911 Squirrel
A fun, informative podcast about life, training, and other insights, within the careers of all first responders (Law, Fire, EMS, etc). Telling stories, sharing insights on training, diving into serious subjects, and laughing at ourselves.
911 Squirrel
The Olympic Experience
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
It's an Olympic size show, with an interview with a 3 time former Olympian that has become a First Responder. We have a Top 11 list, because counting is overrated. We also talk about other things.
Give a listen and have a good time!
Got a thought? E-mail 911squirrelpodcast@gmail.com
Welcome to 911 Squirrel, a podcast for all the five men and women who serve as first responders. Stories will be told at training.com, and everyday responder life is explored, all while having a great time doing it. So grab your coffee and watch those tales. This squirrel just is about to begin. And now, a man that currently has a winning streak of over 6,000 freestyle solitaire games, which is incredibly sad, of course, please welcome your host, Brad.
SPEAKER_02Hello and welcome to episode number 12 of 911 Podcast of the Responders. Why do I sound like a game show host who is the long lost son of Captain F? I have no idea!
SPEAKER_04I really don't, I have no idea. Oh my gosh, I'm just full of vinegar vinegar today! My energy level is something else today. I I've had uh one cup of tea, which doesn't have that much caffeine. I must have got a good sleep last night, because I I'm I'm feeling snarky, I'm I'm full of something, and you know, I I don't know. I don't know. Gee, Mr. Spicoli, I don't know. I like that. Um, anyway. Yelza. Brad's on a roll today. Weehee! As the Cool Tech voice said, I'm your host, Brad Mack, and this episode is called The Olympic Experience and the Agony of Defeat. Wide, wide world of sports. If you grew up in the 70s and early 80s, my anyway. This episode is called The Olympic Experience. Why, you may ask? Well, it's very simple. First of all, later in the episode, we have a wonderful interview with a former three-time Olympian who has become a firefighter with over 20 years of service in the 20 years of experience in the service. I can't read my own writing. It's not because it's my own writing, it's because I typed it out and my eyes are moving faster than everything else right at the moment. Told you I'm full of something here. Oh my gosh. Somebody somebody slipped me something. It's my wife, that's what it is. She slipped me something. And now her master plan is working. I don't know why she's at work. Uh, anyway. We have an Olympic top 10. Why? We gotta keep the theme going. It's the Olympic experience. And we will discuss life outside the world of being a first responder. Why? Because I want to. That's why. It's about the lifestyle of being a first responder on and off shift. I'm I'm getting there, folks. I just, you know, I don't know why. I'm just full of something today. Uh, first of all, may the White Cloud form follow and bless all of you with fun and rewarding shifts. That's right. I hope you use your training, your courage, and dedication to save lives, save property, and bring justice for all. Now, let's get into this because obviously I've got a Serenity Now. Serenity Now. Okay, let's talk about your life, shall we? Ha ha ha. Um, you are a first responder. How do I know? Well, I I I'm just guessing. I don't know who's listening to this. I'm assuming it's all first responders and a few people who are kind of interested in what being a first responder is like. Anyway, you're a first responder. You are given the responsibility to protect and safeguard the lives and property of the community you work in. Because I did, I did for over 20 years. You gladly take on that calling, and your life, for the most part, revolves around it. It's true. But this is a job, if you're a first responder, it's not a job like any other job. There there the importance of it is off the charts. The um it's just not like working at Lowe's or working for a corporation, pushing papers that is just totally just mind-numbing. Um you don't, you don't this is just a job that that takes your entire concentration, your entire mentality when you're on shift and so forth and so on. It's it can be rough, so your life revolves around it. But does that mean you don't do anything else? Well, of course not. You do other jobs, hobbies, and family. You all got families and friends. Some of you like to party, some of you have girlfriends or boyfriends, some of you take vacations, some of you just lay around playing video games, and how do I know? Because you're amazing at it when you bring your video game console into the fire hall or EMS station, and you play and beat the crap out of everyone else who wants to try their hand at beating you at Tech Mobile. I don't know. Um, but what do you do outside of your department or agency? What do you do? And I'm and here's my personal story. Not to I'm not bragging by any means, because I know what I can and can't do, and let's face it, I'm not this talented. But for some of you, uh, you already know, I I some of you already know that I've played, I've and and I still do play music professionally. Um I toured all over the country internationally. Gosh, I love Switzerland. Oh my gosh, do I love Switzerland? Wouldn't want to live there, but I love visiting. Um I yeah, I I actually got to play a gig on an aircraft carrier. That was cool. Out in the out in the Atlantic Ocean, planes taking off, leaving. Oh, that was awesome. Um I love being on stage. I love playing keys, guitar, bass, uh uh uh background vocals. I've been a tour manager for a couple of national, international touring bands. Um I got I've driven buses, driven tour buses, which is actually kind of cool because you're up there by yourself. It's kind of like a little area of solitude and you're just driving all. I like driving. Um, but yeah, I mean, uh being in music for over 30 years has been it's you know something else that I love. I love riding my bicycle. I love going road, uh I do road biking. I don't do mountain biking or cyclocross or uh gravel. Gosh. Uh no, I get on the road and I go ride my bike. And I'm a sight to behold, let me tell you, wearing spandex cycling attire. Whew. But hey, I'm out there doing it. Uh I am not uh, you know, I'm not fast by any means, uh, not like the guys in Tour de France, which I think I'm the only one in Tennessee that watches Tour de France, uh, besides my wife. Uh she's finally gotten into it, which is really cool. But um, but I'm very lucky though, because I've not only did I I love being a first responder, as a first responder for over 20 years, I love being a musician, I love riding my bicycle, I love my family and all that kind of stuff and spend time and we love traveling and so forth and so on. And now I get to do this podcast and I also do voiceovers and I love every bit of it. I get to create, I get to do, you know, to me, this is a nice, happy place. So old Brad is blessed. That's right. Old Brad is blessed, and soon I'll retire, one day I'll retire, and I'll sit on my front porch, and I'll yell at cars which I think are going too fast while I'm whittling. No, I'm just I'll I'll never retire. There's just no way. But this is my life. This is my sanity. Well, sanity. My sanity should come with a label like you see on gas pumps, you know. 10% sanity added. Um, but this is what I, you know, that's just me. Does that make me any better? No, make me any worse? No, it's just this is just this is just who I am. Uh for all of you, your life is what you make it. And so that's that's pretty, pretty much cut and dry. When you're on shift, you're part of a team, right? Your role is defined no matter where you are in the totem pool. Uh one day you may take on more responsibility as your experience grows. You might move into a leadership role. Great. But when you're off shift, what do you do? Uh you might work a second job for a reason only known to you. Maybe you would like to keep up a lifestyle, maybe you're saving for a kid's college, maybe you just love the job that you go to. You may have a hobby that gives you serenity. Great. Uh obviously it's always time for friends and family. Sure. And the thing that I've always been amazed. Hang on a minute. Let me get a drink. Before I start talking like this, I lose my voice. Hey, how are you? I'd like to have some tea with my crumpets, thank you. Oh, I just had a Days of Our Life sandwich. If you don't know what that is, that's ham, tomato, and a piece of cheese on wheat bread. That's a days of our life sandwich, which you eat while having while watching soap operas, which I never did, but my sister did, and that's what she named it. So hello, that's just yeah. Can I make it one? Thank you. Told ya. Anyway, I've always been amazed at what my fellow responders did outside the job. Um I had one EMS partner went to nursing school. Um for the first month