Behind The Shield

Avsnitt

• Rob Ramirez II (The USAR Response to the Venezuela Earthquakes, Powerful Rescues and Shared Humanity) - Episode 1269 21.07.2026 1h 36min

  Rob Ramirez is a 24-year fire service veteran with degrees in Fire Science and Public Administration. Since 2005, Rob has been a Technical Rescue Team Manager for the Department of Homeland Security F.E.M.A. U.S.A.R. Task Force in Miami, FL., where he has served on dozens of high-profile national and international disaster deployments. In addition, Rob has been a student of psychology, physiology, and the effects of stress on human performance for over a decade. His education, training, and personal experiences have provided him with a variety of unique instructional strategies and methods that apply to Firefighters of any rank or tenure. Rob is also an international fire service speaker, FDIC instructor, and a published Fire Service author. Throughout his fire service career, he has held the ranks of Firefighter, Paramedic, Lieutenant, and Captain. Rob is the very proud father of two amazing boys and currently serves as the Division Chief of Training & Safety for the new Jupiter Fire Rescue Department in South Florida.
• Mark Seelig (MDMA Assisted Psychotherapy, Sociopaths in Power and Refinding Community) - Episode 1268 19.07.2026 2h 10min

  Mark was born in West-Berlin, Germany, and has lived in the USA, India, and Germany. From an early age he has been fascinated with the spiritual quest of the human soul, which eventually led him to the study of indigenous traditions and native wisdom. Mark has a degree in Theology and a PhD in Clinical Psychology. He is a founding member of Ken Wilber’s Integral Institute, an Advisory board member of the Association Holotropic Breathwork International, and a Founding member of the German College for Transpersonal Psychotherapy. He has studied indigenous ceremonial traditions with Luis Eduardo Luna. He has written ‘Das Selbst als Ort der Gotteserfahrung’ (The Self as the Dimension of Spiritual Experience) and several articles about Kundalini, and Near-Death Experiences in the ‘Journal of Near-Death Studies’, the ‘Inner Door’, and ‘Religion Heute’ (Germany). Inspired by shamanic journeying he studied Asian Indian Classical Music on the Bansuri (bamboo flute) in India. He has released several award wining shamanic-ambient collaborations to induce and support shamanic states of consciousness with notable artists in the space including Byron Metcalf and Steve Roach. His recording are being used extensively in psychedelic session work. These cd’s include: ‘Wachuma’s Wave’, ‘Mantram’, ‘Nada Terma’, and ‘Nightbloom’, ‘Intention’, ‘Tree of Life’ and ‘Disciple’. Mark has 20 years of experience as a clinical psychotherapist, working with groups, couples, and individuals. He has had extensive clinical experience using the MDMA analogue Methylone in clinical settings. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-seelig-mdiv-phd-57b76720/
• Keith "Flip" Griffin (Navy Search & Rescue, Austere Medicine and Fire Service Leadership) - Episode 1267 17.07.2026 2h 28min

  During his service, Flip participated in more than 75 real-world rescue and medical missions and served as a lead advisor for MEDEVAC operations during the Fukushima disaster response. He also supported large-scale emergency planning initiatives, operational readiness programs, and leadership development efforts across organizations totaling more than 4,000 personnel.Following retirement from military service, Flip founded Firehouse Freedom, an accountability and organizational development company focused on helping fire service leaders strengthen culture, communication, accountability, and crew performance through practical, immediately applicable leadership frameworks. His work centers on modern firehouse leadership challenges and emphasizes actionable next-shift implementation strategies designed to create measurable cultural improvement at both the crew and organizational level.Flip currently works with career, volunteer, combination, rural, and urban fire departments nationwide and is also a columnist for Firehouse Magazine, where he writes on leadership, accountability, communication, and firehouse culture. His presentation style combines operational credibility, relatable storytelling, and practical leadership tools designed to create immediate impact both inside and outside the firehouse.Flip Griffin is a retired U.S. Navy Command Master Chief with over 23 years of leadership experience serving in high-performance operational environments, including Search and Rescue, special operations, aviation operations, disaster response, and senior enlisted leadership roles. Throughout his military career, he led teams in complex, highrisk environments where accountability, communication, leadership, and operational execution directly impacted mission success and the lives of those on the line.https://firehousefreedom.com/
• Andy Prisco (Crisis De-escalation, First Responder Safety and Reducing Recidivsm) - Episode 1266 14.07.2026 1h 43min

