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016 – Protecting Those Who Defend America
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FirefighterToolbox Podcast/ Internet Radio Show Episode #16
Interview with Robert Simmons, Department of Defense Assistant Fire Chief of Training
About this Episode:
Intro Provided by: Captain Josh Fannon, Baltimore City Fire Department
There are a lot of places our training and being a firefighter can take us. For those who are looking to be a career firefighter and how it can take us around the world, definitely listen in to this interview.
What is it like being a firefighter who protects those who are defending America?
What is it like being a firefighter in a war zone?
Are there fires in a war zone? Why does the military need firefighters?
What would it be like being a firefighter in the U.S. military and serving in the Iraq war?
Can you be a civilian firefighter in the military?
Where can you learn how to be a career firefighter for the military?
All this and much more will be provided by Chief of Training Robert Simmons who has been a volunteer, military
firefighter who served in the Iraq war and is now a civilian firefighter for the DoD.
Robert C. Simmons -Assistant Chief in the U.S. Army Garrison Red Cloud Fire Department, South Korea
About Chief Robert Simmons:
Robert C. Simmons is a 14 year veteran of the fire service, and he currently serves as an Assistant Chief in the U.S. Army Garrison Red Cloud Fire Department, South Korea where he manages the training division. His career has taken him around the globe as a volunteer, active duty Army firefighter, and a Department of Defense civilian firefighter.
He has received numerous awards during his service, most notably the 2004 Department of the Army Firefighter Heroism Award for unit actions taken during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Robert is a DoD certified Fire Instructor III and loves to teach and motivate others. He has a passion for organizational leadership and developing the fire service leaders of the future.
As soon as he was old enough, he began his career as a volunteer in his home of Lincoln County, TN. Shortly after high school, he enlisted in the Army as a firefighter and was assigned to the 562nd Firefighting Detachment at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO. Robert was deployed to Iraq in 2003 and served as a firefighter during the initial invasion of Iraq. After leaving the Army, he became a DoD civilian firefighter where he remains today.
Robert has also worked with Fayetteville, TN Fire Department, the Ft. Leonard Wood, MO Fire & Emergency Services, the Redstone Arsenal, AL Fire & Emergency Services, and the New Market, AL Volunteer Fire Department. He has served as a firefighter, driver/operator, crew chief, station captain and now Assistant Chief.
Robert currently resides in South Korea with his wife Kristi and their sons Baylor and Cash. If he’s not teaching, you can usually find him hanging on a rope somewhere practicing his technical rescue skills.
About the FirefighterToolbox Podcast/Internet Radio Show
The FirefighterToolbox Podcast/Internet Radio Show is audio program for up and coming firefighters and leaders who want to become better at the ever evolving skill of firefighting and to continue growing into a better leader. We interview great firefighters and officers and others who can bring great ideas, insights and information and share it with us so we can take our skills to the next level. New episodes every Tuesday. (Most listen to it on the commute to work, working out, doing chores or as a company training.)
To learn more about the show– Click Here
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Mentioned on the Show
-USA Jobs For Firefighter careers with Department of Defense
Contact Chief Simmons: [email protected]
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There are fires on the base in war zone s and there are other things that come up to do and train on if you have a good leader a problem I found coming back as a firefighter is that there is an apprentice program for vets we’ll department want u to have all your certs prior we’ll what’s the point of being an apprentice which for example plumbs are not cert find for the job when they start to have more but time to go to work roach