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Here’s someone we’re going to be talking about for a long time. Jared is the host of the Fire Rescue Show. He’s 12 years old. On his bi-weekly firefighting podcast, Jared interviews firefighters, EMS personnel, and police officers. He also has Fire News and Fire Safety segments where he talks about some of the latest fire-related news in his local area.
PBJ: Tell our readers about yourself. **Jared: **My name is Jared and I’m 12 years old. I have a variety of interests that include winter sports, fishing for bass, and unicycling. I come from a large family and enjoy spending time with my siblings and parents. I’ve lived in Maine my whole life and hope to become a firefighter some day.
PBJ: It appears you love fire trucks and firefighting. Tell us about that. **Jared: **I’ve always had a passion for everything to do with the fire service. From when I was little I was in awe of ladder trucks, how they work, and the sounds they make. As I grew older I became interested in what firefighters do and all the training that is involved.
PBJ: Do you want to become a fireman when you grow up? **Jared: **Yes! I would like to be a firefighter/EMT and work at a full-time department. I think of it as a team effort to protect the community and serve the surrounding towns when needed.
PBJ: How did you get into podcasting? **Jared: **Back in 2014 my brothers started a podcast about fishing (www.basscasterbros.com). Then, in 2016 my sisters started a podcast about pets (www.furballsdogbones.com), so at that point I wanted to start my own. I knew more about podcasting, how to use GarageBand, etc, and decided to start one on the fire service.
PBJ: What equipment do you use for your podcast? **Jared: **I use a Macbook Air, GarageBand for recording and editing, Fifine Technology mic w/ pop filter, I use Skype for interviews, Auphonic to improve sound quality, and Spreaker for hosting.
PBJ: How do you get the word out to attract new listeners? **Jared: **I often visit fire stations in the outlying areas and pass out my “podcast cards” — I’m on Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, and I’m working on getting on Google Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeart Radio right now.
PBJ: How often do you do your show?
**Jared: **My podcast is a bi-weekly podcast so the episodes go out every two weeks on Thursdays.
PBJ: What about guests? **Jared: **I set up guest interviews 2-4 weeks prior and use Skype. I use Call Recorder to record the interviews.
PBJ: Who does your post-production? **Jared: **All post-production of the show is done by myself.
PBJ: Do you have any advice for other kids who might be thinking about starting their own podcast? **Jared: **Don’t give up. There are many frustrations and there is a steep learning curve at times, but just keep going, read, and ask for advice from other podcasters.
I also run a YouTube Channel called CoolFireTrucks, which is also about firefighting and fire trucks.