Ever wonder what it's like working for FDNY's Special Operations Command while running a firefighter-owned business with thousands of subscribers?

On Episode 183 of The Cool Fireman Podcast, Matt, Brian, and Adam welcome back one of our biggest supporters, longtime sponsor, and good friend Thomas, the founder of Burn Box and FD Collector's Club!

Thomas joins us for a conversation about his life as a firefighter assigned to FDNY Squad 1, the incredible growth of Burn Box, and the challenges of building a business while still working full-time in the firehouse.

What started as an idea to introduce firefighters to other firefighter-owned companies has grown into something Thomas never imagined. From packing boxes in his living room to managing thousands of subscribers, he shares how Burn Box came to life, what makes a great subscription box, and why keeping his customers happy will always be his top priority.

We also get an inside look at FDNY Squad 1, where Thomas explains what makes Squad Companies unique, the training and experience required to earn a spot, and why he still says, "I can't believe I'm getting paid to do this!"

The conversation takes us into the world of FD Collector's Club, where Thomas helps firehouses raise money while delivering high-quality challenge coins, patches, and the history behind each featured department.

And of course, we talk about FDIC, firefighter-owned businesses, the importance of community, and what might be next for Burn Box, including some pretty ambitious ideas involving training and a possible firehouse headquarters!

Plus, we've got a Patreon Prize Box drawing, a surprise giveaway courtesy of Thomas, some listener feedback in Snail Mail, and plenty of laughs along the way!

A huge THANK YOU to Thomas and Burn Box for supporting The Cool Fireman Podcast and being part of our family!

Have you subscribed to Burn Box or FD Collector's Club? What's been your favorite item?

Let us know!

Join our Patreon community, suggest future episode topics, and support the show at thecoolfireman.com.

Real Conversations. Real Firefighters. Real Firehouse Fun. 🚒

Support the show

Learning From Loss: A Firefighter's Legacy & Lessons From a LODD | Episode 182

What happens when a line-of-duty death hits close to home? And more importantly, how do we make sure the lessons learned aren't forgotten?

This week on The Cool Fireman Podcast, Brian, Doug, and Adam welcome special guest Mikey Hillman, a 19-year fire service veteran, to share the story of his close friend and fellow firefighter, Bryce, who tragically lost his life in the line of duty.

This isn't just another discussion about firefighter safety. It's a deeply personal conversation about brotherhood, loss, leadership, aggressive firefighting, and the responsibility we have to learn from those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Mikey takes us through his friendship with Bryce, their time working together, and the devastating fire that changed his life. He explains how an overlooked basement fire became a deadly situation and how that incident has influenced fireground operations, training, and decision-making within his department.

One of the biggest lessons Mikey shares is something he calls "THROTTLE CONTROL."

As firefighters, we're trained to be aggressive, move quickly, and get the job done. But knowing when to slow down, evaluate conditions, and make informed decisions can be just as important as knowing when to push forward.

The guys also discuss the importance of completing a proper 360, identifying basement involvement, keeping radio communications clear, trusting your crew, and developing the next generation of firefighters.

But beyond the tactical lessons, this episode is about remembering the person behind the badge.

Mikey shares what made Bryce such an incredible firefighter, friend, and family man, and how his legacy continues through the work they're doing to educate firefighters and improve the fire service.

This episode has some laughs, some difficult moments, and an important reminder that every line-of-duty death represents more than a statistic. It's a person, a family, a crew, and an opportunity for all of us to learn.

Take the lessons. Share the knowledge. Honor the fallen.

A huge thank-you to Mikey Hillman for being vulnerable, sharing Bryce's story, and helping us continue the conversation about firefighter safety and training.

Check out Mikey's business, Coverings LLC, and the work they're doing to honor Bryce's legacy.

As always, support The Cool Fireman Podcast by joining our Patreon community, sharing the episode, and keeping the conversation going.

Stay safe, take care of your crews, and never stop learning. 🚒

Support the show

Are firefighters promoting too quickly? Does time on the job really determine whether someone is ready to lead?

On Episode 181 of The Cool Fireman Podcast, Matt and Doug welcome back Greg Rudiger as a guest co-host to tackle a topic suggested by Patreon subscriber Jacob Samu: Are fire departments pushing people to promote before they're ready?

