Rocktown Emergencies

Episode 15 (Jeff Morris - Part 2)

Rocktown Emergencies — Mon, 29 Jul 2019 12:25:40 +0000

In this episode we continue the series talking with retiring Battalion Chief Jeff Morris. He talks with us about the benefits of being a fire inspector, even for suppression personnel as well as advise for those wanting to come into the fire service or move up through the ranks. I want to thank Jeff, not only for spending time talking with him about his career in the fire service, but also for the guidance he's personally given me over the years I've known him. If you liked the episode make sure to give it a thumbs up, and don't forget to subscribe so you know when the next episode drops. If you have suggestions for people you'd like interviewed, or topics you want discussed, leave a comment or send me a note. Until next time, have a safe week.

Episode 14 (Jeff Morris - Part 1)

Rocktown Emergencies — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 11:00:24 +0000

In this episode we start a series with Harrisonburg Fire Department Battalion Chief Jeff Morris. Chief Morris has been in the fire service for 36 years. In this episode we talk with Jeff about his start in the fire service as a volunteer and about his career starting in Rockingham County and then the City of Harrisonburg Fire Department. Chief Morris will be retiring after a 34 year and 1 month career in the local community.

Episode 13 (Chief Lee Shifflett - Part 2)

Rocktown Emergencies — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 09:54:42 +0000

In this episode we continue our series talking with Retiring Police Chief Lee Shifflett of the James Madison University Police Department. You can find JMU Police on JMU's website at jmu.edu/publicsafety.

Episode 12 (Chief Lee Shifflett - Part 1)

Rocktown Emergencies — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 11:00:20 +0000

In this episode, we start our two part series talking with Retiring Police Chief Lee Shifflett from the James Madison University Police Department. Chief Shifflett is retiring after 33 years in Law Enforcement, 32 years at JMU. http://www.jmu.edu/publicsafety

Episode 11 (Safety Stand Down - Part 3 - Fire Chief Ian Bennett)

Rocktown Emergencies — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 11:00:29 +0000

In this episode I talked with Chief Ian Bennett of the Harrisonburg Fire Department. Last week was the 2019 Firefighter Safety Stand Down with the theme of Firefighter Cancer. This week we talk with Chief Bennett about how his department has put policies in place to help decrease the exposures to carcinogens and also about how the laws affect benefits for firefighters related to occupational exposure. Firefighter Safety Stand Down - http://www.safetystanddown.org Harrisonburg Fire's Safety Stand Down Packet - https://www.safetystanddown.org/2019/06/harrisonburg-fire-department/ National Fallen Firefighter Foundation - http://www.firehero.org If liked the episode, don't forget to hit the like button. And subscribe so you know when the next episode drops. In the next episode we'll be talking with retiring James Madison University Police Chief Lee Shifflett. Until next time, have a safe week.

Episode 10 (Safety Stand Down - Part 2 - Denise Smith)

Rocktown Emergencies — Sun, 16 Jun 2019 11:00:26 +0000

In this episode we continue our special series for the 2019 Safety Stand Down Week in the fire service, with the focus this year on firefighter cancer. Deputy Chief Matt Tobia and I talked with Dr. Denise Smith from Skidmore University. Dr. Smith has extensive experience in researching Firefighter Health. This is not only the second episode to be released this week for the 2019 Firefighter Safety Stand Down week, but it's also our 10th episode, with hopefully many more to come. You can find more information about the Firefighter Cancer Support Network at their website: https://firefightercancersupport.org/ You can also find out more about the 2019 Firefighter Safety Stand Down at their website: https://www.safetystanddown.org/ For the University of Illinois Fire Service Institute, visit their website at: https://www.fsi.illinois.edu/ Until next time, have a safe week.

