The Fireground Fitness Podcast, Rayne Gray · Rayne Gray

Ep105 Finding my axe with Mike Rose

·1 hr 1 min·2 clips

Michael gets addicted to exhaustion and humiliation—it's how he finds growth.

This episode features host Rayne Gray interviewing senior firefighter Michael Rose about his unconventional path into firefighting and the lessons learned along the way. Rose is a 16-year veteran firefighter, a former youth pastor, and a dedicated practitioner of jiu-jitsu and other demanding hobbies. Their conversation explores how diverse life experiences shape resilience and leadership in the fire service. Rose recounts a pivotal childhood event where a firefighter comforted him during a family crisis, which sparked his lifelong passion for the profession. He details a challenging four-year detour working as a youth minister in California, managing 15 volunteers and 200 teenagers before pursuing firefighting. The interview process was grueling, involving approximately 30 interviews across multiple states before he finally received a job offer. Rose discusses the humbling experience of starting jiu-jitsu as an adult, specifically recalling being effortlessly submitted by a 19-year-old blue belt named Gabby. He now finds deep satisfaction in mentoring new firefighters, sharing a detailed story about coaching a probie through a complex, multi-vehicle extrication. A surprising insight is Rose's self-proclaimed role as the "anxiety whisperer" on his crew, using counseling skills from his ministry days to calm patients. He reveals that the most troubling calls involve murdered children, which left indelible mental images he actively avoided. After a severe neck injury herniated his C6-C7 disc, he lost his primary physical coping mechanisms like jiu-jitsu and spiraled mentally. His wife ultimately convinced him to try EMDR therapy, which he initially dismissed as ineffective. The EMDR process was brutally intense, forcing him to verbally relive his worst calls while following a therapist's moving light. Rose describes EMDR as a "control-alt-delete" for traumatic memories, allowing them to fade like normal recollections instead of causing flashbacks. The tone is candid and reflective, blending personal storytelling with practical fire service wisdom. Listeners interested in firefighter mental health, unconventional career paths, or leadership development will find this episode compelling. Those seeking only tactical fireground discussions might find the personal and psychological depth less engaging.

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