In today’s episode, we’re tackling the often-unspoken side of leadership and culture the subtle, psychological dynamics that quietly corrode healthy teams. While most of my experiences with leaders in the fire service have been overwhelmingly positive, we can’t ignore the fact that some individuals, though not blatantly toxic, still manage to suppress, sideline, or demoralise the people around them. These behaviours don’t always lead to disciplinary action, but they do drive good people out of the job, robbing them of fulfilment and joy. This conversation isn’t about blame it’s about awareness, insight, and action.

Joining me is Dr. Nathalie Martinek, a scientist-turned-relational leadership expert, who helps professionals navigate complex power dynamics, covert narcissism, and cultural dysfunctions in the workplace. We’ll explore topics like imposter syndrome, soft control tactics, empathy fatigue, and how to identify manipulative personalities that often hide in plain sight. If you’ve ever walked away from an interaction feeling unseen or undermined but couldn’t quite explain why this episode will make you feel heard. And if none of this sounds familiar to you… well, as they say: if you don’t know who the arsehole in the room is....it might be you.

ACCESS THE PODCAST LIBRARY & EVERY EPISODE, DEBRIEF & DOCUMENT CLICK HERE

PODCAST GIFT - Get your FREE subscription to essential Firefighting publications HERE

A big thanks to our partners for supporting this episode.

• GORE-TEX Professional Clothing
• MSA The Safety Company
• IDEX
• FIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD
• HAIX Footwear - Get offical podcast discount on HAIX HERE
• Xendurance - to hunt performance & endurance 20% off HERE with code ffp20
• Lyfe Linez - Get Functional Hydration FUEL for FIREFIGHTERS, Clean no sugar for daily hydration. 80% of people live dehydrated

Send us a text

Support the show

***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.***

Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

In 2010, a terrifying blaze tore through the high-rise apartments at 200 Wellesley Street East in Toronto, pushing firefighters and resources to their absolute limits. Crews faced intense heat, heavy smoke, and severe challenges with stairwell access and evacuation on upper floors, making it one of the city’s most complex high-rise fires. The incident exposed critical gaps in aerial operations, communications, and staging under extreme conditions, forcing a hard look at the realities of high-rise firefighting.

The “Fire in the Sky” would go on to shape high-rise firefighting in Toronto forever, leading to significant changes in training, equipment, and operational guidelines. From improved stairwell pressurization and backup air systems to refined accountability and evacuation protocols, the lessons from 200 Wellesley became a turning point for the service and a reminder of the constant need to adapt, prepare, and protect both firefighters and residents in the vertical cities we serve.

Connect with Brent Brooks HERE

ACCESS THE PODCAST LIBRARY & EVERY EPISODE, DEBRIEF & DOCUMENT CLICK HERE

PODCAST GIFT - Get your FREE subscription to essential Firefighting publications HERE

A big thanks to our partners for supporting this episode.

• GORE-TEX Professional Clothing
• MSA The Safety Company
• IDEX
• FIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD
• HAIX Footwear - Get offical podcast discount on HAIX HERE
• Xendurance - to hunt performance & endurance 20% off HERE with code ffp20
• Lyfe Linez - Get Functional Hydration FUEL for FIREFIGHTERS, Clean no sugar for daily hydration. 80% of people live dehydrated

Send us a text

Support the show

***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.***

Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

Today on the Firefighters Podcast, I sit down with Phil Garrigan, Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, to discuss the future of the UK fire and rescue service. With 34 years in the job, Phil shares why this is not about titles but about preparing our service for tougher challenges – from climate change and wildfires to aging infrastructure and shifting public expectations – all while we are asked to do more with less.

We explore how consistent national training, embracing new technologies, and building leadership grounded in emotional intelligence will keep our service ready and trusted. Phil challenges us to consider whether we are shaping the future together or letting it shape us, reminding us that protecting the communities we serve means we must plan for tomorrow as seriously as we plan for our next incident. Join us as we unpack what needs to change, what we need to protect, and how we can build a fire service that remains strong and relevant for the challenges ahead.

Connect with Phil HERE

ACCESS THE PODCAST LIBRARY & EVERY EPISODE, DEBRIEF & DOCUMENT CLICK HERE

PODCAST GIFT - Get your FREE subscription to essential Firefighting publications HERE

A big thanks to our partners for supporting this episode.

