Jake Ryks (Hazmat Training, Minnesota Perspectives and Fire Service Specialization) - Episode 1232
Behind The Shield
James Geering
4.9 • 695 Ratings
🗓️ 26 April 2026
⏱️ 123 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Jake Ryks is a firefighter, EMT, and HazMat Specialist with the Saint Paul Fire Department, currently assigned to Squad 1 and HazMat 1. He serves as the HazMat training coordinator within the department. Jake was recognized as the 2024 Minnesota Firefighter of the Year and received the Michael O. McNamee Award of Valor for his role in rescuing multiple children from a house fire.
Outside of the firehouse, Jake is actively involved in advancing the hazmat community through his work with The Haz Mat Guys, where he supports training initiatives and digital education. As the host of the Hazard Class Podcast, he brings a practical, no-nonsense perspective to the job, blending field experience, training insight, and honest conversations about the realities of the fire service.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | This episode is sponsored by a company who has truly found a solution to an age-old problem, |
| 0:05.0 | and that is KarnerBunker Gear. |
| 0:07.5 | One of the most prevalent conversations in the fire service is should we or should we not |
| 0:12.5 | train in our bunker gear? |
| 0:14.5 | Now, the answer to both is yes. |
| 0:17.0 | As most of us are aware, the carcinogens from structure fires of which there are over 260 that are dangerous to human health, not to mention the PFAS and other chemicals that are within our gear from the manufacturing process are factors that we obviously want to minimize. |
| 0:33.5 | Now, the other side of the coin is that we do need to train in our gear. |
| 0:37.4 | There is no way to acclimatize the heat retention and lack of mobility than to actually wear the gear. |
| 0:43.3 | So seeing this problem himself, firefighter and exercise physiologist Ryan Conley developed a carcinogen-free gear at a much lower cost that can be used in non-IDLH atmosphere and training that does not |
| 0:57.3 | require puncture or tear resistance. Now as someone who always trained in gear myself throughout my |
| 1:03.0 | career, I wish this technology was around then. And I got to test it personally while coaching my |
| 1:08.9 | tactical athlete class a few weeks ago and can testify |
| 1:12.4 | that it not only simulates the heat retention of frontline gear, but also the lack of mobility, |
| 1:18.7 | which is imperative at operating at a high level on the fireground. Now, some additional benefits |
| 1:23.9 | include being able to doff the gear when you do get banged out for a call, |
| 1:28.7 | increasing the lifespan of your frontline bunker gear, and then also public education. |
| 1:34.0 | Think of the number of times that we allow, for example, school children to wear our gear |
| 1:38.2 | when it's infused with all these carcinogens. |
| 1:41.6 | So there are so many real-world applications for a fraction of the cost |
| 1:46.1 | of IDLH-rated bunker gear. So if you want to hear the whole story behind this, listen to my |
| 1:52.2 | conversation with Ryan Conley on episode 1175 of the Behind the Shield podcast, or go to |
| 1:59.4 | karnerbunkergear.com. Welcome to the Behind the Shield podcast or go to carna bunkergear.com. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from James Geering, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of James Geering and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.