"Fully Invlolved Leadership" with Chief Gary Ludwig

05/06/19 • 23 min

If you have been involved in fire and/or EMS, you probably know the name, “Gary Ludwig.” Chief Ludwig has over 40 years of experience in fire-rescue and EMS. He has served as the Chief Paramedic of the St. Louis Fire Dept, the Deputy Fire Chief for the Memphis Fire Dept, and currently serves as the Chief of the Champaign IL Fire Dept.
In his new book, “Fully Involved Leadership,” Chief Ludwig shares some new and fresh perspectives on good leadership. He brings a new view of the leadership triangle and you’ll be surprised at the vision he presents.
Listen, the best leaders are not the ones who shout the loudest or intimidate those of the lower ranks. Chief Ludwig draws on his years of experience, from when he started his career with the St. Louis Fire Dept., just two months after graduating high school to his present position as Chief of the Champaign IL Fire Dept. His new book is for any firefighter/paramedic who aspires to be a leader in this field, from the newest recruit to well-experienced line officer to the chief.

Previous Episode

"Life and Death Matters"

Once we’re hired as a firefighter or paramedic, or we join a volunteer/paid-on-call department, we realize that there is a long learning road ahead. And once we complete the basic material, we then have to decide what we’ll do next. Will we be satisfied with what we have already accomplished or, will we want to keep learning, advancing our knowledge and, very likely, our career?
My guests on this podcast are Christian (Chris) and Sam Adams from Colorado Springs, CO. After a friend of Chris’ told him about being in EMT school, it piqued his interest. Chris’ next step was to enroll in the same program and Sam was not too far behind. Both started in para-transit, but already had their sights set for more! Over the next couple of years, they become became certified paramedics. Many folks would have stopped there. However, Chris and Sam looked for more and they found it with the Colorado Springs Fire Department, where they serve as firefighter/paramedics and specialty teams.
They recently released their first book, “Life and Death Matters,” (available on Amazon). Their book is neither a “tell-all” or “telling you how do it our way.” Instead, the book addresses the humanity of what we do. Sure, we all want to be the ones to respond to a major call; but they share the fact that no matter how involved or exciting a call can be, we must remember that there are people who are impacted by the event and we have an obligation to them.
They also discuss their passion for learning and, not easily satisfied with that, they work hard to “pay it forward.” They share what is important to them in their careers and their lives. They truly provide a breath of fresh air in this age of social media anonymity, trolling and bullying. This is a podcast you don’t want to miss!
Find “5-Alarm Task Force” on our website, www.dalmatianproductions.tv or on your favorite podcast platform. Stay Safe & Stay Well!

Next Episode

Responding to Emergencies on Active Roadways

If you’re first responder in any way, i.e., fire, rescue, EMS, law enforcement, safety ranger or recovery/tow operator, there’s every chance that you are aware of what has been happening on our active roadways. We respond to the scene of an emergency and while on-scene, a distracted driver comes barreling through your safety zone, striking your vehicle or, Heaven forbid, the people working there! Since the beginning of 2019, 71 first responders have been killed and dozens more injured. With the refinements in soundproofing our vehicles so that sirens and air-horns can be barely heard, and with drivers’ eyes on fixated on their phones, perhaps we must consider ourselves, “lucky” that only 71 have been lost.
To address this very troubling issue, I brought together a top panel of personnel who are all too aware of what is occurring on our roadways, to get their thoughts and ideas on this matter. Joining me are Chief Billy Goldfeder, Chief Victor Conley, Chief Tony Correia, Chief Brian Stoller and Mr. Steve Austin, co-founder of the website, ResponderSafety.com. These five individuals all have extensive experience with this growing problem and are playing important roles in both examining the matter and working on solutions along various fronts.
It is our hope that not only you will listen to this podcast, but that you will share it with your fellow firefighters, officers and chiefs. Too many first responder agencies are familiar with this problem. And, just like this episode there a numerous ideas towards its solution. We hope this episode of “5-Alarm Task Force,” will be one that will serve as a catalyst to seeing local, municipal, county and state agencies come together to keep all our first responders safe and allow each one to return homes safely to their loved ones.
Please share with us what your departments are doing to face and mitigate this problem, by sending us an email to [email protected] and we’ll post your ideas on our website, in our effort to help all of you.