I got to help her study, and then it got to the point where I really couldn't help anymore. Let me tell you, shh, read one of those books. You'll either learn Latin or you'll have a brain aneurysm. Either way, Latin will be spoken. Um, I know a special agent, not in the FBI, um, but he is a special agent for another um state government. Uh he got a pilot license. Now, what he does is he investigates crimes against children. Oh my gosh, the absolute worst crimes. I don't know how he does it. I don't know how he how he has any kind of mental stability, the things that he has to do. But I'm sure that all takes a backseat to the barrel rolls he gets to perform. Um, then there's a firefighter friend of mine whose energy, you think my energy is off the charts right now? You should meet this guy. Uh you'd think he has ADHD if you didn't know him. But actually, his IQ is over 140. You can't, you can't watch Jeopardy with him. He knows all the answers before anybody even before even a question is finished. He can do physics math in his head. He reads constantly. He could finish war and peace in a week. But his hobby is learning. He has two bachelor's degrees and a master's. None in firefighting, but now he's an officer. So go figure. He just loves the job. He loves being a firefighter. He loves being a first responder. It's amazing. Um, others go fishing, small business, own small businesses. I know one that drives tanker trucks on his days off. I'm sure it's kind of like a, it's kind of, you know, just like I said about driving tour buses. It's kind of a solitude thing. Um, I know lots of guys that do uh mow lawns and do landscaping, and you name it, they do it. Uh you can always tell the guys that love to work out. Yeah. Yeah, they're the ones that show up in calendars. Um, I know a uh a lady friend of mine who's a medic, and she paints still lives. Yeah, she paints. And she's good too. Uh I know lots of guys that are musicians, obviously. Um some have done really well. I know one um who he he he does well at clubs and all that, and he's he's made a nice little tiny name for himself. It's amazing. Uh of course, we all know the one that considers partying a great pastime. The one I know, you most of the time when you hear somebody that's like that, you think, oh, they're self-medicating. No. The one I know just loves going out, especially going to clubs, concerts, and all that. But he also loves meeting new people that have the same kind of wild side like he does. So he doesn't really drink. You know, he'd go out, he may have one, maybe two, and that's it. I mean, he just he just doesn't. Um now, right now, some of you are quietly asking, should a shower curtain rod be thrown in the grass so cheesecake can lift a turtle? What? Okay, in other words, what does this have to do with being a first responder? That's easy. Does a buttload answer that question? You're a first responder. Now your job is full of stress and emotion in so many different ways. You see lives change, you make lives change, you see the worst, and despite your best efforts, sometimes you can't change the worst. It sucks. I've been there, I know it. You lead two lives, whether you like it or not, you do. In this job, you do. When you leave your shift, you should do something different. Okay? If it it if trust me, you should do something different. Find something that you love to do outside of the job, okay? Um hang with people that you love to hang with. And live in those moments. Really, seriously, live in those moments. My mom gave me the best advice when I was uh in high school. Live a life, don't just exist in it. Okay. Now you love being a first responder. There's and believe me, the highs and lows that come with it, you actually love it. It's kind of it's a morbid thing, but it's true. Uh you love the purpose that it brings you. Okay? You do. I did. And I'm speaking from experience here. I loved, I loved the highs, I loved the lows. It made me feel alive. I love the purpose behind it. I got to help people. I love the outcomes of of saving a life, of saving a piece of property, the whole nine yards. Yes, you can when you look back at when the day you stop being a first responder and you look back at everything that you've ever done as a first responder, there's gonna be lots of great moments when you're going, I did that. I was there, I helped. Okay. There's also gonna be those bad times that you always think about. I lost two kids my first week as a first responder. Two kids seven and seven and younger, in the worst ways. I got through it. Okay? I got through it, but I also did a lot of great things. I look back on my time as a first responder with a lot of fondness, and you will too. But you need to disconnect from it too. It's not just for your sanity, but it's also and and this is what nobody really talks about. It's also to keep the love of the job fresh and grounded. If you get away from it and you do something else that has nothing to do with being a first responder, when you're off shift, you get away from it. Guess what? It's it's amazing. Some of it it helps you stay, the love of the job stays fresh to where you can't wait, not that you can't wait to go back, but you look forward to going back and doing your next shift. Not just because you love the job and you love what it brings you and the purpose and all that kind of stuff, but it also helps you feel a fondness for the job, okay? And it keeps you grounded because you know what you're you know what you're fighting for when you get away from it. You really do. You bring the sauce on and off shift, okay. Um and because and and here, here's what it comes down to. All right, here's what it comes down to right here. And I know this for sure. Because I I'm I was just like you. You are a first responder because you have a quality that most people don't. 99% of the world can't do this job. They can't do it because they can't handle the stress, they can't handle the blood, they can't handle the urgency that is involved. Okay. So they look at you. I I've talked about this before. They look up to you, they're jealous of you in in a way they're they're not conscious of. And if you think about it, when you're when let's say you're at a uh I this happened to me a lot when I would go for family get togethers around holidays, or I went to a friend's house, they're having a big barbecue, and none of them are first responders, but they found out I was. What's the question I got mostly? Well, obviously, what's the worst thing you've ever seen? Which, if you're in the general public, do not ask that question of first responders. Why? Because you're just, let's just take you back to the worst thing you've ever seen. Let's take you back to the to some of the worst. Why do people do that? Well, because they're curious. They're curious, they they can't do this job, so they're curious. But the other question I got most often was, oh man, tell me some stories. I'd like to hear some stories. Can you tell me some stories? And they because the their curiosity gets them. They're they they want to hear about what you've done, some of the things you've seen, some of the th and the outcomes that come with it. They want to hear a hero talk about their hero moments. And you're thinking, I'm not a hero. And I agree with I I I'm with you in the fact that I didn't want to ever be called a hero. Okay. If you could see me, you would you would be like, Man, Brad's. I I'm with you. I didn't want to be called a hero. I was doing the job. Just like y'all say, you that you're out there to do the job. Well, just like I said before, you have a quality that makes you a first responder. You have uh the courage, the determination, the character. Your character is if there's a if there's an average character line, you're above it. Okay? There's a special place in heaven for all of you. I'm getting a drink before I continue on here. All that is what other people don't have. They don't. That's why they're curious. And that's why, and it all comes down to this this is why I'm saying all this. You, as a first responder, have more to offer others and yourself than you realize. You really do. You have a lot to offer than just being a first responder because of what makes you a first responder. Isn't that amazing? You do. You really do. So if you can if if you do the job, and then you get away from it, so you can go back and do the job even better. You are you you you're the hero. You're you are better than what you think, and you have so much to offer in life, and for yourself, then you realize. So get going. Get make get going to live that life. Okay? Don't just exist in it, go live it. Now, little PS, if you see me out on my bicycle, wave, maybe even bring me a Gatorade. And you can't miss me. I mean a 200-pound guy wearing spandex, yeah, you can't miss it. But and here's the butt. Be thankful my bicycle shorts don't say juicy on the back of them.
unknownI hate that.
