Fire Engineering Podcast

Using Big Water at Fires: Deck Guns, Master Streams, and Fire Attack

When a structure fire is growing rapidly, delivering a high volume of water can make a critical difference. In this episode, Eric Dreiman examines the importance of big water tactics, including the use of deck guns and portable monitors to knock down large fires quickly. Dreiman explains why firefighters need to train on these tactics, understand what a high volume fire stream can accomplish, and recognize how quickly it can affect fire conditions. He also discusses the value of big water for departments operating with limited staffing. From understanding fire stream effectiveness to building the skills needed to deploy deck guns and portable monitors with confidence, this episode challenges firefighters to train beyond their usual routines and consider the full range of tools available for fire attack. Listen to Fire Engineering podcasts for practical fireground tactics, engine company operations, training, and lessons for today’s fire service. This episode is brought to you by The Fire Store: TheFireStore.com

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In the Books: Episode 22 - Learning to Burn: Live Fire Training for the Modern Fire Environment

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 instructors can fix it. He makes the case for quality over quantity: fewer, more realistic burns with larger fuel loads and limited ventilation, rather than high-rep evolutions that build retained heat and teach little. Topics include: Using live fire to teach when and how to apply skills, not just to repeat them. Fuel loads, ventilation control, and fixed-facility design. Common instructor mistakes and why instructor education matters most. The OSB debate, exposure reduction, and decon. Why realistic training makes modern fires more predictable. Advice for aspiring live fire instructors. Get your copy of Learning to Burn: Live Fire Training for the Modern Fire Environment at https://fireengineeringbooks.com/new-products/learning-to-burn-live-fire-training-for-the-modern-fire-environment/?utm_medium=podcast_episode&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=in_the_books&utm_content=learning_to_burn and catch Ian’s live fire class at FDIC 2027.

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The 3 Essentials of an Effective Fireground Arrival Report | Tactical Impact

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 organize the information? And how does their delivery affect communication on the fireground? Moore explores how officers can sharpen these skills to provide clear, effective arrival reports and establish a solid foundation for the incident communications that follow.

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Engine Company Operations: Hose Management, Firefighter Training, and Data

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 the role of research and data in improving fireground performance. They also examine resources such as the Firefighter Rescue Survey and explain why departments must apply research findings to their own staffing, resources, and operational needs. Listen for practical insights on engine company operations, firefighter training, fireground decision making, and using data to improve tactical performance. Firefighter Rescue Survey: FIREFIGHTER RESCUE SURVEY - For Them This episode is brought to you by The Fire Store: TheFireStore.com

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The Choice Before Us: Deciding the Future of the Volunteer Fire Service

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 establishing structured duty crews and maintaining high training standards. The conversation also examines the role of leadership, accountability, mentorship, and station culture in building a volunteer fire service that can meet the needs of its members and communities. Volunteer departments cannot afford to rely on the way things have always been done. The future depends on leaders who are willing to identify problems, develop solutions, and take action. This episode is brought to you by The Fire Store: TheFireStore.com

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9/11: Remembering the Fallen and Lessons for First Responders | Two Volleys and a Guest

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 communities must carry forward. Knapp and Pillsworth discuss the importance of local emergency planning, establishing clear incident command structures, preparing communities for the unexpected, and educating younger generations about the events of September 11 and their lasting impact. We cannot change what happened, but we can honor those who were lost by supporting survivors, strengthening preparedness, and ensuring the lessons of 9/11 are never forgotten. In this episode: Personal reflections on September 11 from West Point and local firehouses Remembering fallen friends and the ongoing illnesses affecting first responders Why effective emergency planning and incident command matter Building community resilience through preparedness and education Keeping the memory and lessons of 9/11 alive for future generations Two Volleys and a Guest is a podcast for the volunteer fire service, bringing important conversations and firsthand perspectives to the fire service community. Subscribe to Fire Engineering for more fire service podcasts, training insights, and conversations that matter to firefighters. #FireEngineering #VolunteerFirefighters #September11 This episode is brought to you by The Fire Store: TheFireStore.com

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Ground Ladder Operations: Training, Maintenance, and Firefighter Safety