With experienced firefighters retiring, departments losing decades of institutional knowledge, and younger members stepping into leadership positions, the fire service is facing some tough questions.

Does a firefighter need 10 or 15 years on the job before becoming a captain? Would you rather work for a great leader with five years of experience or a terrible leader with 25? And how does a newly promoted officer earn the respect of a crew that's been doing the job longer than they've been alive?

The guys discuss the importance of experience, mentorship, realistic training, personal initiative, and why promoting the wrong people can have lasting consequences for an entire department.

Greg also shares a powerful perspective on servant leadership and why experienced firefighters have a responsibility to pass their knowledge to the next generation.

We wrap things up with an incredible Snail Mail comment from Jacob about redefining success, protecting your family time, and remembering that there's more to life than the next promotion.

What matters more when promoting: time on the job, experience, or leadership ability? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

A huge thank-you to Jacob for suggesting this episode and to Greg Rudiger for joining us!

Want to suggest a future episode? Join our Patreon community and become part of the conversation.

Support the show and grab some merch at thecoolfireman.com.

Support the show

Who are you when you take off the uniform?

This week on The Cool Fireman Podcast, Adam and Doug take a different approach. Instead of talking tactics, leadership, and firehouse culture, they're diving into something every firefighter eventually has to face: life outside the firehouse.

After more than 20 years in the fire service, the job becomes a huge part of your identity. But what happens when your priorities change? When family becomes more important than overtime? When retirement starts getting closer and you realize there's a whole lot more to life than riding a fire truck?

Adam opens up about lessons learned from his younger years, how his priorities have changed, and why building a business outside the fire service has given him another purpose. Doug shares his plans for retirement, his love for coaching softball, and the possibility of packing up and moving his family to Colorado.

The guys also discuss balancing work stress with family life, supporting fellow firefighters through difficult times, and why having hobbies, relationships, and goals outside the job is so important.

And of course, it wouldn't be The Cool Fireman Podcast without a few laughs, some questionable conversations, and a little Snail Mail!

In this episode:

• Is being a firefighter your entire identity?
• How marriage, kids, and family change your priorities
• Knowing when it's time to retire
• Finding hobbies and passions outside the firehouse
• Managing work stress without bringing it home
• Why communication with your spouse matters
• Pursuing dreams and building something beyond the fire service
• Supporting fellow firefighters and their families
• Promoting too early and what makes a good leader
• Redefining success after 20 years on the job

The takeaway: Be proud of being a firefighter, but don't forget to enjoy the life you're working so hard to build.

Thanks for listening to The Cool Fireman Podcast!

Support the Show:
Join our Patreon for behind-the-scenes content, exclusive updates, member shout-outs, and chances to win some awesome prizes!

Shoutout to our sponsors:

• Unkie's Seasonings
• Burn Box
• Operation Yellow Tape

Stay safe, take care of your families, and we'll catch you on the next one!

Support the show

“I’m not mad.”
“I’ve got a question.”
“We have enough people.”
“We’ve got a truck available.”

If you've spent any time in the firehouse, you already know those statements can have a whole different meaning depending on which side of the bugles you're standing on.

This week, Brian and Adam introduce the Firehouse Translation Guide.

Brian gives us the chief officer version, while Adam translates it into what the firefighters on the floor are actually hearing. With more than 20 years in the fire service each, the two quickly get into budgets, staffing, reserve apparatus, chain of command, ego, accountability, recognition, and the things firefighters wish their chiefs understood. Pasted text

But the episode becomes more than just chiefs vs. firefighters.

How do we communicate across rank?

Can a firefighter disagree with a chief without being disrespectful?

Do chiefs actually want your opinion?

And how much damage can be caused simply by saying the right thing the wrong way?

As Brian puts it, sometimes you have to put yourself on the other side of the table. Tone, attitude, and perspective all matter. Pasted text

The guys also discuss why communication plays such a huge role in department culture and retention. If we can learn to actually talk to each other and work through problems, we create departments where firefighters genuinely want to stay. Pasted text

🔥 DROP IT IN THE COMMENTS:
What is something your chief says that needs to be added to the Firehouse Translation Guide?

And chiefs… what do firefighters say that needs a translation of its own?

Subscribe to The Cool Fireman Podcast for real conversations about leadership, culture, training, and life in the fire service.

