The Weekly Scrap, Firefighter Podcast

Larry Conley is on the Scrap, and what a great conversation. 

Larry has served more than thirty years in the fire service, and he's spent much of that time teaching and mentoring other firefighters. Now retired, Larry continues to invest his time in making the fire service better.

If you've followed his work, heard him teach, or listened to The Larry Conley Show, you know there are plenty of directions this conversation can go.

Leadership. Training. The job. The people. And the lessons earned over more than three decades in the fire service.

Chief Dan Shaw returns to The Weekly Scrap.

If you caught Dan's first appearance on Episode #243, you already know the conversation didn't disappoint. Now he's back, and we're ready to see where this one takes us.

With more than three decades in the fire service, including retiring as the Assistant Chief of Operations for the Fairfax County (VA) Fire and Rescue, Chief Shaw now works with organizations across the country, helping develop leaders, strengthen culture, and challenge the way organizations think about leadership and organizational excellence.

If you've been around The Weekly Scrap...

Dr. Candace Ashby returns to The Weekly Scrap for a conversation every firefighter needs to hear. 

With over three decades in the fire service, a Doctorate of Management in Organizational Leadership, and years of experience climbing through the ranks, Candace—currently serving as a Battalion Chief—has become a respected voice on leadership, accountability, and protecting the culture that makes this profession unlike any other.

We'll dive into what truly makes firefighting the greatest job on Earth, why that culture is worth fighting for, and how company officers and firefighters at every rank have...

Benjamin Martin is coming back to the Scrap, and we've got more to unpack than we'll have time to cover.

Benjamin started his career riding the jump seat of a busy urban engine company and recently retired as an Acting Battalion Chief after more than 23 years in the fire service.

Many of you know him through EmbraceTheResistance.com, his articles, podcast appearances, or his nationally recognized class, Intoxicated Leadership.

Over the last decade, he's challenged many of the assumptions inherited about leadership, helping firefighters at every rank recognize the hidden forces that shape...

Joined on this episode by Jerry Wells! 

Jerry retired as a Battalion Chief from the Lewisville (TX) Fire Department after 35 years in the fire service. Throughout his career, he's taught firefighters across the country while challenging them to think differently about the profession.

We'll dive into some of the ideas that have shaped Jerry's career, including what "The Kitchen Table" really means, why every firefighter needs an equity stake in their department, the importance firehouse stories and kitchen table conversations have, how culture is built through ownership instead of obligation, and why Jerry believes firefighting i...

Stephen Runyan, aka Tommy Gunn, is coming back to The Scrap, and this one is going to be loaded... again!
With more than 20 years in the fire service, Stephen has dedicated his career to developing firefighters, challenging conventional thinking, and sharing the lessons he's learned from some of the best mentors in the profession.

A Georgia Smoke Diver, FDIC H.O.T. Class Specialist, Wichita Fire Department Hiring Coordinator, and Wichita HOT Board Member and Instructor, Stephen has become a respected instructor in the fire service, teaching firefighters across the country and helping shape the way...

Joined on this episode by my friend, the one and only Dana Larkin!

Dana currently serves as Battalion Chief with Camano Island Fire & Rescue, leading C-Shift while overseeing the department's training division. From starting as a volunteer in 2001 to becoming one of the driving forces behind firefighter development, Dana has spent years building firefighters, officers, and future leaders.

Beyond his department, Dana founded the Cascade F.O.O.L.S. chapter in 2019, served four years as Chapter President, and now serves as Treasurer for F.O.O.L.S. International. His passion for the fire...

Joined on this episode by the one and only Steve Prziborowski, retired Deputy Chief with the Santa Clara County Fire Department who continues to shape the fire service as an instructor with Chabot College and the National Fire Academy. A respected mentor to many, Steve spends much of his time coaching and developing firefighters and officers at all ranks.

Steve has spoken across the country, authored multiple career development books, and has become a recognized voice in the fire service on leadership, succession planning, and preparing the next generation of fire service professionals.

On this...

Joined on this episode by my man Brandon Chapman! Brandon is the Co-Founder and Instructor of GRIT Fire Training LLC, Driver on Truck 17 in the City of Pittsburgh, Assistant Fire Chief for Stowe Township Fire Department, and firefighter with West Lanham Hills Volunteer Fire Company 28 in Prince George's County, Maryland.

With 17 years of combined career and volunteer fire service experience, Brandon has earned a reputation as both a passionate student of the fire service and a respected instructor. As a PA State Suppression Instructor, City of Pittsburgh Recruit School Instructor, and Lead Instructor for Butler County Community...

Joined on episode 358 by Jason Worthy of South Spartanburg Fire Department. 

