Episode 25 - Mandos and Mullets with American Fire Brigade's John Gary

American Fire Brigade's John Gary talks about the injury that led him to start AFB, protecting your days off, impact of overtime on mental health and family life,  Mandos, and mullets.

Transcript

Peter

Welcome to the Firehouse Roundtable podcast, brought to you by the Ventura Fire Foundation. My name is Peter McKenzie. I'm one of the hosts. I'm retired fire captain with the city of Ventura Fire Department.

Jason

And I'm Jason Kay. I'm an active fire captain also with the Ventura Fire Department.

Peter

And we are excited that you are going to spend some time with us at the kitchen table learning about Firehouse issues that we're trying to bring awareness to.

Jason

Thanks for joining us as we discuss the issues of being a firefighter both on and off duty and how it affects us.

Peter

Let's get right.

Speaker

Do it.

Jason

All right, I'd like to welcome to the show. John. Gary, I've been a fan of his for a long time. I've been excited to have him on the show, and I geeked out just enough to. Be actually wearing. One of his shirts on the podcast today. So welcome John Gary to the podcast. Of American fire brigade.

John Gary

Hey, thanks. Thanks for having me.

Jason

Yeah, sure. So like I said, we've been trying to get you on the show for a while and I know you're busy. You're active firefighter currently working in Metro down in Southern California like us. And I just want to give you a chance to introduce yourself what? You're about how you. Got into the fire service. Maybe a little bit and. Then kind of what brought you to. Where you're. Not today.

John Gary

Grew up in a small town. I'll give him a little shout out. 6000 people, needles CA it's in the middle of the desert on the river. When I got out of high school, I wanted to do something, so I joined the Navy. I was an aviation instruction mechanic. I worked on helicopters, jets, everything and then they sent me to San. Diego, I've been here ever since I came here in like. The weather. I was like, there's no way the weather's always like this. And it it it. Was so I. Just stayed here and I've been here about. 20 years I have a. Wonderful wife of 20. Years also I we got married we one of those guys that got married like right. At the Navy, we're not supposed to do. And but it worked out. And we actually, me and my wife, we both admit that we didn't really know each other at all from probably three years of marriage. But we got lucky and and. It actually worked out. We knew we got to know each other. And it was even better than I. Thought it was going to be we have two. Kids I got. A teenager, teenage boy and a 7 year old girl, and they keep me. Very busy. Yeah, I worked for the fire department. This brigade thing. It was just kind of a joke. It's just kind of why I'm here. Right I I got I. Got hurt? A while back. I almost. Lost an eye on a. Job and I was it was. I was at. Home for like 6. Months and I realized how mentally and physically. Jacked up I. Was I I started getting a mental help through the department that they offered to me and I started sleeping and I started realizing how tired I was, how strung out I was from working, you know, way too many mandos over times. So when I. Got back to work when I. Was off duty like that. I started the brigade and. It was really just fire videos. And then a couple of memes happen. And they kind of went. Viral and I was like, oh, I could. That's kind of. Fun I'll start doing that and then I made a shirt and then then. The rest has. Kind of led me to where I'm at now. I'm back on the job and you know, I'm very careful with my mental health and and my my sleeping. I'll make sure like if I work way too much like I make sure I take some days. Often like reco. And it's kind of what the page is about. It's not about blaming anybody or being negative. It's about laughing about our situation. Getting the job done and also trying to what they. Call it designated.

Jason

Destigmatize sure.

John Gary

D stigmatize I I found that I'm able to do that a little bit and make people laugh. And having a good time.

Jason

Yeah, talking about you know. How it all started from mando's obviously your node. Did you coin that term? Or was that before? You the mandos of the Mando nation.

John Gary

That's what we call it down here, Mando. That's what it's called. I I learned through the brigade. You know, there's forced, there's held over. There's a lot of different names. Nando was just how I knew.

Jason

OK.

John Gary

It you know, it's how my family knew it. Comedy is basically basically making fun of something that we all do or know, and we don't even realize that we all do and know. And I kind of just fell on it. I didn't. It wasn't. Nothing was planned. And I remember early on, people were telling. Me like oh. You got to use force and then like and I was like nothing against all. That, but that's just not what I know. You just got to do what I know. And then the all. The all the stuff. I do kind of just happened on accident like Mando City. I don't even know who came up. With that, I don't think I did. But it just started going.

Jason

So how long ago was the eye? Injury that you first talked about, you want. To talk about was that an on duty injury?

John Gary

Yeah, it was.

Speaker

I wish it was a cool.

