Chief Bob - "The Roadhouse Fire"

06/28/22 • 28 min

Stories From the Road: First Responder Stories

“It was fortunate for both of us – as a department and for me personally – because if I would’ve pulled up with just 500 gallons of water and a 500-gallon pump, and one single 21⁄2” supply line on the only hydrant that was available, we probably would’ve burned that building down.” – Chief Bob

In the heat of the moment, it’s critical that those in the fire service make sound, strategic decisions and then execute them flawlessly. Yet sometimes, it’s the choices made well before a call is received that can truly make all the difference. With three of his township’s four stations participating in a demonstration for the insurance service office (ISO) rating, Bob is left with the oldest engine in the area to run all fire and EMS calls. His request for an additional engine from a neighboring town is reluctantly granted by his chief, but neither of them has any idea how Bob’s foresight will impact his crew's ability to save an old three-story balloon frame tavern from complete destruction.

Join former firefighter/paramedic and host Phil Klein as he sits down with Chief Bob who shares a story out of his collection from a 40-year career in the fire service. Bob vividly details his familial ties to the fire service, the parade ride in a 1918 Ahrens-Fox fire engine that cemented his career aspirations at the age of six, and the unforeseen complications that accompanied the burning of Bevis Tavern.

Are you a first responder who has a story from the road you’d like to share? Email [email protected], and you could be featured in an upcoming episode.

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Are you a first responder who has a story from the road you’d like to share? Email [email protected], and you could be featured in an upcoming episode.

Support the show

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Chief Matt - "The Africa Fire Mission"

“We gather, we tell stories, we seek advice. We do everything that we can think of like we would as a family because we think of ourselves that way — as a family. And that firehouse kitchen table is very important: it signifies the culture of the fire service.” – Chief Matt

A kitchen table in a fire station is more than a place to eat or to rest a cup of coffee. While it may not be the scene of the action, it’s a place where the day’s events can be reflected upon, where coworkers become friends who become family, where jokes are told, and support is sought. In some cases, the table can even be a bridge, connecting firefighters whose situations vary greatly but who are bonded by an inextinguishable desire to serve their community. Whether that kitchen table is in a fire station in midwestern Ohio or Nairobi, Kenya, its importance is never lost on those who are fortunate enough to be gathered around it.

Join host and former firefighter/paramedic Phil Klein whose guest, Chief Matt, brings an international story from the road through his work with the nonprofit organization Africa Fire Mission. Founded in 2012, its members are “committed to increasing the sustainable capacity of fire departments in developing communities” through “training, empowerment, support, and encouragement.” Although firefighters in these communities lack resources, funding, equipment, and even public support, they are dedicated to obtaining the knowledge they need to advance their mission to help others.

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Advanced EMT Sean - "The Band"

“Years later, the fellow I was telling you about that I actually knew personally reached out to me, because he had gotten word that I had responded in and helped out at the scene. To be fair, I helped extricate, I took some vital signs – you know this was a giant team effort.” – Advanced EMT Sean

It’s important for first responders to have an outlet outside of their job that allows them to decompress and take care of their physical and mental well-being. For Advanced EMT Sean, that outlet is music, and his love of it predates his 10-year career as a first responder. Separate, but important parts of his life, his music and EMT careers unexpectedly collide when he arrives on the scene of a mass casualty incident involving a van wreck with 11 potential patients – a few of whom he's surprised to find he recognizes.

Join former firefighter/paramedic and host Phil Klein as he sits down in studio with Sean, who also serves as the lead singer and lead guitarist for the Georgia-native band Soniq Armada. Sean shares how he got his start as a first responder and identifies the parallels he finds between his work in music and as an Advanced EMT.

Self-described as mixing “the brutal elements of death and black metal with industrial synth and atmosphere,” you can learn more about Sean's band, Soniq Armada, by visiting their Facebook, Soniq Armada | Facebook, or catching them live at their next performance on July 15, 2022 at Reno’s Chop Shop in Dallas, TX!

Please take a moment to give Stories From the Road a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or whatever platform you use to listen. Consider supporting Stories From the Road on Patreon as we prepare for Season 3!

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