  Andrew Prisco is the founder of Jumpstart Mastery, an elected Fire Commissioner, and a nationally recognized authority on human performance, leadership, crisis de-escalation, and organizational culture. For more than 25 years, his career has been dedicated to improving how people and organizations perform when the stakes are highest.Since beginning his behavioral health career in 1999, Andrew has worked at the intersection of behavioral health, public safety, and organizational leadership. From 2011 through 2022, he simultaneously served as a Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) while advancing through leadership roles within Washington State's behavioral health system. This unique combination of public safety and behavioral health experience shaped his philosophy that exceptional performance under pressure depends on the integration of operational readiness, human behavior, leadership, and communication.During his nearly fourteen years with Washington State's behavioral health system, Andrew founded Washington State's Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT) program. The program integrated behavioral health principles with first response principles, creating a practical model for safely engaging individuals experiencing psychiatric and behavioral crises while supporting responders in making effective decisions under pressure. The program evolved into a statewide service supporting both of Washington's state psychiatric hospitals, as well as numerous institutional and residential treatment settings, demonstrating that compassionate care and operational safety are complementary disciplines.Andrew later served as Clinical Training Manager for Washington State's forensic behavioral health system, where he expanded his work beyond traditional behavioral health settings by partnering with public safety agencies, healthcare organizations, correctional systems, juvenile justice programs, and other publicserving organizations to strengthen leadership, crisis response, communication, and workforce performance. These experiences laid the foundation for Jumpstart Mastery, which Andrew founded in 2021 and launched in 2022. Through Jumpstart, he partners with behavioral health organizations, juvenile justice systems, corrections agencies, healthcare providers, educational institutions, and public safety organizations throughout North America to strengthen leadership, improve communication, reduce workplace violence, and build resilient organizational cultures.Andrew is the developer of the Advanced Crisis Intervention Training (ACIT) methodology, an evidenceinformed framework that integrates behavioral science, trauma-informed practice, communication strategy, operational decision-making, and leadership principles into practical skills that professionals can immediately apply. Today, ACIT is delivered to organizations throughout North America, equipping leaders and frontline professionals to safely navigate conflict, crisis, and high-risk human interactions.As an elected Fire Commissioner, Andrew continues his commitment to public service by providing strategic governance and oversight for his community's fire district while advocating for responder wellness, organizational excellence, and community safety. https://www.jumpstartmastery.com/
• Brain Sipe (Movie Make up, Horror Movies and the Power of Storytelling) - Episode 1265 12.07.2026 1h 34min

  Emmy® award winning makeup artist Brian Sipe has been working professionally since 1989 as a freelance artist and through his company, Gamut Studios. Several Hollywood makeup effects companies and production studios have taken advantage of his extensive knowledge and experience as a character effects designer and project manager. Brian has had his professional makeup work featured in films and television projects like Jennifer Lawrence / Mystique in the last three X-Men films, Syriana, Ali, Friends, several Terminator films, Big Momma's House 1 and 2, Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Black White to name a few. He has also been the prosthetics makeup department head (as well as makeup artist) on several large-scale films like Guardians of the Galaxy - Volume 2, Avengers - Infinity War, Avengers – Endgame, X-Men - Dark Phoenix, Captain Marvel, and the Star Wars project The Mandalorian. Brian's groundbreaking makeup design for the FX Network's reality television show Black, White personally garnered him an Emmy Award in 2006. In 2013 he was also nominated for his work on How I Met Your Mother. Brian's work on David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, helped nab the BAFTA and Oscar for Best Makeup. Brian is very proud of the work that he, representing Legacy Effects, and the entire team did for the Guardians of the Galaxy - Volume 2. A tremendous amount of work went into the film as his team took over from the first in the series, and it had the honor of making final 7 for the Oscar Bake Offs.
• Frank Meeink (Escaping Neo Nazi Life, Ice Hockey and the Power of Mentorship) - Episode 1264 11.07.2026 2h 7min