SPEAKER_04I really do. Now, after all this, and after all the energy I'm still full of, let's listen to one of our sponsors. Anyone can sell an ambulance. The real test is what happens after delivery. At 108, we provide full life cycle support for brawn, demers, and crestline ambulances from specification and delivery to service parts, warranty support, and fleet replacement planning. Because when your Crews need help, you shouldn't have to wonder who to call. Learn more at 108fire.com or call 877-989-7660. 108 Fire and Safety, built on integrity, driven to serve. 108 Fire. That's right, 108 Fire, one of our wonderful sponsors. Um, yes. If you're in Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, or Florida, and your department is in need of an ambulance, give them a call. They are absolutely amazing people. And I've said this before: the federal government has $420 million for two grant programs. Yes. Now, everyone needs to take advantage of it. Here in Tennessee, which is where we're based, yes, I know, and I say Tennessee, and Tennessee's a wonderful state. If you you should come here and go explore the waterfalls, the mountains, the nightlife, the whole nine yards. I mean, Tennessee is just beautiful. Okay. Here in Tennessee, there's 89 counties that the state has allocated for ambulances. If I read our thing and I can't find it. Never mind, it doesn't matter. Um, anyway, 89 89 counties out of 93 or 4 are getting are getting to use all these this grant money. So get a new ambulance for crying out loud. We could always use new equipment, so please get a new ambulance. Okay. Now that leads me to today's top 10. Okay, today's top 10. I love today's art top 10. Top ten. Top 10 first responder Olympic events. This was so much fun to do. All right, number 10. That's right, number 10, the 911 dispatch office chair racing. It would look like short track racing and speed skating. It would just people trying to kill each other and throwing coffee on each other. That would be awesome, actually. Number nine, the vehicle wash and checkoff team event. How cool would this be? I mean, really, the loser has to buy the donuts. All right. Number eight, pike pole fencing. Okay. Anybody does this and anybody gets hurt, you're on your own. I am telling you right now, don't try that at home. All right, or on shift. Number seven, CPR Marathon. Yeah. Person that wins the golden net is the one that can do CPR the longest. My personal best is, I think, 17 minutes. Maybe a little longer than that. I'm trying to think. It's been a it was a while. Alright, number six, the police tape relay. That would actually be fun to watch. You know, you set up around a house, and for each corner there's somebody that has to, you know, go. You know what I mean. It'd be funny. Number five of the uh first responder Olympic events is Chasing Bad Guys Obstacle Course in full gear. That would actually be fun to watch too. Be like a steeplechase. Uh number. Is that five? One, two, three, four, five. Yeah, that was five. How many do I got? One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Oh, I got eleven! This is a top eleven. I didn't realize. Alright. So now we're at number five. The long spine board luge. That would be fun. We've all done it, taking long spine boards down in the snow, but on a loose track? Oh, that'd be cool. Number four, the 10 meter wildland fire ditch dig. That's hard work, man. 10 meters, shh. I was gonna put 100 meters, but 10 meters, that's hard enough. Number three, this is a good one. The low glucose patient Greco-Roman wrestling. Yep, try that once. Number two, the volunteer department road race. Who's the fastest to get to the department and grab an apparatus? And number one. This is actually pretty good, I think. Number one in the first responder Olympic events, traffic control rhythmic gymnastics! Yay! Oh my gosh. How cool. You know what? That that actually would be funny. But that's uh this this episode's top ten first responder Olympic events. That was a lot of fun. All right, let's go on to something else.
SPEAKER_03This is the briefing. News from around the country that affects the policies, procedures, or employment of first responders. And now, the briefing.
SPEAKER_04Okay. The briefing today, there's gonna be two things. One is something that's going around right now, which is just um it's uh it would suck. It really would. And it's called Cyclospora. An intestinal illness caused by a paras the Cyclosporiasis. Cy gosh, why didn't I I I cyclosporiasis. Cyclosporiasis. Say that ten times fast. Cyclosporiasis. Sporiosis. Uh is an cyclospora. Uh is an intestinal illness caused by the parasite cyclospora. Hey! Uh which has another more cyclospora chiotin uh it's a cycle thing. All right, which is typically contracted by consuming contaminated food or w w water. Uh the symptoms? Yowza. Watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, and vomiting. Yay! So much fun! Let's enjoy. Who wants to go have lunch? All right. Gosh, it is the what they call it the explosive diarrhea in the ever-popular news. Uh, symptoms appear usually one to two weeks after exposure and can last from a few days to over a month if untreated. So, in other words, go get some treatment. Because otherwise, a month of crapping and throwing up and just in pain, and I don't care how who you are or how strong you think you are, you ain't making it. I mean, just absolutely is it is it life-threatening? 999 times out of a out of a thousand, no. But some people uh I would say, especially older or the real young or people with underlying conditions. Uh uh the the chances, it doesn't really say here as far as those chances, but you know you don't want to t if you know you got an underlying condition, you don't want to take your chances. But still, this is just uh it spreads through the fecal oral route. Ooh, that sounds terrible. Fecal oral I'm I'm grossing myself out. This is just so anyway, meaning that the parasite is ingested via contaminated food or water. It is important to note that direct person-to-person transmission is unlikely. Uh okay, yeah, sure. Uh-huh. Parasite can survive in the environment for one to two weeks after being excreted. In other words, don't touch anybody else's poo. Seems kind of obvious. I'm gonna get a drink right now. This is just uh This is so weird. Okay, in the United States, outbreaks have been linked to bagged salads, fresh herbs like cilantro and basil, raspberries and snow peas. Okay, don't eat salads, don't eat fresh herbs, and don't eat raspberries or snow peas. Ha ha ha! Treatment! Man, life. Treatment! First, they they test to see if you have it through stool tests. Yeah. Man, I like this is just uh y'all want to clean your restrooms, don't you? But they do stool tests to look for the parasite treatment TP t T T P typically involves the antibiotic uh trimathoprim trimathoprim sulfametho uh uh uh oxoli. Yeah, I should have tried to yeah, I don't have time to go through this. All right. My health uh My Healthy. Most healthy individuals will recover without treatment, but those with weakened immune systems, hey, hey, I was talking about this, uh, may experience more severe symptoms. Uh-huh. Uh prevention tips, wash fruits, vegetables thoroughly before consumption, avoid drinking untreated water, and practice good hygiene. Blah, blah, blah. Yeah, we've been through COVID. So if you get it, it's a bad case of food poisoning. It's absolutely horrible. Drink lots and lots and lots of fluids if you get it. Find treatment to get rid of it faster. Otherwise, you're going to be stuck in well, you won't be stuck in bed. You're going to be stuck in the bathroom doing all kinds of ah all day long. And yeah, I I'm sorry, but you don't you definitely don't want to have to go get tested because they get your stool, which means ah into a bucket. Ah Okay, that's w that's one news story. Oh, by the way, if you're if you're cooking for the fire hall, for the EMS hall, for uh your law enforcement brothers and sisters, please make sure you just don't use lettuce or fresh, you know. Steph's just nasty. I mean it's uh anything that has to do with fecal or the line fecal oral, uh, let's go on to something else. Uh a national national, which it seems like we always have