📦 Sponsored by: Unkie Seasoning — Use code DAD25 for Father's Day!

In this episode, the crew gets off to a classic, chaotic start as Doug unboxes his latest FD Collectors Club coin live on the show. They dive deep into everything from coin girth to grocery store fire lane etiquette — yep, it gets heated. The gang debates whether fire trucks should park in the red while shopping and reacts to the viral TikTok clip that stirred up some serious comments online.

🔹 Topics Covered:

• 🔥 Unboxing FD Collectors Club coins — Houston FD & Vincennes, Indiana

• 🚒 Should firefighters park in the red at grocery stores?

• 👨‍👧‍👦 Life updates on Freddie and Nick — family, priorities, and support

• 💬 Listener feedback and social media controversy

• 🧠 Critical thinking in EMS and the importance of pre-planning

• ❤️ Why we love the job: helping people, playing with water, and the camaraderie

• 👮‍♂️ Firefighter commentary caught on bodycam – what’s too far?

• 🩺 The reality of EMS-heavy workloads in today’s fire service

• 🏥 Community paramedicine and managing frequent callers

• 🧯 The evolving role of firefighters in a changing world

🔹 Quotes of the Day:

“Fire trucks belong in fire lanes. It’s called branding.”
“Be respectful. And have an answer if someone asks.”
“Never grow up and you get to play with water — that’s the fireman life.”

The team takes a brief pause to honor fallen firefighters across the nation.

Have thoughts about parking the engine up front? Or how your department handles medical vs. fire calls? Let us know on Instagram or drop a comment on our latest TikTok post!

Memorial Day reminder to never forget why we enjoy the freedoms we do. Also, Doug’s building a massive pole barn — you’ll hear about trusses, trailers, and Facebook Marketplace deals you didn’t know you needed.

🎧 Listen Now:
Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your earful of firehouse banter.

🚨 Moment of Silence💬 Sound Off🔥 Closing Notes:

In this week’s episode, Matt, Doug, and Unkie get real about burnout, passion, and what it means to stay motivated in the fire service—especially after decades on the job. Doug’s allergies are flaring up, Adam’s pulling full-time dad duty, and Matt’s stuck in a hotel… but the mics are on and the conversation is solid.

The crew checks in on themselves and each other, digging into the leadership traits they admire most—and the ones they struggle with. From fading passion to professionalism, from firehouse vibes to fireground performance, it's a raw, reflective look at the human side of firefighting.

🔥 Can passion survive politics?
🔥 Does communication solve the “loud dog” problem?
🔥 Should we really be parking in the red while buying groceries?
🔥 And why is Unkie’s four-minute home rule changing the game?

Also: shoutouts to Unkie’s Seasoning, Burn Box, FD Collectors Club, and a quick dive into arson investigation training from Pinehurst.

Whether you're a rookie, a vet, or somewhere in between, this one’s for the ones trying to keep the fire lit.

Visit

Email: thecoolfireman@gmail.com

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This week, Matt, Doug, and Unkie are back behind the mics — sweating it out in a closet, talking dryers that don’t work, how many horses is too many, and why the 48/96 schedule might be the greatest fire department hack of all time.

👨‍🚒 We break down shift schedules and how they impact family life, mental health, and relationships. Matt raves about his new 48/96 gig, Doug explains the reality of 24/48s at a busy house, and Unkie shares what it’s like working 72 hours on/24 off.

🧠 Real talk about the mental transition from firehouse to home, implementing “the 4-minute rule” with spouses, and why communication is king when your house is literally and figuratively on fire.

🔥 Plus:

• Doug's growing horse family 🐴

• Why every dryer should be a Speed Queen 💨

• The unspoken tension of holidays, holding over, and emotional decompression

• Shoutouts to our moms (a little late, but heartfelt)

• Burn Box reviews & more FD Collectors Club goodness

💬 Stick around to the end for our weekly Moment of Silence and some behind-the-scenes talk on what might be next for podcast drop days.

—

👂 Subscribe & Follow Us: We’re 6 Spotify followers away from 700. Tell your mom 'n them. Let's go!
📦 Burn Box Lovers: Watch for new shorts from Doug featuring the Snagger Tool.
🎧 Want more? DM us your questions, stories, or topics for future episodes.

#FirefighterLife #FirehouseFamily #4896Schedule #MentalHealthMatters #BurnBox #FirstResponderLife #TheCoolFiremanPodcast #ShiftsAndShenanigans

What happens when your dream tool gets cut from the budget? The guys talk fire department finances, backup plans, and hovercraft rejections. Brian breaks down the budget process, Unkie explains how credit cards vanished from his department, and Doug? Well… he’s still trying to get cowboy hats approved because that mustache deserves a brim. 🤠🔥

Plus:
🥩 Unkie’s BBQ brand cracks the Top 10%
🐎 Doug adopts a horse named Reba
🎩 Cowboy hats vs. tradition
💸 Budget hacks every firefighter should know
🎁 Burn Box gear talk and behind-the-scenes laughs

Tune in for the knowledge, stay for the nonsense.