  Frank Meeink became a skinhead at thirteen. By eighteen, he was roaming the country as a skinhead leader and neo-Nazi recruiter with gangs that would beat people indiscriminately. In Illinois he had his own cable-access TV show, “The Reich.” He was finally arrested and convicted of kidnapping and beating a member of a rival skinhead gang. While in prison he befriended men he used to think he hated, men of different races. After being released from prison, Mr. Meeink tried to rejoin his old skinhead pals, but couldn’t bring himself to hate those whom he now knew to be his friends. He now regularly lectures to students about racial diversity and acceptance, author and founder of Harmony Through Hockey, Mr. Meeink’s life stands for tolerance, diversity, and mutual understanding in racial, political, and all aspects of society.
• Dr Kellie O'Dare II (Research on the Success of the 24/72, Mental Health and Fire Service Suicide - Episode 1263 10.07.2026 1h 29min

  Dr. Kellie O’Dare is a nationally recognized researcher and educator focused on advancing mental wellness, suicide prevention, and organizational resilience within public safety. In this second conversation we discuss the successes seen by deparments that moved to the 24/72, the corrolation between organisational betrayal, finding accurate fire service suicide statistics and so much more.Kellie serves as Research Associate Professor and Deputy Executive Director of UCF RESTORES. She is also the Founder of the 2nd Alarm Project. With a Ph.D. in Social Work and background in public health and policy, her work centers on translating research into practical, sustainable solutions.She has secured more than $8 million in external funding to advance applied research, prevention initiatives, and statewide capacity-building efforts for public safety. She is especially passionate about supporting first responder families, recognizing their critical role in resilience and long-term wellbeing. In addition to her professional expertise, Dr. O’Dare brings meaningful personal connections to the fire service.She is the niece of Shawn T. O’Dare, a firefighter/paramedic killed in the line of duty in Miami-Dade County, and the spouse of a current Florida professional firefighter/paramedic. Her work is grounded in both the science of and her lived experience in the first responder community.https://2ndalarmproject.org/
• Tara Cornett (Firefighter Decon, the Cancer Epidemic and the True Cost of War) - Episode 1262 05.07.2026 1h 15min

  Tara is the Founder of FLAME Natural Decon. She is also a Navy Veteran and the sister of a San Diego firefighter. Tara founded FLAME when she realized there was a need for a product developed specifically for firefighter personal decon. After a year of extensive R&D, Tara launched FLAME in 2020 with their bar of Soap and Shampoo + Body Wash and since then she’s developed decon Hand Soap, Laundry Detergent, and Shave Soap. The power behind FLAME’s products is their proprietary blend of activated charcoal, which removes the smoke smell and carcinogens so they’re no longer detectable on the skin. Tara’s passionate about working with firefighters to reduce their risk, so they can have long, healthy careers and be around for their families.https://flamedecon.com/
• Tyler Grey (Hostage Rescues, Veteran Mental Health and the Industrial Military Complex) - Episode 1261 02.07.2026 2h 14min

  Tyler Grey spent the better part of a decade operating in environments most people will never see. As a member of Delta Force, a US Tier 1 military unit, he deployed multiple times during the War on Terror. On a night raid in Sadr City, Iraq, an IED explosion left him approximately twenty seconds from bleeding out. He survived, by what came after the survival was harder. The recovery involved years of surgeries, chronic pain, and an addiction to the medication prescribed to manage it. Tyler has spoken about that period with the kind of honesty that is rare in any industry, and especially rare in his. He didn’t frame it as weakness. He framed it as data. Information about what happens when the environment that built you disappears and leaves a gap nothing else is designed to fill. That insight became the foundation of LTSD, Lack of Traumatic Stress Disorder, a theory Tyler developed to explain something that traditional PTSD frameworks consistently miss: that for many warriors, the struggle isn’t caused by a specific event. It’s caused by the absence of the environment they were neurologically shaped to operate inside. Calm feels wrong. Chaos feels like home.Today, Tyler is the founder and president of Saberdyne Systems, a Purple Heart recipient, a speaker on veterans’ mental health, and the author of Forged in Chaos: A Warrior’s Origin Story, co-written with Lauren Ungeldi and published by Knox Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.He has also spent years in Hollywood as a military technical advisor, producer, actor, and director, with seven seasons on the CBS and Paramount+ series SEAL Team and work on productions including The Gray Man and Suicide Squad.Tyler chose to be what he calls Patient Zero: someone who battles his own trauma publicly, so that fellow warriors can see it is possible to come through it. That same philosophy drives Saberdyne Systems. No pretense, no unnecessary steps. Build the thing that actually works.https://saberdynesystems.com/
• Justin Eaton (Hollywood Stunts, Martial Arts and the Future of Movie Making) - Episode 1260 30.06.2026 2h 48min