this, a national blood shortage. Yeah. Can you believe that? Uh it seems like we have this every year. This here's another thing. The American Red Cross, there's a rare national crisis as summer blood shortages reach critical levels. They're reaching critical levels. Okay. Uh they're urging the American Red Cross is urging people to donate immediately after declaring only uh brilliant is only the second national blood crisis in the organization's history. I I don't believe that. Seems like we always go through this every year. So uh donations have fallen to a four-year summer loo, worsening an emergency shortage as hospitals continue to rely on life-saving transfusions for trauma victims, cancer victims, mothers, blah, blah. We can go on and on and on. Sickle cell. Ooh, sickle cell. That's another one. Uh so please. Here's here's something I have talked about. You guys have that quality that made you a first responder, and your character is above the line, sometimes way above the line. Go donate blood. Really, go donate blood. I'm gonna do that this week. Um as soon as I find out where there's a blood uh uh uh donation place, and I'm gonna donate blood. Everybody should. I'd say once a quarter, go donate because we everybody needs it. It could be somebody that you go to go help. Could be you. Accidents happen, weird things happen, you might need blood. I might need blood if you have typo. Go, go donate. They need anything. Typo, especially. Who hears a line? Typo positive blood has dropped to less than a one-day supply. So please go donate blood. Um by all means, and that's the briefing. Now, let's hear from another sponsor. The sun shines its glory through the window. You stretched and feel refreshed. All you need now is the perfect coffee or drink to get the day started. At Sagebrush Sunrise Coffee, get one of our signature coffees, energy infusions, or cold refreshers. Come to 109 Fairfield Road in Bethpage, Tennessee to get your day started or keep it going with an afternoon drink. And nothing says love quite like an e-gift card. Sagebrush Sunrise Coffee, the perfect beverage for that perfect day. On this responder spotlight, we have a gentleman here that is a three-time Olympian and now has a career in the fire service. His story is quite amazing, so via the Squirrel Hotline, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Phil Teming.
SPEAKER_01How are you, Phil? Well, thanks, thanks for I'm great. Thanks for the applause, Brett.
SPEAKER_04Well, we like big entrances here on 911 Squirrel.
SPEAKER_01Well, I'm honored to have it.
SPEAKER_04Oh, great, great. You I mean, I know it's fake applause, but it still works.
SPEAKER_01Maybe it works for me, you know. You've got a boost of ego sometimes.
SPEAKER_04That's right. That's right. So how are you doing these days?
SPEAKER_01Mate, I'm pretty good. Yeah. Yeah? Yeah. Just got off work this morning after a 48-hour shift, and before that I was working nights on a wildfire in Colorado down here in Dolores, Colorado, but I'm recovering okay.
SPEAKER_04All right. Well, it is it is such a pleasure to have you on because uh when I read your story, um after because when the first email you sent me about uh the segment on the Nashville fire budget and all that, um and I saw you know three-time Olympia, and I was like, oh my gosh, I gotta look Phil up. And so I started doing just a little research and I thought, oh, I gotta, I gotta get this guy on an interview. This is awesome.
SPEAKER_01Well, so thank you for thinking of that.
SPEAKER_04Well, yeah. So you are you were born uh near Sydney, Australia, correct?
SPEAKER_01Yep. And in a correct, yeah. I'm still in Aussie, but I've been here in the US for like 25 years.
SPEAKER_04Oh, wow. Uh growing up in Sydney, um you were into hockey um with the with Canterbury.
SPEAKER_01Um, Canterbury Ice Rink was my home rink.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Um little little subject out of Sydney that had this ice rink. Um and uh yeah, I mean that all started. My dad fell in love with hockey on a trip we took to the US and Canada.
SPEAKER_04Oh, nice.
SPEAKER_01And he found that one of he wanted his boys to be hockey players. And then we found that he had a friend back in Australia that that played hockey and yeah. Nice made that connection.
SPEAKER_04Well, that's awesome. Uh now one of the things about growing up uh and and I'm I wanted to make sure uh that I we talked about this, is when did you you're dealing with dyslexia? And how did how did you find that out growing up?
SPEAKER_01Um well I was terrible in school. Absolutely terrible, failing everything. Um I come from a very academic family. Um my father has a degree in law and medicine and psychiatry. My brother is a very educated man, also a doctor, but a couple of master's degrees. And I was struggling. Um, and it was probably an off-the-cuff comment, but my dad said to me, you know, you better win a medal in the Olympics, otherwise you're gonna be calling Libra in a factory for the rest of your life.
SPEAKER_04Oh my goodness.
SPEAKER_01So that sent me on the sporting path. But but back when I was young, you know, I'm 58 now. Um when I was young, they didn't have a way of educating dyslex dyslexic kids.
unknownRight.
SPEAKER_01We were just I was told actually by a couple of teachers that I was stupid and lazy. Um, so you know, when you're told that by a teacher, you kind of take it a little personally.
unknownRight.
SPEAKER_01Um so I set down the road sport instead of academia. Um and that led me to, you know, I went from hockey to speed skating and then found my sport.
SPEAKER_04Now, how did you start dealing with uh the dyslexia?
SPEAKER_01You know, I um I think it came with with my speed skating career.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_01I I actually believed the teachers that I was stupid and lazy. Um and after living in okay, my speed skating took me to the Netherlands to train there, and after a couple of months I learned to speak Dutch fluent. Nice. Um and I remember being at a race, my brother came over to visit me, and I just started talking Dutch to one of my friends, and my brother looked at me and said, What are you doing? How do you speak this language? And and it was that day that I realized that I wasn't an idiot. That if I can learn to speak, read and write another language, and then eventually another a third language, I might not be as stupid as they've told me I was.
SPEAKER_04Right.
SPEAKER_01So, you know, I um didn't really do much about it until I quit speech committing. And then I started tight started taking the odd college class here and there and business management classes and that kind of stuff.
SPEAKER_04Nice. And and the thing about it was, and and we're we're close to the same age, and I I I totally understand uh when we were all growing up, I mean dyslexia was not even talked about because nobody really knew anything about it until I think it was around the the eighties when awareness was finally coming toward that and people were starting to figure out how to how to deal with it.
SPEAKER_01I think you're absolutely right, and and I'm sure Australia is very similar to the US. They they knew it existed, but they didn't know how to teach us.
SPEAKER_04Well, I am so glad that you found a way to deal with it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Well, I mean, there was a few years where I kind of rested on it and went, oh, they must be right. I'm not very smart. Um, but you know, you can only do that self-pity thing for a long enough, and then you realize, hey, this is not getting me anywhere.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_01So, you know, really got on to study and work and and move forwards.
SPEAKER_04That's awesome. And you and you speak Dutch, that's not easy.
SPEAKER_01No, it's not. It's all it's quite a difficult language because the Netherlands is a really small country, so not the only people that speak Dutch are the Dutch people. Because they actually all speak English. So, you know, the the reason I learned it was I was training with a Dutch team, and the coach said to all the other athletes on the team, do not speak English to Phil. So I had to learn to speak Dutch. I had to learn to speak the language.
