The Fireground Fitness Podcast, Rayne Gray

Ep105 Finding my axe with Mike Rose

Episode 105 features Michael Rose, a 17-year firefighter who picked up a guitar when he found himself flat on his back after a near-career-ending injury. Years later, he’s back to fighting fires and has discovered a new love of playing music for gatherings to pay it forward and make a difference in the small and big moments of life. He’s a husband, father and whiskey, hunting and campfire enthusiast who can be found outdoors in his free time. We discussed his injury, mental health and the leadership role of a senior firefighter. Enjoy!

 

A little more about today’s guest…

 

I’VE BEEN A FIREFIGHTER FOR OVER 17 YEARS — I NEVER SAW MYSELF DOING MUSIC.

Busting down doors, annihilating flames and basically running on adrenaline are more my speed. Walking alongside kids and families in their moments of pain and making small differences along the way, that’s more my speed.

But, life (and God) have a way of refocusing your attention when you find yourself where you least expect.

How I Found My Voice

A handful of years ago, I suffered a near-career-ending injury that left my neck, back and body in a lot of pain. Getting up and moving around was impossible. I worried I would never see the fire service again and I would be in pain for the rest of my life. It was a really dark time, especially because the physical activity that always helped me manage stress was gone.

It didn’t take long for TV to lose its luster as I laid flat on my back on the living room floor. My son had just started guitar lessons, and though I had once attempted to learn guitar, I still didn’t know how to play. Seeing the guitar leaning up against the corner of the living room, I decided to give it another shot.

With the help of YouTube, Bill Howell and endless amounts of time, I managed to string together the chords of my wife and I’s wedding song, “Stand By Me,” six months later. Strumming the guitar and singing also seemed to switch off the noise of life and help me process in a way I had never experienced.

As my body healed, my mind followed. I would play when friends were over and they began remarking about the unique tones of my voice. I shrugged it off initially until my son’s guitar teacher, a professional musician, said the same thing and encouraged me to pursue it. Who knew a former choir boy who performed all over the country in high school would discover a totally different, grittier voice at age 40, developed after years of life’s highs and lows.

How I Lend My Voice

Now that my body is better and I look ahead to the future, I know I want to keep making a difference in the big and small moments of people’s lives. Music gave me the outlet to manage difficult feelings; I want to give back the best feelings to others — whether it’s in one of my favorite bars or at someone’s wedding.

It’s not about being in the spotlight or being remembered in some way. For me, there’s nothing more gratifying than a nodding head in a bar or a smile on the bride’s face. Those are the moments that feel amazing.

I’m still a firefighter and still relish kicking in a door and kicking a fire’s ass (spoiler alert: I don’t think that will ever change). I live every day grateful for another moment doing what I love, and the chance to make a small difference with my voice or my day job in uniform. 

So I guess music is my speed now…and I’m good with that 

Fired up and ready to chat? Send me an email here.

 

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You can find the Fireground Fitness podcast wherever great podcasts are located. So, search it out and subscribe. Your feedback is powerful, and greatly appreciated. Go to apple podcasts, subscribe, rate and review the podcast or shoot me an email!

If you would like to contact today’s guest...

Email:  Firesiderecord@gmail.com

IG: yourfiresiderecords

FB: Fireside records  

Your host can be reached at:

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FB: @fireground fitness

Twitter: @firegroundfit

Email: raynegray@firegroundfitness.com

Ep104, No Good Dudes with Noah Katz

Many years ago, Noah Katz, our guest on Ep 104 rolled into fire station 39 where he and I discussed the virtues of playing hockey and fighting fire. Since that time, I have fanboyed over Noah’s career as a professional hockey player, amazed by the grit and perseverance an accomplishment like that requires. This attitude has parleyed into a fantastic fire service career and, no surprise, an intense focus on training and professionalism.  In Ep 104 we talk about Noah’s hockey career, his journey onto the Phoenix Fire department, leadership, training and more. Please enjoy!

