# Firefighting, Electrical Engineering, and Community-Building with Michael Wrinch

- Show: [Manufacturing Happy Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour)
- Published: 2022-03-29
- Length: 41m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-03-29-firefighting-electrical-engineering-and-community-building-with-michael-wrinch
- Listen: http://manufacturinghappyhour.com

## Summary

Michael Wrinch, President and CEO of Hedgehog Technologies, an engineering consulting firm in British Columbia, explains how his background as a forest firefighter and electrical engineer shapes his people-first approach to complex projects. He details the company's core values (ACDC: Accountable, Collaborative, Diversity, Community Builders) and shares examples of high-risk work, including designing solar farms for indigenous communities and safety-critical systems for amusement rides. Wrinch also discusses the unique ecosystem in Vancouver that supports this expertise, stemming from a local submarine industry, and shares personal anecdotes about his early jobs and passion for cheesemaking.

## Chapters

- [0:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-03-29-firefighting-electrical-engineering-and-community-building-with-michael-wrinch#t=42) Introduction: Michael Wrinch and Hedgehog Technologies
- [3:55](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-03-29-firefighting-electrical-engineering-and-community-building-with-michael-wrinch#t=235) The Origin of the Name Hedgehog and Firefighting Background
- [6:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-03-29-firefighting-electrical-engineering-and-community-building-with-michael-wrinch#t=383) Core Values: Trust, Accountability, and Collaboration
- [8:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-03-29-firefighting-electrical-engineering-and-community-building-with-michael-wrinch#t=533) From Electrical Engineering PhD to People-First Consulting
- [10:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-03-29-firefighting-electrical-engineering-and-community-building-with-michael-wrinch#t=652) ACDC Values: Diversity and Community Building Examples
- [17:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-03-29-firefighting-electrical-engineering-and-community-building-with-michael-wrinch#t=1062) Selecting Hard Projects: Solar Farms and Submarines
- [23:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-03-29-firefighting-electrical-engineering-and-community-building-with-michael-wrinch#t=1410) Vancouver's Submarine Industry and Amusement Ride Safety
- [30:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-03-29-firefighting-electrical-engineering-and-community-building-with-michael-wrinch#t=1804) Early Jobs: Fish Factory and Chimney Cleaning
- [32:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-03-29-firefighting-electrical-engineering-and-community-building-with-michael-wrinch#t=1977) Cheesemaking: Engineering a Cave in a Fridge

## Topics

- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Hedgehog Technologies (company)
- Can Dive (company)
- International Submarine Engineering (company)
- Atlantis Submarine (company)
- Ocean Works (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

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- [Reade Harpham | Flat Org Structures, Communicating with Engineers & Philanthropic Design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-01-13-reade-harpham-flat-org-structures-communicating-with-engineers-philanthropic-des) (Being an Engineer)
- [Year-End-Episode 2023: 10 Climate Change Leaders on How You Can Play a Part in Combating Climate Change](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-01-04-year-end-episode-2023-10-climate-change-leaders-on-how-you-can-play-a-part-in-co) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [Em Moshouris (Founder, WORC)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/just-gonna-send-it/2026-02-11-em-moshouris-founder-worc) (Just Gonna Send It)
- [Glenn Hickman | Design Reviews, Interviewing Questions, & WRAP](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2022-11-25-glenn-hickman-design-reviews-interviewing-questions-wrap) (Being an Engineer)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-03-29-firefighting-electrical-engineering-and-community-building-with-michael-wrinch. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Manufacturing Happy Hour.