SPEAKER_04Uh, and you also speak German.
SPEAKER_01I do.
SPEAKER_04I'm not gonna we already had this discussion. Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_01They're kind of similar.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, no, they kinda are. I guess they I guess they come with.
SPEAKER_01They'll be very upset.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, the next time I'm in the Netherlands, or or if I'm talking to a friend of mine that's from the Netherlands, and we're like, hey, so your language and German, that's that's together, right?
SPEAKER_01So like comparing all of these two New Zealanders.
SPEAKER_04Well, I don't want to start some incident international incident here.
SPEAKER_01So No, if we're Let's not do that. I love both countries.
SPEAKER_04Oh, that's funny. All right. Well, let's get into um we're gonna get into speed skating because I I think this is just fascinating. Uh because I'm uh one of my idols is Eric Haydn. Um which Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_01I've met him many times, uh trained with him. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Oh man.
SPEAKER_01Good boy.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I I I when I first learned to Eric Haydn, of course, this was during the 80 Olympics in Lake Placid, and I at the time I was uh 10 years old, and he was going for uh every at the at that time there was only five events and outside. And so that was a huge big thing. And then when he did it, I was just like, wow. And then I found out he was also into cycling, which is what I am, and you're into cycling, so oh my gosh, we could go on we could go on. But we'll get to that in a minute, too. Um but I f I find it interesting. So you started uh you started as a teenager in speed skating, correct?
SPEAKER_01I did, yeah. Um obviously went from ice hockey to speed skating.
SPEAKER_04Okay.
SPEAKER_01When I realized I was never gonna make the NHL, I took up speed skating. Because you know, the skill development of a hockey player in Australia is pretty basic.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Um and the you know, the Americans and Canadians are just so far ahead of us.
SPEAKER_04Well, you had to lose the front teeth first.
SPEAKER_01But I can skate really well.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Uh well, I I'm I'm I'm kind of curious because I read this and I thought, wow, what is a back marker in speed skating?
SPEAKER_01Uh, that meant that I was really slow.
SPEAKER_04Oh. So you were the one picking up the little discs along the way.
SPEAKER_01Um, not quite that much, but yeah, that that world championships didn't go so cry.
SPEAKER_04Oh gosh. So that's what the back marker is, bringing up the rear of the field. Oh well, I I was just curious because it didn't really it it so that's a nice way of saying, yeah, you're not gonna be on the podium.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, exactly. Exactly. But you know, racing is racing, and it takes everyone standing on the starting line to make a competition.
SPEAKER_04Wow. Well, I mean, you have I mean your Olympic uh well, your speed skating career is is quite amazing. I mean, four world sprint tournaments, you were in three Olympics in Calgary, Albertville, and Lillehammer, or Lillehammer, sorry. Um, and uh so I gotta ask, because Calgary is one of my favorite Olympics uh that I've ever watched. So what was that first Olympic experience like?
SPEAKER_01Uh really life-changing. Um just the the Oh man, it's it's even hard to describe the recognition of being a pure athlete. Um I'm a big believer in the Olympic ideals of to compete for the sake of competition and not necessarily for winning or you know, for any medals or anything, it's just for the sake of competition.
SPEAKER_05Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And that being selected for that team and racing on that team was really the greatest honor of my life.
SPEAKER_04Well, you are a part of a family of Olympians uh for the rest of your life. I mean, that that's gotta be an amazing feeling.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's it's a pretty select little club. Um, and I tell people it's like being an alcoholic. Once you're an Olympian, you're always an Olympian. I probably shouldn't make that reference.
SPEAKER_04Oh my gosh, that's funny. But I I I just find it fascinating. Uh now you didn't I I'm sorry to say any medals, but uh but it's still uh amazing to be a part of the team and and you get to go to the Olympics. That's just an amazing accomplishment.
unknownReally?
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. Yeah, I was a good speed skater, I wasn't a great speed skater. Do you still do it also takes a lot of support? Yeah. And yeah, coming from Australia, a country that's known for being summer. You know, being a Winter Olympian's a little um a little hard to find support.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01That being said, I did have some great sponsors, and the Australian Olympic Committee looked after us quite well. Um but yeah. That's awesome. The results were there.
SPEAKER_04Well, one one question I've always had about um the Australian Olympic team. And green and yellow. Where did that come from?
SPEAKER_01Well, that's that's our national color. Is it really? It's green and gold, and it's it's weird. Huh. Yeah, that's the color.
SPEAKER_04Wow.
SPEAKER_01You know, I feel like I probably should know that. But I I don't. Um I I'm gonna say it's the No, I I have no idea I'd be guessing if I guessed while it's green and gold.
SPEAKER_04Well, it's just just a just a little question, no big deal. Um so now after after your your Olympic career, uh, and you also did cycling. No, you didn't do you didn't do any cycling in like Olympics, or did you do any pro-cycling?
SPEAKER_01Uh not pro cycling, no. I did race track and and road, and I still actually race gravel. Um but yeah, never never competed on national stuff. I did race in uh North America and Europe a little bit. Um on the road, but yeah, never really made international.
SPEAKER_04Wow. Well, I'm I love cycling. I mean, I I love to go road cycling. Um and now I don't now if you and I went road cycling, I could probably not keep up with you.
SPEAKER_01I don't know, man. I just got got done two weeks on a while in class, so I'm moving pretty slow.
SPEAKER_04Okay, so if I go road cycling with you, then I gotta make sure that you're out in the bush somewhere fighting fire, and then we'll go.
SPEAKER_00Deal.
SPEAKER_04Oh my gosh. Um but you went on to working as a skating and strength and conditioning coach for ice hockey players in Canada and Europe. And now, is there anybody that that we know that we would know that you worked with?
SPEAKER_01You know, I'd I prefer not to mention names, but I did have NHL players fly to Australia to train with me. Nice. Um, and yeah, worked with a whole lot of elite hockey players in Canada and North America and then back in Australia as well.
SPEAKER_04Well, as somebody who did uh strength and conditioning coaching, uh, what kind of advice would you give uh any first responder as as far as fitness goes?
SPEAKER_01Um intervals. Always intervals. And at the moment, and I know that's controversial, but I'm I'm a big fan of CrossFit.
SPEAKER_05Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Because it just takes on your whole body. Every muscle group has worked. It's um high lactic acid content, which, as you know, dragging hose and pulling bodies around and that kind of stuff, it takes its toll, and you need that lactic tolerance.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Oh, I agree with the CrossFit just gets everything.
SPEAKER_01It really does. It really does.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Um, so here's another here's another interesting tidbit that I was reading. So after you retired from skating, you were you were you were a strength and conditioning coach for ice hockey players, you're doing all this kind of stuff. And then you started teaching snowboarding.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Well, that um happened because my best friend owned um the first ever snowboard shop in Calgary. Um, and when I quit speed skating, I had put everything, essentially I put everything on red. I didn't have much of an education when I quit skating. Um I banked on winning an Olympic medal, which is absolutely ridiculous to bank on. But I had nothing.