  Justin Eaton was born in Lawrence, MA. After years of Gymnastics and Martial Arts Justin found himself doing live shows out of Southern California and in the early 2000’s got introduced to the idea that “stunts could be a real job”. Since then he has managed to double for some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Ryan Gosling, Michael Fassbender and Brad Pitt to name a few.Spending over half of a 20 year career doubling for on screen super hero’s like Daredevil, Punisher & Captain America has given a unique experience and perspective. Justin hopes to continue to make films and tv shows that inspire.
• John Nittolo (School Nutrition, Childhood Obesity and Restoring Physical Education in Schools) - Episode 1259 28.06.2026 2h

  John Nittolo has spent 31 years inside public education proving a thesis most of the field only theorizes about: that healthy bodies and disciplined minds aren’t enrichment — they’re the foundation everything else is built on. He has served at nearly every level of a school system along the way — classroom teacher; Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment; Director of Personnel and Staff Development; Director of Early Childhood Education; Principal; and Superintendent — a breadth of vantage few in the field ever earn.As Superintendent-Principal of Oxford Central School District in Warren County, New Jersey, he led a small PreK–8 district to two distinctions unmatched anywhere in American public education — the nation’s first STSI (Systems Thinking Standards Institute)–certified public school, and the world’s first school-based MetFix affiliate. Under his leadership, systems thinking became not a program but the cognitive architecture of the school, and metabolic health became the precondition for learning rather than an afterthought.Working in close partnership with Drs. Derek and Laura Cabrera and the Cabrera Research Lab on the systems-thinking side, and with Emily Kaplan and the MetFix / Broken Science Initiative team on the metabolic-health side, he built an innovation ecosystem years before the frameworks existed to name it — and his former school district became the only traditional public school featured in the award-winning RE:Thinking documentary. His influence now reaches well beyond his district: formal comment shaping New Jersey’s State Learning Standards, an election as Vice President of Education of the International Society for the Systems Sciences, and his forthcoming book, STOLEN FIRE: A Manifesto on Thinking, Thumos, Education, and the Future of the American Mind.A Professional Systems Thinker, CrossFit Level 1 coach, and Architect of MetFix School Programs, with a Master’s in Educational Leadership, John works from a single conviction: that the purpose of education is to create the best version of every child. As he steps beyond the superintendency, he carries that conviction outward — to every school, every family, and every community willing to build it.https://www.instagram.com/themetfixsuperintendent/
• Jeffrey Schwartz (School Safety, Use of Force and First Responder Burnout) - Episode 1258 27.06.2026 1h 41min

  Jeffrey L. Schwartz is a University Professor in Criminal Justice. Dr. Schwartz has numerous certifications and ongoing practical experience in the law enforcement and security field. He is a retired police officer, served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, a former Department of Defense contractor as a manager of a guard force and instructor, an approved trainer with the Federal Protective Service, the General Services Administration, the Department of Defense, the National Rifle Association (both as a civilian training counselor and as a law enforcement division instructor), the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, and has been certified by the New Jersey Police Training Commission as an instructor since 1989, teaching at police academies and in service training. A certified lethal weapons instructor (including baton, handcuffing, defensive tactics, and firearms) for the Pennsylvania State Police and an instructor for the Delaware State Police (baton, handcuffing, pepper spray, firearms). Professor Schwartz is a recognized firearms instructor for the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) and Maryland State Police (MSP) and the Department of State. Dr. Schwartz has taught martial arts for over thirty-five years. He has authored three books and has spoken at numerous conferences. Dr. Schwartz has been the director of training for a close protection detail for a billionaire, is a recognized court expert and has taught hundreds of instructors, trained countless basic users in baton, pepper spray, handcuffing, self-defense, low light tactics, firearms, executive protection, and take down techniques. Professor Schwartz is a subject matter expert in terrorism, use of force, supervision, and tactical training. Professor Schwartz is an instructor trainer in pepper spray, handcuffing, baton, defensive tactics, and firearms. He is a private detective, Delaware security instructor, and a Pennsylvania Lethal Weapons instructor in academic, skills and firearms. He has instructed at various police academies, security training academies, consulted with public and private schools, as well as, consulted with numerous private businesses on safety and security. Further, Dr. Schwartz is an instructor trainer in many facets of trauma, first aid, CPR, AED, and emergency response. Dr. Schwartz also is a concealed carry instructor for Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and many other states.Dr. Schwartz has been awarded by the college and university, being recognized by the law and justice department and the honor society. He is the only professor to have received the college Excellence in Teaching and Excellence in Service awards, the distinguished alumni award, the Gamma Phi Excellence in Law Enforcement award, the university Joseph Barnes Excellence in Service award, and is this years inductee in the Law and Justice Hall of Fame.
• Tim and Angela Houweling II (How Psychedelics are Saving First Responder Lives) - Episode 1257 26.06.2026 54min

