Pete Wakefield

Firefighter Podcast

The Firefighters Podcast is an award winning global podcast developing, inspiring, connecting, motivating & celebrating the world of our emergency services operators through a series of wide-ranging conversations with those within our emergency services family. Hosted by serving operational UK firefighter & Instructor Pete Wakefield who speaks with individuals from all walks of life who share a connection with, can add value to, or can develop those within the fire sector. Our driving purpose is to create a legacy resource for the current and future generations of firefighters & first responde...

Author

Pete Wakefield

Category

Education

Latest episode

Jul 6, 2026

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Episodes

#198 Structural Firefighting & Operational Training with Leading Firefighter Gerard Mann of Fire Rescue Victoria 28.01.2023

Gerard Mann is an experienced Leading Firefighter, Instructor & international conference speaker from  Fire Rescue Victoria in East Melbourne Australia. You can contact Gerard through his Linkedin HERE A big thanks to our partners for supporting this episode. GORE-TEX Professional Clothing HAIX Footwear Fitness For the Frontline is coaching designed specifically to reflect the physical element...

#197 Manchester Arena Bombing 2017 Incident Debrief 21.01.2023

On 22 May 2017, an Islamist extremist suicide bomber detonated a shrapnel-laden homemade bomb as people were leaving the Manchester Arena following a concert. Twenty-three people were killed, including the attacker, and 1,017 were injured, many of them children. The incident was the deadliest terrorist attack and the first suicide bombing in the United Kingdom since the 7 July 2005 London bombings...

#196 Strikes, Pay & Passion in the Job with Steve Dudeney 15.01.2023

Joining me today is returning guest Steve Dudeney as we talk about: Industrial action and strikes culture in the job the growing dander happening in fire safety firefighter pay and much more........ A big thanks to our partners for supporting this episode. GORE-TEX Professional Clothing HAIX Footwear Fitness For the Frontline is coaching designed specifically to reflect the physical elements of th...

#195 Teamwork & Trust with Leanne Player 08.01.2023

Leanne is a UK firefighter who was featured on the BBC’s "We Are England" We Are England, aired an episode called We Are Firefighters in2022 which showed a unique insight into the heart of the modern-day fire and rescue service. Today i chat with Leanne about: teamwork community culture morale challenges and setbacks A big thanks to our partners for supporting this episode. GORE-TEX Prof...

#194 The UK Pink Firefighter Team year end catch up 04.01.2023

Banter & catch up with some members of the UK Pink Firefighter team. Supporting & raising awareness about Breast Cancer. To find out more about the Pink Firefighters click HERE to support or donate please click HERE A big thanks to our partners for supporting this episode. GORE-TEX Professional Clothing HAIX Footwear Fitness For the Frontline is coaching designed specifically to reflect th...

#193 Psychological Health & Safety, Neurodiversity, Inclusion & Belonging with Jacqui Wilmshurst PhD CPsychol 01.01.2023

Jacqui Wilmshurst PhD CPsychol is a Senior Consultant & Psychologist working in Psychological Health & Safety, Wellbeing, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging. Find out more or connect with Jacqui via her LinkedIn HERE Listen to every episode & Debrief ever made, get full access to discounts, insider info & support the ongoing work of the podcast by clicking HERE A big thanks to ou...

#192 How to NOT BECOME A PHYSICAL MESS over Christmas with Mark Pearce 28.12.2022

Mark Pearce runs Fitness For the Frontline with coaching designed specifically to reflect the physical elements of the role of a Firefighter for those applying for, currently serving in or retired from the fire service.   Listen to every episode & Debrief ever made, get full access to discounts, insider info & support the ongoing work of the podcast by clicking HERE A big thanks to our par...

#191 Marathon Des Sables, Mental health & PTSD with James Bull 25.12.2022

From a background in high level rugby James Bull turned to  fighting fires and saving lives where over time he feels like he has lost himself as his previously confident, happy self as his mental health deteriorated in part due to the people around him and working conditions. As a Station Commander James says he knows that if he wants to raise awareness about the mental health challenges that come...

#190 Paul Minter, 191 MARATHONS IN 218 DAYS & The Head Up Charity 18.12.2022

Paul served for nearly 18 years in the British Army as a reconnaissance soldier, completing several frontline tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was blown up by RPGs (Rocket-Propelled Grenades) and with an IED (Improvised Explosive Device), experiencing hundreds of firefights and seeing comrades, friends, blown up on numerous occasions. Starting on the 1st of March 2022, to help fund The HEAD UP ch...

#189 The Keys to longevity & High Performance with Coach & Firefighter Andy Kay 16.12.2022

Andy is a Strength & Conditioning Coach: Bsc(Hons) S&C PGdip Physiology  & UK Firefighter Andy works with predominantly with Professional athletes and you can find him on Instagram HERE You can find useful content about human performance from Andy HERE NOTE: FOR CONTEXT THIS WAS RECORDED BACK IN AUGUST 2022 Listen to every episode & Debrief ever made, get full access to discounts,...

The Fire & Emergency awards 2022 round up 12.12.2022

A quick round up of some of the award winner's, partner's & organisers from the Fire & Emergency awards 2022. The Excellence in Fire and Emergency Awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of the fire and emergency services. Chief Fire Officers, their teams, industry supporters, suppliers and front-line firefighters come together to celebrate the work of brigades, teams and...

#188 Building community trust based on data & social Science with Dr Christian Morgner 11.12.2022

Dr Christian Morgner is a Senior Lecturer in Cultural and Creative Industries at the University of Sheffield. He was the lead on a study Understanding ethnicity and residential fires from the perspective of cultural values and practices. The Grenfell Tower and Lakanal House fires in London in 2017 and 2009 highlighted how these devasting events mainly affected people from ethnic minorities. While...