Episode 9 (Safety Stand Down - Part 1 - Bryan Frieders)

Rocktown Emergencies — Sun, 16 Jun 2019 10:10:07 +0000

This week is a special week for Rocktown Emergencies because we have two episodes being released for The 2019 Firefighter Safety Stand Down. Safety Stand Down runs from June 16th through the 22nd and is a joint initiative between the International Associations of Fire Chiefs and the National Volunteer Fire Council. The focus this year is firefighter cancer. For our first episode, Deputy Chief Matt Tobia from the Harrisonburg Fire Department and I spoke with Chief Bryan Frieders. Chief Frieders has been in the fire service for 29 years. He's a Deputy Chief with the Pasadena California Fire Department. He's been an instructor for the Virginia Fire Officer's Association and an instructor at the Northern Virginia Fire & Rescue Leadership Development Institute. He's been with the Firefighter Cancer Support Network for 14 years, and the president For almost 5 years. You can find more information about the Firefighter Cancer Support Network at their website: https://firefightercancersupport.org/ You can also find out more about the 2019 Firefighter Safety Stand Down at their website: https://www.safetystanddown.org/ Until next time, have a safe week.

Episode 8 (Rod Pollard - Restorative Justice)

Rocktown Emergencies — Mon, 10 Jun 2019 12:00:15 +0000

In this episode of Rocktown Emergencies I talk with Lt. Rod Pollard of the Harrisonburg Police Department. Lt. Pollard is the Coordinator for the Police Department's Restorative Justice Program. Restorative Justice is an alternative to the traditional criminal justice system. Resources: https://www.harrisonburgva.gov/hpd-restorative-justice http://www.restorativejustice.org https://emu.edu/restorative-justice/ https://www.jmu.edu/osarp/restorative/restorative-justice.shtml https://www.fairfieldcenter.org/

Episode 7 (Matt Cronin - Part 2)

Rocktown Emergencies — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 11:57:37 +0000

This week I continue the series with my interview with Rescue Chief Matt Cronin of the Harrisonburg Rescue Squad. We discuss where their members come from, and where they go when they leave the rescue squad. You can find the Harrisonburg Rescue on facebook and on their facebook page at www.harrisonburgrescue.org.

Episode 6 (Matt Cronin - Part 1)

Rocktown Emergencies — Mon, 27 May 2019 16:00:00 +0000

In this episode I talk with Matt Cronin, Rescue Chief for the Harrisonburg Rescue Squad.

Episode 5 (Scott Vanderkooi) - Part 2

Rocktown Emergencies — Mon, 13 May 2019 16:00:00 +0000

In this episode we continue talking with Scott Vanderkooi. Scott is the EMS Program Director for Blue Ridge Community College. In this episode we talk about an EMS career and what to expect from the BRCC EMS classes.

Episode 4 (Scott Vanderkooi) - Part 1

Rocktown Emergencies — Mon, 06 May 2019 16:00:00 +0000

Welcome to Rocktown Emergencies, I'm your host Paul Helmuth. For this next series I'm talking with Scott Vanderkooi. Scott is the EMS Program Director for Blue Ridge Community College. He talks to us about this new program at the college and what you need to do to register for the classes.

Episode 3 (Chief Eric English) - Part 2

Rocktown Emergencies — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 16:00:00 +0000

Welcome to Rocktown Emergencies, I'm your host Paul Helmuth. This show we continue our interview with Police Chief Eric English, with the Harrisonburg Police Department. After spending almost 30 years with the Richmond Police Department he moved to Harrisonburg, VA to become their new police chief. This week we talk about his transition from a department of 1000 employees to one with over 110 sworn officers.

Episode 2 (Chief Eric English) - Part 1

Rocktown Emergencies — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 16:00:00 +0000

Welcome to Rocktown Emergencies, I'm your host Paul Helmuth. Today I have the pleasure of speaking with the new Chief of Police for the Harrisonburg Police Department. Chief Eric English spent almost 30 years with the Richmond Police Department before coming to the City of Harrisonburg. After talking with several people who listened to our first episode, I decided to change things up just a little bit. This interview is done in two parts. In the first part we talk about how he ended up in law enforcement and what he did with the Richmond Police Department.

Episode 1 - Rocktown Emergencies (Deputy Chief Matt Tobia)

Rocktown Emergencies — Mon, 01 Apr 2019 16:00:00 +0000

Welcome to Rocktown Emergencies. In Rocktown Emergencies we talk with leaders in Fire, EMS, Law Enforcement, Emergency Management and Public Health in the Shenandoah Valley.

In this episode we interview the new Deputy Chief of Training, Chief Matt Tobia. Chief Tobia retired from Anne Arundel County, MD and then Assistant Chief of Loudoun County Fire and Rescue.