John Gary

Story, you know, like I was, it was explosion. You. Know and I. Was I had a dog in one hand and and in a in. A person in my other. Hand I was going like. No, that's not. What happened? I I got. I was first. I was. I wish I was first in on a little fire and someone's granny flat in the backyard and I. You know when you're first there, you got to figure out what the heck is going on. See the other counts for. Everybody. So I went in real quick and had my gear I. Had my mask on and. It wasn't. It wasn't really a fire, and I just peeked my head through a burnt up broken window because I and I looked up at the eve because, like, oh, there's the fire and I don't know if my helmet. Tipped the glass or what happened? But the glass just came down, right? My eye. My engineer the time. Who's from Alabama? He only uses his Alabama accent when when stuff's getting serious, and he yelled at me.

Speaker

Get down. Sit on the tail board.

John Gary

And I and he, he wrapped my up and I went to that was. It I mean it was actually probably. The honestly the best injury.

Speaker

I mean.

John Gary

It was right around Halloween, so I. Had an. Eye patch for Halloween. And I really it really didn't hurt. It was just more of annoying. I thought something poked in. The eye I. Honestly didn't know if I was going to keep the eye though, you know, and there and then there's some real thoughts. Start going through your head. And one of the things that. I will say that kind of. Started the brigade. I have to say it was. A little bit of a annoyance we had at the time. We didn't have pensions. And we also threw a glitch, didn't have death and disability coverage. And I was told that on the phone. And when I found that out, it wasn't super happy about it. I mean, they were kind of saying, hey, after a year, you know, on state disability. You know, and there was like, a handshake agreement. To take care of me and I I didn't like that and I didn't know. It was going to go in my eye. It worked out and the Union worked really hard. They got, they were able to get our pension back and. We have all. Those benefits now that everyone else has. But that's kind of was a first. Meme, I did and. That was kind of. Just poking fun at. It, but yeah, the eye. Heel. It's got a stitch in it.

Jason

Do you think that the the brigade was then born? Out of kind. Of necessity to. Figure out how you're still going to live your life if you didn't have the fire department behind you. Is that kind of where the whole thing stemmed from, or was it more like man, I'm going through this thing I got to I got to start at least. Joking around with it to kind of get people on board and to. To make people. Kind of kind of like you're talking about before, where we all have, we all do the same things. We gotta make fun of them. If we all have them in common, we. Know what we're talking about.

John Gary

Yeah, you got it pretty. Good. I was sitting here not knowing what was gonna. Happen in the. Future and I didn't know if you. Can go back. To the job with one eye. So I was definitely sitting there and. I always enjoyed editing videos just with my family. I would edit. Constant like my kids and stuff and sports. And I just always thought it would be cool to start doing fire. It was.

Speaker

So I.

John Gary

Just started doing it did. I have a plan I just returned into. What it is? Heck, no. Heck no. Not at all. And I didn't even know it was going to go towards humor. I was trying to be more like serious at the time I.

Speaker

No way.

John Gary

Honestly, didn't even. Know that anybody would think it was funny, you know, so I would. I would say that there was a idea of that what you said. Like maybe what I could do in the future. This, but I really felt it like deep, like, hey, I should do this. This is fun. I like this.

Peter

One of our things that we. I don't want to say preach about, but that we talked about on our show up from the financial side is you know, you're as a firefighter. You're a professional, a a very low paid professional athlete. And the second you can no longer do the job that you're hired to do, then what right, like you potentially had, like a little about like, oh, if I lose my eye? Right. Can I be a fireman? And if the and if you did lose your eye and the answer was no, now you're like, oh, now what? Like my whole life. This is. This is what I do. This is how I. Take care of my. Family how did that change your purse, your outlook on this or change conversations you're having with other guys or how did that? Did that change you at all?

John Gary

Oh, it definitely changed me it like I love the job. I love the adrenaline of it. You know, everyone does. We wouldn't do it. We weren't. We weren't, didn't. Like it, but I had to understand, I think what I preach now is like hey. Like you know, get busy, have fun. You know, run multiple calls, you know, controlled chaos. We love it. But when you have time off, like, make sure you take that time off. I think I preach that a lot more than I used to. Enjoy the little things a little better. And I'm very I. Think I said it earlier on a post. I protect my days off pretty hard. Like I don't. Say yes to a lot of things. I think that changed me. Changed me like. That I think before I would. Just work, work, work, work you know and and now I don't. I'm like, no, I gotta stay home or. Try to get some sleep.

Peter

Yeah, yeah, I mean.

John Gary

And it's funny what you. Said about the athlete thing, I'm glad you said. That because I've been telling my. Wife that. For a while and she's not agreeing with me. I tell her I am a I. Am a paid professional athlete and. I have to go workout this much time so.

Jason

Yeah, sometimes that's just pickable.

John Gary

Yeah, I've been saying that.

Peter

For a while. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

John Gary

No, she's she doesn't care. She's. I think she likes when I'm super busy. I am more probably more lively. I'm just laying around all. Day, you know.