Are your ground ladders ready when seconds count? 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 The Fire Store: TheFireStore.com

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Fireground Hydraulics and Water Supply: LDH, Hydrant Hookups, and Drafting

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 challenges, and mobile water supply equipment. They also discuss why incident commanders must recognize when to increase water supply capacity as fire conditions evolve. This episode offers practical considerations for firefighters, company officers, and incident commanders responsible for effective fireground water delivery. Key Hose is dedicated to the manufacture and delivery of the highest quality fire hose products, combining the best in raw materials with expert craftsmanship. Sponsored by Key Hose: www.keyhose.com

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Becoming a Better Fire Service Instructor: Teaching, Feedback, and Leadership

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 the station drill ground to national conferences. They discuss the mindset, communication skills, and teaching techniques that help instructors become more effective educators. In this episode: Fire Service Instructor Development: Making the transition from experienced firefighter to effective educator. Constructive Feedback: Correcting mistakes calmly without relying on yelling or ego. Training New Recruits: Adapting your teaching style to different students and environments. Instructor Leadership: Why humility, passion, and a willingness to learn matter. Mentorship and Legacy: Honoring the instructors who shaped their careers and reflecting on the lasting impact of 9/11. Whether you're a fire academy instructor, company officer, training officer, or firefighter looking to share your knowledge, this conversation offers practical insights for becoming a stronger teacher and helping elevate the fire service. Subscribe to Fire Engineering for more firefighter training, tactical discussions, leadership insights, and fire service education. #TalkinTactics #FirefighterTraining #FireService This episode is brought to you by The Fire Store: TheFireStore.com

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Mayday Monday: Managing Command Stress and Tactical Gaps

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 conflicting information about the building, delays with the water supply, and limited visibility between different sides of the structure. He also discusses how command routines, tracking tools, and practiced procedures can help keep operations moving when conditions start to overwhelm the incident commander. The conversation also looks at task saturation, the physical effects of stress, and what happens to decision making when a firefighter's heart rate and stress level climb. Carroll also covers box breathing as this episode's survival skill drill. This episode is brought to you by The Fire Store: TheFireStore.com

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Perspectives on Leadership: Building a System for Firefighter Mental Health

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 Health data with firefighter certification records and explains what that data can tell us about suicide risk in the fire service. She also introduces the Zero Suicide Framework, a seven part approach that gives organizations a framework for supporting firefighters throughout their careers, including the transition into retirement. Shaw and O’Dare discuss practical ways departments can move beyond good intentions and build mental health support into the organization itself. They also talk about coping strategies, work-life balance, communication, stigma, and creating a culture where firefighters can ask for help before reaching a crisis point. Perspectives on Leadership is produced by Fire Engineering, devoted to the training interests of firefighters since 1877. This episode is brought to you by The Fire Store: TheFireStore.com

Rethinking Fire Service Metrics: Measuring Saves, Not Just Losses

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 Rescue Survey are helping capture outcomes that traditional reporting systems often overlooked. The conversation also looks at how departments can use data to demonstrate their return on investment, including the value of protected property and ISO rating savings. For fire service leaders facing budget pressure, staffing challenges, and questions from city councils, these metrics can provide a much stronger picture of what a department delivers to its community. Topics covered: • Why traditional fire service metrics focus so heavily on loss • Tracking firefighter rescues and positive outcomes • Measuring the value of property protected • Using ISO savings to demonstrate community return on investment • How data can support staffing and funding decisions • Building a stronger case for fire department resources Subscribe for more fire service leadership, training, and operational insight from Fire Engineering. This episode is brought to you by The Fire Store: TheFireStore.com

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NFPA 1750: The New Fire Service Standard Every Chief Should Understand

