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Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
Keep the Promise
84 episodes
5 days ago
...to 2025 and hello to 2026! This year either made you better or it made you bitter. In this episode, we close out the year by pulling the real lessons from 2025 and turning them into a simple plan for 2026. We talk standards, health, and your crew—because this job will take from you unless you choose who you’re going to be. What You’ll Learn: How to set one standard and actually live it when you’re tiredHow to teach the standard to the next generation without turning into a grouchHow to pro...
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Management
Personal Journals,
Education,
Business,
Society & Culture,
Self-Improvement
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...to 2025 and hello to 2026! This year either made you better or it made you bitter. In this episode, we close out the year by pulling the real lessons from 2025 and turning them into a simple plan for 2026. We talk standards, health, and your crew—because this job will take from you unless you choose who you’re going to be. What You’ll Learn: How to set one standard and actually live it when you’re tiredHow to teach the standard to the next generation without turning into a grouchHow to pro...
Show more...
Management
Personal Journals,
Education,
Business,
Society & Culture,
Self-Improvement
Episodes (20/84)
Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
084. Goodbye...
...to 2025 and hello to 2026! This year either made you better or it made you bitter. In this episode, we close out the year by pulling the real lessons from 2025 and turning them into a simple plan for 2026. We talk standards, health, and your crew—because this job will take from you unless you choose who you’re going to be. What You’ll Learn: How to set one standard and actually live it when you’re tiredHow to teach the standard to the next generation without turning into a grouchHow to pro...
Show more...
5 days ago
16 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
083. It’s Okay Not To Be Okay… But Stop Pretending You’re Fine [Part 2]
You're the fixer. But what happens when it’s you that needs fixing? In this hard-hitting follow-up, Brad Schriefer peels back the layers on substance abuse, trauma loops, and why we suck at taking our own advice. He offers real, actionable strategies for breaking the cycle — without losing your edge or your identity. This isn’t therapy — it’s survival. What You’ll Learn: Why the firehouse culture of “fix everyone but yourself” is setting us up to failHow to replace the bottle with tools that ...
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2 weeks ago
44 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
082. The Boiling Frog Problem: How Trauma Creeps Up on Us in the Fire Service [Part 1]
You swore to protect others — but when was the last time you checked in on yourself? Brad Schriefer, a third-generation firefighter and mental health advocate, shares his raw journey through trauma, peer support, and post-traumatic growth. With over two decades in the service, Brad brings gritty honesty and real solutions to the emotional weight we carry. This isn’t about being soft. It’s about staying strong enough to show up tomorrow. What You’ll Learn: Why “it’s okay to not be okay — but n...
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1 month ago
48 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
081. Training In Turnout Gear Could Be Wrecking Your Health [Part 2]
It’s one thing to call out the problem. It’s another to build the solution. In Part 2, Ryan takes us behind the curtain of Carna Bunker Gear — from late-night ideas to market-ready innovation. He shares what it really takes to design gear that protects your health, the mindset shift needed to go from the fireground to founder, and why “just accepting the risk” is no longer good enough. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: How Ryan turned a firehouse problem into a full-blown missionWhat firefighter fitne...
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1 month ago
43 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
080. The Gear That's Killing Firefighters [Part 1]
If you're training to be a better firefighter but wrecking your body in the process, you're not alone — and Ryan Conley’s had enough. In this powerful first episode, Ryan breaks down the hidden dangers of training in contaminated bunker gear and the real cost firefighters are paying in cancer, heart disease, and early exits from the job. He shares the heartbreaking loss of brothers in the field and how that sparked a movement to create safer, smarter ways to prepare for the job — without sacr...
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2 months ago
42 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
079. One Thousand Paper Cuts [Part 2]
The way through is simple, but not easy. In Part 2 of this firefighter suicide series, Sammy Freyta digs into the mask of dark humor, the silent war signs we miss, and how tiny 1% choices bring us back from “dead inside." It's real talk about triaging life, changing what you can, and asking for help without shame. What You’ll Learn Read the tells. Withdrawal, numbing (booze, overwork), short fuse, sleep going to hell, nonstop jokes to dodge real talk—what to watch for in yourself and your cre...
