Second Alarm

Josh
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Self-Improvement

Second Alarm is an honest look at life in the fire service—the people, experiences, challenges, and stories that come with the job. From the first shift to the last and everything that follows, we explore the question every firefighter eventually has to answer: What’s next?

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    What the fire service gave me.

    Send us Fan Mail In Episode 3 of Second Alarm, I take a look at everything the fire service has given me over the last 15 years. This career has been about much more than responding to calls. It's given me another family, lifelong friendships, a sense of purpose, leadership experience, confidence, and memories that I'll carry with me long after my last shift. I talk about the station life that's difficult to explain unless you've lived it, the people who helped shape the firefighter and lieutenant I've become, and why helping someone on one of their worst days can make all the frustrations of the job worth it. The fire service has also become a big part of who I am—which raises an important question as retirement gets closer: when so much of your identity is tied to the job, what happens when it's time to walk away? Before we can talk about what comes after the firehouse, we have to understand what we're leaving behind. Second Alarm — Life, Work, and What Comes After the Firehouse. Support the show

  2. Sep 2

    The First Shift

    Send us Fan Mail In Episode 2 of Second Alarm, I go back to where it all started. From thinking I might join the military after high school, to joining a volunteer fire department and eventually deciding to make the fire service my career, I talk about the road that led me to my very first shift as a career firefighter. I still remember walking into the station after graduating the academy—nervous, overwhelmed, excited, and having no idea what the next 15 years would bring. I was the rookie, trying to learn the station, understand what was expected of me, fit in with a new crew, and prove that I belonged. Looking back now as a lieutenant, that first shift means something completely different. In this episode, I talk about those early days, what it was like being the new guy, and some of the things I wish I could go back and tell that rookie firefighter walking into the station for the first time. Everybody in the fire service has a first shift. This was mine. Second Alarm — Life, Work, and What Comes After the Firehouse. Support the show

  3. Aug 26

    What's Next?

    Send us Fan Mail In the first episode of Second Alarm, I share how I found my way into the fire service, what the last 15 years have meant to me, and why I've started asking a question I never thought much about when I first put on the uniform: What's next? From starting out as a nervous rookie to becoming a lieutenant, the fire service has become a huge part of who I am. But with retirement getting closer, I'm beginning to think about life beyond the station—another career, more time with family, and figuring out how to keep making a difference when the firehouse is no longer part of my everyday life. I don't have all the answers, and that's exactly why I started this podcast. Second Alarm is about life, work, and what comes after the firehouse. We'll talk about the job, leadership, family, retirement, second careers, the good times, the hard times, and everything in between. This is the beginning of that journey. Welcome to Second Alarm. Support the show

  • 3 Episodes

About

Second Alarm is an honest look at life in the fire service—the people, experiences, challenges, and stories that come with the job. From the first shift to the last and everything that follows, we explore the question every firefighter eventually has to answer: What’s next?

Information

  • Creator
    Josh
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    3
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Second Alarm
  • Show Website
    Second Alarm