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John Vance, Nick Brunacini, and Terry Garrison explore how fire service leaders can lend perspective to firefighters who possess education but lack experience, focusing on effective leadership approaches that protect firefighters while enabling them to deliver service.

We want your helmet (for the AVB CTC)! Check this out to find out more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg5_ZwoCZo0

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This episode was recorded at the AVB CTC in Phoenix, AZ on June 5, 2025.

We explore how perspective in leadership impacts firefighter safety and organizational effectiveness.

• The transition from firefighter to company officer to battalion chief requires significant perspective adjustment at each level
• Explaining consequences versus making threats – good leaders predict outcomes rather than impose punishments
• Today's firefighters are smart and have instant access to information but lack the experiential perspective of veteran firefighters
• Consistent messaging from leaders about expectations creates a culture of safety and accountability
• Leading from appropriate distance – knowing when to intervene versus when to step back and assess
• The responsibility leaders carry to families who trust them with their loved ones' safety
• Labor groups and administration working together toward common goals benefits everyone
• Effective leaders handle difficult situations by identifying critical factors before acting
• Training is where perspective is most effectively shared with inexperienced firefighters
• Be safe, be effective, be nice – simple consistent messaging that guides fire service behavior

For more resources on fire service leadership, visit bshifter.com.

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This episode features Nick Brunacini, Terry Garrison, and John Vance.

We want your helmet (for the AVB CTC)! Check this out to find out more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg5_ZwoCZo0

Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip

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This episode was recorded at the AVB CTC in Phoenix, AZ on June 5, 2025.

We explore how perspective in leadership impacts firefighter safety and organizational effectiveness.

Join us for part 2 next week

• A number of firefighters involved in recent line-of-duty deaths were between 25-30 years old
• Danger exists when leaders prioritize being "cool" over passing down hard-earned wisdom
• Effective leadership requires the ability to say "no" in hazardous situations
• Perspective naturally evolves with experience and knowledge
• Tactical supervision (the middle command layer) is critical during extended operations
• Accountability and kindness are not mutually exclusive leadership traits
• Consistency in leadership approach across all contexts maintains organizational integrity
• Operating within effective systems prevents freelancing and improves safety outcomes
• After-action reviews are essential for continuous improvement and perspective development

Join us next week for part two of this special podcast on leadership and perspective in the fire service.

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This episode features Josh Blum and John Vance.

For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com

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John Vance and Josh Blum deliver the Blue Card Rundown for May 2025, covering educational opportunities and system enhancements for Blue Card users and instructors. They highlight new training initiatives, conference information, and tools designed to improve command effectiveness and firefighter safety.

• Big Box Workshop successes featuring Shane Ray from the National Fire Sprinkler Association
• Mayday Workshop focusing on prevention rather than just management
• Hazard Zone Conference details for September 30-October 3 at the Sharonville Convention Center in Ohio.
• New Blue Card Command Aircraft Rescue Firefighting (ARFF) Train-the-Trainer program launching in June
• After Action Reporting system gaining traction as a tool for targeted improvement
• New data export feature for instructors to easily track student certification status
• Silverback Leadership Series adding new modules connecting firehouse culture to fireground success
• Multiple Train-the-Trainer opportunities available through the end of 2025

Visit bshifter.com to register for the Hazard Zone Conference, workshops, and to access all the new Blue Card resources.

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This episode is hosted by Nick Brunacini, Chris Stewart, and John Vance.

We want your helmet (for the AVB CTC)! Check this out to find out more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg5_ZwoCZo0

Sign up for the B Shifter Buckslip, our free weekly newsletter here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fmgs92N/Buckslip

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This episode was recorded on May 7, 2025.

Strategy creates safety by aligning tactics with actual conditions, ensuring crews don't operate in unsuitably dangerous environments while maximizing effectiveness against the fire.

• Strategic decisions have the greatest effect on everyone working at the incident scene
• Stating the strategy three times forces conscious evaluation of conditions and clear communication of intent
• Strategy dictates positioning—offensive inside hazard zone, defensive outside hazard zone
• Near-miss story demonstrates how proper strategy recognition saved five firefighters' lives
• Incident commanders must validate strategy with 360-degree size-ups and adjust as conditions change
• The command system distinguishes between offensive and defensive conditions which should never be mixed
• Communication "tickets" prioritize radio traffic and reduce unnecessary transmissions
• 37% of initial Mayday calls are missed, making efficient communication critical
• Regular command training (quarterly 4-hour sessions) prevents reversion to bad habits
• The incident commander outranks everyone on scene regardless of formal rank structure

If you have questions for the B Shifter podcast team, send us an email (addresses in show notes) or click the fan mail option on our Buzzsprout platform to send us a direct message.

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The B Shifter Podcast examines how bad training practices can create dangerous operational habits in the fire service that are difficult to break and potentially dangerous.

This episode is hosted by Josh Blum, and John Vance.

We want your helmet (for the AVB CTC)! Check this out to find out more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg5_ZwoCZo0

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

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This episode was recorded on April 30, 2025.

