry Order the 3rd Edition of Fire Command here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com/products/new-fire-command-3rd-edition For Waldorf University Blue Card credit and discounts: https://www.waldorf.edu/blue-card/ For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip Shop B Shifter here: https://bshifter.myshopify.com