#187 Fleur Lombard fatal Incident Debrief at Leos Supermarket February 4th 1996 08.12.2022

Fleur was the first female firefighter to die on duty in peacetime Britain with extensive full thickness burns involving the entire head and neck, chest, upper part of the abdomen, trunk, both upper arms, forearms and hands. Avon Fire Brigade (now Avon Fire and Rescue Service (AFRS)) were called to a fire at 12:46 on the 4th February 1996 at Leo’s Supermarket, Staple Hill, Bristol. The Fleur Lomba...

#186 Fire Magazine 2022 round up & Look ahead to the Excellence in Fire & Emergency Awards with Andrew Lynch 02.12.2022

Andrew Ledgerton-Lynch is the Managing Editor for FIRE MAGAZINE Every year FIRE magazine publisher, Fire Knowledge host the Excellence in Fire & Emergency Awards 2022. his year it will be held in London on December 9th. In todays episode we speak about: Nominees for the awards Innovation in the sector during 2023 Decontamination and how far we have come Pay disputes Strike action Culturals rev...

#185 The 3 L's of the Fire Service with Ange Everington 01.12.2022

Ange is a professional developing firefighter within UKFRS. She joined the fire service after 6 attempts, overcoming personal challenges and setbacks on her way to the job she wanted since a child. Ange is sharing her journey in the role by creating a social media platform in a bid to help and inspire others that are wanting to join the job to encourage them that anyone, regardless of gender can a...

#184 Is LFB Institutionally misogynist and racist - The London Fire Brigade Independent Cultural Review 30.11.2022

An Independent Culture Review with a comprehensive examination of culture at London Fire Brigade was a recommendation of the internal investigation into the death of a firefighter on development, Jaden Matthew Francois-Esprit, who tragically took his own life in August 2020. Before Jaden’s death LFB say they knew there were longstanding issues with poor culture and behaviour at the Brigade and had...

#183 Scottish Accents, Mental health & Marathons in NYC with Mike McNab & Iain Ballantyne 27.11.2022

Mike McNab & Iain Ballantyne are firefighters based in Scotland who raised money for charity running the New York City marathon wearing fire kit. In our chat today we talk about:- Mike's personal battles with mental health the benefit of small habit changes on long term positive change Their involvement with Ops Florian training firefighters in third world countries  the changing culture...

What to measure & where to focus with Mark Pearce Fitness for the Frontline 22.11.2022

Touching base again with Mark as we talk marathon running, Arnold classic, how we view fitness differently & finally what we should measure & value when it comes to "being a fit career firefighter" Mark is a career firefighter, physical trainer and health and fitness advisor for his service in helping firefighters enjoy long career in their peak physical health. Mark also runs Fi...

Firefighter Pay - a brief recap on where we have come from & what we are facing today 15.11.2022

Following national news from unions and services on pay dispute & potential upcoming strike action regarding UK firefighter pay we do a brief recap on where we have come from & what we are facing today. Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew Listen to every episode & Debrief ever made, get full access to discounts, insider info & sup...

#181 Loving the job & not taking yourself too seriously with Gareth Smith 13.11.2022

Gareth is an operational UK firefighter who inspires, educates and pulls back the curtain for the public about what happens in the life of a firefighter. He has really taken connecting with our communities to a whole new level with his large TIKTOK following and creative funny way of connecting with people. Gareth has also had some real challenges with his own mental health journey & speaks ab...

#180 Marlie Farm Fatal Incident Debrief December 3rd 2006 09.11.2022

On 3 December 2006 fire crews were mobilised to a fire at Marlie Farm located near Ringmer in East Sussex. The incident involved a complex of buildings at which a large volume of fireworks were being stored.  As a consequence of the development of the fire, what safety measures were in place failed to protect the explosives from becoming involved in the fire and an explosion occurred killing two f...

#179 Leadership, Work ethic & Wildland firefighting with California Assistant Fire Chief Chad Costa 06.11.2022

Chad Costa is assistant chief with the City of Petaluma (California) Fire Department. With 20 years of fire service experience, Costa has worked in a variety of organizations, including the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), rural districts, semi-rural districts and a city. He is the technology and communications battalion chief and a division group supervisor on Cal...

#177 UP IN SMOKE with Firefighter & Author Leigh Hosy-Pickett 30.10.2022

UP IN SMOKE: Stories from a Life on Fire Is Leigh's compelling collection of stories from his life as a third-generation firefighter. In 2007 Leigh was awarded a Chief Fire Officers’ Commendation for ‘Action and Dedication Beyond the Call of Duty’. He also won two gold medals at the 2008 World Firefighter Games. He is a campaigner, activist, PTSD sufferer, mental health advocate, storyteller...

#176 EXIT PROJECT RECAP - Article from The Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine 27.10.2022

As a follow requested from many here is a brief breakdown of the more specific data for a comparison of the demographics, injury patterns and outcome data for patients injured in motor vehicle collisions who are trapped compared to those patients who are not trapped. This data supported and steered the work of Tim Nutbeam and the EXIT project from episode 173. The article can be found in long form...

#175 Gillender Street Incident Debrief July 10th 1991 23.10.2022

Today's Debrief looks back at the Incident on Gillender Street in Tower Hamlets, London which claimed the lives of two firefighters Terry Hunt and David Stokoe. The fire was attended by more than 25 fire engines after starting on July 10th 1991. Listen to every episode & Debrief ever made, get full access to discounts, insider info & support the ongoing work of the podcast by clicking...

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