SPEAKER_04Hey, you never know!
SPEAKER_01My friend said, Hey, why don't why don't you come snowboarding? So, of course, you know, instead of going home, I hung out with him and snowboarded for a while. And then went back to Australia and got a job teaching snowboarding. And then within a year I was running the school.
unknownWow.
SPEAKER_01And then within three years I was national training director for snowboarding for all of Australia, and then working as a coach for a World Cup snowboard team in Europe.
SPEAKER_02Wow.
SPEAKER_01So I quit speed skating because I was done traveling, and then I kept traveling with snowboarding.
SPEAKER_04Isn't that always the way? I kind of defeated myself. I'm gonna do this. No, you're not. Exactly.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I've never been known to make good decisions so far.
SPEAKER_04Uh I think you're doing really well there, buddy. Um so after all this, you moved uh back to Colorado, and I love this, I love this line. Uh in in 99, you moved back to Colorado for one last year of snowboarding, intending to return to Australia to get a real job, quote unquote. Yep. And that's when you met your wife, Nicole.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. Yep. She changed my life.
SPEAKER_04And and she and you didn't leave. Now you're here.
SPEAKER_01Nope. She's still here, she's still with me. I've got my oldest daughter, is now a wildland firefighter. Wow, really? So the insanity continues. My youngest has just been qualified as a hairstylist. Nice. Um, and we're still in Colorado.
SPEAKER_04All right. That is that's awesome. That is awesome.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's really great.
SPEAKER_04And you and so your oldest daughter is now a wildland firefighter?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, she works for uh Jefferson County Wildland team, which is a brand new team they just formed here. She's on their mod, so she goes out with them chasing fire and you know, sleeping on the ground and digging trenches all day.
unknownWow.
SPEAKER_01Well Yeah, I think her dream is to be a hot shot um and maybe a smoke jumper if she can push it that far, but but who knows, man.
SPEAKER_04So, in other words, she has absolutely no fear whatsoever.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, she's uh she's a pretty pretty fearless little machine, that one.
SPEAKER_04My goodness. That's that's that is awesome. I feel feel bad for whatever guy lands her, but uh oh yeah.
SPEAKER_00She's a force of ojo. As is my wife.
SPEAKER_04Uh well that's just that's just great. And you guys have been married for 23 years, is that correct?
SPEAKER_01Uh 25, actually.
SPEAKER_0425. Wow. That's our biggest.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we just had 25 in April.
SPEAKER_04That is great. Yeah. That's fantastic. Um well, here we go. Let's let's get into some firefighting here. Um because uh this is where it's just really interesting because you were here you are, you've got you you've got another career going on. What led you to become a firefighter?
SPEAKER_01Well, I told you that well, you you dug this up in the research that I moved to Colorado because I was gonna do one more year and then get a real job. My wife's grandfather retired from Denver Fire in like 1976. One of those old school smoke eater, tough as nail guys.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_01And talking to him and getting to know him, I realized that in in firefighting, no two days are ever the same. And that's what I love. I couldn't ever exist in an office where I've just got to, you know, send emails and stuff. I respect people who do that, but I couldn't do it.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01So I found firefighting. Um my wife actually got into it first. She took her S-130, S-190 um while we were both working at Beaver Creek ski resort. And then she said to me, Hey, why don't you try this out? So I went down and took the entrance test and got into um volunteering and then eventually hired professionally.
SPEAKER_04Wow. That's awesome. That is great. Now, have you been on with the with uh you're with the Westminster Fire Department? Just north of D. And you've been with them the entire time or uh No.
SPEAKER_01I started I did a bit of wildland, I worked for the Colorado State Forest Service for a couple of years, then I worked for Trinidad Fire for one year, and then um tested with Westminster and got on there in 2004.
SPEAKER_04Wow. That's that's great. That is great. And and you also now what team do you go out with on wildland fires? Because you don't you don't just serve for Westminster, but you're I mean you're going to all kinds of different states to help out on wildland fires. What does that team use?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, well we within the Westminster Fire Department, we have a special team of the Wildland team.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_01And it's we're for I formed it with a couple of other guys um back in 2007. We all had previous wildland experience, a couple of hotshots, a couple of other guys who came from different organizations. So we formed this team and we deploy nationally. So I can either go out on you have two type six engines and a type three engine, or I also go out as a single resource as a field observer, a Forbes guy.
SPEAKER_05Okay.
SPEAKER_01And that involves mapping on fire. So I wander around a fire with an iPad and plot things and locate helicopter landing spots and triage buildings and whatever they want me to locate, I locate.
SPEAKER_04Nice. That was gonna be one of my questions, you know, because some people don't don't know, you know, uh what a field observer is. And so I that was gonna be one of my questions, and you just answered it before I even asked it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, most people have the question, what is that?
SPEAKER_04Well, I mean, it it they as far as anything wildland fire firefighting, um, I uh to me, I mean, you guys going out there and doing that, that's great. When I was a firefighter, I hated wildland firefighting. Hated it. I I I just to me it was to me, it was like, okay, I'm hiking, I'm doing this, I'm doing that. And so I I just I was not I would that was one thing I did not like doing. Put me in a structure fire, I'm all day long, but no, I didn't like that.
SPEAKER_01Well, there's a lot of people that share your opinion on that. Um, and I I love it all. I'm just just so honored to be able to do this job.
SPEAKER_04That is the that's gotta be the toughest job, I think, in in the fire service is wildland firefighter, which you guys do.
SPEAKER_01It's it's difficult. Uh you know, not only the work, but then dealing with sleeping on the ground for two weeks and you know, living out of a truck with, you know, three or four of your work workmates 24-7, it can be difficult.
SPEAKER_04Yep. And the other thing about it is, is most people, I mean firefighters do, but most most of the general public they don't realize how dangerous wildland firefighting is.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, don't let's not mention that to my wife, okay?
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_04Sorry, Nicole. La la la. It's great, it's great. Everybody has a good time camping. All right.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, it's great. Just camping and making it smaller, yeah. Oh as as everyone knows, I'm sure, firefighting is a hazardous profession.
SPEAKER_04Yes, it is.
SPEAKER_01I agree. So we mitigate as much risk as wish as we can, and we just don't take extra chances.
SPEAKER_04Yep. Well, one thing that I learned is you are quite a cook with your special breakfast omelets. But the question I have is what is the secret of your spaghetti?
SPEAKER_01Um, that spaghetti recipe was given to me by my wife's grandfather. He got it from his captain back in the 50s. So this recipe is probably a hundred years old. Wow. And I'm not allowed to share it with anyone unless you're a professional firefighter. I haven't even given it to my daughter yet.
SPEAKER_00Oh.
SPEAKER_01My wife doesn't even have the recipe.
SPEAKER_04What? So this this is only a firefighter family only.
SPEAKER_01Yep, exactly. Um and her dad doesn't have the recipe either because he's not a professional firefighter.
SPEAKER_05Oh.
SPEAKER_01So it's a secret recipe that has has been passed down to me.
SPEAKER_04Man, I thought I I thought I was onto something here.
SPEAKER_01Nope, not giving it up, man. Sorry. So Yeah, well, I yeah, I get requests to make that spaghetti all the time, and I do 90% of the cooking in my house.
