HAZARD CLASS

Jake Ryks
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

HAZARD CLASS is the podcast where the curiosity of genuine questions in and around the world of emergency services is met with the knowledge of leading experts in their fields.

  1. 2d ago

    Lessons From a Lifetime in the FDNY | Batt. Chief (Ret.) Jerry Tracy | HC0086

    Retired FDNY Battalion Chief Jerry Tracy joins Hazard Class for a wide-ranging conversation about fire service leadership, mentorship, training, professional standards, and the lessons learned over a lifetime in the New York City Fire Department. Tracy reflects on the firefighters and officers who shaped his career, the importance of staying humble and teachable, and why the fire service depends on each generation passing its knowledge to the next. He shares stories from busy FDNY engine and ladder companies, discusses the standards that defined companies like Ladder 108 and Ladder 4, and explains how experience, discipline, teamwork, and preparation create competent firefighters. The conversation also explores Tracy’s role in helping build FDNY Squad 18, including his decision to select legendary firefighter and instructor Andy Fredericks as one of the company’s original members. Tracy discusses Fredericks’ influence on firefighter training, the Back to Basics program, fireground credibility, and the importance of learning outside your own department or organization. Jerry and Jake also dig into fire service leadership and the relationship between firefighters and chief officers. They discuss firefighter safety, aggressive fire attack, decision-making, training, operational competence, leadership credibility, and why safety is often achieved through knowledge, repetition, discipline, and strong fundamentals rather than policy alone. Part FDNY history lesson and part kitchen-table firehouse conversation, this episode is packed with stories and lessons for firefighters, company officers, instructors, chief officers, and anyone interested in becoming more competent in the fire service. GUEST BIO: Jerry Tracy is a retired Battalion Chief of the New York City Fire Department and one of the fire service’s most respected voices on firefighting, training, leadership, and fireground operations. During his FDNY career, Tracy served in engine and ladder companies throughout New York City and later became the captain of FDNY Squad 18, one of the department’s newly formed Special Operations Command squad companies. While assembling the company, Tracy selected firefighters and officers based on their experience, professionalism, and ability to train across multiple disciplines, including legendary FDNY firefighter and instructor Andy Fredericks. Tracy was also involved in the development and delivery of FDNY training programs, including the department’s Back to Basics initiative, and has spent decades teaching firefighters about engine and truck company operations, fireground decision-making, leadership, professional standards, and operational readiness. Known for combining extensive fireground experience with a strong commitment to mentorship and firefighter education, Tracy continues to share the lessons, traditions, and hard-earned knowledge of the FDNY with firefighters across the country. His approach emphasizes competence, discipline, teamwork, preparation, and the responsibility experienced firefighters have to pass what they have learned to the next generation. THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!HAIX Firefighting Boots:https://www.haixusa.com/Rigaku Analytical Devices:https://rigaku.com/

  2. Sep 9

    The Passion Triangle: How Firefighters Burn Out & Reignite | Corley Moore | HC0085

    Jake sits down with fire service veteran Corley Moore for a deep dive into firefighter mindset, mastery, and organizational culture. They unpack the core challenges of fire training: moving past minimum standards, confronting "hollow ego" and the Dunning-Kruger effect, and helping firefighters understand the life-or-death gravity of their craft. Moore outlines his "Passion Triangle" framework—heat (the calling), fuel (personal willpower and resilience), and oxygen (the surrounding network of peers)—to explain how enthusiasm burns out and how leaders can reignite it. The conversation emphasizes that competency is the bedrock of leadership, proving that lasting cultural change is driven not by administrative policy, but through relationships, shared values, and early adopters. Finally, the two reflect on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, honoring the enduring legacy of fallen mentors and the responsibility to carry the torch forward.KEY TOPICS COVERED• Moving from baseline compliance to true mastery and buy-in• Why extreme job competency acts as a primary shield against moral injury• Navigating the Dunning-Kruger effect, overconfidence, and "hollow ego"• Breaking down the Passion Triangle: Calling, Fuel, and Connection• Driving cultural buy-in through relationships rather than rulebooks• Honoring the legacy and impact of the 25th anniversary of 9/11GUEST BIO: CORLEY MOORECorley Moore is a 28-year fire service veteran, author, and widely recognized leadership instructor. He is the founder of Firehouse Vigilance and the host of The Weekly Scrap, a popular podcast dedicated to real talk, cultural growth, and professional excellence in the fire service. Known for developing impactful leadership concepts such as "The 9 L’s" and the "Passion Triangle," Moore travels nationally to teach firefighters and company officers how to build high-standard cultures through relational leadership, shared values, and unapologetic competence.CONNECT WITH CORLEY MOORE & FIREHOUSE VIGILANCE• Firehouse Vigilance Website: https://www.firehousevigilance.com• The Weekly Scrap Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-weekly-scrap-firefighter-podcast/id1518158884• Corley Moore on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/firehousevigilanceSPONSORS • HAIX Boots (Fire Eagle Air & Fire Eagle Extreme): https://www.haixusa.com• Rigaku Analytical Devices (CQL Gen-X / Handheld Raman Solutions): https://www.rigakuanalytical.com

