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.

Charleston, WV, Battalion Chief Ryan Pennington joins Peter Matthews to talk about his approach to every shift, reminding himself that he’s a firefighter first and foremost. With that approach, Pennington’s foundation remains rooted in the basics while he has promoted through the fire department.

Pennington falls back on the principles he used to launch his training company, The Views from the Jumpseat, reminding listeners that the jumpseat is where all firefighters plant their roots in the fire service.

They talk about climbing the career ladder and reacting to the number of podcasts, articles and social media talking calling for better fire service leadership and discuss the recurring challenges faced in departments across the country.

How do you start every day as with a firefighter first mentality? Listen to the podcast to find out!

Related links:

• Ryan Pennington’s biography and articles on Firehouse.com
• Views From The Jumpseat book