SPEAKER_04Well, you gotta keep the seat.
SPEAKER_01My wife claims that she's not a good cook, but I disagree. She's a great cook.
SPEAKER_04Oh, God.
SPEAKER_01But I do enjoy it.
SPEAKER_04Well, that's great. Well, you got to do something that I think is just really awesome, and that is you got to carry the torch for the Sydney Summer Olympics.
SPEAKER_01I did, yeah. And I actually carried it on a snowboard. Did you really? Yeah, in the one of the resorts I was working at. I think at the time I was managing their snowboard school, but the Olympic torch relay came through that town and I got to carry the flame on my snowboard down the down the mountain at night.
SPEAKER_04Wow. That would that would have been great. That would have been awesome to see.
SPEAKER_01But uh I have that torch sitting in my living room right now.
SPEAKER_04Oh. Does it does it still work? Have you ever lit it back up?
SPEAKER_01I haven't, but it has a little fuel canister that's it's labeled Olympic torch fuel. Huh. And I don't happen to have any of that lying around, so I can't get it flipped.
SPEAKER_04Certainly we can make some calls and get a canister. Oh, I bet we could. But that that's still, I mean, when you were asked to do that, that had to have been quite quite an honor.
SPEAKER_01It it really was, yeah. Yeah, it's one of the great highlights of my life. Um my nickname is Lucky Phil. Of course, no one at work knows me at that because you can't give yourself your own nickname.
SPEAKER_05That's true.
SPEAKER_01But I I am truly lucky with all the stuff that I've been able to do in my life.
SPEAKER_04Uh and that's one of them. Well, when I read up on you before, you know, doing all the research before uh doing this interview, I was amazed on everything that you have accomplished. And I love learning about people who are famous for one thing, but they do a thousand other things. And then also you overcoming dyslexia uh with your story, I I knew, okay, I gotta get Phil on.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Yeah. And one of the things I'm also proud of, I've had a bunch of articles published in different magazines. So for a dyslexic guy writing articles for magazines, that is really um ridiculous, I think. But you know.
SPEAKER_04Hey, that just but that just shows their teachers were wrong.
SPEAKER_01They absolutely were. Yep, they absolutely were.
SPEAKER_04Oh my goodness. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01I think the thing about being dyslexic is because you're weaker at one thing, it makes you stronger at other things. So I suspect my thing is creativity in languages.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_01You definitely have and determination. I don't quit.
SPEAKER_04Uh well, obviously. I mean, an Olympian, firefighter, getting over getting over dyslexia, writing articles, coaching. I need to put you in a plane and just see if you can land it.
SPEAKER_01Ooh, I don't I don't know about that. Planes scare the pants off me.
SPEAKER_04Really? After all this world traveling, that that scares you now. Well, maybe that's why. Well, for everything that you have accomplished, everyone really should be inspired.
SPEAKER_01Well, thank you. And um, I think that the thing about being like essentially a professional athlete is you you do a lot of taking, you take stuff from your sponsor. You're looking at yourself. You're really just thinking about yourself. As a firefighter, I really have the great honor to give back, even though it's not to the Australian community, it's to the US community. It really is a an honor to devote myself back to putting into the community like that.
SPEAKER_04That's great. But I'm sure. Does that make sense? Oh, yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. I mean, it's exactly why we all do this job. But with all the coaching, certainly you have inspired your students to be better athletes and better people.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, well I would hope. You set some kind of example and people following your footsteps around it.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. I would say so.
SPEAKER_01It was interesting a couple years ago, I pulled a suitcase out of the basement and I had 50 pounds of standings. All of the racing suits from every year we used to get five or six racing suits a year. And I thought, what am I? They're just sitting in the basement. What am I doing with these? So I put them on social media and said, if anyone wants these, you pay the shipping and I'll send them to you. And I had hundreds of people contact me. Wow. They just wanted one of those racing suits. That's great. And a lot of them knew who I was, which I think is ridiculous. See? Just in order to be able to share that with people, you know?
SPEAKER_04No, that's great. Well, Phil.
SPEAKER_01And now I have less than 50 pounds of spinach.
SPEAKER_04Did you try one on? I know you did.
SPEAKER_01Oh yeah. And then I took it off really quickly. My quad's not as big as they used to be.
SPEAKER_04Looking in the mirror going, oh, MG. This is buy a house dinners. Well, now we're going to get into the lightning round. And yeah, these are a set of questions that I came up with that I love asking every first responder that I interview because the answers are quite eclectic. So I I I think this is great. So here we go with the lightning round. Are you ready?
SPEAKER_01Okay. I'm ready.
SPEAKER_04All right. First up is what inspired you to become a firefighter? I know probably already asked this, but we're going to ask it again.
SPEAKER_01Um two things. And no two days are over the same.
SPEAKER_04Oh, that is so true. Um what excites you, whether it's in your career or in your personal life?
SPEAKER_01What excites me? Competition. I don't think I'm a competitive person, but if there's any kind of competition at all that really gets my blood money.
SPEAKER_04So if there's a fire hall contest going on, you're first in line.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. Yeah. So here's that competition. We've got to stop the fire and get to that town. Absolutely. That kind of thing.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Gets get you all get y'all around. Oh, heck no, we're doing this. You're not getting money. Yeah, I agree with you. Okay. Well, what sound do you love?
SPEAKER_01What sound do I love? Not hearing my alarm in the morning.
SPEAKER_04You'd be amazed at how many times I hear that one. Oh gosh. Well, what smell or odor just do you despise to where it you it makes you almost want to chuck?
SPEAKER_01And you know it. When you come around that corner and you smell it, you know it.
SPEAKER_04Oh yeah. You don't even have to you don't yeah, exactly. You don't even have to enter the the house or the apartment. It's nasty. Alright, what's your favorite skill being a first responder?
SPEAKER_01Favorite skill is talking to people. I'm able to relate to absolutely everyone from a millionaire to a hundred people relating to people and talking to them.
SPEAKER_04That's great.
SPEAKER_01Well, what surprised you about the job that the people that are in this job, it surprised me how much they love to work. I've seen other workplaces where people turn up to late work late. They can't wait to get to lunch and not work. But firefighters, if you say, hey, there's an extra job that needs to be done, you have to fight people to not do it. Like they just never stop working. And that amazed me. We just love to work.
SPEAKER_04That is so true. And in fact, and it and this is just my only my my personal belief. When I was in EMS or when I was on the volunteer department as a firefighter, the one thing about it was that I always thought was I don't want to let my department or my community down. No matter what I that was that was the thought I always had. Just didn't want to let anybody else down. So I yeah.
SPEAKER_01And you don't want to burden your brothers and sisters as well. So let's do this work and get it done.
SPEAKER_04Exactly.
SPEAKER_01It's really incredible. Even like you look at shift change. We turn up for shift change half an hour before you meant to be on duty. Just to make sure that you're ready to go for your job. Yeah. In in other industries, that just doesn't happen.
unknownNo.
SPEAKER_05No, it doesn't.
SPEAKER_04Oh gosh. All right. Well, here's the final question of the lightning round. Uh when you get when you get to heaven, what would you what would what do you think God will say to you? Or what would you like God to say to you?