A second-generation firefighter with 18 years on the job—many of them spent riding the truck. Jason currently serves as Captain on Ladder 24. Throughout his career, he has continually invested in his craft, completing OBT2, the NC Breathing Equipment School, Truckman Academy, and the South Carolina Fire Officer’s Academy.

A true student of the game, Jason leads by example. He is passionate about mentoring those around him while remaining humble, coachable, and committed to growth. Whether on the training ground or in the world of fi...

Joined on this episode by the one and only Tom Richardson, retired FDNY Chief of Department!

Chief Richardson walks the walk, serving 42 years with the FDNY, rising through every rank to lead as the top uniformed officer in the busiest fire department in the nation. A lifelong firefighter, he’s been a volunteer in Deer Park since 1978 (serving as Chief of Department there in 1999-2000 and 2009-2011) and currently serves on the Board of Fire Commissioners. He holds a Master of Arts in Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School - Center for Homeland Defense and Security, al...

Joined on episode 356 by firefighter/paramedic and founder of VEST First Responder LLC, the one and only Jake Hecht!!!! 

Tuesday, May 26th
8 PM CST

From high school history teacher to pro MMA fighter (3× UFC veteran) and now firefighter, Jake turned a violent patient encounter into a mission, dedicating his career to protecting those who protect others.  As a former Army Combatives Instructor and former Lead Defensive Tactics Instructor for the Columbia, Missouri Police Department, Jake has now trained more than 3,000 firefighters and EMS providers across 10 states on practical, field-tested workplace violence survival. 

On t...

Joined on this episode by the one and only Cody Trestrail, Founder and Instructor of Brothers in Battle and the man behind Firemanship! Cody has been on the Scrap for episodes 179 (one of the most listened to episodes of all time), 295, and the Firemanship special, and is coming back on for episode 355! 

Join us for another epic episode where truth bombs drop as we discuss the driving force behind Cody and his mission! It would be remiss not to talk Firemanship and the massive impact it is having on the fire service! The audience as always lights i...

Joined on this episode by the one and only Kiel Samsing; firefighter, paramedic, neuroscience coach, instructor, and author of the game-changing book Mind of Fire: The Science and Art of Decision Making.

Kiel founded Mind of Fire back in 2018 after seeing a massive gap in the fire service: we crush tactics and hands-on skills, but we’ve been starving the cognitive side - the mental sets and reps that separate good decisions from the ones that get people hurt. 

In this episode we’re diving straight into the science and art of fireground decision-making, how the b...

Another firehouse-fueled showdown, we welcomed back David “DJ” Stone to the show! 

DJ is currently developing "The Personnel Issues Playbook: Firefighter Interpersonal Issues You Must Know as a Boss". This is a collaborative project focused on the real-world people problems officers and chiefs face on the job, and how they’ve handled them.

From navigating tough interpersonal conflicts to his own journey moving into the training division, we discussed hard-earned lessons on building trust, inspiring change, avoiding burnout, and leading with respect. 

We will also dug into patience vs. passion, earning credibility, recruiting informal...

This week, we're sitting down with Michael "Stickers" Goldstein, a battle-tested New Hampshire firefighter with 20 years in the first responder game, from dispatcher to the front lines. As the no-holds-barred host of The C.A.N. Report, Mike is on a mission to spotlight the fire service's rich history, raw culture, leadership truths, mental health realities, and the hard lessons that keep our brotherhood strong.

From calling out toxic leadership to celebrating passion, training, and accountability, Stickers delivers straight-talk conversations that hit hard and keep it real. If you love unfiltered fireground wisdom and real talk that...

This week we’re joined by Stephanie White, Editor-in-Chief of Firefighter Nation, one of the sharpest voices in the industry.

Fresh off the rig after 20+ years as a firefighter/paramedic with Fairfax County, Stephanie is bringing her no-nonsense perspective to the table. We dive into the topics that matter most right now. Starting with the problem of conflicts in the fire house and then pivoting to victim mentality in the fire service. And with the biggest week in the industry happening right now, you already know we’re talking the BIG SHOW - FDIC.

As alwa...

Joined on this episode by the one and only Curt Isakson — the absolute force of nature I call “Hurricane Ike” is BACK for Episode 350 of The Scrap!

Chief Ike — 30+ year fire service legend, recently retired Battalion Chief from Escambia County Fire Rescue, creator of County Fire Tactics, and the man who’s lit up The Scrap on episodes 70, 100 (“People Before Water”), 150, 200, 250 (“Faith, Family, Fire, Friends & the Future”), and 313 — returns with the same unrelenting passion and fire that defines every single appearance.

Curt never phones it in. He shows up raw, real...

