Flip Griffin, a retired U.S. Navy Command Master Chief, talks with Peter Matthews about his new mission, Firehouse Freedom. Griffin has been teaching fire departments about the impact of leadership in recruitment, retention and burnout at all levels of the departments.

Griffin relates to his time in the military when recruitment was at an all-time high following the Sept. 11 terror attacks to the fire service’s current dilemma of hiring and keeping good firefighters and leaders in the ranks. Burnout comes at all levels, Griffin says, and some of it can be prevented with a new approach to operations.

Griffin ties his time in the military, which involved fire, EMS and search and rescue, to help fire departments examine where they are to tighten up the gaps the fire service has seen with so many leaving the ranks over the last decade.

Related links:

• Firehouse Freedom

Capt. Jared Vermeulen talks with Peter Matthews about his book, “The Modern Fire Officer,” and his approach to being a fire service leadership in current times. The book was born from Vermeulen’s experiences as an officer and from the promotional process, leading him to share practical, modern leadership skills for fire service leaders.

Vermeulen’s goal is to build strong companies by focusing on the members, from their health and wellness to understanding their strengths and weaknesses as a foundation. They talk about the steps to build a strong unit, how to help others through challenging times and why the mindset of customer service is important throughout the chain of command because a firefighter is the officer’s customer, like the citizen is the firefighter’s customer.

They discuss the role of informal leaders, developing and maintaining positive attitudes, helping each other grow and focusing on an overall healthy, positive attitude in the firehouse.

Related links:

• The Modern Fire Officer
• Jared Vermeulen on LinkedIn

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Beyond the Bugles, where Assistant Chief Jacob Johnson of the Pearland, TX, Fire Department, sits down with Fire Chief Doug Boeker of the Fulshear, TX, Fire Department.

Together, they dive into leadership at the chief officer level, covering the do’s and don’ts of command, firehouse culture and the importance of meaningful kitchen-table conversations.

The discussion blends professional insight with candid moments, offering both practical takeaways and authentic perspectives from two experienced leaders. This energetic first episode delivers wisdom, laughter and real-world leadership lessons.