Fire Engineering Podcast Network

September 11 changed the lives of first responders and communities forever. Jerry Knapp and Tim Pillsworth step away from their usual interview format to reflect on 9/11, sharing personal memories from West Point and local firehouses while honoring the friends they lost and remembering the lasting health impacts on first responders. This heartfelt conversation goes beyond remembrance to examine th...

Are your ground ladders ready when seconds count? Hosts Rick Lasky and John Salka discuss portable ladder maintenance, single-firefighter deployment, proper climbing angles, and proactive ladder placement to improve fireground safety. They also explore how historic fires, including the Great Chicago Fire, shaped fire prevention practices and modern building codes. This episode is brought to you by...

How do you ensure an adequate water supply at a major commercial fire? On The Humpday Hangout, host Clark Lamping joins chiefs Dan Shaw, Brent Brooks, Jimmy Davis, and Daryl Liggins, along with Andy Soccodato, author of Water Thievery , to discuss fireground hydraulics and water supply operations. The panel examines friction loss in large-diameter hose (LDH), heavy hydrant hookups, multiple supply...

What separates a good fire service instructor from a great one? It takes more than experience, rank, or knowing the drill manual. Great instructors know how to connect with students, deliver constructive feedback, and build the next generation of firefighters. In this episode of Talkin’ Tactics , hosts David Polikoff, Sam Villani, and Robert “RJ” James share lessons from their careers in fire serv...

In this episode of Mayday Monday, Tony Carroll revisits the fatal fire in Howard County (MD), that claimed the life of firefighter Nate Flynn. Retired Incident Commander Chuck Ridgely joins to discuss what happened on the fireground and what the incident can teach firefighters about command, communication, and decision making under stress. Ridgely walks through the challenges commanders faced duri...

Firefighter mental health cannot rest entirely on the individual. In this episode of Perspectives on Leadership, Deputy Chief Stephen Shaw talks with Dr. Kellie O’Dare, research associate professor and deputy executive director at UCF RESTORES, about suicide prevention, mental health, and the role fire departments play in supporting their members. O’Dare discusses research connecting 30 years of F...

Fire departments have traditionally measured outcomes by what was lost: civilian deaths, injuries, and property damage. But what happens when departments start measuring what firefighters saved? In this episode, we examine the shift toward positive fire service metrics, including firefighter rescues, lives saved, property protected, and the financial value of fire department operations. Newer init...

What does NFPA 1750 mean for your fire department? In this episode, Eddie Buchanan sits down with retired Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Dave Downey to discuss the fire service's newly consolidated standard, NFPA 1750: Standard for Emergency Response and Deployment . They explore why multiple legacy NFPA standards were combined into a single document and what the changes mean for fire department lea...

What can firefighters, officers, instructors, and EMS professionals expect at FDIC 2027? In this episode of The Training Officer, Dave McGlynn talks with Fire Engineering Editor-in-Chief David Rhodes about what is new at FDIC 2027, including expanded hands-on training, live fire opportunities, new symposiums and programs, and changes designed to give attendees more practical training options. The...

From playing basketball in Chicago firehouse bays to spending 26 years climbing the ranks in Birmingham, OJ Kolodziej built his career on discipline, technical execution, and self-investment. Starting out, the now-retired captain from the Birmingham (AL) Fire Department spent a year and a half floating between stations before securing a spot on heavy rescue and truck companies—a role that required...

On this episode of the Women in Fire podcast, host Lisa Baker welcomes veteran lieutenant and assessment center SME Heidi Simon of the South Metro (CO) Fire Department. Simon walks through the in‑basket exercise used on firefighter promotional exams. She explains what an in‑basket looks like, the assessment dimensions (planning, multitasking, time management, problem solving, delegation, policy kn...

Gary Ludwig, an expert EMS, fire, and 911 expert, joins the Politics and Tactics panel to discuss his role as an expert witness in an LODD case that had a multi-million-dollar verdict. They cover what went wrong at the Rock Falls, Illinois, incident.