Joined on this episode by the one and only Brian Brush (CRUSH) and you better be ready, because we’re diving deep into rescue data. He’s coming on to release and discuss the initial findings from the 2026 rescue count. We compare it to the 2021 project and what trends we can quantify, and what trends we are seeing over the last five years.

With over 500 structure fire incidents across the U.S. in the first 90 days of 2026 where a civilian rescue was made. That’s 5.6 structure fire incidents per day involving a rescue, roughly one every 4 hours and 16...

On this episode I am joined by the one and only Kris Blume, and it was a heavy dose of leadership discussion!

We talked about what he means when he says “Carry the Fire” and “Serve the Work,” along with “The Quiet Damage of Destructive Leadership” and how “Burnout Isn’t Just the Job, It’s Leadership.” We also dove into “Data vs. Culture: What Actually Changes Behavior?” And "The Cost of Silence"

As usual, we only got to a fraction of the topics. The questions from the audience came fast and often. 

Joined on this episode by the one and only Dave Dubowski and it was one for the ages.

We plan to talk about his  journey through the fire service and how trajectory is something he has been thinking about.  We dive into what he coined “5 career calls over the past 5 years.”  His photography and buffing over the past 42 years…of course talking to Dubowski, it would be a party foul to not discuss the FOOLS and the upcoming FOOLS convention in St. Louis this year.  And as always with the Weekly Scrap, the audience jumped in with their ques...

Joined on this episode by one of my favorite Stone brothers…Chief Shannon Stone.

I was fired up for this conversation and the topics we planned to dig into. I’ve taken a lot of notes over the years sitting in on this man’s lectures. 
Leadership,  developing the ideal promotional process to put the right people in the right seats and building cultures to support our mission. What it looks like to promote up through the ranks, and how perspective changes when you start looking back over your career.  And as always, the audience jump in with t...

Joined on this episode by the one and only Jake Ryks, and here is a taste of the talking points we we’re planning to cover: the importance of training, inspiring the next generation to care, taking pride in the job, recruitment and retention, when it’s time to promote, what it means to truly be a “master firefighter,” department morale, leading by example, and what it means to be “the senior man.”

We’ll also talk about firehouse culture (hazing vs. just having fun), the importance of caring about the little things, not rushing your career goals, Jake’s...

This week, the Scrap was a little different. We filmed LIVE on location in Baton Rouge at the L.I.F.T. Fire Conference with special guests Bassel Ibrahim and Todd Edwards. (With Surprise guest Clyde Gordon)

Questions came from the YouTube audience and the live audience at L.I.F.T. An amazing evening with several surprises. 

It was an amazing evening and an unforgettable Live Scrap!

There is not a more sacred number in the United States Fire service than 343 and I did not want to treat this as just another episode. With this year marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11, it was important to approach Episode #343 with respect and honor. 

So with that said - this will be MEGA SCRAP FDNY! 

I will be joined by three of FDNY's best: Tom Richardson, Joe Jardin and Frank Leeb. Together they bring more than 115 years of combined experience to explore, dissect, dig-into and ask questions about! 

We will absolutely honor those who...

Joined this week by Mr. Fully Involved himself, the one and only Mark vonAppen.  It promises to be an awesome conversation as one of my most influential mentors comes back on the Scrap!  We discuss how decisions made at the mid-level shape culture, trust, and long-term performance within organizations. How he likes to  emphasizes accountability without ego, discipline without arrogance, and the idea that credibility is built through consistent action, not position. We planned to address the challenges firefighters face: ethical gray areas, top-down pressure, burnout, and the tension between policy and people. Of course as always the best tho...

Joined this week by the one and only Chris Watson.  It was an interesting conversation for sure! We dove deep into transferring knowledge, not just skills. The big question: Are we really doing enough for the next generation of firefighters? Mentoring and how much he learned from his mentors and how that impacted him to pass it on. Chris is also passionate about sharing knowledge beyond the firehouse, especially with the public - and  why fostering relationships with all stakeholders matters more than ever. He brings a unique perspective on how small, seemingly minor interactions can compound over time in...

Joined this week by the one and only Phil Jose.
The first time Phil came on the show, I was out of the country and had Rob Fisher step in as guest host.  I enjoyed listening to that Scrap so much and knew I had to bring Phil back for another round. We talk a lot about tactical decision games, and the lessons he has learned after building and running them for years. The pitfalls to avoid and the best ways to go about setting up your own. Of course, as always the direction of the discussion was d...

Joining us this week is the editor-in-chief himself, Chief David Rhodes!  The number 339 holds deep significance for Rhodes, and we unpack what it means to him. We dive into the nuts-and-bolts… and where this philosophy comes from as well as how he uses it to guide his personal decision making.  No discussion with Chief Rhodes would be complete without checking in on the big show and what all he has planned for FDIC this year, and of course all of this was wonderfully interrupted by the live audience and their awesome questions. 

