Spiked Out
Welcome to the Spiked Out Podcast - your go-to for real stories, real people, and real insight from the wildland fire world. Brought to you by The Journeyman, we interview seasoned pros, share education, tips on getting certified, landing jobs, and making the most of the season. Whether you're already on the line or just getting started, we've got you covered. Tune in and get Spiked Out with us.
Episodes
23 episodes
No Code, Muay Thai & Real Skills
College costs $200K+ and 4 years. Here's what you can build instead for less money and more capability.Part 2 with Maxim Smith diving into practical cycles from The Preparation: no-code fluency that lets you ship real products, Muay Tha...
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27:09
Autonomy Without Debt
What if the most valuable four years of your life weren't spent in a classroom, but stacking skills, shipping value, and building real businesses?We break down The Preparation - a structured framework that replaces drift with momentum t...
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21:28
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Quiet Competence Wins: How Contractor Medics Build Trust Without Swagger
Ever wonder why some contractor medics get looped into the crew's plan while others end up alone on a ridge?It's all about trust. We break down the real mechanics of earning credibility on the fireline—and how quiet competence, not loud swa...
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20:09
How a Structure Firefighter Found a Way Out Through Wildland
What happens when 80% of fire calls are EMS—and it starts breaking you?We sit down with a structure firefighter Matt Emrich who chased the dream of real fire, got buried in nonstop EMS and critical calls, and eventually hit a breaking p...
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42:30
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The Pack Test Isn't Enough: What It Really Takes for Steep Terrain, Altitude & Smoke
Think passing the pack test means you're ready? It's just the floor, not the ceiling.Austin Womack from Rugged Athlete breaks down why three miles in 45 minutes only proves minimum fitness—and what it actually takes to handle steep climbs, ...
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22:05
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How to Actually Train for Wildland Fire
The line doesn't care how much you can bench if your back seizes on a ridge.Austin Womack—founder of Rugged Athlete, former pro sports strength coach, and wildland firefighter—shares how to build a body that actually holds up under load...
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30:28
Midnight Medevac, Combat Aviation & Why Good Pilots Say No
A single rifle round through the bubble, an offshore turn-back with voices urging "come on in," a midnight medevac launched from a Marine Corps ball—this is how real judgment is forged.Nick shows how to resist tunnel vision, choose safe...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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45:35
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From Planning HLZs to Flying Heavy Helicopters
A young Ranger falls in love with aviation while planning HLZs and talking to Little Birds—then bets his future on a last-minute pivot to flight school after the VA pulls funding.From shaky first hovers to that unforgettable first solo,...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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47:39
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Seizure on the Fireline Led to Brain Tumor Diagnosis
A quiet afternoon on a slow-moving fire turned into a life-altering moment when a teammate spotted Tyler having a seizure under a tree.That fast call and a helicopter ride set off a chain of decisions where a six-hour surgery removed mo...
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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57:32
We Ditched 4 Apps and Built One That Actually Works
Two phones on the table. One urgent request. Fifteen minutes to say yes—or watch tens of thousands slip away.We used to juggle spreadsheets, Slack threads, text chains, and guesswork to fill resource requests. So we built one platform t...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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1:04:48
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So You Want to Be a Hotshot? Marine Vet Explains What It Really Takes
The door to the buggy slides shut and the air turns thick with sweat, dust, and gallows humor—welcome to hotshot life.Adam Thomas—Marine infantry vet turned city firefighter, paramedic, and two-season Springville Hotshot—breaks down wha...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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1:11:58
How Wildland Fire Can Fund the Life You Actually Want: EMT, Pilot, Sailing & More
What if you could skip $100K in debt and build a life of real skills, income, and freedom instead? Maxim took the road less traveled—and it's paying off. In this episode, we break down The Preparation: a 16-cycle, 4-year alternativ...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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1:25:22
Field Trauma Care for Wildland Firefighters: What to Carry and How to Use It
Miles from pavement, the rules change. Field trauma care isn't optional—it's the difference between a recovery and a rescue.We sat down with Brennen—Army 68W combat medic turned paramedic, REMS lead to unpack how combat medicine princip...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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56:23
Lightweight REMS Systems That Actually Work on Wildland Fires
Heavy REMS caches slow you down. Lightweight systems save lives.We sat down with Brian from Prevail Rescue Solutions to break down what actually makes REMS teams effective on wildland fires: minimalist rope systems, anchorcraft under pr...
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1:03:31
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Why REMS Teams Should Be Medics First, Rope Rescue Second (Controversial Take)
REMS teams should be medics first, with rope capability second—not the other way around.We make the case for why medicine must lead when extraction takes hours, air assets are grounded, and patients can't wait for perfect rigging. Lean ...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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1:02:19
What Wildland Firefighters Must Know About Medical Emergencies
Four lessons from the Dutch Creek incident that every wildland firefighter and medic needs to know:1. Radio language matters. Say "struck by tree" and "active bleed"—not just "leg injury"2. Spin up aviation early. You can always can...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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26:07
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Complete Wildland Fire Pack List: 14-Day Roll Essentials (Boots to Spike Camp)
We break down a real-world pack list for a 14-day wildland fire roll, from boots and blister care to sleep systems, hygiene, and power. The goal is simple: carry what makes you faster, safer, and more self-sufficient at ICP and spike camp.<...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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1:13:18
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How to Become a Wildland Fire Medic: Roles Explained
A good line medic doesn’t wait at the bottom of the hill—they’re already up there, catching their breath before anyone else loses theirs. We pull back the curtain on wildland fire EMS with a blunt, field-tested walkthrough of what actually make...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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1:11:35
How Fire Company Owners Track Every Dollar
Tyler shares his health update after surgery, then dive we into a live demo of how we run a wildland fire company from one platform: people, gear, incidents, and money in one place. The goal is simple—cut chaos, fill orders, get paid, and keep ...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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1:08:59
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The App That Actually Gets Wildland Firefighters Hired
We explore how The Journeyman app revolutionizes wildland firefighting with digital profiles, document management, and incident tracking. From digital shift tickets to location sharing, this platform is transforming how firefighters manage thei...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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41:13
Your Complete Guide to Wildland Fire Careers
Getting into wildland firefighting starts with basic certifications and understanding different career paths available in the industry. We break down the steps from complete beginner to working your first fire.• Start by getting your FF...
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32:14
Wildland Firefighters: Never Miss Another Paycheck Hour
The Journeyman platform brings wildland firefighting into the digital age by solving critical problems for both firefighters and companies through streamlined certification management, hiring processes, and incident tracking.• Creating ...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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54:29
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Managing 150+ Firefighters with Magnets and Paper?
What happens when two former Marines turned EMS business owners get frustrated with managing wildland fire resources using paper shift tickets and magnets on a whiteboard? They build a solution.Tyler and Brennan share the origin story o...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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1:01:08