#CoolFiremanPodcast #FireDeptLife #BudgetBattle #RebaMcIntyre #BurnBox #CowboyHatDebate #FirefighterHumor

From kitchen fires to candle mishaps, from firehouse kitchen tables to national fire code debates—we’re hitting it all in this one.

Brian, aka East Coast Lincoln, opens the show with heartfelt honesty and a long-overdue moment of silence. The crew dives deep into the real-life value of public education in the fire service, how fire inspections aren’t just for the public—but for firefighter safety too—and why thinking outside the box starts at the kitchen table.

Matt, Doug, Adam, and Brian talk everything from funny waffle fire calls to emotional fire fatalities, and the impact a well-placed smoke detector (or a poorly labeled panel) can really have.

Also: FDIC hats, Unkie’s ribeyes, Doug’s smoke detector game, and Brian’s big news about joining the International Fire Marshal’s Association Board.

It’s real, it’s hilarious, it’s important. Hit play. 🎙️🚒
#MakeFirehousesGreatAgain #FirePrevention #CoolFiremanPodcast #FirefighterLife

The boys are back with Burn Box Tom, and it’s safe to say the chaos has never been more fun. From Tom’s Buzz Lightyear headset to tales of FDIC madness, we’re talking booths, mustaches, and the mysterious art of cutting a hole in a Burn Box (yep, that joke gets made).

We dive into what it’s like to sling firefighter-owned gear at the Super Bowl of conferences, how Tom’s Build-Your-Own Box was a game-changer, and the ever-growing FD Collector’s Club that’s turning challenge coin skeptics into die-hard collectors.

Plus, Ricky Byrd wins our 100th episode giveaway AGAIN (the man can’t lose), and Unkie reveals his top 10% Chipotle rub—salty firemen unite. Add in some bad headset audio, McDoubles on the go, and a root beer-fueled sugar spiral, and you’ve got another unforgettable episode.

Listen now. Laugh later. Join the mayhem.

#CoolFiremanPodcast #BurnBoxTom #FDIC2025 #ChallengeCoinAddicts #RickyFreakinByrd #FirehouseLife #RescueLips #BuzzLightyearHeadset #UnkieSeasoning #FirstResponderGear #BoxLooksBigger

Fresh off Episode 100, the crew is back in action—and it’s a fed fire kind of night. Matt, Unkie, and special guest Nick Hammond (aka @fireman1231) break down the wild world of federal fire service—what it’s like to get hired, how operations differ from city departments, and the perks of repping stars and stripes on the job.

Doug and Nick bring the laughs with stories of burned rice, busted fire alarms, and the weird world of military base responses. From heat casualty calls to clunky building number systems, it's a deep (and hilarious) dive into federal firefighting life.

PLUS—Freddy drops in with a fresh scalp and big takes.
And… we reveal the winner of our 100th Episode Giveaway! 🎉 Congrats to Ricky Byrd!

🎁 Shoutouts to our sponsors:

• 🔥 Unkie's Seasoning – Get that buttery rosemary magic
• 📦 The Burn Box – The best firefighter subscription box out there

📩 Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email us: thecoolfireman@gmail.com
🧢 Merch is coming soon!

🎧 Listen. Laugh. Learn. Be the fireman you’d want saving your cat.
Now… roll it, Gigi.

Big City Doug and Big Body Brian are coming to you almost live from FDIC in Indianapolis! It’s the first time they’ve recorded in-person together, and they’re bringing the laughs, the lessons, and a whole lotta love for the fire service.

In this special episode:🔥 We reflect on the first days at FDIC—massive booths, gear galore, hovercrafts (yes, really), and fire family from all over the world
🔥 We talk about generational impact and what it means to leave it better than you found it
🔥 We share powerful conversations from the Burn Box booth and give flowers to the people who stopped by
🔥 We get real about mental health, honoring the memory of a fallen firefighter
🔥 We laugh over TikTok leaners, double-wides, hot tea, and cool brews
🔥 And we dive into the deep passion behind firefighter-owned businesses like Burn Box and Unki Seasonings

💥 Giveaway alert: Snap a pic with us at FDIC, tag us, and get entered into our Mega Giveaway for our 100th episode celebration!

This one’s full of gratitude, brotherhood, and a whole lot of good vibes. Whether you’re a rookie, a seasoned vet, or somewhere in between, this one’s for YOU.

🎧 Tune in, share with a buddy, and keep being a cool fireman.

Roll it, GG.