Peter

I think that that although it is kind of funny as at the same time it's kind of serious, right? Like there's guys that get hurt and could never come back to the job. And you know, if you spent your whole life preparing for a. Job in the fire service. Like now what? You should have something to fall back on. That's not easy. It's not easy to do. Like you can't just run a, you know, a side by side. The rear to the fire service so. You have something to go back to, but. I think you're probably a pretty good example of that, and we had firefighter Fenton on a few weeks ago and he's also kind of a similar 30 years just started this thing. It started resonating. With people and. Now it's potentially turning into something, so I think that's those are good examples. My I got it. So you said it was basically. Accidentally you kind of fell into it, which I totally get you. You struck a nerve with firefighters and their families about all the things that you know, you, you make fun of which. Are funny, and they're also some of the stuff is also serious, right? And the things that we explore on this podcast is. You know what is the real effect of getting mandated 15 * a month or, you know, being home three days out of the month like that has an impact, a serious impact on your family, on you as the firefighter on your kids, all of the things. What, and and you clearly tapped into that and I think it, I think that part's awesome. And it resonates with everybody, especially in the fire service in Southern California. I was on a fishing trip and some guys kid had one of your hats on. And I was like, oh, that's funny. We're going. To be talking to. Him next week. But what a what. Do you feel an obligation to do something with this thing you've created that it that kind of supersedes the humor and the funny side? Of it is. That a thing with you or no?

John Gary

Yeah, I do. And I. Like I said, the mental health thing, I try and use my platform for that and talk about the fact that I got. Help and I and I. Get help regularly for calls. I've seen PTSD. You know, mental issues. I-1 I do with that and the other. Thing I do is. Me and a couple buddies.

Speaker

Well, he actually.

John Gary

Started. I gotta give him credit, Sean. He started this thing called Mustache Madness. And we do it every year. It's a big party down. Here. And God, I think it's the night. I should know. The date before I come to this podcast. But we have a big. Party and we just donate all the money to cancer awareness here in San Diego and I use that. So like my job with him is the promoter. So I promote that, I make fun of it. I make fun of us, I make fun of. On so, yeah, I'm trying to get back and what I can. I would love to do like one of those things. Where I could like. Give a big check to a charity one of these days and you know, make a joke. Maybe. Make a joke about how I'm not really. Maybe. Maybe like I have the big check you know and like. I'm signing off. With like a big charitable organization as they're. Trying to take it, I won't let go. I'm just like holding it. They're like, Oh yeah. Oh. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker

Like there's something.

John Gary

I would love to get into that. When I get to that point, but I'm doing little things now using my platform for good things and the mustache madness, and I think I do a lot of little things. I do a lot of little things. With a lot. Of fire departments around the country, they said. They. Tell me, like, hey, can I? Wear some hats for. This charity golf course and I always try to do that also. I'm just doing what I can. What I can do? You know.

Peter

As you get more success, do you find yourself becoming more intentional with how you're how you run it, or what your goals are for it? Like, does that get more clear or is it still just kind of whatever happens happens?

John Gary

It does like in the beginning. I would say it's still, it's still pretty crazy like people come at me with the craziest opportunities and I'm getting a lot better about nicely saying no. I said yes, too much in the beginning. I mean, I did a podcast for a little. While and the podcast. Editing, production. Everything like. Just like the pre work up to it was. Crushing me, even though the podcast was doing OK, I just couldn't keep it up and I had a moment with my family where I was. Like I got. It choose what I want to do. You know, it's family, it's work. And this second gig, like, what do I like doing? I like. Making the videos and I like making making hats, so I focused on that. So now my focus really is like on hats and everything else is kind of with with the page like merch wise is is secondary. So yes, I I say no a lot more. I had to say no a lot I found. And I want to be on everyone's podcast, but now I. Kind of choose. Like I know this is more this is. The chair. This is the. Foundation. And I was like, oh, yeah, I'll do that. But yeah, I had to say I'd learned. To say. No, and it's hard because people really. They want to tap into the fun brigade stuff and I have to start coming. No, I. Can't do it and it. They probably get no it when it really I just want the pickleball workout. But that's protecting my. Days off you. Know and when I don't do that, I can't make the humor because I'm strung out and tired and my family is not happy. You know when you protect your days off, protect your sleep and take care of yourself and everyone else around you. You know, like a wife remembers why she married me. My kids don't think of me badly. So yeah, I have. To say no a lot, unfortunately.

