Leading Through Adversity: How a Life-Changing Diagnosis Transformed My Leadership

Robert Weisbaum BS, FP-C, MPO, EMS & Fire Chief, Crested Butte Fire Protection District

As an EMS and Fire Chief with more than 26 years of service, I believed resilience meant pushing harder, working longer, and carrying the weight alone. That perspective changed when an unexpected diagnosis forced me to confront my own vulnerability and reexamine what leadership truly means. My diagnosis ultimately became an unexpected gift; one that taught me that the strongest leaders are not those who appear invincible, but those who have the courage to grow through adversity and help others do the same.

That Time I "Accidentally" Became an Assistant Chief Fire Officer in the United Kingdom

Kasey Beal, Fire Chief, Golden Fire Department

The biggest leaps in personal and professional development often involve an element of risk, timing, and courage. My chapter in the UK began with the simple premise that I had nothing to lose, and everything to gain. Let me briefly walk you through what it was like for the first American to serve in the UK Fire Services within the Senior Leadership Team of the Surrey Fire and Rescue Service.  

Still Climbing: How Colorado Carried the Memory of 343 Nationwide

Oren Bersagel-Briese, Deputy Chief of Operations, Castle Rock Fire and Rescue Department

The 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb began in Colorado with five firefighters, a set of stairs, and a decision to remember through action. This FIRETalk explores how Colorado helped turn that moment into a national movement – and how stories, traditions, and shared experiences can carry the meaning of September 11 forward for generations who did not experience it firsthand.