Chicago's Bravest Stories Podcast

Fire & Iron Media
  • 5.0 (32)
  • Society & Culture

Listen in on the true stories of the first responders from the Chicagoland area and across the country as they tell the story in their own words. Get a peek behind the curtain of the men and women who show up on your worst day sometimes risking their own lives in process. Unscripted and heartfelt a podcast of Chicagos bravest stories.

  1. May 13

    Episode 82 Pt 2: Medal of Valor recipient Gino Casciola and crew from the Addison Fire Dept. Lt. Ralph Holdridge, Lt. Eric Medernach and FF/PM Louie DiGioia

    Episode 2 with the crew from the Addison Fire Dept. a routine commercial structure fire, if there is a such thing, occured on May 21 2025 where members of E71 and E72 got disoriented and lost when fire conditions changed in an instant. Listen how FF Casciola entered the structure more than once and helped members out of the structure.

    Episode 82 Pt 2: Medal of Valor recipient Gino Casciola and crew from the Addison Fire Dept. Lt. Ralph Holdridge, Lt. Eric Medernach and FF/PM Louie DiGioia

  2. May 3

    Episode 82 Pt 1: Medal of Valor recipient Gino Casciola and crew from the Addison Fire Dept. Lt. Ralph Holdridge, Lt. Eric Medernach and FF/PM Louie DiGioia

    Episode 1 with the crew from the Addison Fire Dept. a routine commercial structure fire, if there is a such thing, occured on May 21 2025 where members of E71 and E72 got disoriented and lost when fire conditions changed in an instant. Listen how FF Casciola entered the structure more than once and helped members out of the structure.

    Episode 82 Pt 1: Medal of Valor recipient Gino Casciola and crew from the Addison Fire Dept. Lt. Ralph Holdridge, Lt. Eric Medernach and FF/PM Louie DiGioia

  3. Feb 11

    Episode 81 part 2 : Lt. Bob Opiola member of The Chicago fire department and special guest host Lt. Josh Hill with the Frontline Mortgage Team

    Bob Opiola is a 17 year member of the chicago fire department and talks about some lessons learned at a couple of close calls, with guest host Josh from the Frontline Mortgage Team

    Episode 81 part 2 : Lt. Bob Opiola member of The Chicago fire department and special guest host Lt. Josh Hill with the Frontline Mortgage Team

  4. Jan 30

    Episode 81: with Lt. Bob Opiola member of The Chicago fire department and special guest host Lt. Josh Hill with the Frontline Mortgage Team

    Bob Opiola is a 17 year member of the chicago fire department and talks about some lessons learned at a couple of close calls, with guest host Josh from the Frontline Mortgage Team

    Episode 81: with Lt. Bob Opiola member of The Chicago fire department and special guest host Lt. Josh Hill with the Frontline Mortgage Team

  5. 12/31/2025

    Episode 80: retired Chicago Fire Department District Chief Bill Shatz and daughter Firefighter/EMT Becca Schatz pt 2

    History with retired District Chief Bill Schatz, who joined the Chicago Fire Department in 1965 and his daughter Becca Schatz is a 3rd generation chicago Firefighter

    Episode 80: retired Chicago Fire Department District Chief Bill Shatz and daughter Firefighter/EMT Becca Schatz pt 2

  6. 12/20/2025

    Episode 80: retired Chicago Fire Department District Chief Bill Shatz and daughter Firefighter/EMT Becca Schatz pt 1

    History with retired District Chief Bill Schatz, who joined the Chicago Fire Department in 1965 and his daughter Becca Schatz is a 3rd generation chicago Firefighter

    Episode 80: retired Chicago Fire Department District Chief Bill Shatz and daughter Firefighter/EMT Becca Schatz pt 1

  7. 10/16/2025

    Episode 79: Bob Dodovich retired Lt. from Chicago Fire departments Squad 2 and Clay Whiteley from episode 64

    Bob Dodovich retired Lt. from Chicago Fire departments Squad 2 and Clay Whiteley from episode 64. Bob fell through the roof of a currency exchange and lived to tell about it.

    Episode 79: Bob Dodovich retired Lt. from Chicago Fire departments Squad 2 and Clay Whiteley from episode 64

  8. 09/25/2025

    Chicagoland 1800 board up episode 78: former State Fire Marshall Matt Perez , Nate Rice Peoria FD and John Koch Joliet FD

    CBS talks to former state Fire Marshall Matt Perez, Nate Rice from Peoria FD and John Koch from Joliet FD about a data driven ground breaking program for the fire service that has shown success in targeting problem areas of their community and providing proactive measures to slow them down

    Chicagoland 1800 board up episode 78: former State Fire Marshall Matt Perez , Nate Rice Peoria FD and John Koch Joliet FD
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About

Listen in on the true stories of the first responders from the Chicagoland area and across the country as they tell the story in their own words. Get a peek behind the curtain of the men and women who show up on your worst day sometimes risking their own lives in process. Unscripted and heartfelt a podcast of Chicagos bravest stories.

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