  Tim Houweling and Angela Graham-Houweling are two firefighters with almost 40 years of experience combined in emergency services including Fire, EMS, and Search & Rescue. They have witnessed firsthand the growing mental health challenges faced by first responders. Over the years, they have lost several friends and family members to depression and PTSD. After navigating their own mental health journeys, they felt compelled to create a path to support others.Angela Graham. is the Co-Founder of The S.I.R.E.N. Project. IShe was a Firefighter/Engineer/HAZMAT Spec. for almost 20 years with Santa Clara County Fire Dept. in Silicon Valley. Prior to that she was a D1 & professional softball pitcher. She has a loving husband, who is a Fire Capt., and a 7-year-old son. For the first five years of her son's life she was a single mother. For years she struggled with mental health trying every modality available. A friend of hers, who happened to be a special forces operator, connected her to providers of Entheogenic Medicines. It completely changed her life. The change was so profound that Angela and her husband decided to start The S.I.R.E.N. Project to make these medicines available to all First Responders and their Spouses.Tim Houweling works as a Fire Captain, Paramedic, and Hazmat Technician on a Type 1 Heavy Rescue for a San Francisco Bay Area Fire Department. Tim has also been a professional dog trainer since 2004. Tim is also co-founder of the S.I.R.E.N Project which helps first responders access sacred medicine served by indigenous people.Tim began his career with search and rescue dogs in 2005 and has certified six dogs: Deuce, Tater, Georgie, Charley, Carl and Rory in various disciplines from wilderness area search to US&R live-find and human remains detection. He is the Canine Coordinator and a Canine Search Specialist with one of the 28 FEMA Urban Search & Rescue teams in the United States. In that role, he has deployed eighteen times to various US&R environments including post-fire searches, debris flows, floods, explosions, and hurricanes. He is also a member of the canine component of the Yosemite Search and Rescue team (“YODOGS”).In addition to being a Canine Search Specialist, Tim is qualified as a Search Team Manager, Technical Search Specialist, Rescue Specialist, and Finance Specialist. He is a FEMA Evaluator and FEMA instructor. He has served on the Board of Directors of the California Rescue Dog Association, which has the most search wilderness dogs in the United States. He founded a non-profit, HD Search Dog Fund, Inc., that provides training and gear to our nation’s search and rescue dogs. He graduated with a Master’s Degree in Extension Studies/History from Harvard University with his thesis on “The Origin and Evolution of Search and Rescue Dogs in California.” He also serves on the Board of Directors of First Responder Therapy Dogs, Inc., and is on the Executive Board of his local IAFF Union.In addition, he is passionate about improving first responder mental health. With his wife Angela, he co-founded The S.I.R.E.N. Project to help first responders access sacred medicine served by indigenous people (www.thesirenproject.org). These medicines have proven more effective than western medicines in treating post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI.)https://www.thesirenproject.org/news-events/announcement-the-415-gala-september-2026
• James Owen (Gang Violence, Firefighter Mental Health and the Murder of Captain Dave Rosa) - Episode 1256 21.06.2026 2h 17min

  Captain James Owen is a retired Long Beach Fire Department Captain, author of The Last Patient: A Memoir of Resilience and Recovery, speaker, recovery advocate, and founder of Camp Pivot, a platform dedicated to helping first responders, veterans, high-stress professionals, and their families confront trauma, rebuild trust, and recover with discipline.James spent nearly three decades in emergency response and public safety, including more than two decades with the Long Beach Fire Department. His career included service as a firefighter, paramedic, fire captain, incident commander, peer support member, and responder to all-risk incidents across one of Southern California’s busiest urban environments. His background spans paramedicine, fireground command, wildland response, hazardous materials, urban search and rescue, maritime operations, and leadership inside high-pressure public safety systems.But James’s work today is not built on rank alone. It is built on cost. For years, he ran toward other people’s emergencies while quietly carrying his own. Childhood instability, cumulative trauma, death, divorce, addiction, organizational betrayal, physical injury, and the slow erosion of identity all became part of the story he would eventually have to face. Like many first responders, James learned how to function under pressure long before he learned how to process what pressure was doing to him. The job rewarded control, performance, humor, and silence. Eventually, silence became too expensive.That reckoning became The Last Patienthttps://captainjamesowen.com/
• Charles Johnson (The Sopranos, Hollywood Screenwriting and Grooming Standards in Uniform) - Episode 1255 18.06.2026 2h 7min