Peter

It's it's hard to and I didn't realize this till I retired from the fire department is it's hard to. I used to think of self-care, which is exactly what you're talking about. Take care of yourself. Make sure you're. Sleeping all the things. It feels selfish, but it's actually the opposite. It's. It's selfless because you are not the husband and father you want to be. When you're strung out and haven't slept and worked. Lunch and it's the it's the right thing to do, is to take care of yourself, and especially in today's day and age, in, in the fire service that we're in right now where everyone's short staff, people are getting mandated, people are going out of town like it's self-care is like very bottom of the list for most people. And I think your message is good. It shouldn't be and you know. Let's talk about this when you talk about. Protecting your days off and like, really focusing on self-care and making sure you can be the best person you can by making sure you're taking. Of that, sometimes, like, let's just say everybody did that in the fire department and this is something we struggle with or we struggled with at our department, like if everybody was like that, what's going to happen at the fire department, what's going to happen to the guys left behind? And I'm not saying what you're. Doing is wrong. That. Please don't take it that. Way, but we've gone around and around on this issue before because there's generational issues here. They're just depending whether you're, you know. Plenty of Gen. Z. All the all those things. I think everybody should prioritize self-care. But I think at the same time, if everybody prioritized self-care and and not working as much, we'd also have a bigger problem. Have you ever thought of what are your thoughts on that?

John Gary

The workforce has got use to everybody saying yes to working extra because they're getting paid. And I think if people kind of took a step back, I think they would be forced to figure out a new solution then overtime. I think the fire department in this country, the the fire as a whole, it seems like they're starting to pivot towards mental health and they're saying it's the peak, the calls, which is true, I have a lot of. Issues with calls. But they're not. I don't think they really. Talking about the over work. And if they really put that in the conversation and we really focused on not overworking the guys, I think a lot of the mental health and a lot of actually I know what me personally the PTSD is way better when I sleep a good eight hours versus if I woke up three times because I worked. So I think what I'm saying is. Yes, it will be a hard change. There will be guys more guys forced and there'll be a lot of stuff going on. But I think in the long run. They will prioritize you when you are there and and maybe you maybe even compensation would be better because guys aren't focused on working overtime. Any sense, yeah.

Jason

Does the department where you work have AD shift? Because I know a lot of departments have that D shift, which kind of means there's a whole other shift of guys to work if there's a vacation or a vacancy or whatever. And that seems more and more, I guess, palatable where the old school guys are more like, don't give me that extra shift because I want the overtime or I need the overtime. More and more people and I know Peter and I are going to say the same thing. All the therapists. We ask of every time if there's one thing you could change to make mental health better in the fire department, what would it be? And we keep thinking they're going to come up with, you know, some kind of, like, meditate more or get some therapy. And every single one of them has said work less. Just work less like and.

Speaker

You have to.

Jason

Of course, some of that.

John Gary

Remember what your life is. Remember what your. Life is outside the fire service. I just said it earlier. You can't enjoy. Your job and enjoying. Your day off because it just becomes your life. It's all you talk about if you come home from work and all you talk about is work, you're probably. Working too much. That's why I talk about pickle all the time, like pickle ball is like my. Thing like I. They all know. Me at the courts, they. Had no idea about the brigade there. Well, some of them do, but most have no idea, you know, and I. Have a whole another. Life there and I think that's good you. Know I think it's good to. Have they I? Wear these hats like, oh, that's a cool hat, like. Oh, thanks. Did you get some guy? Some. Oh, I got. Some guy I don't know. Don't worry about it.

Speaker 4

Hi I'm Austin folk, an engineer with the Ventura City Fire Department. I'm also on the board of the Ventura Fire Foundation, an organization that supports firefighters and their families. The foundation produces this podcast as part of our mission, I worked for the foundation because I was witnessed to the help that it was able to provide. To my family. The foundation needs your help. First, please subscribe and rate this podcast on your podcast platform. This helps us get a higher ranking and more visibility for the show. Second, if you support the podcast and the foundations work, please consider donating. Every dollar helps us support firefighters in the. Families. There's a link in the show notes where you can donate through the website at www.venturafirefoundation.org. Thank you for listening.

Peter

You bring up a good point about identity, right? Because one of the other things we go on and on about is how to retire because retiring is difficult for guys and there's a lot of mental health issues wrapped up and retiring. That are all connected to sleep and PTSD, and the 30 years of destruction you did to your. Mind and body in the fire service. But some of. The experts that we've had on talking about retirement are it it, the conversation goes to identity. And if your identity is a firefighter and that's it. And like you said, you're talking about your your fire Slayer, eat, live and breathe fire department stuff when you're off duty. And that's all you think about. Those are the guys that have. A really hard time retiring. Because their identity is 100% wrapped up in the. Job which I think is structurally a problem like you need to have a life outside like your family should be a big one for you, like you're not a firefighter to your family. You're the dad and the husband and you need connection outside of the department. And that's hard, especially for young guys who just worked their tail off to get this job and that's all they. Want to do but. It's a good point that identity is important, and it sounds like you kind of get that and you're intentionally like. Doing that with your pickleball identity and your fire brigade thing and you know good to.

Jason

See, so do people know you when you go out? Have you ever been recognized or is it usually by the hats? Or is it mostly because of its fire geek memes that most people don't recognize you outside the house?

