Blue Card Rundown for April, 2026

We share the April 2026 Blue Card rundown, from FDIC plans to major updates in training, online content, and continuing education. We dig into what’s changing in Fire Command, why objective after action reviews matter, and how we keep the whole response system stronger from dispatch to the fireground.

• FDIC plans in the Hoosier corridor and who you can meet at the booth
• Third edition Fire Command textbook release and why the update matters
• Blue Card Online update planned to align with the new textbook
• After Action Reporting system overview and what it measures
• How non-instructors get AAR access and how the subscription pricing works
• New traffic incident management CE module tied to apparatus positioning and safety
• New dispatcher CE on mass casualty support and catching missed Maydays
• ARFF program growth, new CE and simulations, and the August Phoenix class dates
• Train the Trainer schedule, workshop dates, and why early booking matters
• New command awareness program for firefighters, operators, and EMS partners
• Helmet wall update and how departments can contribute

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This episode was recorded on April 2, 2026.

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Transcript

Welcome And April Blue Card Rundown

SPEAKER_00 0:54

Welcome to the Beat Shifter Podcast. John Vance here and Josh Bloom today. This is the Blue Card rundown for April 2026. We like to get on once in a while and just give you an update on all that is happening with Blue Card, and we have a lot of stuff happening, particularly this month, but we've also announced and added a number of things here in the last few weeks. So we wanted everybody to know about that and also what's coming up for us. So I'm coming at you from Kansas City. We've been doing a Blue Card Train the Trainer here this week. It's been a fantastic week here with a new department. We have departments in the area doing it, but Kansas City, Kansas, they are getting into Blue Card. So we're here doing their train the trainer. So we've had some good barbecue and the great hospitality of the folks in the the state of Kansas and Missouri. We've crossed the river a bunch of times this week. So that's been good. How are you doing, Josh?

SPEAKER_01 1:47

I'm doing excellent. We're finally turning the corner in Cincinnati on the weather. So that that always that always changes your mind mindset a little bit. But been busy. We're super busy. So Lee, we got well over a hundred events scheduled for this year between trainers and workshops and uh trainers and all of those all those things that we're offering. So that's good. So our schedule's you know filling up, and you know, people are sending emails, hey, these are the dates we want. And it's like, well, we have more than enough capacity to do more than one class in the same week. But when we got two or three things scheduled in the same week, it becomes a challenge because we we don't keep adding staff to just do classes. We make it a priority that we that everybody is is the lead instructor and can you know send the message, and we're not gonna dilute that.

FDIC Booth Location And What’s New

Fire Command Textbook Gets Major Update

SPEAKER_00 2:43

So there's somewhat of a limited availability. You got to get in and and get those things booked ahead of time. Well, we'll get to the classes in a minute because we want to talk about all the dates that we have, but first of all, you know, coming up this month is FDIC. We're gonna be at FDIC with a booth this year as we normally are. We'll be in the Hoosier corridor. Nick Brunicini is going to be there with us, and we are finally rolling out the brand new fire command textbook. Uh, that's gonna be available to order starting at the beginning of FDIC. We're going to have a special deal on that too. So we we're not gonna announce what the deal is until FDIC, but it's a it's it's substantial savings on the book. If you happen to get it during the week of FDIC, you're gonna want to visit the booth and see us and visit with Nick. Uh, what what else do we have going on with that? I know the book in and of itself is packed with excitement. It's the first time that book's been updated since 2002. Chief Bernicini was working on it prior to his passing. So there's some information from him that he had written, and then also some new added chapters. So, what can you tell us about that?