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2 months ago
41 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
078. I Carved My Name On A Bullet [Part 1]
I carved my name on a bullet... ...because a thousand paper cuts had me bleeding out: no sleep at a busy house, a crumbling relationship, financial troubles, a body and mind breaking down, and losing a brother. In this raw conversation with Sammy Freyta (LPC, ATR, First Responder Counselor & firefighter spouse), we break down how that slow grind happens and how to start climbing back... one honest step at a time. What You’ll Learn: Why it’s not “one bad call.” How years of small hits—slee...
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2 months ago
34 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
077. Don't Wear Your Uniform Home [Part 2]
Don’t wear your uniform home—your kids will thank you. Tara Cornett (FLAME Decon) returns with a family-first decon plan: keep gear out of living spaces, run smarter laundry, and make kid station visits safe. Volunteers get a no-shower, low-budget workflow that still works. We also talk money, purpose, and what it really takes to push this mission. What You’ll Learn: Volunteer decon on a budget: bag the gear, store it outside the house, strip and shower fast, run a washer cl...
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3 months ago
42 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
076. The “Goldilocks” Decon That Firefighters Will Actually Use [Part 1]
If you think “no smoke smell” means you’re clean, you’re wrong. Navy vet and FLAME founder Tara Cornett shows how her multi-charcoal “Goldilocks” blend pulls cancer-causing junk off your skin. Crews tested it after working fires, and post-shower swabs came back non-detectable. We lay out fast, simple decon you’ll actually do between calls. What You’ll Learn: A 3–5 minute decon routine you can run as soon as you’re back.Why smell does not mean safety, and how pore size helps grab m...
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3 months ago
44 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
075. The Failures Make Me Who I Am [Part 3]
What happens when you take firehouse grit and channel it into building a business? Ralph shares how his passion for the job evolved into launching Cervitas Training Solutions — and how leadership, failure, and brutal lessons learned in the fire service prepared him for entrepreneurship. What You’ll Learn: How fireground leadership translates into building a businessThe surprising link between failure and long-term successWhy ego kills growth — and how to surround yourself with the right peopl...
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4 months ago
41 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
074. You'll Learn Something From Everyone You Work With [Part 2]
Leadership in the fire service isn’t about the badge — it’s about the lives that depend on you. In this episode, Ralph Suppa opens up about the sleepless nights, the toll of responsibility, and the lessons learned from failure. If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re doing enough for your crew, this one hits home. What You’ll Take Away: Why real leadership means putting your people first — even when it costs you sleep or worseHow to face the crushing weight of responsibility without breaking...
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4 months ago
33 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
073. The Real Cost of Promotion in the Fire Service [Part 1]
Promotion changes everything — not just your title. In this episode, Captain Ralph Suppa opens up about his journey from rookie firefighter to respected officer, the wins that built him, and the failures that shaped him. From grueling tests to unexpected lessons in leadership, Ralph shares what it really takes to step up without losing your crew or yourself. What You’ll Learn: How to build unshakable trust with your crew — even after you make mistakes.Why finding the right mentors can change ...
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5 months ago
34 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
072. There Are Two Types of Senior Men: Which One Are You? [Part 2]
You can build something incredible and still serve. In Part 2, Mike gets real about growing Frontline Optics while staying grounded in firefighter values. He shares the emotional highs and gut checks of going all-in on a brand, how he manages burnout, and why giving back to the fire service is built into his business. If you’ve ever felt torn between your calling and your next move, this one hits hard. What You’ll Learn: The moment Mike knew it was time to leave the fire service, and ho...
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5 months ago
33 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
071. Senior Man Is a Title You Have to Earn: Frontline Optics [Part 1]
You can love the job and still build the next chapter. In Part 1, former firefighter-paramedic Mike Ettenberg tells us how a kid who chased sirens on a bike turned his party-bus side hustle into Frontline Optics. From the EMT grind to 30 failed applications, Mike shows why the firefighter mindset, solve problems and never quit, works in business too. What You’ll Learn: How to stay hungry after 30 “no’s” and finally land the jobWhy small-department mandatories can push you to create Plan...
