Better Every Shift – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

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Better Every Shift

FireRescue1

Government

Frequency: 1 episode/8d. Total Eps: 317

FireRescue1’s Better Every Shift Podcast spotlights the passion and perseverance of firefighters. Hosted by Madison, Wisconsin, Firefighter Aaron Zamzow, the show brings kitchen table conversations to the airwaves, always focused on solutions, positivity and the realities of station life. Zamzow and guests tackle myriad hot topics, whether fire service, news or even pop culture-focused, bringing some levity to the often very serious nature of the profession. Dig into what drives firefighters to improve themselves, their crew, even the fire service as a whole. Listen in to get better every day, every call, every shift.

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Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.

Apple Podcasts

🇺🇸 USA - government
22/08/2026
#83
🇺🇸 USA - government
19/08/2026
#92
🇺🇸 USA - government
26/07/2026
#99
🇺🇸 USA - government
25/07/2026
#81

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https://go.lexipol.com/?target=lnk_gJwUyLzy5fzELcZZ
150 shares
https://www.magnegrip.com/
46 shares
http://www.lexipol.com/
9 shares

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RSS feed quality

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Score global : 38%

Publication history

Monthly episode publishing history over the past years.

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‘The wins are all in the details’: Trisha Wolford on making members feel heard

Episode 204

Thursday, September 19, 2024 • Duration 01:12:56

Trisha Wolford got her fire service start with the Anne Arundel County (Maryland) Fire Department, and 13 years later, she returned as its fire chief – a full circle moment that helped shape her perspective on leadership. Wolford details how she worked to build trust among the membership through transparency and making members feel heard. She also shares what it was like to be deemed a “DEI hire” while addressing some of the misconceptions about DEI efforts in the fire service. Plus, we dig into this:

The leap from art major to fire chief
“Don’t call them” and other tips for recruiting Gen Z
Where chiefs get stuck in the “frozen middle” with DEI efforts
How a simple policy around nail polish made a big difference
The most important decision she makes as a chief

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore.

Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

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Zam on the hot seat: ‘It’s been a crazy ride’

Episode 203

Thursday, September 12, 2024 • Duration 57:59

Zam and Janelle are trading places on this week’s show, with Zam in the hot seat to share some insights from his fire service career, as well as a peek behind the podcast curtain. Plus, we get into all this:

Zam’s 30-something fire service origin story
5 lessons for new lieutenants
His pre-fire service life involving bartending and cadavers – a bad combination
New opportunities via the First Responder Center for Excellence
Why everything comes back to the Wisconsin Badgers

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by MagneGrip. Eliminate diesel exhaust fumes from inside the fire station with a MagneGrip exhaust removal system. Learn more at MagneGrip.com.

Have an idea for a show topic or guest? Send an email to bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback!

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‘The magic is us’: Captain Frank Leto talks peer support

Episode 194

Thursday, July 11, 2024 • Duration 01:12:57

Post-9/11, there was an attempt to embed psychologists in firehouses, but that approach didn’t work, as the firefighters just ended up counseling the psychologists: “We realized that the magic was us … we’re the ones that keep each other going,” explains FDNY Captain (ret.) Frank Leto. And so began the expansion of the FDNY Counseling Service Unit for which Leto served for years as deputy director, building peer support teams to help other first responders through a variety of incidents beyond Sept. 11 and industries beyond the fire service. And that mission continues today, as Leto works with several organizations focused on behavioral health and resilience. Plus, we dig into this:

The question, “Who has the best therapist?” as a positive cultural shift
Why the depression level spikes for firefighter-retirees
What we can learn from women about coping skills
Workaholism being as unhealthy as other addictions
The effort to “bottle the kitchen table” – and become a millionaire in the process

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore.

Email bettereveryshift@firerescue1.com to share your feedback.

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’It’s those low-frequency events that tend to get us in trouble’

Episode 105

Monday, March 28, 2022 • Duration 07:37

In this episode of the Side Alpha Podcast, Chief Marc Bashoor outlines the importance of MCI training, underscoring that it's vital to training for low-frequency events, like MCIs, that have the potential for high-risk consequences. He also suggests a monthly and quarterly schedule for how often to train on MCI events.