John Gary

No, they I've been, yeah, I've been recognized. It's an odd thing. I somebody yelled at me at IHOP. For the day. Oh, you didn't get Mando owed. It's a little I got my the. Suburb I live in the firefighters here. It's actually a different city than I work in and they all know me usually. And and uh yeah. I I get recognized. A little bit, but I I. Always say it's like being popular in, like monopoly money. It's like it's not real. No one really knows who you are. Like like most. Places they they don't. It's really just firefighters and. A few cops. I think it's it depends where I'm at. You know, like when I go to the back, they all know like with the mustache madness, they know how. But generally, no. Pretty, uh, pretty low key.

Jason

Get some anonymity. Still what?

Speaker

Was the what was the OG video?

Jason

Was it the? Was it the old school?

John Gary

The manual van thing, it was accident. Just like all my stuff. I made that a year before it really went viral. And it did well.

Speaker

But it would just that.

John Gary

It would happen and I yeah it. It was just a funny joke. And what happened is COVID happened. We were all stuck in the station, remember? Like they want remember they said we can't even go to the park and workout. And that's like one of our things that we do. You go to the park, you walk, you talk, you get outside, you get the sun. We all know. That's part of. Our thing, and they they told us we couldn't do that. We were like, locked up. That's actually when pickleball started too. And I made that then. And I think people we were all getting mad over stuck at the station, and people gravitated towards it. And when I knew something was happening. Something was odd in the waters was when all those fires, this is probably a few years back. All these fires were burning in northern. California and I was getting messages on the Instagram page of burnt up vans out in the forest. And the firefighters saying we got the van, we got it. And I was like what? And then I was getting. I was getting all this like messages of like funny stuff. I'm like, who are these people? And then like guys were. Like getting auto X. They're all purposely getting banned so they can cut up the Mando van you know and and and so it. Just kind of. Happened that that's definitely one of the core videos. You know, there's one with Arnold swinging an axe. You know, it's like 2 years. On the job. Is it probably 3 or probably? Five OG ones. That's one of them for sure.

Jason

Yeah, I love it. And then the you used to do more kinds of merch, right? You had you had more, more in your in your line in your SKU line or do you still do a bunch of shirts and or is it mostly focused on hats now?

John Gary

I have over 100 variants of hats and I only have a few shirts. It's kind of what I was talking about earlier with the no thing. Like I kind of focused mainly on what I am more and making silly hats. I really enjoy doing. And I'm and I have. I have the capability of getting them in a more variety of. So I'm focused more on that. Yeah, I have everything. Like I do. Mystery boxes and I'm throwing in all kinds of random stuff. Coasters, station straps. I just. I'm kind of random, but I focus on hats. I am thinking about. Bringing the mugs back for Christmas. I hate. Shipping those things.

Speaker

Yeah, that.

John Gary

My whole family does because my son. I actually hired him. He does a lot of the ****. And we hate. We hate doing the mugs. They cause them, but I'm. Gonna do them? I think we're doing. Like once a year just for the holiday.

Peter

Why do you? Hate the mugs because they're fragile and. Heavy or?

John Gary

Yeah. And I got to like, put him in the Styrofoam, put him in the box and this and that. Like I got three hats. That and. A shirt like. It just causes issues. The hats are like you just throw them in and it's like easy and hats don't break. Bugs break a lot on me. And yeah, I gotta take care of the guys, I. Gotta take care of him. Send him new ones. There's no problem. But it's just they're they're.

Speaker

I mean.

John Gary

That's kind of why I stopped. Doing those for a. Little while gotcha.

Jason

How big is the company now?

John Gary

But as far as like employees.

Jason

Yeah, well, how big? How much? How much? Volume. Do you do how much? Time does it take. You of your of your day.

John Gary

It's a full time job and. One of the things I've noticed is if it if I wasn't quite. Frankly, if I wasn't. Make any money doing it. I'd have to spend a lot less time on Instagram to make me feel as a good. Father, because I. I spend so much time on it. Luckily it gives back enough to where it gives some to my family and it allows me to be home and work a lot less overtime. So that's my trade off where I'm shipping. I'd say on a average probably 100 shipments a week. The holidays are freaking crazy. The holidays were coming up on. The craziest time? And it's fun though, and I usually got to get the wife and also involved up now, but this is a small family thing, mainly just me and my son doing it, and I don't ship next day, just so you know. I'm not Amazon like.

Speaker

It's going to.

John Gary

Be a week, sometimes a week and a half before you get your stuff. It's just the way it is. I I I always make a joke like this is an Amazon. You'll get it when you get it.

Peter

You know.

Jason

Yeah. So that leads me. Automatically to the next question. Which is are you going to stay? Being a firefighter? Is there a vision of retiring early and doing this full time, or do you still find enough value as you know, as a firefighter to stay doing that full time?