 

A little more about today’s guest…

 

Noah Katz currently serves as a Captain / Paramedic on Engine 15 in the City of Phoenix. Noah is extremely passionate about training and the fire service and has traveled the country learning and educating himself. Noah served on the Local 493 firefighters union executive board for 9 years and during this time held many roles including the Director of Training. During this time Noah was able to design and implement training for over 1700 firefighters in Hose Line Management and Water Application as well as Forcible Entry and most recently Search and Rescue training. Noah was able to implement this training to recruit firefighters as an instructor at the Phoenix Regional Training Academy. In addition to being an Instructor at the Arizona State Fire School. Noah was also the chair of the Phoenix Firefighter’s Symposium in 2023 and has served as an adjunct faculty member for the Paradise Valley Community College Firefighter 1 and 2 program. Noah is an IAFF certified PEER Fitness trainer and in 2021 completed the Georgia Smoke Diver Program where he graduated from class 59 as Smoke Diver 1100 and Arizona Smoke Diver number 1. Noah has been an instructor at both National and International conferences where he passionately enjoys teaching, most recently at The Castillo Way in Houston, Texas and the 1^st Congresso International in Cabo, Mexico. Before becoming a firefighter Noah spent 5 years playing hockey professionally across the United States and in Germany. Most notably, Noah prioritizes family first and is a father to his beautiful daughter.

 

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You can find the Fireground Fitness podcast wherever great podcasts are located. So, search it out and subscribe. Your feedback is powerful, and greatly appreciated. Go to apple podcasts, subscribe, rate and review the podcast or shoot me an email!

If you would like to contact today’s guest...

Email:  info@priorityfiretraining.com 

IG: Priorityfiretraining

Phone: (480) 263-1032

 

Your host can be reached at:

IG: @firegroundfitness

FB: @fireground fitness

Twitter: @firegroundfit

Email: raynegray@firegroundfitness.com

Bonus drop - The Kitchen Table with Rayne Gray

Today the kitchen table has turned and I find myself on the other side, as the interviewee rather than the interviewer. In today's special drop I sat down with Berlin Maza of the "Leadership Discussions @ The Kitchen Table" podcast. 

We discuss leadership, relationships, empathy, building your reading list and so much more! Enjoy. 

Ep103, Dig'n Data with Chief Jenkins

Chief Tom Jenkins came to the valley to discuss the roll out of the NERIS project – the National Emergency Response Information System. This is a fire service data reporting tool that will increase the efficiency and utility of the reporting system for the American fire service (see Chief, I was paying a little bit of attention!) Which is interesting, however, a chat with Chief Jenkins is way more than data collection, he assumed the role of Fire Chief for the Rogers Arkansas Fire Department at the ripe old age of 27 and held that top spot for the last 15 years.

 

In episode 103 we talked about “making the community safer” and how we as firefighter’s accomplish that, the difficult lessons learned along the way as well as the importance of mentorship, training, and leadership. It was a great conversation with a very down to earth Fire Chief, I hope you enjoy the conversation!

 

 

A little more about today’s guest…

 

Tom Jenkins serves as a Senior Advisor / Research Manager for UL Fire Safety Research Institute on the NERIS project.  Prior to joining FSRI, he was the Fire Chief for the City of Rogers (AR).  In that capacity he led over 160 career firefighters and successfully attained accreditation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence and Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services. Chief Jenkins was asked to serve by Governors Beebe and Hutchison to serve on several state commissions and groups, including the Trauma Advisory Council, Firefighter Cancer Benefit Review Panel and the Safe Schools Commission. He has served as a professor for Drury University, Northwest Arkansas Community College, Tulsa Community College, and Oklahoma State University. In 2015, Chief Jenkins was elected to serve on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Fire Chiefs as the Second Vice President. In 2017 and 2018, he served as President and Chairman of the Board for the IAFC.

 

In addition to public service, Tom is regular presenter at nearly all fire and emergency medical conferences. Chief Jenkins completed his master’s in public administration from the University of Oklahoma and obtained his bachelor’s degree in Fire Protection and Safety Engineering from Oklahoma State University. He has completed the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy and is a designated Chief Fire Officer and Chief Emergency Medical Services Officer from the Commission on Public Credentialing. He currently serves on multiple boards and committees, including the: NFPA Standard on Organization and Deployment of Career Fire Departments Standard 1710, International Fire Service Training Association Board of Directors, PulsePoint Advisory Board, and National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Advisory Board.  His service also includes appointments to the Homeland Security Advisory Council, where he served from 2020-2021 and the FEMA National Advisory Council where he has served since 2023. 

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You can find the Fireground Fitness podcast wherever great podcasts are located. So, search it out and subscribe. Your feedback is powerful, and greatly appreciated. Go to apple podcasts, subscribe, rate and review the podcast or shoot me an email!

If you would like to contact today’s guest...

Email: thomas.jenkins@ul.org

Web: fsri.org

in: Tom Jenkins

Your host can be reached at:

IG: @firegroundfitness

FB: @fireground fitness

Twitter: @firegroundfit

Email: raynegray@firegroundfitness.com

Ep102 Do the hard Work with Joe Spector

Our guest today, Joe Spector, is a retired firefighter turned podcaster, author, and emotional fitness instructor. After a years of subsequent traumas that led him to the brink of suicide, Joe chose to live, pursue radical wellness, and champion others (particularly in public safety) to do the same.

