When The Smoke Clears
What happens to a firefighter after they've spent decades running into burning buildings and rescuing people from sickness, injury and death? When they walk away from the job, how have they changed? What lessons have they learned? What type of person have they become?
Podcasting since 2024 • 25 episodes
When The Smoke Clears
Latest Episodes
25 - Master Firefighter Ricardo "Rico" Shepherd
Rico Shepherd never grew up with any aspirations to join the fire department. However, when he saw an advertisement in the newspaper about MCFRS hiring, he applied, got hired, and the rest was history.Rico spent a good part of his ...
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Season 2
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Episode 25
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1:30:12
24 - Master Firefighter Walter Balma
When Walter Balma had his first encounter with the fire department, he knew immediately that he wanted to be a firefighter. Growing up in Prince George's County, MD, he wanted to be a PG firefighter, so he became a PG volunteer. How...
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Season 2
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Episode 24
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1:29:53
23 - Captain Stacey Jones
Stacey Jones never had any ambition to join the fire service when he was young, but through various twists and turns of life, he found himself joining the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service as a member of Recruit Class 6. Alo...
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Season 2
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Episode 23
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1:17:55
22 - Fire Chief Scott Goldstein
"Retired" Fire Chief Scott Goldstein joins us on the show to recount his 30+ years in the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, including eight years as its Fire Chief. We say "retired" because Chief Goldstein is actually still on th...
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Season 2
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Episode 22
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1:48:10
21 - Division Chief Mike Love - Part 2
Division Chief Mike Love returns to share with us the rest of his story. If you haven't listened to part one, please do yourself a favor and do that...otherwise you'll miss out on a lot!Chief Love picks up from where he left off......
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Season 2
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Episode 21
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1:01:59