Blue Card Online Relaunch Later In 2026

Meet Nick And Get Book Savings

SPEAKER_01 3:49

Yeah, so the we're super excited to push it out, and it has been a long time coming, but I think uh, you know good things come oftentimes, I think, when you when you wait, when you wait it out and make sure that it's the way you want it. You know, as as as Nick oftentimes says, uh, finished is often better than you know, perfect. But in this case, I don't know that anybody can write something that's perfect. I mean, it it really be some some stuff comes outdated the next day, right? Like this is this is what it is today, but this is what it looks like tomorrow. But I think this is this book is is as as current as anything that is out there when it comes to everything that we've learned over the you know, really the last 20 or 25 years. You know, the melding melding command safety, the book command safety into this third edition of fire command, I think is incredible. And then linking all of those things since Blue Card launched in 2008 that where we have a textbook that aligns 100% with the Blue Card command training program. And you know, nothing's really changed with the eight functions of command. I think it's the details of it, and then nothing's changed with the words. But uh, like when we talk about situation evaluation, I'll just hit on that briefly. That's just the one little topic piece. But as we were, as this book was getting put together, and you know, all of us were giving input and figuring out how do we make this what it needs to be for today and into the future, situation evaluation has changed quite a bit. So, you know, everything from you know the consideration of, and we're not teaching our class on thermal imaging cameras, but the consideration of thermal imaging cameras, what can you do with that? What does that size up look like from the outside? And then what does inside size up look like using the camera, you know, from the company officer's perspective and anybody else's perspective? And then, you know, all the drone technology, you know, organizations are using drones daily, you know, with on top of battalion cars, portable devices, you know, apparatus have them on them, you know, tether drones, you name it, all of those parts pieces. So just a consideration for for that. And what does that mean? You know, everything from getting, you know, roof reports to just here in my region recently, the that that cooked foods fire that was, you know, very significant. 1.2345 million square foot building that raw chicken comes in one side and comes goes out the other side frozen, you know, all over the country. The the drone used there was priceless. What they were able to see and you know, track back you know, all the way down to uh being able to identify and having the plant workers are being able to identify, you know, what lines have been ruptured here. Are those natural gas lines, are the chlorine lines, are the ammonia lines, are they some kind of refrigerant line? You know, is it is it high pressure cooking oil in those lines? So that that was that was priceless, but we it that you know just adding that in there for when we come when we talk about situation evaluation, you know, I think is a big deal. And then the technology that we've you know shown uh on some of our podcasts in the videos of the the man that there's cameras everywhere inside these buildings, right? So you go to the big box fire, and the manager, supervisor, responsible party on site oftentimes can show you right on their cell phone, like here's the here's what it looked like before you guys got here, here's where the fire is. And you know, you probably maybe can't see what it looks like now because they're you know on the ceiling or whatever in the smoke, heat, whatever damages them, but you know, early on. So using that technology, along with so many other things, right? So when it comes to the situation evaluation part, and then I think super valuable of the the history of fire command and like where did it start and where is it now, and then like that stepped process, and you know, fire command two was fantastic, and everybody thought that this is this is the final answer, and then when the Southwest supermarkets fire happened, you know, then Command Safety came out in 2003 or four, and it was you know, to I think clarify a lot of the things that were in the second edition of Fire Command. So, you know, being able to meld all of that together, and then the whole piece on Mayday management, mayday prevention, mayday management, resources, taking care of yourself, gotta be ready before the bell rings, which you know started last night, not not at seven o'clock this morning. So I think I think it's an excellent book. I love the fact that it that it's current and links right with what we deliver today in the train and trainer class for blue card. And you know, with that, now that the book is like finalized, no more changes gone to print, we're super excited to to be able to launch the new version of the Blue Card Online. So it's already been modified probably over a dozen times, I think, since you know 2008, 2009. You know, some of the early changes was the you know, no basements, and now there is basements. And really what we've learned from organizations all across the country, and and then what has happened with science and all the people doing research that we've been able to put into the program, but now being able to launch a new online later this year in 2026, now that the book is completed, so that the the reference book and the online material align 100%, which that that's gonna be that's gonna be priceless. And and then both of them align with all of the best practice standard things. So, you know, NFPA 1521 for safety officers, and you know, there's a whole piece on safety in there and what that looks like, and uh how the support officer is the safety officer, and you know, melding those together. Yeah, I think it's gonna be it's gonna be excellent. I'm looking forward to it. I've been excited working on it, and and at some point we do have to say, okay, it's finished because if you keep on reading it and you keep on going through it, there's always gonna be a little tweak change, whatever. So yeah, super excited for it to launch and then super excited for the online to be updated and aligned 100% with the third edition.

SPEAKER_00 10:13

Well, we want to invite everyone to come by our booth. Nick Brunissini will be hanging out there answering questions, talking to folks, and then we'll also have a special promo code during that time that will get you a substantial discount on the book. So we're excited about that. We'll announce that all the week of FDIC, but we want you to come by the booth and see us, and we'll give you a card to get you that discount. So that that'll that'll help you out a little bit. And uh also there'll be some kind of quantity discount because we do know that people buy those by the case sometimes, as they did Fire Command 2, because it's their reference for promotional exams and and other learning within their department. So they want to make that available at all their firehouses and their training library. So we'll have all that information for you the week of FDIC at FDIC. So come by the booth, see us. We are in the Hoosier corridor, once again, outside of the main floor area. So you can see us even before the main floor opens up, right?