John Gary

Yeah, I do. I I don't have a vision. Of anything. I kind of doing what I've been doing. I'm just following my gut and just keep doing what I'm doing. Having fun? I don't have a vision to leave the party department no. That's that's saying I won't ever do it. I. Mean I I I. Made a joke with my wife like I have a. Certain amount of. Money. I'd have to make in a year for. Me to actually think about that. And I have to hit that and. I don't know about it.

Jason

Well, yeah, and that's probably pretty realistic.

John Gary

Or not, but I don't. Yeah, and I. Don't think about that stuff. I seriously. Try to just have fun. And if I'm not having fun with a hat if I don't laugh at what I'm doing or laugh at the hat. Made then I I don't. It's not going to make any money. Anyway, so I. Just focus on having fun and it it it grows, it grows and it has been growing steadily. I've actually think I've been doubling the income of it every year for three years for doubling over like so it just keeps folding. Over. So we'll see. You know, I don't know. What's going?

Peter

To happen, have you had? People approach you of doing similar things in their areas like not. I'm not, I don't know about copying you, but like better want to do something similar.

John Gary

To you? Yeah, and I don't. I don't hate on anybody. We're not. I'm not the only one getting mad on, you know, and I. Don't, and I don't own the word. Mando, I matter of fact if I try.

Speaker

To I.

John Gary

Think Disney wouldn't let me. Because the Mandalorian, I don't think I'd. Be able to I. Don't think I'd be able to trademark I. I heard from a lawyer before that. Disney's crazy, but anyway, no. I I I do. I just had somebody. Contact me the other day. They're making a Mando. City. Sure. And they asked me if. They could and I. Was like, oh, yeah, I don't care. I. Don't. I don't. I'm not trying to stop anybody. Yeah, people make their own little local stuff sometimes, and usually I just ask. To send me a hat or a shirt. You know I'm not. I'm not trying to stop you, guys's.

Peter

Game. Yeah. No, I meant like, are you, like, mentoring people who are trying to create something like you created type?

Speaker

Oh yeah, yeah. Of thing like.

John Gary

Oh, definitely. There's a couple pages that I don't want to take credit for because it's definitely their own. Mind and their own. What doing it? But yeah, they definitely contacted me early on and I've seen them grow tremendously actually a couple of them are, I think they're over 100. K in Instagram now. And it's cool. And you know what I don't like? I said I enjoy it. But like Fenton, you got you bought a fence earlier early on. I talked to him and he's always been super cool and mentoring to me and uh, I think all of us in the fire humor business, it's not that many of us, we're all we all know. Each other. And we all talk here and there and send. Each other stuff and. Alright, so I had a few.

Peter

Yeah, I think what's what's funny from my perspective of obviously being a fireman and then having the opportunity to talk to you and Fenton and whatnot is. It all, it seems to start organically, but it all turns into an obligation, not an obligation. That's not the right word, but it all turns into. A responsibility like. Now you have this platform. There's all this stuff that we need to draw attention to in. The fire service that's really important. That we can bridge that with humor, but it it it just kind of talks to who firemen are in general like, OK, I got this thing I need to do something good with it. I'm gonna help the other guys with it. Like I I think that's awesome. I think it's admirable you're not. Hey, how can I squeeze every penny out of this and retire rich and screw the fire department and I'm out of here like that's not what I see. Happening with this fire department. Humor thing like that, I think that's the first time I've heard that coin. Like you're in the fire department. Humor business. That's just. Interesting but.

John Gary

It's hard to explain. It's hard to explain. Like my dad lives back. Back in the small town that grew up in and like those guys reckon that he was wearing a man adventure and those guys recognized it and he had no idea what the heck he's like, wait. What you guys know what what I'm wearing? Like, how do you explain to your like? Your dad? They. Don't understand. My mom does my mom. Moms all over in that page, you know, liking every comment like a mom does.

Peter

Yeah, yeah.

John Gary

Funny, it's funny as far as the obligation thing. When I first started, I honestly didn't know I could. I guess you can call it writing humor. I don't know. And making a meme I. Didn't really know, and I actually remember being stressed. Like how am I going to keep this up? Like how am? I going to make another one and one of the things I learned is you can't be like that. You have to just take care of yourself. Like we're talking about that self help. For self-care, when you do that. And then something happened like the hurricane we just. This stuff just comes to me just like usually twister movie references, but. Which leads me to another issue I I think I. Didn't realize I watched way too much TV growing up way too much, and I found a way to use that. To my advantage I guess.

Peter

Yeah, that's good. I mean, hey, that's good that.

Jason

Worked out, so does your crew like it? Made it? Or do they not care, or do they they come up with stuff? With you in the Firehouse? Or how does that work?

