HAZARD CLASS

What does it take to lead one of the most elite teams in the world, and what can the fire service learn from the culture behind the U.S. Navy Blue Angels?In this episode of Hazard Class, Jake Ryks sits down with Command Master Chief Matt Dawson of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels for a candid conversation about leadership, accountability, mentorship, and building high-performing teams.Dawson shares his unconventional journey from a high school dropout with little direction to becoming one of the Navy's senior enlisted leaders. Through personal setbacks, combat medical deployments, search and rescue operations, and nearly three decades of military service, he explains how failure, mentorship, and personal accountability transformed his approach to leadership.The conversation explores the demanding selection process behind the Blue Angels and the organizational culture that allows approximately 140 individuals to operate as one of the world's premier flight demonstration teams. Dawson explains the team's philosophy of "Glad to Be Here" and how motivation, mutual respect, and a shared mission contribute to exceptional performance.Ryks and Dawson tackle challenges familiar to fire service leaders, including balancing personal ambition with responsibility to others, overcoming ego, accepting criticism, and recognizing that leadership development never stops, regardless of rank.Dawson also discusses 360-degree mentorship, setting realistic expectations, and understanding individual capabilities when developing personnel. The conversation concludes with his involvement in Firehouse Freedom, a leadership development initiative bringing lessons from military leadership and high-performance organizations into the fire service.From the flight line to the firehouse, this episode challenges leaders to reconsider how they develop their people, establish organizational culture, and create environments where individuals genuinely want to succeed.Command Master Chief Matt Dawson is a senior enlisted leader in the United States Navy who, at the time of recording, serves as Command Master Chief of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.With approximately 27 years of naval service, Dawson began his career as a Hospital Corpsman before becoming a search and rescue medical technician. His experience includes medical evacuation missions in Kuwait and Iraq, helicopter search and rescue operations, and senior leadership assignments throughout naval aviation.Before joining the Blue Angels, Dawson served as Command Master Chief of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 (HSC-25) in Guam, supporting a command of approximately 350 personnel.Dawson is also a partner in Firehouse Freedom, working alongside fellow Navy leadership veterans to bring military leadership principles and organizational development strategies to fire departments and emergency service organizations.THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:HIAX Boots:www.HiaxUSA.comRigaku Analytical Devices:www.RigakuAnalytical.com

What actually makes someone a great leader in the fire service? Is it experience, rank, confidence, or the ability to bring out the best in the people around them?In this episode of Hazard Class, Jake Ryks sits down with retired Deputy Chief, bestselling author, and nationally recognized leadership instructor Frank Viscuso for a candid conversation about leadership, humility, accountability, and what it really means to serve.Viscuso shares his unlikely journey into the fire service, from trying to outperform his older brother on the firefighter entrance exam to spending 27 years on the job and ultimately retiring as a deputy chief. Along the way, he reflects on the influence of his father, the importance of family, and the experiences that shaped his approach to leadership.Through powerful stories of life-saving rescues, operational mistakes, and lessons learned, Viscuso explains why storytelling can be more effective than simply teaching tactics. He and Ryks explore how departments can build cultures where firefighters are comfortable acknowledging mistakes, conducting meaningful after-action reviews, and learning from one another.The conversation also examines the challenges of promotion, the dangers of micromanagement, and why effective leaders must recognize that their way isn't always the only way. Viscuso challenges officers to focus on results, develop their people, and understand the difference between providing direction and unnecessarily controlling the process.Viscuso also shares how the events of September 11 inspired his writing career, the challenges of publishing his first book, and the leadership principles behind his newest novel, One Degree of Difference.Ultimately, this episode is a reminder that leadership isn't about being the smartest person in the room. It's about creating an environment where everyone has the opportunity to become better.Frank Viscuso is a retired Deputy Chief of the Kearny Fire Department in New Jersey, where he served for 27 years. A nationally recognized speaker, leadership instructor, and accomplished author of 15 books, Viscuso has become a prominent voice in fire service leadership and professional development.His books include Step Up and Lead, Flash Point, Common Valor, and his newest leadership novel, One Degree of Difference.Through his Step Up and Lead platform, books, and approximately 60 speaking engagements annually, Viscuso shares practical leadership principles focused on accountability, teamwork, personal development, and building high-performing organizations.THANK YOU TO OUR EPISODE SPONSORS!HAIX Bootshttps://www.haixusa.com/Rigaku Analytical Deviceshttps://rigaku.com/products/handheld-raman/products