• GORE-TEX Professional Clothing
• MSA The Safety Company
• IDEX
• FIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD
• HAIX Footwear - Get offical podcast discount on HAIX HERE
• Xendurance - to hunt performance & endurance 20% off HERE with code ffp20
• Lyfe Linez - Get Functional Hydration FUEL for FIREFIGHTERS, Clean no sugar for daily hydration. 80% of people live dehydrated

Send us a text

Support the show

***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.***

Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

On 14 June 2017, the Grenfell Tower fire in West London claimed 72 lives and exposed critical failures in building safety and fire preparedness. Over 250 firefighters faced unimaginable conditions as the fire spread rapidly due to combustible cladding, turning Grenfell into a turning point for our sector.

Today’s guest is Steve McGuirk, former fire chief, expert witness to the Grenfell Inquiry, and Executive Officer of the Fire Sector Federation. With nearly 50 years in the fire service, Steve has led through major change, tragedy, and challenge, and continues to push for lessons from Grenfell to lead to real, lasting change in our profession.

In this episode, we explore:
– Commanding complex incidents under pressure
– The need for tough, realistic training
– Shifting culture and accountability within services
– The role of technology in a safer future
– What Grenfell teaches us and what must change.

Grenfell challenges us to prioritise truth, learning, and action to prevent another tragedy.

ACCESS THE PODCAST LIBRARY & EVERY EPISODE, DEBRIEF & DOCUMENT CLICK HERE

PODCAST GIFT - Get your FREE subscription to essential Firefighting publications HERE

A big thanks to our partners for supporting this episode.

• GORE-TEX Professional Clothing
• MSA The Safety Company
• IDEX
• FIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD
• HAIX Footwear - Get offical podcast discount on HAIX HERE
• Xendurance - to hunt performance & endurance 20% off HERE with code ffp20
• Lyfe Linez - Get Functional Hydration FUEL for FIREFIGHTERS, Clean no sugar for daily hydration. 80% of people live dehydrated

Send us a text

Support the show

***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.***

Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

Frank Leeb is the managing director of the First Responder Center for Excellence (FRCE). He previously served as a Deputy Assistant Chief in the Fire Department of New York. Retiring in June 2024 with more than 31 years. During his tenure with the FDNY, he held several senior staff positions, including the Chief of the Fire Academy, Chief of Training, and Chief of Safety. Frank has also been a East Farmingdale Fire Department member since 1983 (Long Island, NY).

Frank Leeb's career has been defined by his unwavering commitment to fostering growth through training and development, a central tenet of his leadership philosophy. He has lectured nationally and internationally on motivation, preparedness, leadership, and firefighting strategy, and tactics.
He holds a bachelor’s in fire service administration from SUNY Empire State and a master’s in security studies from the Naval Postgraduate School, Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS).

He has served as an advisory panel member for UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute’s (FSRI) “Study of Coordinated Attack in Acquired Structures”. Frank was also the keynote speaker for Firehouse Expo in 2022 and was a presenter at the 2022, 2023, and 2024 U.S. Fire Administrator Summit on Fire Prevention and Control. He is also the author of the best-selling book “Cornerstones of Leadership - On And Off The fireground” and coauthor of “30 Fires You Must Know”.

connect with Frank HERE

ACCESS THE PODCAST LIBRARY & EVERY EPISODE, DEBRIEF & DOCUMENT CLICK HERE

PODCAST GIFT - Get your FREE subscription to essential Firefighting publications HERE

A big thanks to our partners for supporting this episode.

• GORE-TEX Professional Clothing
• MSA The Safety Company
• IDEX
• FIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD
• HAIX Footwear - Get offical podcast discount on HAIX HERE
• Xendurance - to hunt performance & endurance 20% off HERE with code ffp20
• Lyfe Linez - Get Functional Hydration FUEL for FIREFIGHTERS, Clean no sugar for daily hydration. 80% of people live dehydrated

Send us a text

Support the show

***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.***

Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

Today’s we explore what it means to live with strength, service, and purpose. with a man who represents all of that and then some.

Frank Boniello is not just a firefighter. He’s not just a U.S. Air Force member. And he’s not just strong. He is officially the World’s Strongest Firefighter 2025.

