19: Fire Chief John Vance

Join Host Christopher Baker and guest Fire Chief John Vance for a powerful conversation on leadership, training, and growth in the fire service. Chief Vance shares his journey into the fire service, his experience with Blue Card Command, and how structured incident command supports safer, more effective operations on the fireground. The discussion highlights the importance of clear communication, strong decision-making, and consistent training as the foundation of operational success.

Throughout the episode, Chief Vance and Christopher Baker explore what it means to lead from every level of the organization, emphasizing daily training, professional accountability, and the role of company officers in setting the standard for their crews. They also reflect on mentorship, developing the next generation of firefighters, and maintaining work-life balance in a demanding career. The conversation closes with meaningful reflections on the legacy of Chief Alan V. Brunacini and the enduring impact of strong, service-driven leadership in the fire service.

Biography:

John Vance is a respected fire service leader with more than 35 years of experience dedicated to public safety, emergency response, and organizational leadership. Over the course of his distinguished career, he has served as Fire Chief of three departments for a combined total of more than 22 years, leading with a clear and consistent philosophy centered on community and firefighter safety, delivery of effective service, and treating people with kindness and respect.

John's career began as a fire explorer with the Plymouth Fire Department (MN). He later served as an assistant to the Public Information Officer for the City of Thousand Oaks (CA) and spent 15 years as a broadcaster, developing strong communication and public engagement skills. He also served as a paid on-call firefighter in departments in Indiana and Michigan before beginning his full-time fire service career in 1998 with the Notre Dame Fire Department.

John holds a bachelor's degree in Fire Service Management from Southern Illinois University, a Certificate in Executive Leadership from the University of Notre Dame, and is an Accredited Chief Officer through the Center for Public Safety Excellence.

Following his retirement as Fire Chief of the Minnetonka Fire Department (MN) in 2024, John has continued to serve the profession as Battalion Chief and Senior Advisor for the Chanhassen Fire Department (MN). He also works full-time with B Shifter and Blue Card, supporting leadership development and fire command training nationwide.

Chief Alan V. Brunacini wrote down notes on 3 x 5 index cards during his career.

Chief Bruno's 8 Functions of Command

1. Assumption, Confirmation, and Positioning

2. Situation Evaluation

3. Communication

4. Deployment

5. Strategy and Incident Action Plan

6. Organization

7. Review, Evaluation, and Revision

8. Continue, Transfer, and Terminate Command

The Three C's of Command Presence, according to Cobb County Fire Department, Battalion Chief Steve Lester

1. Competence

2. Confidence

3. Control

The NIOSH Five

1. Improper Risk Assessment

2. Lack of Incident Command

3. Lack of Accountability

4. Inadequate Communications

5. Lack of SOPs or Failure to Follow Established SOPs