GRABS Podcast

Colin Cotter (Firefighter) & Reilly Kilbride (Firefighter) Lexington County Fire Service 3/7/2026 Two story single family wood frame  Arrival to removal = 4min Dirty drag from ankles (each FF had one ankle) then extremity carry down the stairs  Take aways - all units on scene did their jobs effectively to put our crew in a position to make the rescue  - outside training was a big factor in mak...

Sitting down with Chaon Hanson and Jacob Kelly of the Rock Island, IL Fire Department.  They're talking about a rescue they had on December 1st, 2025. This was in a 1.5 story wood frame that from all sides "appeared vacant". The victim was found within the first 6' of a point of egress. Victim weight was 120-150 pounds. Key takeaways -   - Fire Based EMS with Jump Companies  -...

Firefighter John Schowengerdt St. Paul (MN) Fire Department 1.3.26 Modified Multi-Family Dwelling About 15 minutes from arrival on scene until victim removed Victim weighed about 175# Removal was a 2-person dirty drag 3-4 takeaway: Don't be complacent Expect victims even in small fires Automatic Fire Alarms - If a building calls the FD stating it's on fire...assume the building is right...

Danville Fire Department 12/25/2025 1.5 story wood frame with small living space upstairs on alpha side About a minute or less approximately 200 Ladder removal from roof of covered porch Don’t get complacent Be ready to change tactics on the fly Practice the basics! (Deploying Lines, Masking up, and Throwing ladders) Devin Heinrichs - Firefighter (Acting up as LT for day of the fire) Nathan Michae...

Grabs 183 Orlando, FL (11/4/25) LT Bassel Ibrahim  Orlando Fire, FL  From one Ems call to another, they see smoke  Front to back duplex, fire and smoke showing, bars on all windows, chained gate and people waiving.  Told people are trapped when they arrived, while trying to get their gear on.  Trouble getting on radio to request the rest of the alarm.  Someone trapped behind security gate on A sid...

Grabs 182 Cape Girardeau Fire Department, MO  (12/20/25) Andrew Juden Fire Captain Cape Girardeau Fire Department 10:30 P report of 2 houses on fire Single Family Dwelling-Rescue Mode 90% involvement-Report of Victim  VES-Located conscious victim immediately. (One man in) Moderate smoke and heat, door starting to fail at top.  2nd man in to help get pt “unstuck” Pt with dog.  Ammo started to cook...

Grabs 181 Owensboro Fire Department, KY (12/1/25) Josh Knies - Firefighter (K-Niece)  Brad Hamilton - Firefighter Date of grab: 12/1/2025 Type of building: Type V 2 story garden apartment  Possible victim inside with limited mobility (radio traffic)  700 SQ FT Limited Visibility Approx time from arrival to removal: 6 minutes from first arriving apparatus. Weight of the victim: 150 lbs Method of re...

Grabs 180 Grand Prairie, TX (11/20/25)  Stephen Hromcik-BC, Brady Tedrow-LT, Nolan Wade-FF Talk a little IC perspective.  Battalion Chief was first on and attempted the rescue before the engine arrived.  Type of building -Single family residence, single story, approx 1300-1500 sq ft, brick veneer-wood frame Approx time from arrival to removal-1st on fire engine to removal- 2 minutes  Weight of the...

Grabs 179 South Bend, IN (1/21/2024) Brian Williams (Captain)  People working out of position.  Initial reports-no entrapment.  Dinner time.  2-3 blocks from firehouse.  Enroute 2 trapped and multiple calls.  2 story balloon frame-heavy fire out of every window and door on 1st floor. Heavy smoke on 2nd.  Bystander said 4 kids. Stretched line 1 3/4” got pinned down with fire everywhere Officer foun...

Retired Battalion Chief Darby (28 years) and Firefighter Kevin Allen (7 Years) Danville Fire Department (Illinois) Grab date 11/6/2025 1.5 Story wood frame with detached garage 22:48 arrival 1st unit....23:00 victim removed from division 2 window 140-150 lb male victim Ladder assisted rescue Take aways....continue to prioritize search, we confirm by searching that the building is clear, constant s...

Grabs 177 Pulaski Fire Department, Virginia (4/30/25) Lt John Hall  Pulaski Fire  April 30, 2025 One station combination dept  3 story apartment complex, downtown  Heavy fire C side, 3rd floor  Victim presented at window, 3rd floor.  Victim on counter top sticking head out kitchen window.  They wanted to take her out the window to the bucket of the ladder truck but it wasn’t there yet.   They assi...

Grabs 176 North County Fire Protection District (7/28/25)  Thomas Outzen Captain North County Fire Protection District July 28th, 2025 Double wide mobile home Arrival about 0656 hours and removal around 0704 Approx 275lbs+ Initially attempted to under arm drag, needed assistance and went with push/pull 1. Everything moving quick and going "right" still doesn't mean a successful outc...