  Charles R. Johnson is an entrepreneur, operator, and strategist with over two decades of experience spanning entertainment, technology, economic development, and consumer products. As the Founder and CEO of The Bump Serum, he leads the development and growth of a performance-driven skincare brand focused on solving pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), commonly known as razor bumps—a condition he spent years personally working to overcome before turning that experience into a scalable solution.Johnson’s career began in Hollywood as a Writers Guild of America member, working with studios including Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures. He collaborated with industry leaders such as Frank Renzulli and contributed to projects across major networks including ABC, CBS, Starz, and The CW. This foundation in storytelling and production later informed his approach to brand building, marketing, and strategic communication.Transitioning from creative to operational leadership, Johnson expanded into film distribution and digital media, managing cross-functional teams spanning editing, marketing, public relations, and development. He went on to play a key role in raising $10 million in Series A funding for a streaming video platform, where he served as COO and helped shape business strategy, content acquisition, and monetization models in an evolving digital landscape.As a technology entrepreneur, Johnson is also a patent holder, having developed an advertising technology solution designed to generate incremental revenue for streaming platforms. As President of Pause Commercials, he built partnerships across OTT ecosystems, integrating solutions across mobile, web, and connected TV platforms. In parallel, Johnson has worked internationally as a business strategist and consultant, advising companies in Brazil, Sweden, and Canada on market entry, growth strategy, and operational turnaround. His work in economic development includes leading large-scale, multi-stakeholder initiatives such as the California Jobs First Program with the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, where he helped coordinate over 150 stakeholders and contributed to securing $19 million in funding to support regional job creation and investment strategies.Johnson holds an MBA from Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and Management. He is also committed to mentorship and community impact, volunteering with organizations like Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship to support underserved youth in building entrepreneurial skills.Across every role, Johnson brings a systems-driven approach to execution—combining creative insight, technical understanding, and operational discipline to build, scale, and refine complex ventures. Whether developing a consumer brand, structuring a media platform, or leadingcross-sector initiatives, his work is defined by a focus on precision, adaptability, and long-term value creation.https://thebumpserum.com/
• Jorge Carvajal II (Tactical Athlete Performance, Lessons from the Pandemic and Mental Health) - Episode 1254 17.06.2026 2h 10min

  Jorge Carvajal is a veteran Performance Coach and Tactical Performance Consultant with more than 30 years of experience developing elite athletes and high-performance operators at the highest levels.His background includes training thousands of athletes at the University of Florida, University of Nebraska, and the U.S. Olympic Training Center, along with professionals from the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and the World Surf League Big Wave Tour. He has also provided specialized performance training for firefighters, SWAT and Special Response Teams, and military personnel.Respected for his no-excuses, evidence-driven approach to force development, mobility, durability, and performance, Jorge builds explosive, resilient athletes and operators engineered to perform under pressure and endure over time.Today, he continues to consult with elite teams and individuals, develop cutting-edge performance content, and help high performers unlock new levels of strength, resilience, and competitive edge.https://x.com/carvperformance
• Dr Stacy Cecchet (Hunting Pedophiles, Psychopaths in Power and First Responder Mental Health) - Episode 1253 14.06.2026 2h 52min

  Dr. Stacy Cecchet, Ph.D., ABPP, is a forensic and operational psychologist with over a decade of experience supporting law enforcement, tactical teams, investigative units, and other high-demand professionals. Her work focuses on behavioral analysis, investigative strategy, offender typologies, interview strategy, human performance under stress, and functional wellness in operational environments. She consults on complex and high-risk investigations and provides training to investigators, undercover units, tactical teams, K9 handlers, peer support teams, and command staff. Her work helps agencies apply psychological science to improve operational decision-making, performance, stress management, and long-term readiness. Dr. Cecchet considers it a professional responsibility and an honor to support those who serve in these demanding roles.https://drstacycecchet.com/
• Nate Block (Crisis De-escalation, Reducing Recidivism and the Oklahoma City Bombing) - Episode 1252 13.06.2026 1h 52min