Joined this week by Groovy himself, Chad Gruver and if you know Chad you know this was an interesting and wild conversation. We discuss Engine work, and how he builds and maintains the culture he desires. We  discuss charities and how a bunch of bad ass seals and bad ass firefighters have done a lot of badass things to make a difference in a lot of lives. Of course, Chad has had his own “Oh shit!  Life slapping you in the face!” type of event… and he dives into the details of his face-to-face battle with cancer at age 52. Of cours...

Joined on this episode of the Weekly Scrap by none other than Zach King! This scrap has been a long time in the making and it finally happened.  We had a lot of conversations centered around the word importance!  The importance of having a plan. The importance of visualization of those plans. The importance of understanding that we do not always have tomorrow! The importance of the human element as it pertains to our future success. And of course, as always…me and the guests' conversations were beautifully derailed and thrown aside by the  questions from the audience!  Enjoy the sh...

Second half of the kickoff 2026 double header!!!!  Joined on this episode by the one and only James Nisbet, and it promises to be a doozy! We plan to discuss getting beyond the pre-connect. The purpose of the first line. Supporting search as the engine. The purpose of system based actions as the engine company (don’t know what this means but it’s provocative) Of course all of our plans as is always the case, will be derailed by the wonderful questions from the audience as we dive down rabbit trails and chase squirrels!  

Joined on this unique episode by Cody Maine, and I was excited to have him on for this topic, because I believe it is the future of emergency services and an answer worth exploring. Cody has been on the forefront of implementing Mobile Integrated health in his department and in his state and he is passionate about it’s value to the community and the line firefighters. The audience showed up with their questions and it was a very informative show and I hope it will spark a lot of conversations across the American Fire Service.

Joined on this episode by the one and only Chief Rick Lasky for the annual year-end episode of the Weekly Scrap!  It was his third time to come on the show to close out the year and I was excited to look back on 2025 in the fire service and field all of the questions from the audience, and they did not disappoint. Chief Lasky unleashed his passion for the job and took us to church in an amazing episode that I promise will leave you fired up about the job!!!

Joined this week by the one and only Anthony “AC” Casanas, and it was an amazing conversation! We started out by discussing firehouse culture and how he learned all about it long before he was ever a firefighter.  Why younger members need something real to emulate, and how social media can be either an incredible tool or an incredible hindrance. And so much more! Of course all of this was beautifully derailed by the amazing questions from the audience as usual!! 

Joined this week by the one and only Kyle Shuford, and we kicked it off by discussing getting outside your bubble to train and why it matters.   Remembering the why. Work-life balance, mental health and staying in love with the job. How passion and leadership go hand in hand in the greatest job on earth. Of course all of this is just what we had planned and it was derailed by the beautiful questions from the audience to make sure we could not cover everything!!!! 

Joined this week by the one and only Ian Schulte, and I had an awesome time having this conversation. We open up with a discussion of being good versus looking good and it only went up from there!  We talked about leadership and mentorship in the fire service. Recruitment, training and setting the standard. Balancing education and On-the-job experience, and of course firehouse culture and morale!  All of this plus the usual beautiful questions from the audience to make sure we don't get to everything we wanted to discuss!!!! 

Joined this week by the one and only Dave Quick. We get nerdy and talk about all things engine, hose, leadership and tactics. We start with the NFPA as Dave explains what we are getting right and wrong. The importance of the “Engine Boss” and what the title really means. The Engine company "urgents"… how to identify and rectify these issues at the pump panel. Of course no discussion with Dave would be complete without nerding out on some hose and attack package talk!  All derailed by the beautiful questions from the audience!!

Joined on this episode by two awesome guests. One of my favorite people on the planet in Chief Frank Leeb, and the other one that I am excited to meet and have an awesome conversation with in Kory Pearn.  We plan to talk about all the issues that can blindside us in the fire-service. The mission of Crackyl magazine.  Cancer, Cardiac, Physical fitness. How can we ensure that a young firefighter becomes an old firefighter! an informative conversation and as always the best laid plans of me and my guests was beautifully derailed by the awesome question from the Sc...

Joined on this episode by the one and only Andrew Johnston and it was an amazing episode.  We discussed the project that Andrew has been the lead on for the last year... the Work of Search and how it is almost ready to be unveiled. We plan to discuss Andrew's wheelhouse... all about drilling and the difference between training and Drilling.  Of course the best laid plans of me and the guest are always beautifully derailed by the live audience and their amazing questions.