  3. Sep 2

    The Fire Service Will Never Love You Back | Curt "Ike" Isakson | HC0084

    Chief Curt “Ike” Isakson has spent more than three decades obsessed with the American fire service. In this episode of Hazard Class, he joins Jake for a deeply personal conversation about firefighting, leadership, mental health, resilience, family, and what it means to dedicate your life to the craft. Chief Ike opens up about the difficult end of his 25-year career with Escambia County Fire Rescue, the leadership conflicts and personal struggles that followed, and the mental health crisis that ultimately led him to the IAFF Center of Excellence. He discusses suicidal ideation, spending 42 days in treatment, and how that experience changed the way he views his career, family, leadership, and future. Now serving as Deputy Chief with Bay County Fire Rescue, Isakson describes what feels like the beginning of a new chapter. He discusses the rapid growth taking place in Bay County and his evolving leadership philosophy built around four ideas: caring, coaching, culture, and creativity. The conversation also examines one of the contradictions of a career in the fire service: how do you give everything you have to the job without allowing the job to become everything you have? Years ago, Isakson gave Jake a piece of advice that stuck with him: “The fire service will never love you back.” They revisit what that statement means after everything both men have experienced. Curt explains why firefighters should love the job, pursue competence, train relentlessly, and take pride in the profession while remembering that when the career ends, their family and relationships are what remain. As the 25th anniversary of September 11 approaches, Curt reflects on his connection to the FDNY, the influence of Andy Fredericks, and the responsibility of today's firefighters to remember those who came before them and carry their knowledge forward. That leads into a larger discussion about succession, mentorship, fire service culture, and why knowledge should be shared rather than guarded. The next generation should not simply preserve the fire service. They should make it better. The episode eventually returns to the place where Chief Ike has always felt most at home: the fireground. He explains why firefighting has always felt natural to him, why bunker gear once felt like putting on a Superman suit, and why decades later he still finds his greatest confidence with a hose line, Halligan, hook, axe, or saw in his hands. This is a conversation about surviving the valleys, appreciating the mountaintops, learning from bad leadership, becoming a better leader yourself, protecting your family from your obsession with the job, and never losing respect for the craft. Most importantly, it is a reminder that you can love the fire service with everything you have while still remembering there is a life beyond it. GUEST BIO Chief Curt “Ike” Isakson is a veteran firefighter, fire officer, instructor, and fire service leader with more than three decades of experience in the American fire service. His career includes nine years with the Pensacola Fire Department and 25 years with Escambia County Fire Rescue, where he spent more than two decades serving as a battalion chief. In 2026, Isakson began a new chapter as Deputy Chief with Bay County Fire Rescue in Florida. Known throughout the fire service for his passion for engine company operations, fireground tactics, training, and firemanship, Isakson has spent decades studying the craft and learning from some of the most influential firefighters and fire officers in the profession. Despite the titles and decades of experience, Isakson still describes himself first and foremost as a fireman. His passion remains rooted in the fundamentals of the job: hose lines, nozzles, forcible entry, tools, fireground competency, and the relentless pursuit of becoming better at the craft. County Fire Tacticshttps://countyfiretactics.com/ HAIXhttps://www.haixusa.com/ Rigaku Analytical Deviceshttps://www.rigakuanalytical.com/