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 services agencies across the country. Topics discussed include: ✅ Changes to ERF (Effective Response Force) staffing requirements ✅ Risk-based deployment and response planning ✅ The new unit reliability benchmark ✅ The consolidation of previous NFPA standards into NFPA 1750 ✅ Using NFPA 1750 to justify staffing, apparatus, and resource needs ✅ How chiefs can leverage the standard in budget discussions and boardroom presentations Whether you're a fire chief, company officer, city manager, municipal leader, firefighter, or EMS administrator, understanding NFPA 1750 is critical for making informed decisions about emergency response, deployment, staffing, and community risk reduction. Subscribe for more conversations on fire service leadership, fire department operations, firefighter safety, EMS, staffing, deployment, standards, and emergency response management. This podcast is brought to you by Esri: https://www.esri.com/en-us/home 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 services agencies across the country. Topics discussed include: ✅ Changes to ERF (Effective Response Force) staffing requirements ✅ Risk-based deployment and response planning ✅ The new unit reliability benchmark ✅ The consolidation of previous NFPA standards into NFPA 1750 ✅ Using NFPA 1750 to justify staffing, apparatus, and resource needs ✅ How chiefs can leverage the standard in budget discussions and boardroom presentations Whether you're a fire chief, company officer, city manager, municipal leader, firefighter, or EMS administrator, understanding NFPA 1750 is critical for making informed decisions about emergency response, deployment, staffing, and community risk reduction. Subscribe for more conversations on fire service leadership, fire department operations, firefighter safety, EMS, staffing, deployment, standards, and emergency response management. This podcast is brought to you by Esri: https://www.esri.com/en-us/home

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FDIC 2027 Preview: New Firefighter Training, Live Fire, Technology, and EMS Programs

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 covering engine company operations, moving water from static sources, mid-rise and high-rise tactics, shoring, aerial ladder operations, search and victim removal, fire dynamics, fire pump and sprinkler operations, and live fire instructor training. The episode also explores technology, AI and decision-making support, connected firegrounds, robotics, drones, wellness, performance culture, leadership, and volunteer officer training. Rhodes also discusses how FDIC selects instructors and courses, why popular classes continue to return, what instructors can do to build their experience and contribute to the fire service, and what attendees should know about HOT classes and live fire training. The episode closes with Mike Brown discussing the expanded JEMS and EMS programming at FDIC 2027, including four dedicated EMS classrooms, new EMS educator and critical care tracks, the EMS Innovation Summit, EMS HITS sessions, Sim Yard opportunities, and CAPCE accredited education. Registration for FDIC 2027 opens October 5 at noon ET. Topics include: • FDIC 2027 firefighter training • Live fire and hands on training • Engine, truck and search operations • Fire dynamics and fire behavior • Fire officer and leadership training • Fire service technology and AI • EMS education and CAPCE credit • JEMS programming at FDIC • How FDIC courses and instructors are selected • What firefighters should know before registering This podcast is sponsored by IFSTA: https://www.ifsta.org/shop?utm_source=FE&utm_medium=PodcastSponsor&utm_campaign=IFSTA_FE&utm_term=IFSTA_FE_PodcastSponsor&utm_content=IFSTA_FE_October2026

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Lessons in Truck Company Operations and Leadership

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 and deep mental agility. Through years of forced entry, search operations, and technical rescues, Kolodziej learned that true truck work isn't just about swinging tools; it's about reading the building, understanding the exact purpose behind every tactic, and operating seamlessly as a unit. Now stepping into a new chapter as a firefighter-paramedic with the Cahaba Valley (AL) Fire District, he brings decades of leadership back to the ground level, offering a realistic look at transition, humility, and maintaining the highest standards of the fire service craft.

How to Ace the Fire Service In‑Basket Exercise

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, verbal and written communication), and practical tactics: She emphasizes practice with real department issues, knowing local “hot topics” and policies, and the necessity of follow up.

How Operational Failures Led to a Multi-Million-Dollar LODD Verdict

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.

Operational Readiness and Search-Focused Tactics

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 Research Institutes challenges older, more passive fireground assumptions. Duffy argues that firefighters shouldn't write off heavily involved spaces before evaluating survivability. The discussion highlights the importance of decentralized command, company-level decision making, and high standards for training to empower proactive firefighters. This podcast is brought to you by Tablet Command. www.tabletcommand.com/get-started-lp

Engine Company Tactics for Stretching Hose

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 unknowns into knowns.

The Heartbeat of the Neighborhood

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 firehouse itself, with Lasky and Salka addressing how these stations serve as sanctuaries, homes, and community anchors.