What does it really mean to care about the job, and whose responsibility is it to make firefighters better?In this episode of Hazard Class, Jake Ryks sits down with Scott Hewlett, host of the Multiple Calls Podcast, for a candid conversation about firefighter training, leadership, accountability, mental health, and the pursuit of excellence.Drawing on 28 years in the fire service, Hewlett shares his journey from an aspiring pilot to a second-generation firefighter and explains how mentorship, humility, and a commitment to continuous improvement have shaped his career.The conversation takes a provocative turn when Hewlett challenges one of the fire service's most common training philosophies: the need to get firefighters to "buy in." He argues that instructors are responsible for making firefighters aware and able, but the willingness to improve must ultimately come from the individual.Ryks and Hewlett explore the battle between high-performing and disengaged firefighters, the importance of developing future leaders, and why departments must create cultures where admitting mistakes and learning from them become standard practice.They also examine the relationship between operational competence and mental health. Hewlett challenges the belief that firefighters must emotionally detach themselves from the people they serve, arguing that compassion and toughness can coexist and may help responders process traumatic experiences.The discussion concludes with a powerful examination of firefighter fitness, preparation, and the responsibility to be ready for the call that could define an entire career.This episode challenges firefighters, instructors, and officers to reconsider what professionalism, commitment, and service truly demand.Scott Hewlett is a second-generation firefighter, instructor, mentor, and host of the Multiple Calls Podcast, with 28 years of experience in the Canadian fire service.Throughout his career, Hewlett has been deeply involved in firefighter training, recruit development, mentorship, and mental health advocacy. His experience includes serving in the training division of Brampton Fire, teaching fire academy students, and helping lead a firefighter peer support team.Known for his emphasis on combining operational competence with compassion, Hewlett advocates for a fire service culture built on accountability, continuous learning, humility, and genuine care for others. Through his podcast, educational content, and instructional work, he encourages firefighters to pursue professional excellence while maintaining their humanity.Learn more at www.multiplecalls.com.Guest Biography: Scott Hewlett

In this episode of Hazard Class, Jake Ryks sits down with newly appointed Minneapolis Fire Chief Dr. Reggie Freeman for a candid conversation about leadership, overcoming adversity, and his vision for the future of the Minneapolis Fire Department.Freeman shares his unconventional journey through the fire service, beginning with his early career in Mississippi, where financial struggles led him to accept a firefighting position in Iraq. He reflects on being thrust into leadership before he was ready, the mistakes he made as a young officer, and the experiences that fundamentally changed his approach to leading people.The conversation follows Freeman's career through leadership positions in Hartford, Oakland, and Saudi Arabia, including his efforts to restore organizational discipline and address longstanding public safety concerns. In a story he says he has never shared publicly, Freeman reveals how he was offered the position of Toronto Fire Chief, only to have the opportunity unravel over political concerns about appointing an American.Turning to Minneapolis, Freeman outlines the challenges facing the department, particularly inadequate staffing, firefighter health and safety, and the need to modernize emergency services. He discusses his proposed $15 million staffing expansion, his commitment to a "firefighter-first" philosophy, and his vision for expanding the fire department's role in EMS, behavioral health, and community services.Throughout the discussion, Freeman offers his perspective on transformational servant leadership, building trust with firefighters, navigating city politics, and making unpopular decisions without sacrificing integrity. He also reflects on the influence of fatherhood, personal faith, and the importance of mentorship.The conversation concludes with Freeman sharing what he hopes will define his legacy: being remembered as a servant leader who put firefighters first.Guest Bio:Dr. Reggie Freeman is the 19th Fire Chief of the Minneapolis Fire Department and an internationally experienced fire service leader whose career has included senior leadership positions across the United States and abroad.Freeman began his fire service career in Mississippi in 2001, developing a strong technical background in rescue operations, firefighting, and instruction. From 2004 to 2008, he served in Iraq, providing fire and emergency services in support of Department of Defense operations.His subsequent leadership positions included serving as Fire Chief for Lockheed Martin in Atlanta, Georgia, and leading the Hartford Fire Department in Connecticut and the Oakland Fire Department in California. He also served as an executive director of fire and emergency services operations in Saudi Arabia.Throughout his career, Freeman has developed a reputation for organizational improvement, accountability, and transformational servant leadership. As Minneapolis Fire Chief, his priorities include improving staffing, strengthening departmental operations, supporting firefighter health and wellness, and expanding the department's role in community public safety.A passionate advocate for mentorship and professional development, Freeman emphasizes transparent communication, consistent leadership, and his signature "firefighter-first" philosophy.THANK YOU TO OUR EPISODE SPONSORS!HAIX USA | Firefighter Boots & Emergency Services FootwearPremium structural firefighting boots, station boots, and footwear designed for fire, EMS, and emergency response professionals.https://www.haixusa.com/Rigaku Analytical Devices | Handheld Raman Chemical IdentificationAdvanced handheld Raman spectroscopy and chemical identification technology for hazardous materials response teams, law enforcement, and first responders.https://www.rigakuanalytical.com/