  4. Aug 26

    Why Firefighters Need to Take Back Their Firehouses | Stephanie White | HC0083

    Stephanie White joins Hazard Class to discuss the future of the fire service, firefighter wellness, leadership, accountability, and what it takes to create meaningful change inside the firehouse. Stephanie spent nearly two decades as a firefighter and paramedic with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue before transitioning into fire service media as the Editor-in-Chief of Firefighter Nation. In this conversation, she gives an inside look at the process of selecting classes and instructors for FDIC, including the challenge of choosing from hundreds of submissions while trying to identify instructors who can provide real value to attendees. The conversation quickly moves beyond conferences and into some of the biggest cultural challenges facing the fire service today. Stephanie challenges the way the fire service talks about mental health, arguing that wellness should be viewed as a complete picture of a firefighter’s life, including sleep, physical health, family, organizational culture, and personal responsibility. Jake and Stephanie discuss accountability inside the firehouse, including the growing tendency to outsource interpersonal problems instead of solving them through communication, trust, and leadership. They explore how healthy firehouse cultures are built, why firefighters need permission to have difficult conversations, and how officers can create environments where members feel comfortable asking questions and admitting mistakes.Stephanie also shares her experience as a female firefighter entering the fire service at a young age, the challenges she faced, and the importance of having mentors and advocates who helped her navigate a traditionally male-dominated profession. She discusses the difference between unhealthy behavior that should be addressed and the process of earning trust and belonging within a firehouse culture. The episode closes with Stephanie reflecting on retirement, leaving the firehouse after 20 years, and her mission with Firefighter Nation: empowering firefighters at every level to realize they have the ability to influence and improve the fire service. This episode is a wide-ranging conversation about leadership, culture, wellness, accountability, and why the future of the fire service depends on firefighters taking ownership of the profession they love. GUEST BIO: Stephanie White is the Editor-in-Chief of Firefighter Nation and a longtime voice in the fire service community. Before moving into fire service media, Stephanie spent nearly two decades as a firefighter and paramedic with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department in Virginia. Throughout her career, Stephanie has been involved in firefighter training, peer support, leadership development, and conversations surrounding firefighter wellness and organizational culture. She has contributed to fire service education through writing, podcasting, and speaking engagements, with a focus on helping firefighters create stronger teams and healthier firehouses. As Editor-in-Chief of Firefighter Nation, Stephanie works to amplify firefighter voices, share practical solutions, and provide a platform where members of the fire service can learn from one another regardless of rank or position. She believes that every firefighter has the ability to influence the future of the profession. CONNECT WITH STEPHANIE WHITEFirefighter Nationhttps://www.firefighternation.com/Firefighter Nation Social Mediahttps://www.facebook.com/FirefighterNationhttps://www.instagram.com/firefighternation/EPISODE RESOURCESFDIC Internationalhttps://www.fdic.com/Fire Engineeringhttps://www.fireengineering.com/SPONSORSHAIX USAhttps://www.haixusa.com/Rigaku Analytical Deviceshttps://rigakuanalytical.com/

  5. Aug 19

    Why Firefighters Need to Get Outside Their Own Firehouse | Austin Beier & Taylor Hayes | HC0082