In 2017, Joe experienced a brain and spinal cord injury, costing him his health, income, and fifteen-year career in public service. 

 

His emotional recovery made him ultra aware that first responders are in deep need of emotional fitness and mental health emergency prevention training as well as tools and a safe space to process their experiences.

Since then, Joe has developed an emotional and mental fitness program for first responders, which he has been invited to share through his brand Grit, Growth, and Gratitude: https://ggg.training. Through the Grit Growth & Gratitude app, video training modules, meditations, and emotional fitness materials, Joe champions other first responders to pursue unbreakable resilience and unshakable happiness, no matter their circumstances.

 

Beyond his advocacy for those in the trauma community, Joe has a vested interest in helping parents equip their children with emotional regulation tools and techniques. As a parent to a daughter with a sensory processing disorder, he is empathetic to the lack of resources and taught-skills available to parents of children struggling with emotional dysregulation and/or special needs..

 

When Joe isn’t publicly speaking, writing, or teaching, he’s out living life to the fullest: taking his bullmastiff, Journey, on morning walks, traveling to Red Rocks to see his favorite bands play, diving into icy cold plunges, meditating with yogis at the local studio, and hanging out with his beloved wife Leslie and their two amazing kids Sophie and Sean.

 

A note from our guest…

 

I got so wrapped up in our conversation the other day that I led people to my Instagram account when you asked where people can find me, but I totally spaced sharing that for public safety the best place to find me is through our resilience training. 

 

It’s comprehensive, evidence-based suicide/addiction/PTSD prevention training through emotional fitness and resilience building. There is an ancillary app so family members and retirees can have free access. There’s printed materials, a 7-day meditation course designed specifically for public safety, and 20 video modules covering emotional processing, normalizing the dialogue, communication and conflict resolution at home, addiction/dependency, and a lot more. This is the bridge for the gap that I was sharing with you regarding no training/on-going assessment for our mental/emotional fitness for duty. I’ve literally never worked harder on or been more proud of anything than this program. 

 

If you want to share any of that in the show notes it would be amazing, and our website has samples of the training, testimonials, statistics, download links for the app (about ⅓ of the training on the app is free) and a contact form so that organizations can get in touch to discuss implementing prevention/resilience training for their people. 

 

It’s relatively new, and we’re still gathering data and improving, but the beta tests and anecdotal success have been so amazing!

If you want to add any of the above and/or check out the website to see what I’m talking about, its: Grit, Growth & Gratitude www.ggg.training and my email address is joe@ggg.training

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You can find the Fireground Fitness podcast wherever great podcasts are located. So, search it out and subscribe. Your feedback is powerful, and greatly appreciated. Go to apple podcasts, subscribe, rate and review the podcast or shoot me an email!

If you would like to contact today’s guest...

IG: thejoespector

FB: Joey Spector

in: Joe Spector

Your host can be reached at:

IG: @firegroundfitness

FB: @fireground fitness

Twitter: @firegroundfit

Email: raynegray@firegroundfitness.com

 

 

 

Ep.101 w/ Kris Kazian

When Kris Kazian and I sat down to record episode 101 he offered to prepare me an egg and cheese omelet with a side of bacon before we got started. Now, I am not one to pass up a meal and it would be rude to decline this kind gesture, right? So, I accepted his offer, sitting down to a delicious omelet but also an introduction to the true nature of service that epitomizes Kazian’s character.

Before we finished our meal, we were neck deep in a thoughtful conversation about leadership and organizational dynamics. When we finally hit record after an hour of chatting the thoughtful and well considered lessons continued to unfold. In episode 101 we discussed leadership, team building, training, becoming a Fire Chief, learning to play politics and so much more! This is a great episode, enjoy!

 

A little more about our guest, from our guest…

 

Starting in 1990 as a paid on call firefighter in the northern suburbs of Chicago, starting career service as a firemedic in 1991 working my way through the ranks and retiring as deputy chief of operations in 2012 served as a great foundation for the next 10+ years serving as fire chief in Northern AZ and then Northern CO. Bringing things full circle, currently serving as the Operations Chief in Evergreen CO and loving it, taking me back to my roots of firefighting and community in our primarily volunteer agency. 

