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Firefighter Podcast

Pete Wakefield

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 responders

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  • 24 episodes
  • Avg 1 hr 2 min
  • English

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Episodes 24

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  • S7 · E503
    Yesterday · 34 min

    #503 25 Years After 911, Terry Farrell & the Atlanta Stair Climb with Laurel Clonts Malcolm

    As we prepare to head to Atlanta for the 25th anniversary of 9/11, I wanted to understand the meaning behind the trip and the people at the heart of it. I sat down with Laurel Clonts Malcolm from the Terry Farrell Firefighters Fund to talk about Terry Farrell, an FDNY firefighter killed on 9/11, the legacy carried forward in his name, and the incredible work the Fund continues to do for first responders and their families. We also talk about remembrance, the lasting impact of 9/11, and what it means for the UK firefighter group to stand alongside our US brothers and sisters. Access all episodes, documents, GIVEAWAYS & debriefs HERE Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode are William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO DELTA FIRE Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S7 · E502
    Thursday · 47 min

    #502 UK Wildfire Season Debrief 2026

    The UK’s 2026 wildfire season has pushed Fire and Rescue Services into unprecedented operational territory. In this episode, we look at the numbers behind more than a thousand significant wildfires, some of the largest and most resource-intensive incidents of the year, the impact on firefighters, appliances and national resilience, and how the UK’s wildfire capability has developed over time. We explore specialist teams, training, vehicles, aerial firefighting and international best practice, before taking a deeper look at one of the most important issues facing firefighters on the fireline: PPE, heat stress, smoke exposure and the reality of undertaking prolonged wildfire operations in structural firefighting kit that was never designed for that environment. This is a firefighter-focused debrief of what 2026 has exposed, what the sector is already improving, and what needs to change before the next major wildfire season. Access all episodes, documents, GIVEAWAYS & debriefs HERE Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode are William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO DELTA FIRE Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S7 · E501
    Monday · 52 min

    #501 Duarte Mendes Marine, Firefighter, World Champion

    In this episode I sit down with Portuguese firefighter and world champion firefighter athlete Duarte Mendes to discover the man behind the medals. We talk about growing up in the small Portuguese town of Avis, the values and work ethic his family gave him, his four years serving in the Portuguese Marines, lifeguarding and the journey that eventually led him into a career with the Lisbon Fire Brigade. Duarte gives us a fascinating insight into professional firefighting in Portugal, including 24-hour shifts, specialist diving operations and the demands of serving one of Europe’s historic capital cities, before we get into nearly a decade of firefighter competition, becoming a world champion, winning internationally, how his training and recovery have evolved and the sacrifice required to compete at the highest level while remaining an operational firefighter. But perhaps most importantly, we talk about family, purpose, the possibility of eventually stepping away from competition and why becoming a good person matters far more to Duarte than any medal he could ever win. Access all episodes, documents, GIVEAWAYS & debriefs HERE Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode are William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S6 · E499
    August 17 · 1 hr 7 min

    #499 How to Buy PPE & Uniform Without Getting It Wrong with Natalie Wilson

    In this episode I sit down with Natalie Wilson, Founder and Managing Director of Workwear Solutions International, to explore one of the most important but often underdeveloped areas in the fire sector: how we specify, procure, assess and ultimately trust the PPE and workwear we rely on every day. Natalie brings more than 20 years of experience across the supply chain, procurement, technical assessment and standards development, including leading work on the world’s first inclusive PPE standard, and this conversation gets into the gap between something simply being compliant and it actually being fit for purpose, fit for the wearer and fit for the operational environment. We talk about the loss of experienced PPE knowledge as people retire, the importance of succession planning, wearer trials, standards, fit, inclusion, station wear, supplier engagement and how better questions can lead to better kit and safer outcomes. For anyone involved in firefighting, PPE, procurement, training, health and safety or leadership, I genuinely see this as essential CPD because understanding what we wear, why we wear it and how those decisions are made is fundamental to doing the job properly. Access all episodes, documents, GIVEAWAYS & debriefs HERE Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode are William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO USEFUL LINKS MENTIONED: www.wsiltd.co.uk https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliewilson01/ Inclusive PPE Standard & Companion Guide links from BSI: https://knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/provision-of-inclusive-personal-protective-equipment-ppe-guide https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/insights-and-media/insights/brochures/how-to-turn-bs30417-into-action-companion-guide/ Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S6 · E498
    August 13 · 41 min

    #498 Ordinary People, Extraordinary Rescues: When Everyday People Choose to Act

    In this one-off episode I step away from our usual focus on trained emergency responders to explore what happens when ordinary people find themselves inside somebody else’s worst moment and choose to act. Through documented stories involving burning buildings, aircraft crashes, freezing water, terrorist attacks, wartime rescue networks and mass evacuations, I examine courage, initiative, sacrifice and the difficult line between bravery and recklessness. This is not an encouragement to take unnecessary risks, but a reminder that agency, leadership and meaningful action are not owned by rank, uniform or authority and that even the smallest decision to notice, speak up or step forward can change the direction of another person’s life. Access all episodes, documents, GIVEAWAYS & debriefs HERE Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode are William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S6 · E497
    August 10 · 39 min