Grabs 175 Columbia, SC (October 8, 2016) Morgan Craver, Volunteer Firefighter Columbia-Richland FD During Hurricane Matthew  Phone call from BC, reporting tree on a house.  Rural area with Engine and Tender 2 on each  Tree split manufactured home in half with the home on fire.  Line pulled and fire knocked from outside Lots of family members-ran up to report grandma inside.  Family showed where vi...

Nick speaks with Matt Goodner about a rescue made on March, 26th, 2023. Name and Rank: Matt Goodner - Firefighter Department Name: Danville Fire Department (IL) Date of Grab: March 26th, 2023 Type of Building: Two-story, type 3, eight unit multi-family low income apartment building.  Four units per floor connected by open hallways with open stairwells on each side of the building.  This complex ha...

Grabs 173 Montgomery County, Maryland (January 20, 2023)  Name and Rank-Ryan Harris, Captain Department Name-Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Date of Grab-January 20, 2023, 2300hrs Type of building -2 Story single family, split foyer Victim was on phone with dispatch while crews arrived. She was second victim.  TIC-Mirrors and Windows made TIC ineffective.  First victim, passed off to VES crew...

Grabs 172 Rowley Fire, MA  (June 22, 2024)  Name and Rank: RJ Oleary Call Firefighter-EMT  Department: Rowley Fire in Georgetown, MA Date: June 22nd 2024  Came in as a outside fire-upgraded to house fire Type of building: Single family residential home 1.5 story wood frame  Approx time to remove: 4-5 min  Weight of victim: 150-160 LBS  VES  Method of removal: dirty drag to window (arms first) and...

Grabs 171 Pinellas Park Fire, FL (April 14, 2025)  Name and Rank- Lt Bill Weaver Pinellas Park Fire Department  Type of building- 2 story wood frame townhome Met by neighbor-said an elderly person lives in house, no confirmation.  Good viz on first floor, zero viz on second floor  Dead battery on TIC Approx time from arrival to removal - 6 minutes  Weight of victim- 130lbs Method of removal- dirty...

Grabs 170 Sac Metro Fire, CA (August 15, 2024)  Capt Josh Leonard, Kyle DiBiase, Danny Kim (Engineer Matt Rust)  Call came in right at shift change-house fire  Duplex-Living room well involved-no extension to Bravo unit  Neighbors saying baby trapped in back-all in for search (truck)  Engine stretched between fire and victim location.  Smoke halfway down, good visibility low until the room, in the...

Grabs 169 Rocky Mount Fire, NC (May, 2024)  Cody Johnson, Engineer Evening Dispatch to House Fire-Close to station  Enroute saw column and told possibly one person inside.  Brick range style house, 1600 Sq with addition  A-B garage fire, into attic space Extra guy added to search, Search ahead of attack team. Split search. Bathroom-Found arm first (surprised) and the victim pulled away and then st...

Amber Steiding: Assistant Chief  Potomac Fire Company #2 9/1/25 Labor Day Type of building: single family dwelling Approx time from arrival to removal: roughly 10 minutes  Weight of the victim (approximately): victim 1-100 to 120, victim 2- 190 to 200 Method of removal: More of a tackle and push, victim 2 was an assist under their power. First I’ll start with staying ready and staying prepared.  B...

Grabs 165 Ashville, NC (2/16/2025) Grant speaks with Senior Firefighter James Burnette   02/16/2025 at 11:07pm Single story, Single family residential  5:23 seconds to removal Victim 130lbs Horder Conditions  50’ exit Grab limbs and exited on Alpha Takeaway-Masking up with gloves on Grabspodcast@gmail.com

Grabs 164 Orange Township Fire Department, Indiana (April 14, 2025)  Chief Gene Landers  Chief pulls up on house fire, met by mom that said baby was inside.  Mom ran inside and chief followed her, quick grab by mom (18 month kid) <1 min Crews arrived and this became a bread and butter fire. Take-aways   Set up of command vehicle, be prepared for firefight by yourself.  No mask bag with SCBA, sp...

Grabs 163 Carson City, NV (5/16/2018) Jon Pedrini., Battalion Chief Carson City Fire Department 05/16/2018 2-story wood framed multi family apartment 5minutes 8yr old male 120lbs Second floor window Always be ready, fast turnout and mask up times make a difference If your job is to clear a window for removal make sure you clear it out completely Room isolation. Shutting the door and isolating the...

Grabs 162 South Metro Fire Rescue, Colorado (March 2025) First truck assigned all in VES Delta side. Taylor Slaught Firefighter Vince Pratt Engineer House converted to Assisted Living Initial Call as AFA, then upgraded to working fire with 6 trapped. High windows First window-heard vict call out from bed. 3 in first, pass victim out window head first. Extending search from first room, bathroom and...

Grabs 161 Orem Fire Department, UT, (7/19/2025) Name and Rank: Austin McBride Firefighter Critical Care Paramedic  Department Name: City of Orem Fire Department  Date of Grab: 7/19/2025 Type of building: 2 story residential with add-on/DIY construction. Ill add a picture so you can reference it.  Approx time from arrival to removal: 7 minutes Weight of the victim (approximately): 140 Method of rem...