Hosts Brian Brush and Anthony Kastros welcome guest Sean Duffy for this episode of Command Show. They open with a nod to the 25 years that have passed since September 11, 2001, and the 343 firefighters lost that day, talking about the ways 9/11 reshaped the fire service's mindset around risk, service, and search operations. The panel also explores how modern data from the Firefighter Rescue Survey...

Host Anthony Rowett welcomes Mickey Farrell, an  FDNY lieutenant, and James Stallings, a captain in Mobile, Alabama, to break down size-up and hose stretching. The panel talks through practical, repeatable methods for single‑family homes, garden apartments, center‑hall buildings, and standpipe/vertical stretches. They also emphasize slowing down to see the big picture and simple drills that turn u...

In this episode of The Command Post, hosts Rick Lasky and John Salka reflect on the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, and what it means for the fire service today. They discuss the toll World Trade Center-related illnesses continue to take, noting how post-9/11 deaths have now surpassed the original losses from that day. During the episode, the conversation also addresses the cultural import...

On this episode of Two Vollies and a Guest, hosts Jerry Knapp and Tim Pillsworth sit down with Kim Weppler, chair of the Rockland County (NY) Chiefs false alarm committee and long‑time code enforcement pro. During their conversation, they tackle automatic fire alarm overload. They discuss how false alarms are burning out volunteers, draining resources, and risking responses to real fires. Weppler...

Leaving the fire service doesn’t necessarily mean leaving behind the friendships, memories, and sense of identity that came with it. In this episode of The Professional Volunteer Fire Department, host Tom Merrill and guest Chad Edwards explore how firefighters are treated after they leave. They discuss how the transition into retirement can be tough and finding purpose post retirement. They also t...

On this episode of Mayday Monday, host Tony Carroll speaks with Captains Stephen Pettit and Michael Watts, of the Charlotte (NC) Fire Department. The guests walk through the May 18, 2023, SouthPark construction fire in Charlotte, North Carolina. They get into Ladder 1's inside crew's encounter with a fast, chemical-fueled fire in a parking-deck trailer full of spray-foam materials. They describe t...

On this episode of Perspectives on Leadership, host Steve Shaw sits down with Dr. Robert "Navy Bob" Roncska. Shaw asks the retired U.S. Navy captain to translate submarine-tested leadership into practical fire service tactics. They unpack the concept of leading with love and a servant mindset. They also identify and explore three early-warning failures and demonstrate the benefits of relationship-...

-

Special guests John Norman and John Walters, now both retired, join the Humpday Hangout for a look back at their experiences on and following September 11, 2001. They share firsthand recollections from the pile, command decisions, standpipe and hose incompatibility, mutual‑aid responses, void entries, and long‑term medical and mental health impacts. They discuss that day's immediate effects on FDN...

On this episode of The Larry Conley Show, host Larry Conley sits down with Dave Dubowski, president of the Muddy River F.O.O.L.S., to discuss the upcoming 2026 Fraternal Order of Leatherheads Society (F.O.O.L.S.) Convention in St. Louis, Missouri. Running September 14–18, the event overlaps with the chapter's 20th anniversary, the 250th anniversary of the United States, and 25 years since 9/11. 

In this episode of Fire Engineering's In the Books podcast, host David Rhodes and co-host Mike Brown (developmental editor of JEMS) sit down with Donnie Woodyard Jr., veteran EMS leader, educator, and author of The Future of Emergency Medical Services: Artificial Intelligence, Technology, and Innovation 2E from Fire Engineering Books. Donnie shares his EMS background, what inspired the updated sec...

In honor of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Fire Service Data and Tech Talk host Eddie Buchanan welcomes Michael Varney, director of stakeholder collaboration at the First Responder Network Authority, about how responder communications and technology have evolved since 2001. Varney discusses priority access, resilience, and on‑demand deployables, plus the growing role of geospatial tools, indoor loc...

On this episode of The Training Officer, host Dave McGlynn welcomes Kelly Lemmons and Anthony Chen to discuss technical rescue operations, including rope training. They explain how modern technical rescue requires shifting from static procedures to dynamic, critical thinking, balancing evolving industry standards with foundational skills.