    Jake sits down with Austin Beier and Taylor Hayes from the Heart of the Lakes Fire Summit to talk firefighter training, firemanship, search tactics, hose and nozzle selection, and building a stronger training culture in the fire service. The Heart of the Lakes Fire Summit was created to bring high-level regional and national fire service instructors to firefighters in Minnesota who may not otherwise have easy access to that level of training. Now entering its third year, the conference is expanding in 2026 with hands-on training in engine company operations and forcible entry. But this conversation goes well beyond the conference. Austin and Taylor discuss their experiences across the volunteer, paid-on-call, and career fire service and why every firefighter has a responsibility to maintain competency regardless of department size or employment status. They dig into complacency, getting outside the walls of your own firehouse, learning from failure, owning mistakes, and challenging the "this is how we've always done it" mentality. The conversation also gets tactical. Austin explains why firefighters need to be proficient at searching without a hose line, while Taylor dives into why hose, nozzle, flow, pressure, and pump operations need to work together as a complete attack package. That leads into a deeper discussion about smooth bore vs. combination nozzles, automatic fog nozzles, fire flow, nozzle reaction, hose selection, primary search, engine company operations, truck work, and the difficulty of changing deeply rooted fire department practices. Ultimately, this episode is about becoming a more competent firefighter by questioning assumptions, training through failure, learning from others, and refusing to let experience become an excuse to stop improving. Austin Beier is a firefighter and organizer of the Heart of the Lakes Fire Summit. He began his fire service career as a paid-on-call firefighter in Wadena, Minnesota, later became a volunteer firefighter in Osakis, and is currently a career firefighter in Moorhead. His experience spans the paid-on-call, volunteer, and career fire service. Search is one of Austin's primary tactical passions, particularly developing firefighter competency and confidence in searching structures independently of a hose line. Through Heart of the Lakes, he works to expand access to advanced firefighter training throughout Minnesota. Taylor Hayes is a firefighter and organizer of the Heart of the Lakes Fire Summit in Alexandria, Minnesota. He began his fire service career in 2013 as a volunteer firefighter in Bloomington before moving to Alexandria and later joining the Alexandria Fire Department. Taylor is involved in community and public education and is a strong advocate for firefighters seeking training outside their own departments. His tactical interests include truck company operations, apparatus placement, aerial operations, hose and nozzle selection, and engine company effectiveness. Through the Heart of the Lakes Fire Summit, Taylor works to bring regional and national-level fire service education to Minnesota and create opportunities for firefighters to challenge established practices and continue improving throughout their careers. HEART OF THE LAKES FIRE SUMMIT Conference Info: https://www.firenuggets.com/classes/heart-of-the-lakes-fire-summit-26 2026 Registration: https://firenuggets.regfox.com/26-hotlfs SPONSORS HAIX https://www.haixusa.com/ RIGAKU ANALYTICAL DEVICES https://www.rigakuanalytical.com/

  6. Aug 12

    Is the Fire Service Losing Its Identity? | Jeremy Donch | HC0081

    Jeremy Donch has built National Fire Radio into one of the most recognizable voices in the American fire service, but this conversation isn't about how he built a podcast. It's about what comes with having a voice people actually listen to. Jeremy joins Jake for a raw conversation about the changing culture and identity of the modern fire service. They dig into authenticity in the age of social media, the difference between genuine influence and chasing attention, confidence versus empty bravado, personal accountability, leadership, competition, and why experience and competence still matter. The conversation also tackles some of the harder questions facing today's firehouse. Are we becoming too corporate? Have we blurred the line between being a buddy and being a boss? Are we punishing people for making decisions while simultaneously asking them to show more initiative? And as departments take on more responsibilities, are we losing sight of the core mission that brought us here in the first place? Jeremy also opens up about ego, loneliness, relationships, and the responsibility that comes with reaching a massive audience. Ultimately, this is a conversation about what the modern fire service is becoming, what we may be losing along the way, and why Jeremy believes we need to put firemanship first. Jeremy Donch is the founder and voice behind National Fire Radio, a fire-service media platform built around honest conversations about leadership, culture, tradition, and the American fire service. Since launching National Fire Radio in 2018, Jeremy has developed a large audience across podcasting and social media while remaining focused on what he considers the mission behind the platform: bringing value to firefighters and protecting the core values and traditions of the job. Beyond National Fire Radio, Jeremy brings experience as a firefighter, leader, manager, teacher, entrepreneur, and business owner. His perspective blends lessons from the firehouse and fireground with decades of experience managing people in the private sector. Rather than presenting himself as an expert on every aspect of the job, Jeremy has built his reputation around speaking candidly about the areas he knows best: leadership, management, fire service culture, history, tradition, and personal accountability. At the center of his message is a simple philosophy: stay authentic, know your lane, take responsibility for your actions, and never lose sight of what it means to be a fireman. NATIONAL FIRE RADIO Website: https://nationalfireradio.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/national_fire_radio/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nationalfireradio TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nationalfireradio LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-fire-radio/ EPISODE SPONSORS HAIX: https://www.haixusa.com/ Rigaku Analytical Devices: https://www.rigakuanalytical.com/

