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
32 episodes
The Paramedic's Mistake in Wildland Fire Environments
The fire line doesn't care what you trained for. In wildland fire EMS and wilderness medicine, paramedics work hours from a hospital — and standard ER thinking breaks fast.In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Miguel Pineda — emergency ...
Sick vs Not Sick: Decisions That Saves Lives in the Wilderness
Two hours from the nearest hospital, “standard ER thinking” breaks fast. We’re joined by Dr. Miguel Pineda, an emergency physician and wilderness medicine fellowship trained doc, to talk about what actually matters when you’re doing EMS in aust...
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 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, f...
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, w...
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 ...
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...
What Does Better Wildland Medical Care Cost And Who Decides It
John of Backcountry Medics gets specific about capability, not just labels. What’s the real operational difference between Type 1 ALS and Type 2 ALS? Why does vehicle extrication keep coming up when we talk about firefighter fatality risk from ...
The New DEA "Thing" And What It Means For Wildland Fire EMS
A firefighter gets crushed by a falling tree miles from a road. A medic knows exactly how to control the pain and protect the patient’s body from spiraling stress, but the medication that makes it possible can’t legally cross the next state lin...
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...
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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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...
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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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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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...
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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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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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...
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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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...
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...
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...
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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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 ...
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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