SPEAKER_01Not sure, Phil.
SPEAKER_04You had you had another thought in there somewhere.
SPEAKER_01I did, but I won't go into that.
SPEAKER_04The gold is in the backyard, buried 20 paces from the left corner of the house. Oh gosh. Well, that was that's great. That's a great lightning round. And I'm and I'm glad you were willing to participate.
SPEAKER_01Well, Phil I love it. It's great.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Well, it is it is such a pleasure uh getting this interview with you, and you you're just a fun guy to talk to.
SPEAKER_01Well, back at you, Brad. Back at you, mate.
SPEAKER_04Well, anytime you come to Nashville, you let me know.
SPEAKER_01Okay, I will.
SPEAKER_04We'll take you around to all the places and and do whatever. And have a good old day.
SPEAKER_01Same with you. If you're ever in the Denver area, look me out.
SPEAKER_04Oh, I sure will. In fact, um need to come out there uh and uh visit my dad's old house and a couple of the old neighbors, and then we'll go look up Phil and we'll go bike riding.
SPEAKER_01That sounds good, man. Yeah, bring you bike for sure.
SPEAKER_04Oh yeah. Well, Phil, this was this was uh this was a huge pleasure for me, and uh yeah, we're gonna we're we're gonna keep in touch.
SPEAKER_01That that sounds good, man. Yeah, a big deal.
SPEAKER_04Well, ladies and gentlemen, please give a big warm applause for Phil Tumingas. There we go. There it is. Greetings and welcome to another edition of the Grand Squirrel Theater, where true stories are told in a theatrical style. In this episode's recital, our pretentious frumpy director has brought us a story rich in culture. Sit back and enjoy this wonderful saga entitled Scene from an Italian restaurant. It's been 14 years since my first day of becoming a firefighter paramedic. Now, through that time, I have found that citizens are usually polite and willing to help us first responders if needed. Some even find the entertainment value by watching us perform. Unfortunately, in very rare occasions, one citizen thinks they have some moral high ground and are willing to educate us. Now, one night, my girlfriend and I decided to go for pizza at our favorite mom-pa Italian restaurant. This place is complete with checkered tablecloths, the friendliest service, and owned by an older couple from Italy that won't let you leave until you have to unbuckle your pants. It's worth every dime. After placing our order, we suddenly witnessed a commotion at the table next to us. A woman passed out and fell to the floor. I jumped into her first responder mode and rushed right over. This lady was not breathing and had no pulse. CPR for one, table eight. I told the waitress to call 911, told my girlfriend to grab the AED, and enlisted two others to help. My attitude was one of urgency. Something the man this lady was with, I'm sure, didn't mind. After five minutes of CPR, the medics and fire department arrived and took patient care. They loaded the patient up and took her for the hospital. At this point, you would think the story ends here, but dude, this is where it takes a turn. In the booth behind us, another lady, I'll call her Karen for obvious reasons, decided to vocalize her opinion of my performance. She stated, You are very rude to everyone and should apologize. Perplexed, I said, Excuse me. She continued, You started ordering people around, telling them what to do with a poor attitude. You should be ashamed of yourself. I just shook my head and went and sat back down. This Karen wouldn't let it go, though. Hello, are you deaf? You're such an ass. Tina set this lady straight. I went over and I said, look, I'm a paramedic and a firefighter. I don't care what you think. This lady's life was in the balance and needed help. If your feelings were hurt because I was trying to help her, get over it. That lady's life is more important than your feelings. I then turned around, went and sat back down in our booth, and thought nothing more of it. Until our pizza came and we started eating. The ever-popular Karen came by our table, spit on our pizza, then started yelling expletives as she walked away. Enter the Italian owner. Get the hell out of my restaurant, Cagna! And you'll never come back. You are banned for life. Get out, get out, cool, cool! I'm gonna guess and say Cagna is some derogatory term in the Italian language. Just just say it. But the Karen did leave. Now, Mr. Italy then came to inform us that he will make us a new pizza tonight as on the house, and we will get a big discount every time we come back. The rest of that conversation was straight out of a movie. Where despite my objections with the phrase, just doing my job, the owner used Italian insistence that his offer is non-negotiable. I learned quick, Italian restaurant owners always win. Pretty sure we waddled out of there after our meal, and with the owners thanking and inviting us back. Now, three things have happened since then. One, the lady with the cardiac arrest, she is recovering nicely after a triple bypass surgery. Two, we tip the wait staff very well every time we go visit our favorite Italian place. And three, the Karen who spit in our food? Well, the other restaurants heard the story, and they banned her too. So, win-win and win. Oh, you caught me in mid-drink. Oh my gosh. Was that another fun story? Now that story is a true story, and I got it off the internet, which is uh really amazing, and I actually did the research. But I had to find a story that was kind of cool and all that, and I found this story and went, oh, I gotta use that one. So some things, the the the characters have changed a little bit, but for the most part, that is a true story. And it gave me an idea for an episode later down the road where we talk about how the public does some some idiots in the public do this kind of stuff. And we'll go through examples just because we can rant and rave and all that kind of stuff. But we will also um talk about how to deal with uh the general public like that. Okay, okay. All right. We've come to the end of episode number 12 of 911 a squirrel. And I hope you have had some fun, and I hope you have learned something, and I hope you haven't turned it off because you're listening to the ranting and ravings of a bad man. Uh I would like to thank Phil Temingus. Yay, Phil, uh three-time former Olympian, and he got to join us today and tell us his story. Uh, was that not a fun interview? He's a fun guy. It was so much fun to interview him. It was it was a blast. And if you heard the whole thing, you'd be like, gosh, Brad, that's all that shh. It's a good thing I got editing. And I'll bet you if he had the fuel, he'd use his, you know he would light his barbecue with the Olympic torch. You know he would. Phil, I'm I'm betting if you had the fuel, you'd do it. Oh my gosh. Do you have stories? I bet you you do. Do you know someone you want to spotlight? Do you have questions? Do you have comments? Uh, have a recipe or want us to train on something specific? Please email us at 911 Squirrel Podcast at gmail.com. Or go, excuse me, hello, or go to our socials on Facebook, Instagram, all TikTok, all under 911 Squirrel Podcast. Hey, subscribe to our podcast. Uh, leave reviews, rate it. Um, we'd love to we'd love to read them all. I don't care if they're great reviews, or if you want to say, my gosh, can we get a better host? Uh just and you know, we we want to know what how we're doing, what you like, what you don't like, so forth and so on. Oh, and another thing, like I said earlier, you have that quality that made you a first responder, you have that extra character, you have so much to offer yourself and others, so please, uh, when when you leave the job, leave the job. Go find go do the other stuff that's fun and that you love to do. Um just because I want you to I don't want you to lose the love of the job, the faith of the job. And live life. Live life, don't just exist in it, okay? I mean, seriously. Alright. Alright, enough of my rambling on. Thank you all for listening. Can't wait for our next uh episode, which will come out soon. And remember, you are part of the team. Help each other stay safe. And God bless you. Thank you all. We'll see you in talk. We'll talk to you soon!