Nick Brunacini began his fire service career with the Phoenix Fire Department (PFD) in 1980. Over the next 29 years, he served in a variety of roles—starting on engine companies, then spending nine years as a ladder company captain, and later becoming a battalion chief. In 2001, he was promoted to shift commander and finished his career as South Shift Commander before retiring in 2009. During his tenure, Nick played a central role in developing and teaching command strategies at the PFD’s Command Training Center, including the foundational work that would become the Blue Card Incident Command system.

After retirement, Nick transitioned to leading B Shifter, the organization behind the Blue Card program. He has continued to train fire service personnel nationwide and is a published author of several fire service books, including B-Shifter: A Firefighter’s Memoir and co-author of Command Safety. His writing and training emphasize practical leadership, firefighter safety, and realistic incident management. Nick remains a prominent voice in the fire service, known for blending humor, experience, and no-nonsense command principles.

Admin Note:
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We understand there is ongoing controversy surrounding “Blue Card.” Our position is that if you disagree with its implementation, the proper course is to engage in dialogue and advocacy—working collaboratively through labor and management channels to influence that decision.