Firefighter Podcast

In this episode, Pete sits down once again with Watch Manager Mike “Stacko” Stachowicz  GIFIRE a UK firefighter, international fire behaviour instructor, and long-time friend of the podcast to unpack his experiences from IFIW ( International Fire Instructor’s Workshop) 2025 . From live burns and tactical experiments in Colorado to conversations with global leaders like Andy Starnes , James Mendoza...

In this second part of our conversation with Jim McParland , we move from the technical to the deeply personal. Jim opens up about the emotional weight of a career spent on the front lines of disaster — the moments that stay with you long after the noise fades, and the quiet burden carried by those who’ve seen the very worst of human tragedy. From the aftermath of catastrophic earthquakes to the h...

Jim McParland’s career reads like a blueprint for courage, discipline, and service. After joining West Midlands Fire Service in 1995, he quickly became part of the UK International Search and Rescue Team, deploying to some of the world’s most severe disaster zones. From the wreckage of the Christchurch earthquake to the chaos of the 2023 Turkey earthquake and the flooding in Malawi, Jim has been a...

In May 1979, a fire tore through the Woolworths department store in Manchester’s Piccadilly Gardens. A blaze that would change British fire safety forever. What began as a small ignition behind a furniture display grew into a full-floor inferno within minutes, fuelled by polyurethane foam and toxic smoke that trapped shoppers and staff on the upper floors. This episode revisits the incident throug...

This episode dives into one of the most important and often misunderstood parts of the UK Fire & Rescue Service. How we attract, develop, and promote the leaders of tomorrow. Joined by Hannah Vallance , Chartered Occupational Psychologist and Director at VCA Ltd , we explore what it really takes to build a workforce and leadership culture that reflects the values and future needs of the modern...

In Part Two of our National Breathing Apparatus Challenge collaboration, we step behind the smoke to hear from the people who design, assess, and drive one of the UK fire service’s most respected events. After following ten operational crews through their thirty minute, two fire, three casualty scenario in Part One, this episode turns the focus to the organisers and assessors — the experts who bui...

In this episode, we head straight to the heart of the 2025 National Breathing Apparatus Challenge where teams of operational UK firefighters went head-to-head in a simulated high-pressure incident: smoke issuing from a rented property, three persons unaccounted for, and two seats of fire to tackle within thirty minutes. Armed with one fire truck & five firefighters each crew faced the same sce...

Today we’re back with someone whose name carries serious weight in UK tactical firefighting. Dave Berry , Tactical Firefighting Training Lead at Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service. With over 25 years on the front line, Dave has trained operational crews across Lancashire, Manchester, Macedonia and Montenegro. He’s a fire behaviour specialist, an educator’s educator, and a lifelong studen...

In this special Emergency services show Collaboration 2025 episode, we explore how human factors shape the way emergency services deliver care under pressure.  Im Joined by Andy Youngson, Advanced Paramedic in Pre-Hospital Care with East Midlands Ambulance Service, and Simon Nevitt, Market Access Manager at Galen Pharma, we unpack the realities of high-stakes decision-making, communication breakdo...

Today we’re digging into the roots of firefighter fitness. How we got from local “beep test and vibes” to nationally validated standards built from actual job tasks and science. Joining me is Dr. Phil Turner one of the key architects behind the NFCC FireFit framework. Phil’s spent the last two decades co-designing the drill ground assessments and publishing the data that define what fit for duty r...

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Daniel Higuera a human performance coach, researcher, and Associate Professor at Santa Ana College. Dan’s worked with over two thousand firefighters across the U.S., studying how call volume, sleep loss, and stress reshape our bodies, readiness, and mental health. He’s one of the few people turning hard data into real-world change for the fire service. We dive...

The History of the Fire Service -  From the bucket brigades of ancient Rome and the Great Fire of London to the rise of professional brigades and modern scientific firefighting, this story traces how courage, community, and innovation shaped the fire service we know today. Packed with real events, legends, and lessons from centuries of evolution, it’s a deep dive into the roots of our traditions a...

