Code 3 - The Firefighters Podcast

There’s a campaign going on that aims to give volunteer fire departments some tools to help recruit new members.It’s called “A Hustle Worth Having” and it’s aimed at Gen Z-aged community members. For those unfamiliar with those born between 1997 and 2012, or 14 to 29 years old.The International Association of Fire Chiefs is behind the campaign and has made all the campaign assets available at no cost to any fire department that wants to use them.My guest is Jason Caughey, the Fire Chief of the Laramie County Fire Authority in Wyoming and an IAFC board member

How would you like to work the busiest volunteer firehouse in the nation?This house answers an average of four to five thousand calls for service a year. That’s more than many career departments, and they do it out of one station.Perhaps not surprisingly, the Kentland Volunteer Fire Department has no problem recruiting firefighters. They even staff a minimum of four people on overnights. And this is not a combination department. It’s all-volunteer.Located in Prince George's County, Maryland, Kentland prides itself on high standards.How do they do all this?Here to answer that question is Alex Caldaro, the Truck 33 Sergeant. He’s a fifteen-year veteran of the fire service who also works at Wilson’s Mills Fire Department in Clayton, North Carolina, where he’s Captain of Ladder 5.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and United Airlines flight 93.That means there’s now a whole generation that’s grown up since the attacks and views them as history.There’s a new documentary out now that will help that generation understand what 9-11 means to this nation and why.“The Heroism and Resiliency of 9-11” is the film. It features first-person accounts, actual footage of the attacks and dramatized re-enactments of events. It tells the story through the eyes of people who were there.It’s narrated by well-known actor Gary Sinise. In 2011, he started the Gary Sinise Foundation to serve veterans, first responders, and their families.And with me today is the film's executive producer, Dr. Chris Meek. Chris was there, at ground zero, on September 11th, 2001, working for Goldman Sachs.He’s since become involved with several charities, notably SoldierStrong, which he co-founded to support VA Hospitals.

On this edition of Code 3, we're talking with a firefighter/paramedic who is using the internet to reach young people to tell them about a career as a firefighter.RJ Clarke is working on a documentary photography project titled "The Color of Fire." After 15 years in the fire service, RJ noticed that young kids in the communities he visited rarely considered firefighting as a career because they rarely saw representation of firefighters of color. Currently, about 8 percent of US firefighters are black.In response, he set out to document black firefighters during the quieter, everyday moments between alarms, as well as at work on the fireground. With over a million views online, the project highlights positive representation, community connection, and the true reality of the job. Today, he shares what inspired the project, the impact it’s having, and his plans to turn it into a traveling gallery for the next generation.

On today’s edition, we’re diving into a raw, unfiltered conversation about what happens when the turnout gear comes off and the cumulative weight of the job follows you home. Joining me today is James Owen, a retired 30-year first responder and former Long Beach fire Captain. James is the author of the new book The Last Patient: A Memoir of Resilience and Recovery. We talk about the hard realities of job stress, hitting rock bottom, dealing with trauma, and the work it takes to truly recover—not just for yourself, but for your family