Fire Engineering Podcast

David Rhodes sits down with Battalion Chief Ian Bennett of the Seattle Fire Department, founder of West Coast Fire Training and author of Learning to Burn: Live Fire Training for the Modern Fire Environment, published by Fire Engineering Books.

With 20 years in the fire service and 14 in live fire instruction, Bennett explains why much of today’s live fire training doesn’t reflect the modern fire environment, and how ins...

As the first line goes, so goes the fire. The first arrival report sets the tone for everything communicated afterward.

On this episode of Tactical Impact, Chandler Moore, FDIC Advisory Board member, and captain with Martin County Fire and Rescue (FL) breaks down the three essentials of an effective fireground arrival report: content, flow, and tone.

What should officers communicate in their initial radio report? How should they orga...

Engine company operations, hose management, and firefighter training take center stage in this discussion of fireground tactics, equipment testing, and fire service research.

Lt. Shane Furuta of Federal Fire in Hawaii joins the show to discuss why mastering the fundamentals remains essential to effective firefighting.

The conversation explores hands-on training, hose management, low-pressure hose systems, equipment evaluation, and th...

What will determine the future of the volunteer fire service? Guest Mike Ledford joins Tom Merrill to challenge the excuses, outdated practices, and resistance to change that can hold volunteer departments back.

Drawing on lessons from the Wilmore (KY) Fire Department, Assistant Chief Ledford discusses practical ways to strengthen recruitment and retention, from improving how prospective members connect with a department to establi...

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 the lessons emergency services and com...

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 lines, four-way valves, drafting ch...

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 service training, from ...

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 during the incident, including conflicti...

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 Florida Department of Hea...

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 initiatives such as the Firefighter Resc...

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 leaders, fire chiefs, and emergency servi...

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 2027 lineup includes new courses cove...

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 both physical toughness...

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 knowledge, v...

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 and UL Researc...

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 t...

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 importance of the firehous...