After Action Reports That Drive Change

SPEAKER_01 11:10

Yeah, Wednesday morning, John. We'll probably, I mean, you and I'll be in there Wednesday morning and get set up probably right after we get our first cup of coffee, right? We're gonna we'll get in there Wednesday and set up in the Hoosier corridor, and then we'll be there Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday all day, every one of those days until it you know closes on Saturday. We'll wrap up and get out of there at lunchtime or whatever. But yeah, so it you can stop by and see us anytime because you we're we're not you know on that main show floor, so we'll be we'll be hanging out in the hallway there. And then uh Eric Phillips is gonna be there. He was the bit of the mastermind behind the after-action reporting system and like getting that together along with a bunch of our other folks, you know, plugging in with it. But we'll have a setup there so that Eric can like demonstrate, go through, answer any question, show you the parts, pieces of how you how that after action reporting system works. And then it's really nice because we we're we're 18 months or so, I think, into that program launching, which is it's still a baby, right? It's an infant it hasn't done, it hasn't had time to do much, but organizations are latching right onto it, and and oftentimes they're latching onto it after they have an event. We got a large county fire department that had a May Day and they hadn't been using the after action reporting system. And when they plugged everything into the after action reporting system, and they're like, Well, you know, there's a lot of other things we should we need to address or should be addressing outside of just the things that happened with the May Day. And it's like, well, yeah, if we're not willing to take have a tool to take a deep look at ourselves and hold ourselves accountable to the standard that we all agree to and that we trained to, then yeah, just expect the same. So we're excited with all of the data that's getting put into there. And the organizations are, I think, super happy with the dashboard. So once you get a little bit of uh once you get some data in there yourself at your own organization, and you can only see your own material. So nobody's it's not getting shared amongst organizations. It's just yours to use however you see fit. But being able to look at that dashboard and see, yeah, we do really good initial radio reports, follow-up reports, and assigning companies, but past that, once they're assigned, companies get on the radio for oftentimes reasons they don't need to, or they give incomplete transmissions, or companies are cutting other companies off on the radio, just as an just as an example. Well, when you plug it into the system, and you you can see that all 15 times we've had the same problem, and we we don't score very well. And this using tickets and can reports to communicate, it's an opportunity to fix that so that you don't don't keep training so hard on something that you're doing really well on. We're doing pretty good on that. We're not gonna ignore it, but we're going to address the areas that we can do better. So, yeah, we'll so we'll have that set up at the booth, and uh, Eric could walk you through, answer any questions we have on that. Chris Stewart's gonna be with us. So if you have any ARF questions, Chris is gonna be there, and then you know, questions about workshops, any of that stuff, come on by. We'd be more than happy to talk to you about whatever. And if you have no idea what blue card is, stop by and talk to us because I'll say 9.9 times out of 10 when when people have something to say about blue card that is derogatory, example level one staging, you know, they heard it from somebody, they seen it on the internet, and now it's the gospel because that it was on the internet, and it's like I can't believe a thing that I see on the internet nowadays because you'll know if somebody what what somebody was doing with it. But I think once people see it, it's like, oh, well, we didn't know that it was like that. And the proof is in the pudding. So I tell people, thanks, John, for doing what you do with all the podcast stuff, but go to the podcast, all of our podcasts, and look at any of the live audio from any of the organizations that have sent us this this audio. And it's like, when there's work to be done, there is never a company sitting waiting. Now, there might be the sixth or seventh company on deck in the front yard waiting because they're the they're the they're on the bench waiting to do the next layer of work because oftentimes we get caught up with that too, right? Like, well, we send seven companies and then but we have a list that says seven companies do these things when they get there. And it's like, well, yeah, but you have no depth to address the real problem because everybody's just doing, you know, maybe what they want to do. But anyway, stop by the booth, we'd be more than happy to, you know, talk to you, explain what the program is, or if if you're a user and you got questions about delivering the system or anything with it, you know, let us know. But we're all hazards, blue card all hazards, everything from you know, firefighting, fire ground operations in buildings to you know, Vandenberg Air Force Base in California goes to tons of like outside wildland fires, very large wildland fires, and they use it as kind of the boots on the ground management piece. I'm not talking about red card and all the stuff they do with that when it comes to the the specific work they do, but as far as building an organization and all that, until you know overhead teams get there to hazmat, the hazmat IC certification program, to the dispatcher program, to here very shortly, as we've as we've promised, and it's taken longer than we expected, but the eight functions of command for technical rescue CE modules getting ready to also go live. So a lot going on. Again, yeah, stop by and see us.

