The Professional Brotherhood™

116 - Small Town, Big Challenges!

Chief Brian Soller, Lt. Kara Judd, Lt. Bill Smith, Evan Spaulding Season 4

On today's episode Brian and Kara take a trip to rural small town American with lieutenant Bill Smith and firefighter Evan Spaulding from the Erieville (NY) Fire Department.

Small town volunteer fire departments face even greater challenges to when it comes to the recruitment and retention of members and the ability to respond to all types of emergencies when called. 

About our hosts:

Brian Soller has been an active volunteer for the last 30+ years.  He currently serves as assistant chief of the Rock Hill Fire Department and for the past 17 years has been a New York state fire instructor assigned to Sullivan County, NY.  Soller also served as chief of the Rock Hill Fire Department from 2018 - 2020 and chief of the Monticello Fire Department from 2001-2002.

Soller has also been a New York State emergency medical technician for the last 25+ years. 

He speaks extensively on the promotion of professionalism in the volunteer fire service through his podcast and YouTube channel. 


Kara Judd, is a six year member of the Cazenovia Fire Department where she currently serves as a Lieutenant and Emergency Medical Technician. Kara is also a certified Critical Incident Stress Debriefer as well as an AFAA certified fitness instructor and the owner of Saint Florian Fitness. 

Her full time career is at the Upstate Medical Hospital in Syracuse, NY where she is a Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention Specialist and Burn Prevention Outreach Educator.

On social @st.florianfitness