#172 Industry, Service & Supporting First Responders w/Kim Raimondi @peli_kim

We’re back with another After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, and this time I’m joined by Kim Raimondi — known by some of you as Pelican Kim on Instagram.

In this conversation, we get into all of it. Kim shares what it’s like working with departments and agencies all over the country, what she’s seeing from her side of the industry, and how Pelican plays a role in supporting first responders. But the deeper part of this talk is around volunteer firefighting — the training, the culture, and the challenges that come with stepping up to serve when the pager goes off.

Kim’s the kind of person who’s got one foot in the corporate world and the other in the dirt with the people doing the hard jobs. That perspective makes this episode a fun, eye-opening conversation about service, support, and giving back.We’re back with another After Dark episode of the Iron Sights Podcast, and this time I’m joined by Kim Raimondi — known by some of you as Pelican Kim on Instagram.

In this conversation, we get into all of it. Kim shares what it’s like working with departments and agencies all over the country, what she’s seeing from her side of the industry, and how Pelican plays a role in supporting first responders. But the deeper part of this talk is around volunteer firefighting — the training, the culture, and the challenges that come with stepping up to serve when the pager goes off.

Kim’s the kind of person who’s got one foot in the corporate world and the other in the dirt with the people doing the hard jobs. That perspective makes this episode a fun, eye-opening conversation about service, support, and giving back.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction & Kim’s Background

00:12 From Jersey to Sales Leadership

04:36 Athletic Drive & Field Hockey Career

13:39 Transition into the Fire Service

19:48 Volunteer Firefighting & Community Culture

42:41 The Impact of Social Media in Firefighting

47:02 Communication Tools in Emergency Services

48:32 Real-Life Firefighting Meets Product Design

49:48 Why Intrinsically Safe Equipment Matters

51:37 How Pelican Influenced Her Career & Life

58:35 Pelican’s History & Industry Impact

01:07:46 Connecting with First Responders & Innovating