This episode of the Side Alpha Podcast is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit Lexipol.com

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Robert Weisbaum addresses the challenges of affordable housing and the resulting impact on recruitment and retention

Episode 104

Tuesday, March 22, 2022 • Duration 26:49

In this episode of the Side Alpha Podcast, Robert Weisbaum, EMS & Fire Chief for the Crested Butte Fire Protection District in Colorado, tackles a unique challenge facing the firefighters and its broader impact on the fire service as a whole. Specifically, Weisbaum and Chief Bashoor discuss the affordable housing crisis that affects so many across the country, including firefighters. Weisbaum explains the approach his department has taken to securing affordable housing for firefighters, and how this approach helps with broader recruitment and retention efforts.

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Walmart distribution fire raises questions about fire protection systems

Episode 103

Thursday, March 17, 2022 • Duration 11:09

In this episode of the Side Alpha Podcast, Chief Marc Bashoor explores fire protection systems in residential areas as well as larger facilities, like the Walmart distribution center. Are fire protection systems ever a waste of money?

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Captain John Haseney outlines 7 common barriers to implementing cancer-focused best practices

Episode 102

Tuesday, March 8, 2022 • Duration 37:08

On this episode of the Side Alpha Podcast, FDNY Captain John Haseney tackles an important question: What is stopping fire departments from implementing occupational cancer-focused best practices?

Captain Haseney has been with the FDNY since 2005, currently serving as the captain for Engine 38. He is a founding member of the department’s Contamination Reduction Workgroup.

Haseney got his master’s degree in security studies from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, where he wrote a thesis titled, “Overcoming Implementation Barriers Within the Fire Service to Reduce Firefighter Cancer Rates.” The thesis identifies seven barriers that are preventing fire departments from implementing occupational cancer-focused best practices. Read the full thesis here.

Before we tackle each, can you share a bit about why you wanted to study this topic?

How did you tackle this topic? What was your methodology of study?

Let’s go through these implementation barriers one by one, and if you can provide a possible solution to each or a takeaway for fire departments, that would be great:

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Chief Otto Drozd details the challenges of leading a major metropolitan fire department

Episode 101

Wednesday, February 23, 2022 • Duration 33:43

In this episode of the Side Alpha Podcast, Chief Marc Bashoor speaks with Chief Otto Drozd, the executive secretary of the NFPA/IAFC Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association. Having served as fire chief at four metro fire departments, Drozd speaks to the unique challenges of leading large fire service agencies, the variations from state to state, and how fire chiefs can make a difference at each department, even if through varying approaches. He details the work of the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association and what it's been like stepping into his new role as executive secretary.

Drozd also tackles the importance of community outreach and community risk reduction (CRR) efforts, even amid the ongoing global pandemic. He speaks to issues of ISO ratings; accreditation, both on a personal and professional level; and active shooter events, including his involvement in NFPA 3000.

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Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell shares her experience as the newest U.S. fire administrator

Episode 100

Tuesday, February 8, 2022 • Duration 34:38

In this episode of the Side Alpha Podcast, Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell shares her experience as the newest U.S. fire administrator, a position she began in October 2021 following her time with the International Public Safety Data Institute.

Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell addresses several topics:

Two major fatality incidents in the past several weeks;
How past experience prepared her for the role as U.S. fire administrator;
What to expect for the mission and vision of the USFA during her tenure;
The role of data in the USFA and the broader fire service;
The new USFA podcast; and
What fire departments can continue to do to lessen the impact of COVID-19.

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Chief Billy Goldfeder shares his cancer story and details his new initiative 40PlusFire

Episode 99

Monday, January 31, 2022 • Duration 33:22

In this episode of the Side Alpha Podcast, Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder details his recent diagnosis of prostate cancer. He shares what the experience has been like for him and his family, and how he worked with a team of doctors and the Firefighter Cancer Support Network to get the best guidance about how to proceed with his treatment options.

Chief Goldfeder also shares a new initiative, 40PlusFire, a resource center where firefighters can learn about prostate cancer. The website is geared toward male firefighters over the age of 40 who are seeking information about prostate cancer prevention, risks and solutions.

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Better Every Shift – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Better Every Shift – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other99+

Apple Podcast4

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other99+

Apple Podcast4

Apple Podcasts

Amazon7

Spotify