The Line & The Oath

09/08/2026

One of the best parts of The Line & The Oath is the friendships that continue beyond the interviews.

This weekend Tony joined two guests for the Father Mychal Judge Walk. Meeting them in person and honoring Father Judge and everyone we lost on 9/11 made the experience especially meaningful.

The Line & The Oath is grateful for the stories, the connections, and the friendships.

09/04/2026

It’s hard enough to recruit for EMS. Now try recruiting for this.

EMS already faces a serious recruitment and retention problem. Now take an even smaller group of providers and ask them to commit additional time, training, travel, and often unpaid hours to something like pipes and drums.

These traditions require people willing to give even more when many are already working overtime and stretched thin.

Preserving tradition takes commitment—but it also takes people willing and able to carry it forward.

08/31/2026

It looked like everyone had just disappeared.

Abandoned cars inside the tunnel. Streets covered in ash and paper. People wearing masks. And a silence that didn't feel possible in New York City.

Coming out of the tunnel after the attacks on September 11 felt almost unreal—like stepping into a completely different world.

As we approach the 25th anniversary of September 11, these firsthand memories remind us what that day looked and felt like for those who were there.

Twenty-five years later, we still remember. We still honor. We Never Forget.

08/30/2026

Recently finished The Fastest 4 Seconds. A powerful story about how quickly life can change and the strength it takes to heal, rebuild, and keep moving forward.

Thank you, Former K-9/Sgt Jay P***y Dempsey, for sending me a copy and sharing your story on the podcast.

08/30/2026

🚨 NEW EPISODE OUT NOW

Some people leave an impact that continues long after they're gone.

During the uncertainty and devastation of COVID, Kevin became a calming presence for the crews around him. After difficult calls, sometimes it was simply a cigar, his dog Buddy, and someone willing to sit there with you.

Even after being diagnosed with ALS, Kevin continued thinking about others—advocating for research and disability rights until the end.

His life was defined by service, and his legacy continues through the people he impacted.

08/28/2026

New Episode! "Duty, Honor, Tradition | Rob Walsh & Travis Kessel"

In this episode, Rob and Travis from the FDNY EMS Pipes and Drums share their journey, leadership insights, and the profound significance of their band in honoring fallen heroes and supporting the EMS community.

www.thelineandtheoath.com

In this episode, Rob and Travis from the FDNY EMS Pipes and Drums share their journey, leadership insights, and the profound significance of their band in honoring …

08/22/2026

Sometimes first responders need to remember their why.

The Saved Effect was written for two groups.

For the public, it's a reminder that learning CPR and having the courage to act can change someone's future.

For first responders, it's a reminder of why we chose this profession in the first place.

The long shifts, difficult calls, and burnout can make that easy to forget.

Sometimes seeing the life that continued because you showed up is exactly the reminder you needed.

08/18/2026

Everyone thinks someone else will step in.

That's the danger of the bystander effect.

Brad & Kiera Newbury, authors of The Saved Effect, want people to remember that when an emergency happens, you don't have to be a first responder to make a difference.

Your brain may tell you to wait. Someone else will help. Someone else knows what to do.

But sometimes you have to be the person who steps forward.

One decision to act can change the future of a patient, their family, and an entire community.

Don't wait for someone else to be the difference.

08/16/2026

The strongest leaders aren't afraid to be vulnerable.

Fire and EMS culture often teaches us to put up walls—to stay tough, push forward, and keep emotions out of sight.

But Brad Newbury, co-author of The Saved Effect, believes vulnerability can actually make us better leaders.

Strength isn't pretending nothing affects you. Sometimes it's having the confidence to let people see the human being behind the uniform.

You don't lose credibility by being vulnerable. You build connection.

08/15/2026

🚨 NEW EPISODE OUT NOW

A cardiac arrest doesn't have to be the end of someone's story.

Brad & Kiera Newbury, authors of The Saved Effect, share the incredible story of Brad's 80-year-old father surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest after two bystanders immediately stepped forward and started CPR.

But The Saved Effect isn't only about surviving.

It's about everything that happens after the save—the birthdays, relationships, memories, and lives touched because someone was willing to act.

For first responders, it's also a reminder of something we rarely get to see: what happens to our patients years after we hand them off.

Sometimes the impact of one resuscitation lasts for decades.