    #497 In the Bays with Cobb County Fire Georgia USA

    Recorded in the appliance bays during our March 2026 visit to Atlanta, this episode offers a quick insight into Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services and one small part of the wider American fire service. We discuss their specialist command and rescue capabilities, emergency medical provision, recruitment, training and personnel accountability. The conversation also tackles some challenging operational questions. Would you enter without a hose line for a known life risk? How should firefighters balance immediate rescue against long-term health risks? Are accountability systems always proportionate to the resources available? This was not a formal sit-down podcast. We were on a tight schedule preparing for the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, so we captured the conversation while we had the opportunity. A brief, honest look at the people, equipment and operational thinking inside Cobb County Fire. Access all episodes, documents, GIVEAWAYS & debriefs HERE Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode are William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S6 · E496
    August 6 · 27 min

    #496 Humble, Hungry & Smart: How to become the teammate your crew can rely on

    In this short solo episode, Im doing something a little different as one of the most common emails i get is about personal development tools - so here is one i think might be useful. In this episode im going to revisit & explore Patrick Lencioni’s book The Ideal Team Player and its simple but powerful framework of being humble, hungry and smart. I look at how these three qualities can support your own personal and professional development, help you become a stronger and more valuable team player, and give leaders a practical way to develop healthier, more effective teams. I also examine what happens when one of these qualities is missing, why certain combinations can become damaging, and how the framework can be used as a mirror for self-reflection, a language for honest team conversations and a tool for building stronger organisations. Access all episodes, documents, GIVEAWAYS & debriefs HERE Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode are William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S6 · E495
    August 3 · 1 hr 9 min

    #495 Creating Thinking Firefighters with Chief Jason Caughey

    In this episode, im joined by Chief Jason Caughey, a fire service leader with more than 30 years of experience and the Fire Chief of Laramie County Fire Authority in Wyoming, to explore the difference between simply training firefighters to complete tasks and genuinely developing people who can think, adapt, take ownership and act with confidence. Together, we examine high-agency leadership, measurable performance standards, psychological safety, servant leadership and the dangers of cultures that teach firefighters to wait for permission rather than solve problems. Jason also shares how his organisation recruits for humility, hunger and practical intelligence, why coaching should come before discipline, and how leaders can give people room to make mistakes without allowing standards to slip. It is a challenging conversation about creating firefighters and leaders who are confident enough to act, humble enough to listen and trusted enough to think. FIND JASON HERE Access all episodes, documents, GIVEAWAYS & debriefs HERE Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode are William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S6 · E494
    July 27 · 29 min

    #494 DEBRIEF: 11 Minutes to Fireball - Boyd Street, Downtown LA, May 16th 2020

    In this incident debrief, we examine the Boyd Street fire in Downtown Los Angeles, where what first appeared to be a routine commercial building fire rapidly escalated into a catastrophic fireball that injured 12 Los Angeles firefighters. We break down the building, the hidden hazards inside, the timeline of the response, the tactical decisions around entry and ventilation, the fire behaviour that led to the explosion, and the Mayday that followed. This episode explores the brutal consequences of unknown occupancy risk, ventilation-limited fire conditions, compressed gases, oxidisers, PPE limitations and the importance of listening when a building starts to tell you something is wrong. Boyd Street is not just an American incident; it is a global lesson for every firefighter, officer and fire service about pre-planning, situational awareness, command decision-making and the narrow margin between a routine job and a life-changing event. Access all episodes, documents, GIVEAWAYS & debriefs HERE Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode are William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S6 · E493
    July 20 · 1 hr 13 min

    #493 On-Call & Volunteer Retention Systems: The Perennial Problem - Solving It for the 21st Century

    In this episode, we explore one of the fire service’s most persistent challenges: how we recruit, retain and properly support on-call and volunteer firefighters in a world that has changed faster than the systems designed to sustain them. Joined by Brittany Hollerbach, Emelie Lantz and Dr Steve Sadler, we look beyond the usual “people don’t want to volunteer anymore” narrative and ask whether the real issue is that the model itself no longer fits modern family life, employment pressures, rural communities, training demands and the wider risks of the job. From the unseen burden carried by families and primary employers, to smarter training, flexible roles, data-led workforce planning and the bravery needed from leaders to challenge outdated structures, this conversation digs into what it will actually take to build an on-call and volunteer fire service fit for the 21st century. Access all episodes, documents, GIVEAWAYS & debriefs HERE Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode are William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S6 · E492
    July 13 · 54 min