SPEAKER_00 16:44

So you brought up the AAR, and you know, like the the guys this week, I mean, we're still getting the the word out on that. Uh, the the folks in the class this week didn't know that was included. Uh, that is included if you are an instructor. You get access to that module and all the tools that come along with it to very objectively critique on the command side of things what is going on on your fire. So there are several different components to that from the initial radio report, follow-up report, transfer command, can reports. If you do have priority traffic, roof reports, all the all the radio traffic that we talk about and all the decision making that we do, it's all included in in building these reports. You can use audio, you can use CAD notes, you can use helmet cam, dash cam. So the the the guys this week had no idea that that even existed. So it was great to bring them up to speed on that. We'll go over it probably a little more tomorrow during class, too. But we have made that available now to non-instructors. It's part of the instructor package if you buy into the instructor package. But if if you just want to get it off to the side, how is that possible? And and what do you have to do to get the AAR program as a non-instructor?

SPEAKER_01 17:57

Yeah, so we we customer feedback, right? So you know it started out as an as access to instructors only, and then it didn't take long for organizations to say, well, we have we want all of our battalions or anybody who can ride in the battalion, or these lists of people who aren't instructors to also have access. So we we build a subscription program for it, and it's it's very cost-friendly, cost effective. If you're an instructor or a user, when you log into the blue card website in the top left, right around where it talks about the ACE accreditation and all of that, there's a spot that says AAR. Well, if you just click on that AAR there, it'll give you all the information. So to get access to it, your organization does have to have one instructor, and then whoever you're giving access to has to have a current blue card license and be paying for the license to have access to the system. So, and then then they can have access to it. And it's a based off of numbers, the price just continues to to go down. So the first subscription for it for anybody who's not an instructor is$500, and then from there it just keeps going down. And then when you get to five, it's$100 per person that you add. So if if you're doing if you're wanting to break up that workload within your organization and use the system, it's not like you're buying into a whole new platform, a whole new program. It's it's already part of the program, and it's it's it's like adding a channel on your TV service, whatever you're using. Here in Cincinnati, uh, you're not watching the Reds game anymore unless you buy the hundred dollar subscription for the Reds game. It's not on any channels anymore. So it's like, you know, well, every everything's an add-on. I think my I think my internet and cable bill, I just looked at it, and I don't have nothing crazy. Now is like 280 bucks a month, and it's like, well, you pay$280 a month, and everything, everything costs money. Anything that's worth anything costs money.

New Traffic And Dispatcher Training Modules

SPEAKER_00 20:02

So yeah, they figured out the value of it. Well, that's great. So you can click on the AER to get more information on that. And and just a reminder if you're an instructor, that's available to you right now. So get in there, and uh, there's a number of webinars on that topic that is on our YouTube channel, and there's also tutorials. So if if you get on there and you don't know how to use it, hit the tutorials or go through our webinars and you'll get further instruction on that. But it's available for you right now. You rolled out a new CE here. We have the CE on Tim's. Explain what Tim's is and what's in that new CE that's available for everyone.

SPEAKER_01 20:40

Yeah, so traffic incident management. So one of our lead instructors, Scott Williams, is the assistant chief at the Springdale Fire Department, City of Springdale Fire Department here in Hamilton County, southern Ohio. And he got super engaged. They had a police officer get killed on the highway. And leading up to that, there were a few instances where cars hit apparatus and some other near misses. And he got super engaged when that incident happened and built out regionally here, you know, our traffic incident management program of how do we position our apparatus, all of those things. So that traffic incident management program is a it's a standalone program that also exists, and that's that's what that group does all together is traffic incident management. We built like an hour and a half, two hour CE module that's just more with like the management and kind of how does it line up with Blue Card and like assigning those companies and communicating and really it hits the the an overview of traffic incident management, I guess you would say, but the basics of positioning apparatus, blocking the road, how we do that. And that's part of the it's part of the command system, right? That we we do that to keep who we're responding to to help safe and to keep ourselves safe. So again, it's like a two-hour CE module. Anybody who has full access, it's available there. And that that module is available in the regular blue card program, and it's available in the RF CE side of it, also, because so many airports not just cut, they don't just cover the airfield, they cover all those roads around, also, right? So one of our lead instructors just told me a few weeks ago that's fantastic that that's in there. One of the worst entrapments and wrecks that I ever made was on an airport road going into the airport. And it's like, oh well, I mean, uh, yeah, it's uh so it's just another another layer, another CE module. So I think we're up to 46 or 7 or 8 CE modules, and we have I don't know, four or five probably in the In the works right now that will be rolling out, you know, later this year.