Endurance sports have never been bigger—running, triathlon, Hyrox, cycling, and now the rise of firefighter challenge events are pulling more and more people into the world of testing limits. At the heart of these challenges lies a key performance barrier: lactate threshold and that familiar muscle burn that can shut you down when intensity peaks. It’s about finding ways to go further without hitt...

Welcome back to our Emergency Service Show 2025 collaboration series. In this episode, we shine a light on Women in the Fire Service and not as a separate chapter, but as a vital force shaping the fire service of today and tomorrow. I’m joined by two brilliant guests. Siobhan, better known as Shiv, or The Fire Mum —a London Fire Brigade firefighter who’s been blazing a trail with honesty, advocacy...

In this Denrief episode, we step back to October 1871 and relive the night Chicago became a city on fire. What began as a small barn blaze on DeKoven Street turned into a chain of wind-driven infernos that destroyed over 17,000 buildings, left a third of the city homeless, and claimed hundreds of lives. We break down the fire’s mysterious origins, the tactical failures that let it spiral out of co...

Over the next week we’ll be rolling out a special mini-series recorded live at the Emergency Services Show a collaboration with Catherine and the ESS team.  The show is one of Europe’s leading gathering for the blue light community: over 16,000+ professionals from fire, police, ambulance, search & rescue and support sectors. ESS showcases 500+ leading exhibitors, thousands of response innovati...

In this episode in joined by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman. Retired U.S. Army Ranger, paratrooper, former West Point psychology professor and author of On Killing and On Combat walks us through how we unpack the psychology of stress, trauma, and resilience.  Grossman has spent decades training military, law enforcement, and first responders on what actually happens to the mind and body under extreme pres...

In this episode, I sit down with Ann Millington to dig into what leadership really looks like in the fire and rescue services today. We talk about psychological safety, building no-blame cultures, and navigating the messy reality of budget cuts and complex organizational structures. Ann shares why inclusion and well-being aren’t optional extras but the foundation of effective teams, and we get int...

I had the pleasure of sitting down with my friend Scotty Hewson to talk about his remarkable journey through aviation, firefighting, and service. Scotty shared how his love for helicopters started as a child at an air show with his grandfather, a passion that carried him into the Army Air Corps where he served as a Lynx crewman and door gunner. His story is one of resilience, setbacks, and determi...

In this episode I'm joined by my good friend Dean Keeber to celebrate the very first Northants Firefighter Challenge , hosted at the stunning Rushden Lakes. We explore the unique course design, the overwhelming community support from sponsors, volunteers, and cadets, and highlight inspiring athlete performances including overall winner Matt Adams, Dettie Bala, and Matt Weston. Dean also share...

In this episode of the Firefighters Podcast, we dive deep into the role of pressurised staircases in UK high-rise buildings . These engineered systems are designed to keep smoke out of escape routes, protecting residents during evacuation and giving firefighters a safe access path to the fire floor. We explore how they work, why they matter, and the fire science behind pressure differences, flow p...

Today I’m speaking with Brad Dicks , firefighter, father, and the current world record holder in FireFit, the ultimate test of speed, strength, and resilience in the fire service. Brad opens up about the mindset and discipline it takes to compete at the highest level, from relentless training and visualization, to the resilience that keeps him going when others burn out. He shares stories of commu...

Every firefighter knows the feeling: sweating through a call in full structural PPE gear when it wasn’t needed. Fatigue, heat stress, restricted movement. These things cost us on the job. That’s why I sat down with Vicki Jackson from MSA Bristol , leaders in firefighter PPE, to talk about what “ PPE Fit for a Changing World ” really means. In this episode, we cover: ✅ The philosophy behind right...

This episode is a reflection on the Firefighters Memorial Trust’s Annual Service of Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum for those unable to attend. Surrounded by colleagues, families, and supporters, the day carried immense weight through silence, poetry, and the laying of wreaths, every moment honoured the courage and sacrifice of those who gave their lives in service.  The Arboretum,...

If you’ve followed this show for a while, you’ll know how much of a personal interest I have in leadership. And part of the reason for that is because, like many of you, I carry a fear with me: the fear that I might go through my career having an unintended impact on people. That the way I lead, or fail to lead, could leave a mark I never meant to. I think very few people really study leadership....