Firefighter Survival Starts With Us with Guest Chief Billy Goldfeder
From AFSO21's Weekend Wrap-up Podcast · 59:05
Show by Kevin Ferrara
Send us Fan MailYou can’t control every hazard in this job, but you can control more than you think and pretending otherwise is costing firefighters their health and their lives. We’re joined by Chief Billy Goldfeder for a candid, straight-talk conversation about firefighter survival, the dangerous comfort of “that’s just part of the job,” and how the smallest habits become the biggest outcomes over a career.We get into the hard topics: the difference between necessary line-of-duty risk and avoidable line-of-duty death, and why leadership is not just a white helmet but a culture that enforces the basics. Chief Goldfeder doesn’t sugarcoat firefighter cancer prevention, calling out dirty turnout gear, skipping SCBA, and treating soot like a badge of honor. We also address PFAS concerns in firefighting foam and turnout gear, while staying grounded in what we can do today: take gear off when you don’t need it, wash it, decon it, and keep contaminants out of your home and away from your family.From there, we talk firefighter fitness and wellness for volunteer and career departments, why long-term risks are easy to ignore, and how to build momentum with simple routines you’ll actually stick with. We also cover COVID-19, trust in science, and what it looks like to work alongside law enforcement in tactical environments when training, policies, and accountability are real. We close with one of the most useful leadership lessons you’ll hear: stay in your lane, especially with personnel issues, and send people to qualified help when it’s beyond your expertise.If this conversation hits home, subscribe, share it with your crew and leadership, and leave a review so more firefighters can find it. Support the showContact AFSO21's Weekend Wrap-up Podcast - Email us at [email protected] always, keep supporting your local fire and emergency services, stay safe, and keep on listening!
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