    #492 DEBRIEF: Glasgow School of Art Fire, Failure and the Hidden Highway

    In this incident debrief, we examine the two devastating fires at the Glasgow School of Art’s Mackintosh Building in 2014 and 2018, unpacking how heritage construction, hidden ventilation ducts, timber voids, compromised fire protection during restoration, delayed detection, and an unfinished water mist system combined to create one of the most painful fire safety lessons in modern UK firefighting. The episode explores the operational response, the difficult shift to defensive firefighting, the challenges of commanding a rapidly developing heritage building fire, and the uncomfortable gap between knowing a risk exists and actually implementing the solution before the next incident happens. Access all episodes, documents, GIVEAWAYS & debriefs HERE Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode are William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S6 · E491
    July 6 · 1 hr 41 min

    #491 Modern Fire officer with Jared Vermeulen

    “Speak softly and carry a big stick” is more than Jared Vermeulen’s favourite quote it reflects the way he thinks about leadership, responsibility, and the modern fire officer. Born and raised in the blue-collar fishing town of Jupiter, Florida, Jared grew up around construction and was originally working towards a career in industrial design engineering before the fire service found him. After completing his technical training and emergency medical degree with PBCC, he was hired by the City of Boca Raton as a firefighter in 2007 and has never looked back. Now a fire officer with over a decade in the seat, multiple state certifications in technical rescue and hazardous materials mitigation, and the author of The Modern Fire Officer, Jared brings a grounded, practical, and deeply human perspective on what it means to communicate, motivate, and lead. connect with Jared HERE BUY HIS BOOKS HERE Access all episodes, documents, GIVEAWAYS & debriefs HERE Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode are William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S6 · E490
    July 2 · 57 min

    #490 High Rise Masterclass with Brent Brooks Ep 3 High Rise Search, Flow Path & Survivability

    In this special High Rise Masterclass miniseries, The Firefighters Podcast brings you live recordings direct from the International Tall Buildings Conference and specialist high rise firefighting masterclass held in London in May 2026. Across this series, internationally respected high rise firefighting instructor Brent Brooks shares decades of operational experience, command insight and research driven learning around modern tall building firefighting. In episode three Brent takes us deep into the realities of high rise search, flow path, evacuation decisions and survivability. Using powerful lessons from the 200 Wellesley Street fire in Toronto, Brent explains how one open door, one broken window or one occupant action can completely change conditions for firefighters and residents. This episode explores area of refuge, shelter in place, people with disabilities, stairwells, lift lobbies, corridors, positive pressure, stack effect, hose line movement and the difficult truth that no fire department has the resources to do everything at once. It is a practical, honest and challenging conversation about reading the building, respecting the science and making better decisions under pressure. Additional Presentation Material from Brent Brooks HERE International Tall Buildings Conference HERE Brent Brooks LinkedIn HERE Brent Brooks Website HERE Access all episodes, documents, GIVEAWAYS & debriefs HERE Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode are William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics FIRST TACTICAL- tactical gear for elite operators GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO IDEX FIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S6 · E489
    June 29 · 1 hr 35 min

    #489 More Than Coffee: Rescue 1 & the Mission of Fire Department Coffee with Randy James

    Today’s episode is with Randy James from Fire Department Coffee. Randy is a career firefighter and paramedic from Rockford, Illinois, serving since April 2000. His journey took him to Ladder 5, working alongside Fire Department Coffee founder Luke Schneider, before becoming Director of Brand Relations and playing a major role in the Fire Department Coffee Charitable Foundation and the Rescue One project. Rescue One is not just a fire truck that serves coffee. It is a disaster relief vehicle, morale unit, communications hub and practical support system for communities and first responders facing hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires and life changing disasters. This conversation is about coffee, but more importantly it is about dignity, service, purpose, community and the kind of firefighters we should all be trying to become. Find Randy HERE Find Fire Department Coffee HERE Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode: William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics FIRST TACTICAL- tactical gear for elite operators GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO IDEX FIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S6 · E488
    June 24 · 1 hr 10 min

    #488 Firefighters with Parkinson’s: The Diagnosis No One Sees Coming

    Today is about what happens when the job we love meets a diagnosis that can change everything. I am joined by Dawn Harding, a retired Chief Fire Officer, alongside Steve Norman, former Deputy Assistant Commissioner with London Fire Brigade and now working with the National Fire Chiefs Council, and David Little, a former MOD firefighter and on call Watch Manager. Together, they are part of the Firefighter Parkinson’s Support Group, a newly established group created to support firefighters, retired firefighters and their families who are affected by Parkinson’s. Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological condition. It affects movement, balance, sleep, mood, confidence, family life, work, identity and so much more. It has no cure, and for many people the early signs are not always obvious. Stiffness, fatigue, frozen shoulder, sleep issues, gut problems or changes in movement can appear long before the symptoms people typically associate with Parkinson’s. Useful links Parkinson’s UK https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/ Movers and Shakers https://www.moversandshakerspodcast.com/ Spotlight YOPD https://spotlightyopd.org/ Cure Parkinson’s https://cureparkinsons.org.uk/ The Michael J Fox Foundation https://www.michaeljfox.org/ The Neurological Alliance https://www.neural.org.uk/ Guest contact - David Little davidlittle2412@gmail.com Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode: William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics FIRST TACTICAL- tactical gear for elite operators GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO IDEX FIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S6 · E487
    June 22 · 1 hr 11 min

