Fire Engineering Podcast Network

E2260 - Why Leadership and Their Crews Need to Get on the Same Page

Published: March 27, 2026

Duration: 56:37

What's the significance of aligning leadership and crews in modern fire departments? On this episode of Tailboard Talk, hosts Jeff Wallin, Chris Rasmussen, and Craig Nelson welcome Kent Orvik and Andy Dingman, of the Fargo (ND) Fire Department. The panel discusses how firefighters who become chiefs keep the instincts of the engine room yet inherit a very different job: long timeframes, political constraints, and layers of oversight. They unpack why quick operational fixes don't translate to administrative problems, why training and wellness get squeezed by limited budgets, and why crews want plain answers. Together, they explore ways to align prio...