SPEAKER_00 22:47

So yeah, I know there will be a new uh silverback coming up. Those guys are just finishing that one up. So that's there's there's always something new coming in with the CE. So we just keep adding to that to give you a bigger library of CEs for your folks. And and you know, if you've already completed, which very few people actually have completed all of them, we'll we'll give you something new. Uh so that's good. And and speaking of CEs, there's a dispatcher CE now. What's that new dispatcher CE that just rolled out?

SPEAKER_01 23:17

Yeah, so the first dispatcher CE's out, and it's it's on the dispatcher's role and how the dispatcher helps the responders with mass casualty events. So, like, how do they get what get what information should they gather? What's important for them to communicate, what doesn't need to be communicated. So it's just another layer, right? So that we can do better and get better information working with those partners that far too often we leave, you know, sitting in that dark room underground somewhere at some dispatch center. And then the only time we talk to them is when we have to. All the rest of the time we just talk about how shitty of a job they do, and it is not their fault. I blame it on the fire department my entire career. I heard they do everything for the police department. It's like because the police department talks to them, and we we never did. It was like they sent us to the incident and then we were never happy with anything they did. Well, the the the dispatch program came about because we want the dispatchers to help us and give us the information that they have. And we've heard over time people who, for whatever reason, just they had the feeling they should answer or say something or whatever, but plenty of Mayday events and building collapse events and rapidly growing fire events where you know the dispatcher comes on to command. Do you hear them screaming in the basement? They're burning up, they have no water, or dispatch to command. Did you hear the Mayday? And you know, sometimes it's crazy. Dispatch to come calling command three or four times to say that there is a Mayday, and then they're saying, Did you say there's a Mayday? And it's like, that's why it's just so important in our system that we do what we do, also, right? The a big job of the incident commander, I think the biggest is making sure we're in the correct strategy, probably, but is you have to be an active listener, right? So it's what you see and what you hear to make decisions on the fire ground, and that dispatch is another layer that can help us. And kudos to the dispatchers. I'll say it again from a podcast we did a little while ago from one here in Hamilton County, a strategic shift at a strip mall fire, and the dispatcher was on it, like did everything that they were supposed to do based on you know so gs and the training that they have. And on that same podcast, uh strategic shift in Cobb County, the same thing happens. The the dispatcher did exactly what the policy is, the same thing we talked about in train the trainer program. So the there are partners and we should treat them that way, and they can help us.

ARFF Updates And August Phoenix Class

SPEAKER_00 25:48

So, yeah, treat them that way, follow up with them after incidents, you know, don't leave them in the dark and and certainly train them because we have we have the avenue now for you to be able to train your dispatchers using the dispatcher program and then continuing that education with the continuing education that we're providing. The ARF program's uh going along. I mean uh I hate to say it, but I think accentuating lately here, you know, the the need for good, strong ARF and a strong ARF command system. We have an ARF train the trainer coming up in August 25th through the 27th at the Allen V. Bernassini CTC in Phoenix. It anything new with ARF and and yeah, what's going on with with that program right now?