  Nathanael “Nate” Block is a leadership and culture development coach, crisis de-escalation instructor, and public-sector leader committed to helping people and organizations operate with clarity, courage, and purpose.He is the owner of Stewardship Dynamics, where he teaches leadership, communication, and culture development to teams seeking to build healthier, more effective organizations. Nate also serves as an instructor with Jumpstart Mastery, a high-performing crisis de-escalation training company known for equipping professionals to navigate conflict, pressure, and high-stakes human interaction with skill and composure.In addition to his training and consulting work, Nate serves in public service with Thurston County as Program Manager of the Thurston County Resource Hub, a drop-in center supporting justice-impacted individuals with behavioral health, housing, employment, healthcare, legal, and basic-needs resources.A former firefighter and crisis negotiator, Nate brings a grounded, real-world perspective to leadership, culture, and crisis communication. He is currently pursuing a Master of Public Management through Johns Hopkins University, where his studies continue to shape his approach to leadership, systems change, and public service.Nate’s work is shaped by the belief that strong leadership is ultimately an act of stewardship: caring well for people, building trust, and creating environments where both individuals and teams can thrive.
• Mitchell Brown (Pittsburg's Original Paramedics, Mental Health and Leadership) - Episode 1251 09.06.2026 2h 18min

  Mitchell Brown is an Air Force Medic veteran, one of the orginal paramedics from Pittsburgh's Freedom House and retired Columbus City Councilman. We discuss how the loss of his mother sent him into medicine, physical and mental trauma in Vietnam, America's first paramedics, the origin of CPR, the opiod crisis, leadership and so much more.
• Walt Dix (The 24/72 Revolution, the Journeyman Firefighter and Forging Tactical Athletes) - Episode 1250 07.06.2026 2h 14min

  Walt Dix is the IAFF 12th District Vice President and 38 year veteran of the fire service. We discuss joining the fire service in the 1970s, the evolution of fire attack, the firefighter work week, the truth behind the FLSA, mental health, fitness standards, forging journeymen and so much more. Born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Walter, a native of South Florida, dedicated his career to the Fire Rescue Service. He served for over 37 years as a Firefighter/EMT with Broward County Fire Rescue, achieving the rank of Fire Captain in 1986.Under his leadership in the early 1990s, Broward County consolidated its Fire and EMS services into a single department. Captain Dix has held various positions within the department, including Captain Special Operations Technical Rescue, Captain Hazardous Materials team, and head of the Fire Training Division.As a charter member of the Local Union in 1979, he served in several Union Officer positions until his election as President of the Broward County Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Association IAFF Local 4321 from 1990 to 2017. In 2017, he was honored as President Emeritus of IAFF Local 4321.In 2004, the Broward County Council of Professional Firefighters honored him with the prestigious title of Firefighter of the Year. Subsequently, in 2009, he was recognized as the Florida Professional Firefighter of the Year by the Governor, State Fire Marshal/CFO, and Florida Cabinet. In 2010, he received the IAFF Local Leadership award at the IAFF 50th Convention held in San Diego.President Dix concurrently served as a Trustee and Vice President of the Florida Professional Firefighters for a total of 13 years. The State Association honored him with Vice President Emeritus status for his distinguished service.From 2001 to 2017, President Dix served as the International Association of Firefighters 12th District Field Service Representative. In 2008, he was appointed to the IAFF/IAFC Labor Management Initiative as an LMI Facilitator, collaborating with numerous fire departments to provide Labor Management training.DVP Dix holds various affiliations, including the Broward County Regional Emergency Medical Services Council, the IAFF Elected Human Relations Committee, and the International Association of Fire Fighters Occupational Health and Safety committee.In 1998, the BCPPFF Benefit Fund was established to provide healthcare, supplemental benefits, and retiree subsidies. DVP Dix has served continuously as the Chairman/Trustee of the BCPPFF Benefit since its inception. Additionally, he serves as a Trustee for the International Association of Firefighters Staff and Employees’ Pension Plans.In 2017, DVP Dix was elected to the International Association of Firefighters 12th District Vice President position, a role he continues to serve today. As the IAFF 12th District Vice President, he is responsible for overseeing the membership of over 44,000 Firefighters in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean Islands.