#Firefighter #FireService #FireLeadership

Support the show

Why do we love being firefighters?

For all the conversations about staffing, schedules, leadership, cancer prevention, mental health, and everything the fire service could do better, sometimes it's worth remembering why we chose this job in the first place.

Matt, Doug, and Adam sit down for a positive conversation about what still makes the fire service the greatest job in the world. From helping someone on the worst day of their life to the excitement of never knowing what the next call will bring, they talk about the moments that keep them coming back. Pasted text

Matt shares the story of a cardiac-arrest patient who regained a pulse after multiple shocks—and what it was like seeing him alive and talking in the ICU a week later. Adam talks about the pride that comes from interacting with the public, while Doug explains why hearing from former patients after they've recovered can mean so much. Pasted text

The conversation also turns to something every firefighter understands: the crew can make or break the job. A busy station, sleepless nights, and a tough assignment become a whole lot better when you're surrounded by people you genuinely enjoy working with. Pasted text

And, because it's The Cool Fireman Podcast, a positive episode somehow turns into a discussion about communication between chief officers and the floor. The guys talk about recognition, rumors, chain of command, open-door leadership, "Coffee with the Chief," department newsletters, and why keeping firefighters informed can eliminate a lot of unnecessary speculation. Pasted text Pasted text

At the end of the day, there will always be hard calls and dark days—but there are a whole lot more good ones.

Lean on your crew. Enjoy the ride. And remember why you started.

Follow The Cool Fireman Podcast wherever you listen, and join us on Patreon for behind-the-scenes content, our community, Turnout Drill, and the monthly Patreon Perks Box.

Support the show

Does the fire service have an ego problem?

Matt, Brian, and Adam get into the difference between confidence and ego and what happens when rank, experience, reputation, and pride start getting in the way of good leadership.

Matt shares a story about reconnecting with a chief who knew him years ago when Matt was a young volunteer—and the first thing the chief did was apologize for how he treated younger firefighters back then. That kicks off a bigger conversation about self-awareness, owning your mistakes, and whether rank changes people or simply multiplies who they already are.

The guys talk about leading with love, praising in public and correcting in private, firehouse banter versus tearing people down, developing younger firefighters instead of waiting for them to fail, and why some departments mistake treating people poorly for maintaining a “standard.”

They also tackle the fire service’s social media culture. Are keyboard warriors and firefighter-bashing pages holding people accountable—or is some of it just ego hiding behind a screen?

Plus, Patreon updates, the September Prize Box, an incredible message from a listener, some classic firehouse stories, recruitment vs. retention, and a little Snail Mail to finish things off.

One question to think about after this episode:

Do you treat people the way you wanted to be treated when you were coming up—or are you becoming the firefighter you used to complain about?

Listen, follow, and share the episode with another firefighter.

🔥 The Cool Fireman Podcast

Train Clean, Fight Dirty | Ryan Conley of Carna Bunker Gear

Visit: Carna Bunker Gear

https://www.carnabunkergear.com/

This week, we’re joined by Ryan Conley from Carna Bunker Gear for a conversation about firefighter training, cancer prevention, fitness, and why we may need to rethink how often we train in our frontline turnout gear.

Ryan shares how his background as a firefighter, strength athlete, coach, and exercise physiology nerd eventually led to the creation of Carna Bunker Gear — training gear designed to give firefighters the weight and thermal challenges of bunker gear without unnecessarily training in contaminated frontline PPE.

We get into PFAS, PAHs, dirty gear, SCBAs, apparatus contamination, decon, thermal adaptation, firefighter fitness, and the cumulative exposures firefighters face throughout a 20–30 year career.

But the conversation goes beyond cancer.

How hard should you actually work out while you're on duty? Could crushing yourself during a workout make you a liability if the tones drop five minutes later? And has the fire service gone too far with “safety culture”… or are we finally getting smarter about risks we can actually control?

Adam also asks one of the biggest questions of the episode:

Was it worth it?

Despite the risks, injuries, sleepless nights, cancer concerns, and everything this career asks of us — for the families we showed up for on the worst days of their lives, the answer is still YES.

We also close this episode by recognizing the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, remembering the 343 firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice and those we have continued to lose in the years since.

Never Forget. 🇺🇸

Follow The Cool Fireman Podcast and join us as we continue the firehouse conversation.