SPEAKER_01 26:34

They continue to to build out that program. So they're they're actually a bit ahead of schedule, which is a good thing when it comes to building the CE. So we're building out more CE and then uh some of those other folks that are working on that ARF program that work at been involved with ARF their entire career. Some of them, you know, all of their focus has been they've worked for the airport at very large airports and have been involved in some events, whatever. So building out the CE modules, we we have SOGs that they've put together for that, just like we do for everything else with Blue Card, adding some simulations. So, you know, a lot of the ARF simulations don't have like eight or ten moving companies, like that you sit at computers like you do with the regular Blue Card program. But it oftentimes it turns into more like a tabletop component and piece because in the ARF world, they're not just talking to the companies, they're talking to the tower, they're talking to the pilot, and and I learned I've learned so much during that process because I worked somewhere where where there was a regional airport, but like nothing, nothing where there was any organization to you know or have or have a response. But as I read those SOGs and went through the online program, it's like wow, there's there is a whole lot to this, but it's fantastic that the blue card all hazard system, command system, the eight functions of command align perfectly. It's it's you have different critical factors and you have different things standing in the way of addressing and solving those critical factors, but the system is still the system and and and works. So I think in Canada they got two or three uh trainers also scheduled up there, and then we're working with two of probably the largest, two of the top five largest airports in the country uh were finalizing some work that we're gonna be doing with them. But I think the the proof is the proof's in the pudding, you know the the whole incident there and that that recently happened in New York, just looking at it from a perspective of you look at that rundown of all the companies that ended up on the airfield, you know, from the New York City Fire Department, the Port Authority, all the ambulances. I think they transported 45 people. So, like, what does that even look like? Like, how do you organize that? How do you build that out? And you know, from everything you can tell, like I mean, I think they did a fantastic job. I'm not bringing it up for anything except for to say you're if you're if you're building out an organization to manage a hundred companies between all those ambulances, apparatus, and then the the port authority and all of that, you better have a system in place, right? And you know, clearly the the incident went as it went, but I'm sure I'm sure it's helpful when you have in the in in the back of your mind what does this look like and what what system I got am I gonna use to manage this event?

SPEAKER_00 29:41

We have coming up a blue card train the trainer in Phoenix. That's May 11th through the 15th. And typically we take a hiatus during the summer from our Phoenix classes because it's hot and and people have summer vacations and stuff. So that that's gonna be the last one until fall. Is that correct?

SPEAKER_01 29:59

Yeah, so we'll do that May trainer that's coming up, and then well, you got a class coming up here in April, but but I think it's full, right? So yeah, we got so we got April class full, and then I think there's five or six seats. I think I looked at earlier open in the May Phoenix trainer, and then June, July, and August, we will not do any classes in Phoenix. Though we're working on the road all over, we just choose not to go to the hottest place uh in the world during the torch, Arizona, yeah, during the summer, and it's always a challenge, like with people traveling and vacations and kids and all of that stuff. So we'll we'll be posting within the next month, we'll be posting dates for September, October, November, December and Phoenix.

SPEAKER_00 30:46

Wanted to highlight just a couple other dates too. There's an like you said, there's a number of Canadian dates, both for the R program and also some train the trainers, along with workshops, bringing workshops to Canada right now. Uh, there's a Mayday workshop plan, I know, in Canmmore and stuff. So just get online and check out the Canadian dates if you're looking for Canadian dates. Snohomish County in Washington, in the uh north of the Seattle area. We have a big box workshop coming up there May 4th and 5th. There's only eight seats available for that. Hall County, Georgia. We have a big box workshop, May 20th and 21st. Cottage Grove, Minnesota. Uh, one of the May Day workshops there are full. There are some seats in the May 21st and 22nd workshop. And then you just posted seven new workshops online. So you can go to bshifter.com, check out all those dates. They tend to fill up fast, and there's only so much capacity through the end of the year. I think I would say right now the the calendar is filling up for 2026. So we're we're I know you're already planning on 2027 dates, right?

SPEAKER_01 31:51

Oh, yeah. I got I have organizations that are weekly sending me what's available, what's the availability for 2027, and right now it is pretty much so wide open. So they get first pick. In December, we got quite a bit of openings, but really there's only two weeks that we can really work, you know, in in December, those first two weeks, and they're pretty wide open. But other than that, you can look at all of our events and see what's going on, where, how many seats are available in those classes. And then if you're wanting to host something, you can kind of work off of those dates as far as what might be in your mind, as far as if you're wanting to do a train the trainer or one of the workshops. But I just had to tell two fire departments today that you know a month ago they said, Hey, we want we're we want we want to do some classes. I sent them some dates and I told them, I said, uh, we fill it on a first come, first serve basis. So other people have these same dates. So when they call back first, that your dates might not be available. So we just have a whole lot more flexibility the sooner you book is all all it comes down to. And and you'll see if you look at our calendar, I think in well uh yeah, in May and June, between those just those two months, I think there's 26 events that we're doing, and they all overlap. And we're I think there's one week that I think we're in four different places, which is fantastic. But that that starts to get us at the end of our capacity because so many of our folks that are lead instructors are are still are they working somewhere, so they have a real job.

