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 • 27 episodes
When The Smoke Clears
Latest Episodes
27 - Battalion Chief Michael Hamilton
Battalion Chief Mike Hamilton holds the record of having served the longest in the fire service out of all of the people we have interviewed so far...45 years! During that time, Mike did A LOT. From working at the 911 call center, b...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 27
•
1:55:16
Battalion Chief Derrick Anthony
Derrick Anthony joins us to discuss his 30+ year fire service career. Throughout his time in MCFRS, Derrick was involved in many things, including teaching at the training academy, helping with the Critical Incident Stress Management Team...
•
Episode 26
•
1:51:13
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 ...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 25
•
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...
•
Season 2
•
Episode 24
•
1:29:53