  7. Aug 5

    How Fire Departments Become Toxic | Dr. Candace Ashby | HC0080

    Dr. Candace Ashby has spent more than 40 years in the fire service, and she's convinced the biggest threat facing today's fire departments isn't what's burning. It's the culture inside the firehouse. In this episode, Candace shares the unlikely story that took her from a troubled teenager to Battalion Chief with the Indianapolis Fire Department before diving into the leadership lessons she learned the hard way. We discuss why company officers hold more influence than any fire chief, the difference between accountability and punishment, why communication breaks down inside organizations, and how fire departments can rebuild trust, ownership, and brotherhood. If you've ever been frustrated by toxic station politics, ineffective leadership, or the "us versus them" mentality between administration and operations, this conversation offers practical advice for creating a healthier culture from the kitchen table to the fireground. GUEST BIO: Dr. Candace Ashby is a Battalion Chief with the Indianapolis Fire Department and has served in the fire service for more than four decades. She holds a Doctorate in Management and Organizational Leadership and is the founder of Elite Public Safety Consulting, where she helps fire departments improve leadership, organizational culture, and officer development. Known for her direct, practical teaching style, Candace has become one of the fire service's most respected voices on accountability, communication, and building high-performing organizations. ELITE Public Safety Consulting ⁠https://www.elitepublicsafety.com/⁠ LinkedIn⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-candace-ashby-iaai-cfi-cfei-cfii-cvfi-mifiree-5010091a/⁠ Episode Sponsors HAIX USAhttps://www.haixusa.com Rigaku Analytical Deviceshttps://rigakuanalytical.com

  8. Jul 29

    Why Firefighters Are Burning Out and How to Fix It | James Geering | HC0079

    James Geering's path to the fire service is anything but conventional. Raised on a farm in England, he pursued careers as a stunt performer before immigrating to the United States and ultimately becoming a firefighter and paramedic. In this episode, James shares the experiences that shaped his perspective, the lessons learned from serving in multiple fire departments across the country, and how those experiences led him to create the internationally recognized Behind The Shield Podcast. The conversation explores firefighter wellness far beyond fitness. James explains why sleep deprivation, cumulative stress, organizational culture, and outdated scheduling models are driving many of the profession's biggest challenges, including burnout, cancer, injury, divorce, and suicide. He makes the case for the 24/72 shift schedule, discusses why recruitment and retention problems are symptoms of larger systemic issues, and outlines how departments can improve both firefighter performance and long-term health through evidence-based leadership. Jake and James also examine the power of long-form podcasting, the importance of meaningful human connection, and why difficult conversations are essential if the fire service hopes to evolve. This episode is an honest, thought-provoking discussion about leadership, resilience, and building a healthier future for the next generation of firefighters. Guest Bio James Geering is a former firefighter, paramedic, strength and conditioning coach, and the creator and host of the Behind The Shield Podcast, one of the most respected podcasts in the fire service and tactical performance communities. Over nearly 1,300 episodes, he has interviewed world-leading experts in medicine, psychology, military special operations, leadership, fitness, sleep science, and emergency services. Today, James is a leading advocate for firefighter health, performance, and organizational change, dedicating his work to improving recruitment, retention, mental health, and longevity across the fire service through free, evidence-based education. CONNECT WITH JAMES GEERINGBehind The Shield Podcasthttps://www.behindtheshieldpodcast.com/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/behindtheshield911/Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/behindtheshield911/YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@BehindTheShieldPodcastLinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/james-geering/SPONSORSHAIX USAhttps://www.haixusa.com/Rigaku Analytical Deviceshttps://www.rigakuanalytical.com/FOLLOW THE HAZ MAT GUYSWebsitehttps://thehazmatguys.comTraininghttps://training.thehazmatguys.com

See All (97)

5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

HAZARD CLASS is the podcast where the curiosity of genuine questions in and around the world of emergency services is met with the knowledge of leading experts in their fields.

Information

  • Creator
    Jake Ryks
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    97
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Jake Ryks
  • Show Website
    HAZARD CLASS

You Might Also Like