In this episode of Hazard Class, Jake Ryks sits down with retired FDNY Deputy Chief Thomas Dunne to reflect on his 33-year career with the New York City Fire Department, the experiences that shaped his approach to leadership, and the lessons learned from some of the most devastating emergencies in American history.Dunne begins with his unlikely entry into the fire service, initially planning to spend just one year as a firefighter. He recalls learning from FDNY veterans of New York City's infamous "War Years" and how their experience, confidence, and composure influenced his development as a firefighter and eventually an incident commander. The conversation examines the relationship between competence and confidence, whether people can learn to perform under extreme stress, and why good leaders must remain calm even when they are anything but.The discussion moves into several defining incidents from Dunne's career, including his response to the 1990 Happy Land Social Club fire, which claimed 87 lives, and an early firefighter rescue that fundamentally changed his understanding of the dangers of the job. He also shares an extraordinary story of how that rescue came full circle decades later.Dunne then recounts his experience on September 11, 2001, from hearing the initial FDNY radio transmissions and witnessing the collapse of the World Trade Center towers to supervising rescue and recovery operations at Ground Zero. He discusses the chaos of those first hours, the remarkable coordination that developed in the weeks that followed, the personal losses he continues to carry, and why he has returned to the memorial site only once.Throughout the conversation, Dunne explores the realities of fireground leadership, the responsibility of making decisions that affect other people's lives, and the uncomfortable truth that even good decisions cannot eliminate risk. Drawing on the principles behind his book, Pressure Proof: A Guide to Performing Under Stress, he explains why preparation, experience, and the ability to anticipate the unexpected are essential for anyone responsible for leading others through a crisis.Guest Bio:Thomas Dunne is a retired Deputy Chief and 33-year veteran of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY). Throughout his career, he served in Midtown Manhattan, the Bronx, and other areas of New York City, rising through the ranks of firefighter, lieutenant, captain, battalion chief, and deputy chief. He served as incident commander at hundreds of emergencies involving residential, commercial, and high-rise buildings.His career included responding to the 1990 Happy Land Social Club fire in the Bronx, where 87 people lost their lives, and supervising rescue and recovery operations at the World Trade Center following the September 11 terrorist attacks.Since retiring, Dunne has lectured nationally on incident command, decision-making, human behavior during disasters, and performing under stress. He has served as an adjunct instructor for the National Fire Academy and Kean University and has contributed numerous articles to Fire Engineering and other fire service publications.Dunne is the author of Notes from the Fireground: Memoir of a New York Firefighter, the novel A Moment in Time, and his latest book, Pressure Proof: A Guide to Performing Under Stress, released in March 2026.SPONSORS:Hiax USAhttps://www.hiaxusa.com/Rigaku Analytical Deviceshttps://www.rigakuanalytical.com/