New Command Awareness Course For Crews

SPEAKER_00 33:21

Yeah, I gotta fit it in. Hey, I so I got a sneak peek this, I think it was two weeks ago, that what we used to call the first responder module, but there's like a new awareness program, really. It's it's not meant to give people incident command education, but it's more of an awareness. Is that ready to roll out or what's gonna uh that I'm really excited about it because I really love the way that it's put together and I think it's perfect for a recruit firefighter just for their understanding of what fire command does. So tell us about that and really what we can expect from that new program. It's going to hit hit out there very shortly.

SPEAKER_01 33:58

Yeah, so it is it is a hundred percent new. I wouldn't even say that that that first responder module, I think, was built in 2009. Is this a glimpse of what the system is and what command is, and it's gonna go away because it's from 2009, and I think we're gonna cover all of it in this new program. But the new program is considerably longer than that. So the focus is on giving the non-ICs, so you're not IC, you're not riding the front seat of the fire truck, and you're not riding in a car is command, and you're not gonna be a division boss. That this program is about fire apparatus operators, firefighters, and and even even person, even EMS personnel. I think that so so many places that are our customers, they have county EMS that aren't that isn't necessarily affiliated with the fire department. So, you know, going through it and understanding the the communications and when they could get on the radio and when they shouldn't get on the radio and what certain things mean, I think it's is is is important. So it's looking like that model is going to be over a little over four hours, and it does cover, we're trying to make sure that it covers the parts and pieces for the firefighter two requirements for command and communications. So a few of our organizations we've we've sent it to them to take a look at. Like, does this cover what you would want it to cover if you were going to use it in your academy to replace somebody standing in front of the class talking about command? So, you know, I know before you before oftentimes the pre-work for a lot of these these academies is you have to do all of your NIMS 100, 200, 700, 800, whatever, which whatever that is what it is. But I think this program brings value because one, it gives them information right on day one about organization communications and and the command system. And I know so many academies now on like on day one, they're they're they're starting to communicate on the radio. They're they're teaching them what you would say, what you wouldn't say. And then when they do company exercises, right, that that it happens over the radio so that they're you know using the order model and not breaking the not breaking that communications loop, all of those things. So we will we're we're for we're four to six weeks probably from it going live. And when we when we push it out, we'll make sure we do a big announcement on it and and we're keeping it super reasonable so that you know academies could easily put their you know 30, 40, 50, 60, 100 folks, whatever they're running through for a firefighter two or a recruit class through that. But it's also going to be very good, I think, for for the firefighters and engineers. So, you know, all the time we get the is there, do you have anything that would help people just understand the communications or understand when they would or should or shouldn't say something? And you know, we're we're learning and been talking about with that strategic decision-making workshop and critical thinking. So many organizations have asked us, can you build something like this for the firefighter and the non-ICs? So that if they see something, that they actually say something, and it's not this quasi military looking, well, the officer didn't say, so that's what we do, or the officer said, so that's what we do. And it's like, no, we want we want thinking people. So I don't want to say that we're really addressing a ton of thinking stuff in there, but we're giving them the tools and the overview of the strategic decision-making model, the parts and pieces of command when you're assigned a division. What does accountability look like? What does air management look like? And then a ton of examples on you're the firefighter or apparatus operator, maybe, and you get you're at the hydrant and it's dead. Well, it's priority traffic, right? We you can't complete the task, it's pretty important. We're the fire department, we go there to put the fire out. Well, we the hydrant's dead. So if you just say priority traffic from the and you're on the hydrant, everybody's gonna pick up on, oh, like this is a this is a problem, right? Where far too often we just hear a big dissertation because it's like, well, you never taught me how to really even talk on the radio. So I'm here and it's like, yeah, I'm at the hydrant and it won't come on. What do you want me? It's like no, just priority traffic and they're gonna give a can report. And then you know, the same thing. If they're you know, if you're the operator outside and you see something, you know, say something and and just line it up with that communications process, right? The what are you looking at? What's the problem? And then given the conditions, action, needs, you know, component piece of it, so that we're all working together. Because as we talk about all the time, our capability isn't on one person, you know, there is the weakest link thing that becomes a problem, but our capability on the fire ground is the capability of the entire response system. And I'll say this our capability of managing a Mayday on the fire ground is the capability of the entire response system. Mayday management isn't the we're we're hanging it all on the writ team. It's like, no, we're not sending somebody on the suicide mission, it's not the on-deck crew, we're counting on them to pull off the impossible, it's mayday prevention from the very beginning. And then if we end up with a task level Mayday, which is going to happen because what we do is dangerous and sometimes you just can't see it, it's the capability of everybody there. So this program kind of helps with that a little bit, I think, too, of just getting them to understand that you're part of a bigger system, and but it takes everybody. So a system takes all the parts and pieces, right? You take one link out of any system and it's like, oh, well, that's gonna be a problem. And and we do have layering and backup in there, but that's important. And then since I'm talking about this whole capabilities thing, I'm just gonna put this out there that safety on the fire ground is everybody theirs' job. It cannot be pinned on one person and expect there to be any kind of safety because they can only see one thing at a time, and they're really only seeing what they want. So that's why in our system we embed safety officers to be support officers in each division where the work's actually happening. But we really talk about the job at the task tactical strategic level, right? The company officer's job is this voice, vision, and touch, the safety of their people, right? Putting water on the fire, all those parts and pieces and things. So the program gives them if we if we were gonna say 30,000 feet uh view, I would say it gives them a 10,000 foot view, a little closer look at blue card and makes them be able to use and function within the system without throwing it off. How many hours would you say that we're looking at right here? I think so we've had like there's like four people gone through it, like actually as a user, like just like trying to figure out how long is it, and then our the test questions and what we're gonna add some other stuff. And uh I think you could I think you could buzz through it in like three and a half hours, but I think it's more of like four or four and a half, maybe even five hours. Oh, great. Like that to go. I mean, I think if you when you really dive in and go through it and if you're gonna absorb what you're watching and listening to, if you're just gonna push the forward key, it's probably three hours, I think.

