PIO Podcast (02/05/26): Deputy Fire Marshal Tom Strong & Battalion Chief Eric Spies
San Bernardino County Fire: PIO PodcastShow Notes
Host Captain Shawn Millerick is back in the studio with Bobby, Ben, Rosalie and a surprise cameo from Captain Eric Sherwin to inform, educate, and entertain while somehow keeping Bobby from hunting ducks long enough to hit record. Expect station banter, department wins, a deep dive into prevention, and a field segment that puts you inside a massive commercial drill.
Studio Kickoff Duck Hunting Dad Energy and Big Wins for the District
The episode opens with pure chaos as Bobby nearly scares off dinner before the crew settles in to celebrate a major milestone. The department’s communications and outreach efforts are paying off in a big way. Ben breaks down the numbers with impressions and engagement climbing fast and the team talks about how that growth translates to real impact.
Black History Month Why It Matters
In a This Day in History style segment the crew recognizes Black History Month where it came from why it exists and how the show will spotlight more history and voices throughout February.
Featured Interview Deputy Fire Marshal Tom Strong Community Safety Side of the House
Shawn sits down with Deputy Fire Marshal Tom Strong to pull back the curtain on the Fire Marshal’s Office. They talk about what the office does, how big the operation really is, and why community safety touches more of the county than most people realize. Tom shares his 35 year career journey including time with the Sheriff’s Department and search and rescue his early days as a paid call firefighter and what the bark beetle program looked like when it ramped up in the mountains.
Tech Corner GIS ESRI AI and the Future of Inspections
Tom and Shawn get into modernization efforts including digital surveys GIS mapping and how AI may support plan checks and inspections. The conversation gets especially futuristic when they talk about smart glasses that can identify violations as you walk a building plus AI assisted drone and satellite imagery that could change everything from weed abatement to damage assessment.
Security Breadcrumbs and County Vehicle Reality Checks
The crew also covers what keeps headquarters secure including cameras armed security and the arson unit plus a practical reminder that county vehicles track more than people think. Speeding over certain thresholds can trigger notifications up the chain.
Special Events Fireworks Interdictions Raves and Behind the Scenes Planning
Tom shares some of his favorite operations including illegal fireworks interdictions special events and the surprising truth about rave crowds. Tom and Bobby talk about the massive amount of pre planning that goes into festivals and concerts including temporary mini cities mapped for EMS response.
In the Field Warehouse Drill at a Million Plus Square Foot Facility
The episode shifts to an on scene interview during a large commercial occupancy drill inside a massive warehouse. Battalion Chiefs Eric Spies and Steve Tracy explain what the drill is testing what is being learned and how this kind of training improves policy tactics and equipment before more familiar banter returns including the eternal question is lunch provided. Thank you to Erin Bearden of MGA Entertainment for hosting our training at their warehouse and showing us around!
Joke of the Day Trail Mix Violence
To close it out Shawn attempts a nut themed joke and Ryan delivers an absolutely ruthless roast that may be the strongest command decision making heard all episode. As always stay safe take care of each other and thanks for listening 🎙️
Links Mentioned in this Episode
Office of the Fire Marshal Special Events Video
More from San Bernardino County Fire: PIO Podcast
This episode marks a milestone, the show’s 40th installment, and it comes together in an unusual way. Part of the conversation was recorded back in June, and part was recorded this October, so the show jumps between the two recording sessions, almost like time travel in a movie, to bring five different segments into one episode. The show kicks off by digging into a box of old VHS tapes, including a mystery news clip from 2006 that has the studio trying to guess which current department member is on screen. The real news of the episode is the announcement of this year’s Salute to Service award winners. The crew walks through every category and announces this year's winners: Sustained Superior Performance Champions of Change Awards (Mentorship Excellence, Synergy Star, Rising Phoenix) Legacy Award Exceptional Service Award Annual Awards (Ambulance Operator of the Year, Fire District Employee of the Year, Firefighter of the Year) Fire Chief’s Distinguished Service Awards Medal of Valor Award Tech Corner covers two drones now in testing, one built to drop water on hot spots and another designed to fly hose packs up to firefighters on steep terrain, plus a new robot dog making its debut around headquarters. The episode wraps with surprise phone calls to a retiring 20 year veteran on his way out the door and a firefighter with a wild past life as a Dodger Stadium visiting clubhouse bat boy, along with groundbreaking news on Fire Station 227 and updates on several more stations in the pipeline.
CAL FIRE Battalion Chief David Acuña joins the PIO Podcast to walk through a career that started with the Orange County Fire Explorers back in 1986 and wound through paramedic work, a stretch away from the fire service entirely, and stops at Riverside County Fire, CAL FIRE, the Emergency Command Center, and now statewide Battalion Chief and Public Information Officer. He breaks down what a CAL FIRE PIO actually does day to day, covering a coverage area that stretches from Siskiyou to San Diego, and shares a crash course in fire weather and behavior fundamentals including LCES. Acuña talks about Aware California, a platform set to change how agencies share incident information, and talks candidly about the personal impact of the 2020 Creek Fire. The conversation wraps with his thoughts on mentoring and recruiting the next generation of firefighters.
Second District Supervisor Jesse Armendarez welcomes the PIO Podcast into his own office for a conversation on Fontana roots, public service, and building opportunity from the ground up.
Vice Chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors and Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. joins the PIO Podcast for a wide ranging conversation on family, public service, and what's coming next for San Bernardino County. Baca, Jr. talks growing up in Rialto, his years as a teacher and softball coach, and how those experiences shaped his approach to representing the 5th District.
Host Captain Shawn Millerick is back in the studio for a conversation with San Bernardino County’s Third District team: Chairman of the Board Dawn Rowe, Chief of Staff Claire Cozad, and Communications Director Scott Ward. Chairman Rowe shares her path to the board, from losing her husband in Iraq and staying in Yucca Valley to raise her kids, to land use frustrations that led her to the planning commission, town council, and eventually the county board. She talks about the steep learning curve of representing the largest district in the county, which touches Arizona, Nevada, and LA County and has been ground zero for the El Dorado Fire, the Line Fire, Hurricane Hilary, and Snowmageddon. Chief of Staff Claire Cozad discusses her work on Capitol Hill, her experience as a chief of staff managing a team of twelve, and the advice she would give any young person starting out. Scott Ward reflects on more than three decades in radio at KFROG, including a Blue Angels ride that produced a memorable barf bag photo, and the transition to public service communications. The group also digs into county budget priorities, the importance of Starlink in remote desert response, leadership lessons, and a mass casualty incident exercise that turned into an accidental rescue of a county supervisor stranded in the desert with a group of high schoolers.