John Gary

So it's good. They always love it, so I when I work overtime and I work out in the city, guys have a blast. And they come up and. Actually I get some great. Material from those guys, they.

Speaker

Not sure.

John Gary

Some of them are really bad, you know, and some of them want me to watch an hour long YouTube video and like, look at this is funny and they're bad, but some of them are. Most sparklers are really funny people, and I have. A joke going what I started doing now is like, hey man, you come up with something today. And I make the video and it gets 1000 likes in 48 hours. I'll give you a half. So they are focused on. And then I didn't realize this. I my captain a while back, told me. I actually got to eat. You get. Evaluations and he gave me a very. Good one. And he wrote in there that when I am around. Everybody in the station is focused on trying to be funny. In a good way. And they're doing that instead of. Or being negative or bullying or well, you know what? I mean like just. They're doing something positive. And he enjoyed that. About me being on the crew.

Jason

That's pretty insightful. Yeah, that's cool.

John Gary

I never thought of that. I never even. Thought of it, I never looked at it. From that angle. So I don't shoot no one down I. Like let people just I like. Tell them. Just keep going. You know if. If if, like you tell me one and I. Don't like it? Don't take offense. Just keep keep shooting. You know, and the other thing and like. I said I get a lot of material people.

Jason

Yeah, I see your dumpster hat on right now. Or dumpster fire hat. And that's that's one of your newer additions, right? I see a lot of dumpster fire stuff happening. So is the veteran thing. Do you do you, do you have a presence in the kind of the the military vet community as well with some of your stuff?

John Gary

I'm trying to. I don't think I really do. I did notice this hat sells really well and I do notice when I do post veteran things. They do pretty well. I'm suspecting I got a pretty good veteran following. I'm not 100% sure. I would love to be. There's some great cheesy word influencers. In in the military world right now, but I love watching.

Speaker

So I would I.

John Gary

Would love to be at a. Table with them I don't know. If I ever. Will that is where. A lot of my humor comes from is definitely a Navy. I mean fire. They always you've heard this a million times. Fire departments not much different than military. It's very similar. I would say the military hammer is probably more dark. But I mean I I was on a Navy. I was on a ship. I was on the. Ronald Reagan, you. Know on deployment and I was like being in a fire station. It was just nonstop. It's probably worse because you don't ever have any civilians knocking on the. Door. So it's just us.

Jason

Yeah, there's a ton of similarities between the fire department and the and the military for sure. We've had some military and spouses on our program before, and it's funny how much the issues that we have revolving around being a firefighter. And lack of sleep and. Shift work and all that. Stuff is. It's just the same. With a lot of those military guys too.

John Gary

Yes, I think that's why the page was. Successful the military and the fire department, we have a this is not my quote, it's acne, acne, Bourdain, Bourdain, he said. He's like firefighters are like Marines where and I'm not quoting this correctly, but. No matter what's happening, no matter how bad the situation. Is no matter how understaffed. Or don't have. The right tools. Firefighters, military. We have this ability to. Just laugh about. It because we're in it together. And figure it out and that is like every structure fire, every fire, everything you go to. Nothing seems to go right. And that's what we are. And we still managed to have a couple laughs about something that would be like my, my, my pages like core values like try and share that aspect of our lives.

Jason

Yeah, I actually have that quote on my phone too. They always go.

John Gary

OK, you see that? Yeah.

Jason

For the worse and worse, and they go for it. Yeah. And they they kind of like that stuff. Yeah, I like it so. A couple more questions I'm going. To get pretty serious on you for just a. Second, what happened to the mullet? And can we bring it back?

John Gary

You know what it. Got too popular. Yeah, I had. I had to. Let it go. I was just at the gym, so I'm going to my local gym lately and holy heck, I mean I everyone has. A mullet, I'm. Walking around and it's not. It's not as cool in my personal opinion, it's cool. There's some dudes on the job. But you got a little bit of a curl. Like you're more straight like. If you look. Like hell. And Oates are those guys. Like keep it going. But most of these molets, including mine, were horrible and. I that you know what's funny? That was a joke. As everything I do. That was a joke. I was a part of a running. Group. Believe it or not, before COVID. Like trail running and we all started growing molets and then I didn't realize that my particular fire department, I was the only one with a mullet at the time and I didn't really realize that. And then the page I started putting my face on it a lot kind of took off and then I realized like, oh crap.

Speaker

I don't want to have a.

John Gary

Motive forever.

Jason

Well, that made for some great content. That made for some definitely great content.

John Gary

Yeah. And also like I started noticing. I started noticing it was. Spinning and that I was like. This is my last chance. I have a.

Speaker

OK.

John Gary

Moment in my life so I. Just I just did it and then it it. Seemed a little bit. Still hanging on. But it may come back I my. Problem is I. Don't have a curl. Like it kind of it was just. Straight it just looked like a I don't know, like a death metal band or something.