Helmet Wall Stories From Across Departments

SPEAKER_00 41:37

I really like the look of it. I love what it covered. I is you know, coming from a chief's perspective, it's exactly what you want your new people and even your driver operators and other firefighters to know about the command system. And we're always asked about oh, won't you do a blue card light? Which I've always disliked that terminology because it implies like not all the knowledge, but that this is really an inner introduction to blue card and fire command. So I like that look and that feel of it. I've got something fun. Our our helmet wall, our second wall is almost going to be full. I talked to Nick Bernicini this week, and I think we have three spots left, and uh, we'll be getting the brackets up at the ABBCTC. So, what we ask is for folks who want to contribute a helmet to our hall of helmets. It's supposed to represent departments that are out there doing blue card. We have everyone from Massachusetts to Hawaii and Alaska in there right now, and everywhere in between. And we put a call out for helmets about a month and a half ago, and we've gotten inundated, so that's really good. But we still have three spots left in the show notes. I'll have the address where you can send those helmets to, and there's also a link to the video on sending in the helmets. But if you're ever at the AVB C T C or out in Phoenix or you just want to watch the video of it, we do have a video, but it's a nice representation of all the mojo, as Nick would say, of the departments that have come together and do blue card throughout the United States. So that's that's really cool. Do you have anything else for the podcast today, Josh?

SPEAKER_01 43:09

Yeah, just on the helmets, like it it I wish those helmets could talk because when you stand in that in that stairwell and it's like there's there's helmets here from all over and and organizations, many organizations that have had all kinds of unfortunate um incidents occur, you know, over time. And it's like, man, if you if you could just make it super quiet and sit in there and listen to the helmets, that'd be fantastic. I know that's not a real thing, but it's like yeah, you you when you look at all of them, it's like it just starts to remind you of of of of things that have happened, right? Like, you know, in the past and and so on.

Wrap Up And Stay Connected

SPEAKER_00 43:53

So yeah, pretty powerful. Look, look at the departments, and then then and they're big and small. You know, we have everything from the you know second or third largest fire department in the country to you know the one station fire department set and everything in between. So that's it's really quite inspiring to go in there and see all that. Well, anything before we wrap up? I don't think so. I think that's it. I think we pretty much so covered it. All right. Well, thanks, Josh Bloom, for being here today, and that wraps up this Beach Shifter podcast. Make sure to subscribe if you haven't already. Tell your friends, and uh, we'll be here next week with another Beach Shifter podcast. Thanks for listening.