Fire command and leadership conversations for B Shifters and beyond (all shifts welcome)!
Latest episodes
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28 min
Shane Ray
Send us Fan MailIt has been over a year since we last sat down with Shane Ray. We sit down to connect the dots between sprinkler design and real fireground decisions in big-box and…
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36 min
Best Of B Shifter: Blue Card Explained
Send us Fan MailThis is a "Best Of B Shifter" that was originally published on November 2, 2021.It features Nick Brunacini, Josh Blum and John VanceWe go back to the roots of Blue…
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52 min
Aggressive Water Supply Without Hydrants
Send us Fan MailThis week, our guest is Assistant Chief Matthew Dhoore, Chief of Operations at the Clay Fire Territory in St. Joseph County, Indiana. That department is a Blue Card…
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45 min
Multi-Agency Incident Audio And Blue Card Rundown
Send us Fan MailWe break down what it really takes for multiple departments to operate as one on the fireground, from standardized SOPs to the hard conversations that keep mutual a…
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1 h 02
Chris Ferrara & Specialized Resources For A Modern Fireground
Send us Fan MailWe sit down with Chris Ferrara of U.S. Fire Pump and get a clear look at what industrial firefighting really takes when a facility fire outgrows municipal capabilit…
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49 min
Silverback Leadership: Boss Power (Part 2)
Send us Fan MailTerry Garrison, Nick Brunacini, and John Vance (The Silverbacks) are back with a new Silverback module (available to all Blue Card subscribers). We pick up part two…
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51 min
Silverback Leadership: Boss Power (Part 1)
Send us Fan MailTerry 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…
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1 h 01
The IAFF's Evidence-Based Fireground Operations
Send us Fan MailThe panelists on this B Shifter Podcast include: Grady Valencis, Jeff Seaton, John Ceriello, Chad Christensen, Sean Gray, Michael McCarthy, Ian Bennett, Sean Decran…
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59 min
Strategic Decision Making & Blue Card (Permission To Kick A** With A Plan)
Send us Fan MailWe 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 str…
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41 min
The Cyanokit Conversation: What Firefighters Need to Know
Send us Fan MailThis 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…
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1 h 02
Big Box To Mega
Send us Fan MailThis episode features National Fire Sprinkler Association President Shane Ray, Assistant Chief Scott Williams, Blue Card Program Director Josh Blum, and John Vance.…
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59 min
Blue Card Updates Plus Incident Audio From Harrison, Ohio
Send us Fan MailWe 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 chan…
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1 h 17
The Silverbacks On Performance Management
Send us Fan MailThe Silverbacks are back, talking about performance management as an essential tool for fire service leaders.This episode features Nick Brunacini, Terry Garrison, a…
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59 min
Dan Madrzykowski And Fire Dynamics On The Exterior
Send us Fan MailWe 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 do…
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48 min
Blue Card Is A Safety System
Send us Fan MailThis episode features Josh Blum, Chris Stewart and John VanceWe argue that firefighter safety on the fireground works best as a built-in system, not a lone safety o…
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40 min
Food Plant Fire In Ohio
Send us Fan MailThis episode features Fire Chief (Ret.) Thomas Lakamp, Assistant Chief Scott Williams, Blue Card Program Director Josh Blum, and John Vance.Thomas Lakamp, Fire Chie…
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28 min
Three Levels Of Air Management
Send us Fan MailOur guest this week is Battalion Chief Ryan Eldridge, Blue Card Lead InstructorRyan Eldridge is a dedicated fire service professional with a career spanning over th…
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1 h 27
Fire Command, 3rd Edition
Send us Fan MailThis episode features Nick Brunacini and is hosted by John Vance.We trace the origin of the Fire Command textbook from Alan Brunacini and why standardizing incident…
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1 h 07
Strategic Decision-Making For Commercial Fire Operations
Send us Fan MailCommercial fires will expose weak decision-making—fast.In this episode, we break down why commercial fire operations demand a completely different mindset than hous…
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45 min
Blue Card Rundown for April, 2026
Send us Fan MailWe share the April 2026 Blue Card rundown, from FDIC plans to major updates in training, online content, and continuing education. We dig into what’s changing in Fi…