Jason

Do you have a favorite design or do you have a favorite shirt or hat that you that you always kind of go to for yourself?

John Gary

So I don't know. No, I like what's new and I'm pretty spoiled because I'd make them so.

Speaker

I'll have I.

John Gary

Usually like a white hat and I just put whatever my new logos on it. I like everything I do, but not. Everything is like. Yeah. I mean, it's a big risk. Everything I do and I always put something out, if I put it. Out I probably like it and. Sometimes it doesn't. Go well and it just kind of gets faded back into. The shelf, you know.

Peter

Do you ever get hate? Do do people hate on stuff you've put out before or?

John Gary

No. Ohh yeah. I mean a little bit. I feel like if you're not getting. Hated on like. What are you doing?

Jason

Good for you.

John Gary

The same thing with everything in life. Like. I mean, even that I don't know what you. Guys ranked for. But even for like a chief, for instance. Like, if you're not being hated on like, if you're just like going with. Every plan everyone says. Oh, it's a good idea. Are you really leading? I'm not saying I'm a leader, but like. I mean, hate is like that's.

Speaker

That's the way the. Way it is.

John Gary

And one thing I do though is I don't give any attention because I've seen too many Instagram pages get into that like comment on it. Like, Nah, man, you gonna hate it. You be a. Hater. You always gonna? Be a hater. Anyway, look like I'm about to change you.

Jason

I would say if everyone likes you, it means you don't stand for anything, right? All right, John. Well, it was great to hear from you. I really appreciate you being on the show. How could people find out more about you? Or where can they go to get? In touch with you, if they'd like to get a hat.

John Gary

Instagram, TikTok, American fire brigade. It's also American fire brigade.com. Well, my thing just broke. What the heck? That's pretty much it. You guys know where to find me. My new thing is try to come out with a new hat. Every every month I got one. Actually when does? This show gonna come.

Peter

Out, I think in a month or two couple months, yeah.

John Gary

OK, well this would. Be the hat. I haven't showed anybody. This yet so I'll show you guys. So you guys ever ate a Whataburger?

Peter

Yeah, I know what a burger, but I've never. Eaten there.

John Gary

Yeah, I I love coming out with new stuff. Here's the new one for next month. This is just a patch.

Peter

What a rip. Ohh.

Jason

That's pretty bad.

Peter

That could have a lot of different. Meanings too.

Jason

You don't ever have anybody come after you as far as like you don't have Whataburger come after you for their logo. Yeah, copyright. Thanks.

John Gary

We'll find out. I don't know.

Jason

Alright, John, well, thanks for your time. If you guys don't know who John Gary is, then you're not a firefighter. Go look up American fire brigade. Thank you for being. On the show.

Peter

Thanks. Thanks John. Yeah.

Jason

Well, that was cool. It's kind. Of been a dream of mine to have John Garry from the American Fire Brigade on we kind of got some good stories and intro from him as far as how his company started and then you know he he's using his platform which I didn't. Really know about. To really talk about some peer support. Hurt and some PTSD that he's had issues with and gone through and he really promotes going to therapy and just kind of being a healthy individual.

Peter

I think that's great. I also was he he said something about being in the fire department humor business and I never really thought of that, that that. Was even a thing. But it's definitely a thing. I mean, we had firefighter Fenton. And him. And there's the other fire department. Coffee people and those guys like it's it's like a little niche that is just fascinating to me that you wouldn't think that that would be an industry or a business, but. Just goes to show you that you. Know there's a need out there. There's you strike a chord with a certain group of people. There's opportunities that arise out of. It which is. Cool to see people. Like John Gary doing stuff like that and and then at the flip side, turning it into something good because it's not just all laughs and you know there's good that can come out of. Having a platform like.

Jason

That too, which?

Peter

Was nice to see, but yeah.

Jason

Yeah, we're still going to have to talk about I I got to figure out somehow that ratio of protect your days off, protect your sleep for your kids and. Your wife but still be involved in the fire department. I think. I think that's maybe where we're headed for for some of our future conversations is how we can still keep kind of the old school brotherhood of the Fire department alive and it's kind of what we're doing with the foundation, but still raise awareness towards you can't be 100% a firefighter. 100% of. The time and how unhealthy that is for your family and yourself.

Peter

Yeah, I don't know what the answer to that is because it's complex, right? Because if you go too far one side, you're you're not going to, you're going to be viewed negatively at the fire department. If you go too far on the fire department side, your family is going to hate you. So, like, I don't know what that balance is, but we definitely should be exploring that for sure. I think that's a worthy thing to to dive into.

Jason

Yeah, probably a conversation for the next therapist we have on. Anyways, it was another good one. Thanks, Peter. We'll talk soon.

Speaker

Yeah, yeah.