Fire Engineering Talk Radio Debuts ChiefReason

My first show with Fire Engineering Talk Radio is, as they say, in the can.

If you didn’t have the chance to tune in live on April21, you can go to Fire Engineering Talk Radio and you can listen to the archived version. You can also see the schedule of some excellent upcoming shows.

I am also hearing that shows might be offered as Mp3 downloads in the future.

As host, I don’t know how well or how badly a show went until I can go back and listen to it for myself. When I say that, what I mean is; did the delivery make it to the audience?

It’s easy to fix equipment issues, but let’s face it; if there are several seconds of “dead air”, you cannot have a “do-over”, because it’s live! Where it can be fixed is if you prepare it as a download. Then, you can go back with editing and “scrub” it to remove the mistakes. But, a few blemishes add character.

So, I have to work on eliminating “dead air”.

Then, I have to cut down on my use of “um” and “and uh”! They are said to fill the gaps in my thoughts and it annoys the heck of me when I hear it. The Little Guy In My Head is supposed to be my wingman and he dropped the ball.

The last, technical issue that I have to improve upon is mastering the controls. If I hadn’t had Scott Nelson doing yeoman’s work in that regard, the show would have been very painful for you and me.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret.

Scripted shows with scheduled guests are always going to be high quality for the listeners. Questions and answers will fly back and forth between hosts and guests like a ping pong ball at the Table Tennis World Championships!

I love having guests on that you can basically turn the mike over to and then, I can kick it with the rest of the audience and learn right along with them.

But…

I get the biggest buzz out of callers who call in with questions or comments.

Why?

Because you have no idea where the show will go at that point.

The show that I did on Thursday evening had an international flavor. My first call came from England!

Rob Aiers of www.carbonmonoxidekills.com called in to talk about carbon monoxide poisoning and how it is reported. We became fast friends. He was very engaging, knowledgeable and passionate about his cause. I was thrilled that he called in, but not in a creepy way.

Bobby Halton called in. Bobby is quite simple a walking/talking SET of encyclopedias. If you don’t learn something from him, then you weren’t paying attention. He is very humble and one of the most unpretentious individuals that I know. Keep your eye on him. I predict great things for him.

DaGonz called me. An old friend, he is. Otherwise known as Ron Ayotte; I own him plenty.

For those of you who don’t know the story, Ron is the founding father of the International Association of Crusty Old Jakes. Ron’s dream of a fire site where you could learn from respectful discussion became a reality under his guidance. It was there that I wrote my first of several blogs; only back then, we called them “op-ed” pieces. I honed my debating skills with some of the best minds in the fire service.

A word of caution, though; never, ever take him on in a game of music trivia; especially in classic rock. Oh and if you want to get on his good side, just tell him that you love Ford Mustangs. And if you have ever heard the fire station referred to as “the puzzle palace”; that is classis Gonzo.

Sippy from Manchester called in to talk about his fire department’s current predicament. He described what can only be called a nightmare, if it comes to pass. In short; his city council is “considering” a plan that was submitted by a former firefighter that will eliminate ALL district chiefs and replace them with captains. Yeah; you reacted just like I did when I heard it. The plan is currently in committee, so stay tuned.

Stephan Charlton called in from Canada to ask about blogging.

It’s weird, but I have never really broken blogging down to a “process”. There are plenty of people out there who believe that they are “experts” who can tell you how to write a successful blog and in my opinion, it’s a bunch of crap. I don’t want my blog to be like a thousand others. I want it to mean something to me and hopefully, to the reader. I don’t want you to read anything like it anywhere else.

Blogging is very personal and anyone willing to bear their soul in their writing for others to read is both unselfish and courageous. READERS decide if you are successful. I don’t do it to sell ad space and I don’t wear a big “B” on my chest. Consider that it’s your personal journal of your personal journeys and thoughts of your next journey that may or may not make a difference to the person who reads it.

When I blog, I have but one goal and that is to grab one person who thinks about what I write after they’re read it; good or bad. I am not looking for agreement or affirmation from the reader. I want what I write to be like that catchy, little tune that you can’t get out of your head!

Just like the best player doesn’t always make the best coach; I might not be the best person to give tips on blogging, but I am willing to help anyone who wishes to give blogging a shot.

I had a blast on my “debut” for Fire Engineering Talk Radio. If you would like to be a guest, email me at art.chiefreason.goodrich99@gmail.com.

If you would like to chat with me or just listen, then watch the schedule. We can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

Until next time…

TCSS

The opinions and views expressed are those of the article’s author, Art Goodrich, who also writes as ChiefReason. They do not reflect the opinions and views of FireEngineering.com, Fire Engineering Magazine, PennWell Corporation or my dog, Chopper. This article is protected by federal copyright laws and cannot be re-produced in any form.