 

Proud husband and father to 5 who after 34 years in the fire service still is unable to find the right life-work balance but l keep trying! I have a Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership from Dominican University and a Bachelor's Degree in Fire Science management from Southern IL University, was a pretty decent paramedic for 25 years, and always enjoy the chance to talk leadership, trying to help others navigate their leadership journey whenever I can. I have been very fortunate to have many spectacular leaders in my career and have learned that meaningful and effective relationships are the most important thing in developing a person. 

 

Live every day to its fullest, never miss a chance to make a difference and love the job and the people you work with like your life depends on it! 

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You can find the Fireground Fitness podcast wherever great podcasts are located. So, search it out and subscribe. Your feedback is powerful, and greatly appreciated. Go to apple podcasts, subscribe, rate and review the podcast or shoot me an email!

If you would like to contact today’s guest...

Email: KrisKazian@Gmail.com 

IG: Kris Kazian

FB: Kris Kazian

in: Kristian Kazian

Your host can be reached at:

IG: @firegroundfitness

FB: @fireground fitness

Twitter: @firegroundfit

Email: raynegray@firegroundfitness.com

 

 

 

Ep. 100 The Panel

Wow, today we are dropping episode 100!  By some comparisons that is not very many episodes, but when I think of what it has meant to me personally then it all sinks in. The value is in the relationships and edifying conversations that have been had with each guest. The random and amazing interactions I have had with folks like yourself who listen to the FGF podcast for a variety of reasons. 

Today, in celebration of the 100th episode I sat down with four of my friends, all former guests, to look back at a few remarkable quotes from our favorite episodes. It was a fantastic conversation, recorded in the Blue Helmet Media studio, I hope you enjoy!

 

A little more about our guests…

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Chris Stewart – Episode 5

Chris Pearce – Episode 18

Billy Burnett – Episode 52

Reda Riddle Bigler – Episode 74

 

Our host for this episode, Blue Helmet Media, was also a guest, Ashley Losch – Episode 79

 

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You can find the Fireground Fitness podcast wherever great podcasts are located. So, search it out and subscribe. Your feedback is powerful, and greatly appreciated. Go to apple podcasts, subscribe, rate and review the podcast or shoot me an email!

Your host can be reached at:

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FB: @fireground fitness

Twitter: @firegroundfit

Email: raynegray@firegroundfitness.com

E99 The Hero's Journey with Heather Marques

When you walk into a room and see Heather Marques for the first time one is immediately struck by the energy radiating off this talented fire service leader.  She exudes a selfless confidence which is truly warranted and immediately qualified when she speaks. As you will hear in episode 99 Marques has a great knowledge, passion and commitment concerning the business of firefighting and is working hard to help the next generation of Firefighters. Marques’ began traveling the world right out of high school, taught herself Spanish, wrote a history book for her agency, has a family and completed her Master’s Degree in the Navel Post Graduate School. We discuss all this and so much more. Please enjoy!

 

A little more about our guest….

Chief Heather Marques, M.A. is a Division Chief of Medical Services for an all-risk fire department in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. Her agency’s district covers over 500 square miles and runs about 48,000 calls for service a year, providing fire suppression, ALS emergency medical services, fire prevention, and public education. She oversees all medical operations, training and certification, special events and the tactical medicine teams. Heather is trained as a Nationally Registered Paramedic, a hazmat specialist, a confined space rescue technician, water rescue specialist, and teaches at the fire academy. She also teaches paramedic level courses and is a certified instructor and lead skills evaluator and Certified Chief Officer with the California State Fire Marshal.  Heather holds an associate degree in photography, an associate degree in paramedicine, and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of California at Berkeley. Heather is a graduate of and Class Speaker for the Los Angeles Fire Department Leadership Academy.  She holds a Master’s Degree in Security Studies from the Center for Department of Homeland Security at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Her thesis is titled Working Fire: Recruitment and Retention of Women Firefighters. She is the author of a history book, Alameda County Fire Department, (Arcadia Press, 2015) and published in the Harvard Public Health Review:  Establishment of Human Trafficking Reporting Protocols, Mandatory Specialized Training, and the Development of a Human Trafficking Liaison Officer (HTL0.) She has developed a statewide training module to address human trafficking education for the California fire service. Heather is committed to First Responder Health and Wellness and cancer prevention. She is Vice-President of the Alameda County Fire Chiefs EMS Section, Treasurer of the Nor-Cal Cal Chiefs EMS Section, and a member of the IAFC (International Association of Fire Chiefs) and WFS (Women in the Fire Service.) She serves as Chair of the California State Fire Association (CSFA) Strategic Planning Committee.  Heather speaks regularly including presentations at the National Fire Academy as well as Fresno Training Symposium, CSFA’s CTEX, Fire Shows West, the AZ Command Symposium, and the HIDTA Narcotics Task Force.