Line-of-Duty Death Report Available
B Shifter now has the NIOSH report available for download regarding the tragic loss of Firefighter James Michael Muller of the Irmo Fire District. On May 26, 2023, Firefighter Muller was killed in the line of duty while operating at a structure fire in an apartment building. There were many heroic acts at this incident and also many lessons to be shared and learned.
Download the full report and honor Firefighter Muller’s sacrifice by learning from this critical event: https://bshifter.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/NIOSH-FINAL-REPORT-202307.pdf

• Training scars are ingrained behaviors taught during training that don't reflect best practices on the fireground
• Dan Madrzykowski describes how teaching firefighters to "pencil" water creates dangerous muscle memory
• Emergency activation button training creates hesitation in real emergencies when the button should be used
• Chris Stewart emphasizes focusing on higher performers rather than the vocal minority resistant to change
• Pat Dale discusses how poor leadership behaviors become learned and perpetuated through generations
• Keith Stakes highlights how training facilities don't resemble real structures where firefighters operate
• Nick Brunicini explains how rapid intervention teams operated for decades before effectiveness was evaluated
• Terry Garrison stresses spending valuable training time on meaningful skills not arbitrary traditions
• Training must align with operational realities and provide realistic context for skills development
• Effective training allows firefighters to make mistakes in a supportive environment without career consequences

Join us at the Blue Card Hazard Zone Conference in Cincinnati September/October 2024. Register now at BShifter.com to secure early bird pricing and discounted hotel accommodations

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This episode features Nick Brunacini, Terry Garrison, and John Vance.

We want your helmet (for the AVB CTC)! Check this out to find out more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg5_ZwoCZo0

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

All of our links here: https://linktr.ee/BShifter

Please subscribe and share. Thank you for listening!

This episode was recorded at the AVB CTC in Phoenix, AZ on April 17, 2025.

Creating a positive fire department culture drives better service both inside and outside the organization, ultimately leading to safety and success for everyone involved.

• Culture is more powerful than rules, regulations, and SOPs in guiding behavior
• A "Way" document preserves cultural values and helps transmit them to new members
• Effective customer service requires treating firefighters well so they can treat citizens well
• Organizational boundaries must be established and enforced consistently to maintain culture
• Safety culture requires accountability at all levels and cannot be overlooked by supervisors
• New fire chiefs should build on organizational strengths rather than change things for change's sake
• Leadership should focus on personal power rather than positional power to gain true buy-in
• Training and operations must align under a common vision focused on the work
• After-action reviews help reinforce cultural values through honest assessment without blame
• Good crews will intervene to help each other maintain professional standards with customers

Remember, you will resent and resist any supervision you receive that you don't need. Good leaders understand when to provide guidance and when to get out of the way.

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This episode features Josh Blum and John Vance.

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

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Josh Blum, Blue Card Program Manager, delivers a comprehensive update on Blue Card's expanding universe of command training programs and system enhancements.
• Successful FDIC presence with over 1,000 meaningful visitor conversations, addressing misconceptions about Blue Card being "just a communication system"
• B Shifter website (bshifter.com) offers free weekly training resources, articles, podcasts, and downloadable SOGs
• New Train-the-Trainer classes announced in Central County (MO), Sterling Heights (MI), Volusia County (FL), and Bay County (FL)
• 2025 Blue Card Conference features pre-conference workshops including safety train-the-trainer, mayday, strategic decision-making, and incident expansion courses
• New Dispatcher 2.0 program launches with refreshed interface, updated content, and comprehensive e-book reference
• Aircraft Rescue Firefighting (ARFF) program debuts with first train-the-trainer in June, featuring modules for various aircraft emergencies
• New CE modules cover multifamily buildings, radio communications, strategy shifts, and upcoming Technical Rescue Team awareness-level training
• After Action Review module receiving enthusiastic adoption, helping departments target training to specific improvement areas
• Schedule filling rapidly through end of 2025; departments encouraged to book training slots soon

Visit bshifter.com to access free resources or contact Josh directly to schedule training for your department.

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Worcester Fire Department District Chief Gary Fleischer joins the B Shifter podcast to share his expertise on critical fire ground factors in century-old wood-frame buildings, particularly New England's iconic triple-deckers.

• Construction characteristics of triple-deckers, typically built between 1890-1920 as worker housing near factories
• Balloon frame construction creates continuous void spaces from basement to attic with no fire stops
• Original materials include true dimension 2x4s (full 2"x4") and often asphalt or asbestos siding
• Buildings typically built very close together (sometimes just 5 feet apart) creating exposure problems
• Vertical fire spread challenges requiring simultaneous tactics on multiple floors
• First-arriving company officers must "own the incident" with thorough size-up and clear assignments
• Importance of quick water application on exterior fires before they extend into concealed spaces
• Search priorities in densely populated residential structures
• Primary access challenges including blocked rear exits and cluttered stairwells

When you see these older structures in your community, remember they require specific tactical considerations due to their construction methods and arrangement. Train your officers to recognize critical fire ground factors that will drive your incident action plan.

This episode features Josh Blum, Chris Stewart, Gary Fleischer and John Vance.

For free command and leadership support, check out bshifter.com

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This episode was recorded on March 19, 2025.