The Checkup with Doctor Mike
The Checkup with Doctor Mike

The Harsh Reality Of Being A Firefighter | Fire Department Chronicles

June 14, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Jason Patton, the firefighter behind Fire Department Chronicles, has been on the job for nearly two decades. But in all that time, he has never cracked a patient’s chest open. “Zero, and I’m good with that,” he says. That detail lands differently once you understand the reality of the job: roughly 85% of a firefighter’s calls are medical, not fire-related. The dramatic structure fires that dominate movies and TV are the exception, not the rule. Patton joined Dr. Mike Varshavski on The Checkup to walk through what the job actually looks like, how to survive a house fire, and why the most important person on any emergency scene is the first responder themselves.

The Path to the Job and the Pay Gap

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (03:12) **Meet Jason Patton (Fire Department Chronicles)** - Introduction of the most-followed firefighter in the world; a multi-year veteran, not just a comedy influencer.
  • 2 (06:45) **The Path to Becoming a Firefighter** - The required training, costs, and the harsh reality of the job market.
  • 3 (20:06) **EMT vs. Paramedic vs. Firefighter** - Breaking down the hierarchy of pre-hospital medical roles.
  • 4 (24:37) **Teaching CPR Through Comedy** - Jason runs a comedy CPR company that removes the fear and intimidation from life-saving skills.
  • 5 (29:00) **Vehicle Extrication: The Real Process** - How firefighters actually cut people out of cars, debunking movie myths.
  • 6 (34:19) **Inside a Burning Building: Gear, Mindset, and Danger** - What it takes to enter a structure fire and the physics of fire.
  • 7 (41:00) **The "Shelter in Place" Fire Safety Strategy** - A practical, step-by-step guide for what to do if trapped in a burning building.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

I'll teach you how to become the media's go-to expert in your field. Enroll in The Professional's Media Academy now: https://www.professionalsmediaacademy.com/


Huge thanks to Jason Patton of  @FireDepartmentChronicles  for joining me on the pod!


00:00 Intro

01:55 Becoming A Firefighter

15:37 Paramedic vs. EMT vs. Ambulance Driver

24:10 Danger Of Firefighting

44:27 Advice For Firefighters

51:49 Firefighter Shows / Myths

59:28 Cause Of Fires

1:10:15 Strangest Encounters

1:28:40 Saving Obese Patients / Cats

1:38:35 Private Firefighters

1:41:00 Life Story

1:49:36 Volunteer Firefighting / Coffee

1:55:00 Airplane Rescue

2:02:35 The Future


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Contact Email: [email protected]


Executive Producer: Doctor Mike

Production Director and Editor: Dan Owens

Managing Editor and Producer: Sam Bowers

Editor and Designer: Caroline Weigum

Editor: Juan Carlos Zuniga

* Select photos/videos provided by Getty Images *


** The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/health professional **

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