Join podcast hosts Chief Jeff Johnson (Ret.) and Chief Kim Zagaris (Ret.) as they are joined by experts in the field of preventing and fighting wildfires.
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Episode 12: When the Maui Wildfires Collapsed the Grid: Command, Chaos, and Critical Connectivity
What happens when a climate-driven, multi-front inferno knocks out cellular service and leaves hydrants dry? In this episode of Catching Wildfire, Maui Fire Chief Bradford Ventura joins Chief Jeff Johnson and Chief Kim Zagaris to deliver a raw, firsthand account of commanding a catastrophic disaster that burned through his own backyard.
17 Jul 2026
Catching Wildfire: Advancing Weather Intelligence for Public Safety, Episode 11
Wildfire isnât just a âWest Coast issueâ anymoreâitâs a growing threat thatâs spreading across the entire country. But how do we actually stay ahead of it? In this episode of Catching Wildfire, Iâm sitting down with Renny Vandewege, General Manager at DTN Weather, and my co-host, Chief Kim âChief Zâ Zagaris. Weâre diving deep into the massive technological shift happening in public safety.
22 Jun 2026
Episode 10: Innovating Incident Command with Tablet Command
Tablet Command is transforming public safety by serving as a unified digital platform that reduces the cognitive load on incident commanders, enabling real-time situational awareness and seamless inter-agency collaboration through a âsingle pane of glass.â
18 May 2026
Episode 9: The Future of Resilience
In this episode of Catching Wildfire, we dive into why the wildfire crisis has evolved into a ârunaway structure fireâ problem.
1 May 2026
Sign in Autonomous Wildfire Response: Bridging the Gap Between Tech and Adoption
In this episode of Catching Wildfire, we sit down with Maxwell Brodie, founder of RAIN, to explore the future of autonomous wildfire response. We discuss the transition from traditional firefighting to integrating advanced autonomous technology, the reality of âassistiveâ vs. âuncrewedâ flight, and how to overcome the biggest hurdle in the fire service: adoption.
Discover how cuttingâedge satellite technology is reshaping the future of wildland fire management. This episode dives into the shift from basic fire detection to advanced intensity assessmentâunlocking proactive strategies, smarter decisionâmaking, and unprecedented situational awareness for fire professionals.
12 Feb 2026
PSBTA Catching Wildfire Episode 6: Revolutionizing Evacuation Management with Genasys
Genasys is transforming public safety by providing a zone-based, end-to-end communication platform that delivers precise, actionable evacuation instructions to residents in under five minutes.
8 Dec 2025
PSBTA Catching Wildfire Episode 5: Leadership, Technology, and the Future of the Fire Service
On this episode of Catching Wildfire, join Chief Jeff Johnson, Chief Kim Zagaris, and Chief Brian Fennessy as they discuss how effective leadership in the modern fire service requires a commitment to authenticity, a willingness to embrace technological innovation, and the persistence to overcome systemic resistance to change
In this powerful episode of Catching Wildfire, Chief Jeff Johnson is joined by Michael Coad, Head of Product at Sonim Technologies, and Chief Zagaris, retired California State Fire & Rescue Chief. Together, they explore how Sonimâs ultra-rugged mobile devices are transforming wildfire response and public safety communications.
16 Oct 2025
PSBTA: Catching Wildfire - Summit Special Edition
This special edition podcast focuses on the origins of the FirstNet technical vision, the interactions and expectations between FirstNet, Built with AT&T and the FirstNet Authority to manage responses to wildfires, how the sustainable FirstNet reinvestment model ensures service and expansion of the network, and future forward actions benefitting public safety.
On this episode, our hosts, Chief Jeff Johnson and Chief Kim Zagaris, are joined by Chief David Winnacker to discuss the art of strategically staging resources and tools to effectively combat wildfires. Chief Winnacker shares the challenges and successes of his efforts to create a common operating picture for fire response. Chief Winnacker also speaks to the importance of developing and mentoring the next generation of talent in the fire service.
Welcome back to Catching Wildfire! On this episode, Chief Jeff Johnson and Chief Kim Zagaris speak with David Blankinship, President of Emergent. David shares how his background has contributed to the technical evolutions and innovations at Emergent. During the episode, they delve into how Emergentâs fire apparatus hotspots and architectural design are making a difference in the fire industry.
In this inaugural episode of the Catching Wildfire podcast series, Chief Jeff Johnson (Ret.) and Chief Kim Zagaris are joined by Dr. Neal Driscoll as they discuss the Alert West Wildfire Camera & Sensor Networks used to detect wildfires on the West Coast.
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