Today we share the story behind the podium. Behind the gold-plated fire axe. Behind the lifting platform, the stone carries, the axle presses, and the hydrant loads.

Frank’s journey is one of resilience, discipline, and intentional living the kind of story that forces you to look at your own limits and wonder: “What if I’m capable of more?”

connect with Frank HERE

ACCESS THE PODCAST LIBRARY & EVERY EPISODE, DEBRIEF & DOCUMENT CLICK HERE

PODCAST GIFT - Get your FREE subscription to essential Firefighting publications HERE

A big thanks to our partners for supporting this episode.

• GORE-TEX Professional Clothing
• MSA The Safety Company
• IDEX
• FIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD
• HAIX Footwear - Get offical podcast discount on HAIX HERE
• Xendurance - to hunt performance & endurance 20% off HERE with code ffp20
• Lyfe Linez - Get Functional Hydration FUEL for FIREFIGHTERS, Clean no sugar for daily hydration. 80% of people live dehydrated

Send us a text

Support the show

***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.***

Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

In this episode, I sit down with Sal Naseem. A powerful voice on racism, resilience, and truth. From growing up as a Scottish Pakistani Muslim in Kilmarnock to challenging injustice at the highest levels of UK institutions, Sal’s story is raw and remarkable. His early life was marked by violence, survival, and a front-row seat to systemic failures from machete attacks at his family’s shop to witnessing police corruption first-hand. These experiences forged a deep understanding of empathy, moral courage, and the cost of speaking out. Now the author of True North, Sal brings insight, vulnerability, and fire to a conversation that doesn’t pull any punches.

We talk about what real leadership looks like, why he walked away from a senior public role on principle, and how racism, power, and fear operate behind closed doors. We unpacks the myths of imposter syndrome, the dangers organisational ethical drift, bias, and the shifting Overton Window of what society accepts. This episode is about more than race or resilience, it’s about all of us. It’s a call to challenge the systems and beliefs we take for granted, and to ask: What do I believe? Where did that belief come from? And how do I treat the people who aren’t like me?

Find Sal HERE

Find his book HERE

ACCESS THE PODCAST LIBRARY & EVERY EPISODE, DEBRIEF & DOCUMENT CLICK HERE

PODCAST GIFT - Get your FREE subscription to essential Firefighting publications HERE

A big thanks to our partners for supporting this episode.

• GORE-TEX Professional Clothing
• MSA The Safety Company
• IDEX
• FIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD
• HAIX Footwear - Get offical podcast discount on HAIX HERE
• Xendurance - to hunt performance & endurance 20% off HERE with code ffp20
• Lyfe Linez - Get Functional Hydration FUEL for FIREFIGHTERS, Clean no sugar for daily hydration. 80% of people live dehydrated
• Support the show
  
  

Send us a text

Support the show

***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.***

Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

In this solo episode I explore a quiet but powerful undercurrent in the UK Fire and Rescue Service: low agency and learned helplessness. Speaking not from a podium but shoulder to shoulder with every member of the service - we confront the cultural forces that stifle voice, innovation, and change. Why do so many of us feel stuck, unheard, or disconnected from the power to make a difference?

We unpack the psychology behind this, challenge the systems we’ve inherited, and offer a hopeful, practical path forward — one rooted in agency, emotional safety, and everyday leadership. This isn’t about blame — it’s about responsibility, authenticity, and choosing to lead from wherever you are. If you believe the fire service can be more, and you’re ready to be part of that change, this episode is for you. Let’s lead better. Let’s build a culture that uplifts the people who serve within it.

ACCESS THE PODCAST LIBRARY & EVERY EPISODE, DEBRIEF & DOCUMENT CLICK HERE

PODCAST GIFT - Get your FREE subscription to essential Firefighting publications HERE

A big thanks to our partners for supporting this episode.

• GORE-TEX Professional Clothing
• MSA The Safety Company
• IDEX
• FIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD
• HAIX Footwear - Get offical podcast discount on HAIX HERE
• Xendurance - to hunt performance & endurance 20% off HERE with code ffp20
• Lyfe Linez - Get Functional Hydration FUEL for FIREFIGHTERS, Clean no sugar for daily hydration. 80% of people live dehydrated
• Support the show
  ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.***
  Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

Send us a text

Support the show

***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.***

Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew