The $40K Letter Every Wildfire Contractor Fears (And How To Avoid It)

Checklists Won't Save Your REMS Team

You can tell who looks tough. You can't tell who will endure — and that gap is where fire crews break. In Part 2 of our conversation with John Hennessey — retired Air Force officer, former Booz Allen Hamilton program manager, and one of the architects of Dammeron Valley Fire Rescue — we follow the thread from special operations selection culture straight into the unforgiving reality of wildfire operations and modern fire service leadership. This half goes deep on what actually keeps firefighters alive and teams sharp: standards over hype, daily practice over vibes, and why complacency is the fastest way to get hurt or fall behind. What we cover: - Why "looking tough" tells you nothing — and why cadre still can't predict who quits on day one - The "false summit" trap, and treating every plateau as a reason to push harder - Earning credibility when you're leading experts who outclass you technically - What the Waldo Canyon and Black Forest fires teach about wind, ember storms, and structure density - Wildfire mitigation, Firewise assessments, and the home ignition zone details most residents miss - The real limits of structure protection when water and time run out - REMS team realities on remote terrain — scouting routes, staging smart, and building a PACE plan - Why checklists are not capability — and what "good" looks like when you're holding a patient overnight with no helicopter - The case for tighter REMS standards that measure performance, not shopping lists If you care about wildfire preparedness, structure protection, emergency medical response, or leadership under stress — this one's built for you. Find The Journeyman here: https://livetjm.com/ Find The Journeyman on Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.livetjm.thejourneyman&pcampaignid=web_share Find The Journeyman on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tjm-the-journeyman/id6503902863 0:00 Never Satisfied With The Status Quo 1:15 Why You Cannot Spot Quitters 5:45 Earning Credibility With Elite Teams 7:42 First Real Taste Of Fire Service 8:50 Waldo Canyon And Black Forest Reality 11:34 Firewise Home Ignition Zone Walkthroughs 16:16 Forsyth Fire Night One Lessons 18:20 REMS Planning For Remote Rescues 26:52 Train Daily And Build Real Standards 36:20 Retirement Goals And Vision 2030 39:23 Final Thanks And Wrap Up

The One Thing Every Wildland Fire Department Gets Wrong

Building a REMS team isn't optional anymore — it's how you keep your wildland firefighters alive when extraction goes sideways. And most departments wait until it's too late. In this episode, John Hennessey — retired Air Force officer, former Booz Allen Hamilton program manager, and one of the architects of Dammeron Valley Fire Rescue — breaks down how to actually launch a Rapid Extraction Module Support (REMS) team without the budget, the bureaucracy, or the decade most departments think it takes. What we cover: - The "speed of need" framework that forces decisions instead of endless planning - How to write a statement of need that gets grants funded - Why cost-schedule-performance thinking from defense programs works for fire service - Setting measurable response time targets — and proving you hit them - Building a fire and EMS training pipeline when you can't hire certified people - How Greg McKeown and Liz Wisemans "Multipliers" leadership model wins in volunteer fire departments - How a "Volunteer Firefighters Needed" sign on a mailbox turned into one of Southern Utah's most operationally serious volunteer fire departments 📌 If this episode gave you something useful — subscribe, drop a comment with the one lesson you're taking back to your crew, and share it with a fire service leader who needs to hear it. Find The Journeyman here: https://livetjm.com/ Find The Journeyman on Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.livetjm.thejourneyman&pcampaignid=web_share Find The Journeyman on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tjm-the-journeyman/id6503902863 0:00 The Mailbox Sign That Started It 3:00 Air Force Roots And Booz Allen Lessons 8:00 Turning A Volunteer Crew Into A System 15:58 Multipliers Versus Oxygen Thieves 22:35 Cost Schedule Performance For Fire Rescue 26:23 Building Utah’s First REMS Team 30:58 Speed Of Need And Modern Gear

Three Guys Tackle the Biggest Issue Nobody's Addressing In Wildland Fire

Wildland fire admin is still way too hard. Between scattered job boards, paper CTRs, certs in three folders, and a new login for every crew you've ever rostered with — there's no reason it should still feel this messy. In this rapid-fire FAQ, we sit down to clear up exactly what The Journeyman is, what you get with a free wildland firefighter profile, and why we refuse to charge people just to look at jobs. We also get into the parts most folks don't expect: trainings and events, season tracking, digital shift tickets, crew time reports, and an offline mode that still works when you're a hundred miles from cell service. Then we tackle the questions we hear nonstop from firefighters and business owners: – Can other companies see my roster? – Are you selling my data? – What's public, what's private, and who controls it? – How does multi rostering actually work? – What does the premium profile unlock for incident tracking? We walk through how permissions work, why incognito mode puts visibility back in the user's hands, and how phantom profiles let companies track personnel without forcing every firefighter into the platform. For business owners, we break down how The Journeyman functions as full wildland fire business management software — certifications, documents, equipment, inventory, incidents, and cleaner handoffs when a manager is covering multiple fires or an owner goes down mid-season. Continuity matters, and the patchwork of spreadsheets and group texts isn't cutting it. If you've got questions about anything we covered, shoot us an email, give us a call, or text us — text is probably the fastest. We'll get you taken care of. Visit Our Website https://livetjm.com/ Find The Journeyman App here: Google Play Store: play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.livetjm.thejourneyman&pli=1 Apple App Store: apps.apple.com/us/app/tjm-the-journeyman/id6503902863 #WildlandFire #WildlandFirefighter #TheJourneyman #FireSeason #WildlandFireJobs #FireBusiness #WildlandFireApp [00:00:00] Free Profile And Job Board [00:04:40] More Than Hiring Connections [00:10:16] Multi Rostering And Incognito Mode [00:20:42] Free Versus Premium Firefighter [00:26:14] When A Manager Goes Down [00:31:11] Competing Tools And AI Onboarding [00:36:47] Checklists Expansion And Wrap Up

What Happens When You Train Rope Rescue With No Anchors?

Training rope rescue in the Utah desert sounds extreme — until you realize it's the best way to actually learn. No trees, limited anchors, and unforgiving terrain force you to build clean, redundant systems and understand why they work. That's exactly why we keep coming back to Hanksville for our annual REMS training with Prevail Rescue Solutions. In this episode, we break down what a full week of desert rope rescue training looks like on the ground — from day-one cobwebs to day-four momentum — and why the night slot canyon run has become our favorite confidence test for the whole crew. 🪢 IN THIS EPISODE: Why limited anchors make better riggers Night slot canyon travel as a team-building tool How reps on shoddy anchors actually build real confidence Patient packaging details that matter when it's dark and everyone's tired What we like (and question) about the KOBUS RollUP Litter Marlow Tactical rope impressions and strength talk How multi-day scenarios sharpen communication and leadership What we're tracking from NWSA and WEMS conferences VIPER ordering changes and REMS typing questions heading into fire season Why The Journeyman is more than a recruiting tool — and how teams use it for resource tracking, shift tickets, and season history 🔥 CONNECT WITH PREVAIL RESCUE SOLUTIONS: You can reach Brian and the Prevail Rescue team directly through the app. 📲 SUBSCRIBE for weekly wildland fire content. If this episode helped you think differently about training, gear, or the coming season, share it with your crew and leave a review so more wildland firefighters and medical teams can find the show. Find The Journeyman App here: Google Play Store:  play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.livetjm.thejourneyman&pli=1 Apple App Store: apps.apple.com/us/app/tjm-the-journeyman/id6503902863 Visit Our Website livetjm.com/home KOBUS RollUP Litter https://www.narescue.com/ Hill People Gear https://www.hillpeoplegear.com/ Prevail Rescue Solutions https://www.prevailrescue.com/ [00:00:00] Why Train Where There Are No Trees [00:03:55] Testing The COBUS Litter System [00:06:27] New Rope Options And Strength [00:14:52] Conferences And Big Industry Changes [00:23:10] Track Your Season Then Get Back To Work

The $40K Letter Every Wildfire Contractor Fears (And How To Avoid It)

That sinking feeling when a state letter says you owe tens of thousands of dollars is not rare, it is the hidden tax on running a small business across state lines. We sit down with the Caputo Group to unpack why wildfire contractors and mobile EMS teams get hit so hard by multi-state payroll compliance, workers’ compensation requirements, HR law changes, and safety regulations. When the work is dangerous and time-sensitive, you should not be forced to choose between guessing and paying attorney rates just to understand basic admin. You will also hear why being present at industry events like NWSA matters for education and advocacy, plus why transparency on cost and a non-pushy onboarding process can make or break trust. If you are tired of admin stealing time from training, operations, and growth, this conversation gives you a clear framework for evaluating payroll and HR outsourcing options. Subscribe, share this with a business owner who needs it, and leave a review with the biggest compliance question you want answered next. Find The Journeyman App here: Google Play Store:  play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.livetjm.thejourneyman&pli=1 Apple App Store: apps.apple.com/us/app/tjm-the-journeyman/id6503902863 Visit Our Website livetjm.com/home Find Caputo Group here: https://www.caputo-group.com/ [00:00:00] When You Are Not Sure [00:03:44] Multi State Rules And Surprise Bills [00:06:22] What A PEO Actually Is [00:15:52] PEO Versus Payroll Providers [00:21:33] Why They Show Up At NWSA [00:25:33] Transparency On Cost And Support [00:31:51] Free Quotes And Final Takeaways