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6 months ago
33 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
070. People Love Us, Don’t Let Them Down: Bobby Eckert [Part 3]
The gloves are off in Part 3. Captain Bobby Eckert returns to finish what he started, and he doesn’t hold back. From being called “the villain” of the fire service to commanding firegrounds and building one of the most respected training programs in the country, Bobby explores what it really takes to lead, teach, and stay true to yourself - no matter how loud the haters get. What You’ll Learn: The fire service politics Bobby’s done pretending to tolerateWhat happens when you teach the tru...
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6 months ago
33 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
069. The Working Fire Is The Great Equalizer: Bobby Eckert [Part 2]
Some people post quotes. Bobby Eckert lives them. In Part 2 of this no-holds-barred conversation, Captain Bobby Eckert gets brutally honest about leadership, firehouse culture, and the broken state of firefighter training. From how he sleeps better at the station than at home, to why he’s done playing nice with the fire service status quo - this one punches straight through the noise and hits the heart of what it means to lead. What You’ll Learn: Why good officers don’t hover - and how Bo...
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7 months ago
29 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
068. Fires Are The Easiest Part of the Job: Bobby Eckert [Part 1]
In this raw and real conversation, Bobby Eckert opens up about his roots, leadership, and the gut-punch layoff that nearly derailed it all. From childhood drills to navigating Camden’s chaos, this is a story about resilience, fatherhood, and the drive that keeps him going even when they try to take away the uniform. What You’ll Learn: What growing up with a fire chief dad taught Bobby about leading with integrityHow layoffs nearly ended his career - and why he came back strongerThe firehouse ...
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7 months ago
33 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
067. The Fire’s Out, But the Stress Stays: Finding Peace After the Chaos [Part 3]
In Part 3 of our powerful series with retired FDNY Captain Rob Cefoli, we explore how first responders—and anyone living under high stress—can take control of their internal world. This episode dives into body-based interventions like tremor manipulation, breathwork, and focused energy redirection to help release chronic tension and build lasting resilience. You’ll learn: How to direct tremors and energy to areas of discomfortThe meditative aspects of TRE and body awarenessWhy emotional traum...
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8 months ago
44 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
066. Shake It Off: The Firefighter’s Way to Release Trauma [Part 2]
Can your body shake off trauma? Retired FDNY Captain Rob Cefoli returns to dive deep into the science and power of Trauma Release Exercises (TRE)—and how tremoring can help firefighters heal. In this episode, we explore: How TRE taps into the body’s natural stress-release systemThe physical and emotional toll of the jobWhy “shaking” isn’t weakness—it’s recoveryTeaching TRE to recruits, veterans, and skeptical crewsHow firefighters can reconnect with their emotions and improve long-term health...
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8 months ago
41 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
065. The Trauma Doesn’t Retire: FDNY’s Rob Cefoli on Healing After the Job [Part 1]
Retired FDNY Captain Rob Cefoli spent 20 years on the job—and now he’s reshaping how firefighters recover, rebuild, and stay resilient. In this episode, Rob dives into: His journey with PTSD and finding TRE (Trauma Release Exercises)Running the FDNY Health & Fitness UnitWhy TRE is now part of academy trainingCreating Fyr Tribe for firefighter mental healthHelping retirees heal from years of serviceThis one’s raw, real, and packed with actionable tools for every firefighter, from rookies t...
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9 months ago
40 minutes

Keep the Promise Podcast - Building Resilient and Well-rounded Firefighters
...to 2025 and hello to 2026! This year either made you better or it made you bitter. In this episode, we close out the year by pulling the real lessons from 2025 and turning them into a simple plan for 2026. We talk standards, health, and your crew—because this job will take from you unless you choose who you’re going to be. What You’ll Learn: How to set one standard and actually live it when you’re tiredHow to teach the standard to the next generation without turning into a grouchHow to pro...