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You can find the Fireground Fitness podcast wherever great podcasts are located. So, search it out and subscribe. Your feedback is powerful, and greatly appreciated. Go to apple podcasts, subscribe, rate and review the podcast or shoot me an email!

If you would like to contact today’s guest...

IG: yosoylavikinga

FB: Heather marques

LinkedIn: Heather Marques

Your host can be reached at:

IG: @firegroundfitness

FB: @fireground fitness

Twitter: @firegroundfit

Email: raynegray@firegroundfitness.com

 

Ep98 I don't have all the answers with Tammy Cifra

With just under 20 year on the job Tammy Cifra has reached the breakover point where she has now spent more than half of her life on the job. Many would argue that she has given her due, but not Cifra, she is full steam ahead, now serving in her “dream job” as the lead Recruit Training Officer for the Glendale Public Safety Regional Training Center. She joins us on episode 98 as she recovered between academy classes, we talked about her career, her love for travel and so much more, please enjoy!

 

A little more about our guest…

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Tammy Cifra is a Captain for the City of Glendale Fire Department in Arizona. She started on the job in 2004 with her dream department and hasn’t looked back. She is a nationally registered paramedic, hazardous material technician as well as a technical rescue technician. She is Fire Instructor 1 &2 certified and has taught Zero Impact Period at Arizona State Fire School for the past 3 years. She is part of a local cadre consisting of members of different fire departments from across the valley that focus on techniques and skills related to proper line selection, hose deployment, forcible entry, and water application. She served as a Recruit Training Officer at the academy for 3 classes and is now currently the Lead Recruit Training Officer for the Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center.

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You can find the Fireground Fitness podcast wherever great podcasts are located. So, search it out and subscribe. Your feedback is powerful, and greatly appreciated. Go to apple podcasts, subscribe, rate and review the podcast or shoot me an email!

If you would like to contact today’s guest...

IG: bemyherorun

FB: Tammy Cifra

Your host can be reached at:

IG: @firegroundfitness

FB: @fireground fitness

Twitter: @firegroundfit

Email: raynegray@firegroundfitness.com

Ep97 Flame and Fortune with Rick Bucher

Years of fast paced adventures, motor, road and mountain bike racing, rock climbing, and the everyday stress of climbing in and out of fire trucks and running calls takes a toll. Sometimes this is an obvious injury, a crashed bike leading to a broken ankle, a fused spine, or any number of orthopedic maladies that trouble Firefighters. Just as often, though, we can sustain injuries that go unseen, the result of managing innumerable emergencies and carrying unresolved grief, leaving trauma and scars that are hidden from the naked eye. These insidious injuries can be as devastating, or worse, to one’s health and career.

 

Rick Bucher, has been down this road and on Ep.97 we discuss his experience with all of the seen and unseen trauma as well as his mental illness and the suicide attempt that got him on the road to recovery. Rick’s story is hard to hear, but it is important that we listen and work to recognize the signs of mental health issues. If we say “I got your back!” It has to mean that I know what I am looking for and I am not afraid to advocate for your life. Take a listen.  

 

A little more about our guest…

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Rick Bucher had a normal enough childhood, but his life has been extraordinary since.  An adventure sports athlete, racer, and instructor, Rick served as a firefighter/paramedic in Scottsdale, Arizona for 27 years.  After narrowly surviving a rock-climbing accident, motorcycle wreck and a suicide attempt, he went on to receive treatment for PTSD and is now working to increase awareness of mental health issues in the public safety arena.  He also went on to find his biological family after decades of unanswered questions about who he was and where he came from.  Eliminating the stigma of stepping forward for help and providing support for those who do is his new passion and he tours the country following opportunities to share his story, speaking to groups and spreading a message of hope, resilience and unity in the face of trauma.  His story is a remarkable tale of redemption and a reminder of the power of the human spirit.

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You can find the Fireground Fitness podcast wherever great podcasts are located. So, search it out and subscribe. Your feedback is powerful, and greatly appreciated. Go to apple podcasts, subscribe, rate and review the podcast or shoot me an email!

If you would like to contact today’s guest...

IG: rickbucher603

FB: Rick Bucher

To schedule Rick to speak in your organization reach out to:  rickbucher603@gmail.com

Pick up his book:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/flame-and-fortune-rick-bucher/1143034715?ean=9798215894200

Your host can be reached at:

IG: @firegroundfitness

FB: @fireground fitness

Twitter: @firegroundfit

Email: raynegray@firegroundfitness.com