Personality Behind the Profile: The Multiple Calls Podcast

The Multiple Calls Podcast (MCP) began in early 2018, but host and producer Scott Hewlett has been in the fire service since 1998.  

Firefighting is in Hewlett’s blood, his father was a career firefighter at Brampton Fire and Emergency Services, Ontario, Canada, however his career interests were different from his father’s early on. Not that the idea was ever pushed on him, Hewlett intended to pursue a career as a pilot but was drawn into the fire service early in that process. The reason was because of fulfilling feeling after he helped some seriously injured people as a ski patroller 

Hewlett began applying to departments when he was 19, eventually being hired four years later at the same department where his father made a career. In the meantime, Hewlett completed EMT-Basic in St. Petersburg, FL, as well as passing the National Registry for EMT exam.   

Once Hewlett became a first-class firefighter, he went back to school for two years to acquire his Primary Care Paramedic Diploma in Canada. After that, he spent 10 years working out of a technical rescue station, six years working as a Primary Care Paramedic, 16 years as a shift instructor, three years as a fire training officer, and 10 years as a peer support team member and co-lead. Today, Hewlett stands as a 26-year firefighter working as a training officer for the Central York Fire Services, Ontario, Canada.  

In 2017, Hewlett started listening to podcasts on his commute to work and that was introduction into the medium. On that commute, he started listening to the Jordan Peterson Podcast and Waking Up with Sam Harris. Hewlett mentioned those two podcasts worked as inspirations for what he has created now.  

Quickly, he wanted to produce his own podcast about the fire service. The idea was to have conversations and tell stories that others in the industry can learn from. On the website, the share the goal to “be at our best to capture your attention with legitimate stories and enrich your experience of this unique and amazing job.” 

‘Multiple calls’ is a phrase that catches a Firefighter's attention because it signifies a strong possibility that what we are responding to is legitimate and will require us to be at our best. It is also what experience is made of. We will be at our best to capture your attention with legitimate stories and enrich your experience of this unique and amazing job.” 

Hewlett reached out to other creators for guidance to get his own podcast up and running. Fortunately, a friend had a recording studio in his home and showed him the technical aspects, while allowing him to use the space. Hewlett began recording with friends, colleagues and his dad.  

Hewlett’s desire for the podcast is to let his guests drive the show, so a lot of time and effort goes into each show. By spring, he’ll have released 100 episodes. In addition, MCP has more than 50,000 followers on Instagram and more than 10,000 followers on Facebook.

“It's kind of a cool creative process where you can create something, get a story out to people and it be a sort of a keepsake. It's really a no-lose scenario,” said Hewlett. 

Hewlett explains that the episodes have always been guest-driven, “Each guest gets final edit control of their story which allows for a more open conversation that can be tailored back to what they are excited about. I see each one as a keepsake for them and their family” 

As the podcast grew in popularity, Hewlett added three people to help expand the brand. Brad Shea works as the sound editor, Matt Pletz handles marketing and Hailey Green oversees administration duties. 

“What the podcast, the website, and the social media presence are today are fully due to their efforts. They are authentic, genuine people and great firefighters. I'm deeply grateful for their friendships,” Hewlett said. 

The team values the quality of the episode, along with the relationships that come from podcasting more than anything. 

With the guidance of many of his mentors, Hewlett has produced two lists that are on the MCP website called “25 Rules for the Fire Service Instructor” and “50 Rules for the Senior Firefighter.” Hewlett’s motivation for the lists was for his own use, but with his platform, it made it easy to share them with others.  

“I didn't have a plan to do a certain number for each topic. I just started asking people I respect; Admirable Instructors, Captains, and Chiefs. I got a lot of input and feedback and some of the rules that came about, they offered up. I didn't see any lists out there for me to hold myself accountable to, as the Senior Firefighters that helped raise me in the service started to retire, so I decided to make my own,” said Hewlett. “Like the podcast, it just seemed like the right thing to do, sharing them on the platform for people to interact with if they wished to.”