The internet can be a gift and a curse sometimes. We’re absolutely inundated with firefighter content. From podcasts, blogs, publications and YouTube channels, I’ve often relied on lists like this to comb through the chaff and pick out the good stuff. Below, you’ll find a list of content that I deem to be worthy of your time.
Note: none of the links below are paid-for. This is a genuine list of stuff I seek out. Some of these hosts have been kind enough to bring me into the fold. Others, I’m adjacent to – talking about personal development for professional responders. In no particular order, have a scroll through this curated list of firefighter content and click out to their links – I promise, it’s worth your time.
FIRExTalk
Link: https://www.youtube.com/c/FIRExTalk
IG: https://www.instagram.com/firextalk/
FIRExTalk is a YouTube channel that is massively underappreciated. Michael Snodgrass – the guy largely behind the events where these videos are captured, has created a stage for talks on operations, culture and encouraging the best parts of our heritage.
I’ll regularly have this channel playing on my second monitor while I’m working. The fact that these presentations are provided for free is a gift to the fire service.
Ignited Firefighter Podcast
Link: https://anchor.fm/ignitedff
IG: https://www.instagram.com/ignitedff/
Ignited Firefighter podcast tracks beside Ryan Rodriquez. He’s a career firefighter who guides the show toward thoughts on fitness, professional development and being the firefighter you’d want on your crew.
Ryan was kind enough to host a conversation with me about The Wedge, a free and open source goal setting program designed for the fire service.
CRACKYL Magazine
Link: https://crackylmag.com/subscribe/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/crackylmag/
CRACKYL Magazine is a newcomer to the world of trade publications in fire. They produce a hard-copy and digital print focused on firefighter health and wellness.
What makes CRACKYL different – and why you should cop their latest issue – is in their style. This magazine is fresh, with as much attention paid to design as there is to writing. The issue that initially caught my attention featured UFC fighter Stipe Miocic on the cover – a cool crossover of my worlds.
To read an article on resiliency from me in issue 5, click here.
StocktonFireHistory Originals
Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYaOXeciQ-Ak7ChwR_S1TbQ
There is no better place to view fireground operations with clinical annotations of the ‘why’ behind what’s happening on screen. Period.
Each video of a fire scene is captioned to explain the actions of each firefighter. Excellent training resource.
FirefighterNOW
Link: https://www.youtube.com/c/FirefighterNOW
Mike Pertz of FirefighterNOW is running a YouTube channel that offers a mixed bag of firefighter content spanning fitness, interview prep, group dynamics and awesome reaction videos to fireground operations on both ends of the ‘efficiency’ spectrum.
I’m especially keen on Mike’s tips for rookie firefighters. I took a lot of them in to help develop my approach to starting out in the fire service.
Couplings Fire Podcast
Link: https://linktr.ee/couplingsfirepodcast
FB: https://www.facebook.com/CouplingsFirePodcast
Taylor is a volunteer firefighter and fire wife running the Couplings Fire Podcast. Of particular interest, Taylor focuses a segment on her show toward managing family life as a firefighter. She has had some very well known guests appear on the show and for some reason, me – check out my episode with Taylor here: link.
I think this article will probably launch a continuous trend here; I’ll help you dig through the crates and find those firefighter content gems online. If you know of some good stuff I should check out, feel free to shoot me a message on IG.
The links above feature podcasts, YouTube channels and print magazines that I fully believe are worth your time to check out. The internet – for all it’s caves and caverns – is host to amazing content that can really help you become something better. For now, I’ll leave this as ‘Part 1’. Sometime toward the end of the summer, I’ll update a ‘Part 2’ – and I can already think of a few links.
Wanna get a head start?
Check out the Multiple Calls Podcast here: https://multiplecalls.squarespace.com/
Check out Firehouse Tribune here: http://www.thefirehousetribune.com/
