Hello, friends, and welcome to episode number 387 of the way I heard it. This one is called

Make Me a Firefighter, and it features not one, but two terrific conversations. I thought they

were terrific, Chuck, and judging by the look on your face, you concur. Yes. It's Candice McDonald and Jonathan

Dayton, both volunteer firefighters in this country. Mike, are you aware, or were you aware

before this conversation, that only 30% of firefighters in the country are paid, that the rest are

volunteer? I knew that the majority were volunteered, and I know that number has changed over the years

and has for a long time.

Like everybody else in the country, I mean, who's not a fan of firefighters?

I mean, it's like, it's a tough time to be a cop.

Things have been politicized.

You know, the military, say what you want. Farmers are having a rough time. But, I mean, it's a tough time to be a cop. Things have been politicized. You know, the military, say what you want.

Farmers are having a rough time.

But, I mean, it's impossible not to look at a firefighter and not think,

man, thank God you're out there standing by to pull my bacon out of the metaphorical

and literal fire.

Thank God they're there.

Yeah, absolutely.

And both of these people have experienced

doing just that. There is a lack of interest in the fire department. Here's the other thing that I

learned that I think is pretty cool is that you don't have to just volunteer to be a firefighter.

They need all kinds of support. People to cook for them, people to do all sorts of things in a support fashion.

And the other thing that's crazy is that all firefighters have to go through the same

...