    #487 Mr Honest Work aka Jaguar Wattley

    Jag, better known to many online as Mr Honest has absolutely exploded across Instagram and TikTok over the last year and has become one of the most recognisable firefighter voices on social media, not just here in the UK, but across the wider fire service community internationally. What makes Jag stand out is that he is not just creating content from the sidelines. He is a serving firefighter with London Fire Brigade, living the job, understanding the culture, and using his platform to connect with firefighters, challenge thinking, bring humour, and open up conversations that people clearly want to be part of. In a space where social media can sometimes become noise, Jag has cut through by being authentic, relatable, and properly connected to the people he is speaking to. He has built a huge following by being himself, and that is no small thing. Today we are going to get behind the content, behind the growth, and behind the person, to understand what drives him, what he has learned, and where he sees this whole firefighter social media space going next. Find Jag on socials HERE Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode: William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics FIRST TACTICAL- tactical gear for elite operators GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO IDEX FIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S6 · E486
    June 17 · 1 hr 8 min

    #486 Why Persistence Matters: Firefighter, Gladiator & Competitive Optimist | Millie Margetts

    Millie Margetts is a firefighter with Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, a coach, athlete, Gladiators semi finalist, and someone who embodies the power of persistence. In this episode, we explore her journey into the fire service after years of setbacks, the challenges and opportunities that came with appearing on one of the UK's biggest television shows, and the mindset required to keep moving forward when things don't go to plan. From firefighting and fitness to confidence, social media, resilience, and personal growth, this is an honest and uplifting conversation about backing yourself, embracing opportunities, and staying optimistic in the pursuit of something bigger. Connect with Millie HERE Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode: William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics FIRST TACTICAL- tactical gear for elite operators GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO IDEX FIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S6 · E485
    June 15 · 1 hr 37 min

    #485 Leather, Legacy & the shield with Justin Fitzwater of Fitzwater Leather

    CLICK HERE JOIN ME AT BLUE LIGHT SHOW | LONDON | JULY 2026 My guest today is Justin Fitzwater, firefighter with the Kansas City Fire Department and founder of Fitzwater Leather, a company renowned throughout the American fire service for creating some of the most stunning custom helmet fronts and leatherwork you'll ever see. Fitzwater Leather INSTAGRAM Fitzwater Leather WEBSITE Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode: William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics FIRST TACTICAL- tactical gear for elite operators GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO IDEX FIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S6 · E484
    June 11 · 1 hr 11 min

    #484 You Can't Put It Out - Thermal Runaway, EV Fires & the Health Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight with Martin Brown

    CLICK HERE JOIN ME AT BLUE LIGHT SHOW | LONDON | JULY 2026 In this episode I sit down with Martin Brown, Chartered Engineer and Improvement Consultant at HORIBA MIRA, and one of the world's leading experts on the safety of new energy vehicles. With nearly three decades of experience designing and testing electric, hydrogen, hybrid and cryogenic vehicles, Martin brings a level of operational and scientific authority that is rarely found in a single conversation. We cover the real hazards firefighters face at EV incidents such as thermal runaway, the limitations of water suppression, the explosion risk now associated with fire blankets, why hybrid vehicles statistically carry the highest fire rate of any powertrain, and what crews are simply not being told about the gases released during a battery fire. The second half of the conversation moves into territory that I think every firefighter, every officer and every person in the wider emergency services ecosystem needs to hear. Martin has spent years researching the contamination left behind by battery fires on PPE, on vehicles handed to recovery, and in the lungs of people who never wore a fire kit in their life. His warning is clear and deliberately drawn: the residue from lithium battery fires is reaching tow truck drivers, mechanics and battery disposal workers who have no training, no PPE and no awareness of what they are absorbing. He draws a direct and uncomfortable parallel with asbestos — a material once valued for fire protection, whose risks were known before they were acted on. contact Martin HERE Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode are William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics FIRST TACTICAL- tactical gear for elite operators GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO IDEX FIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

  • S6 · E483
    June 8 · 46 min

    #483 Debrief - Doorway to Hell | 2 Forest Laneway, North York, Toronto, Canada | January 6th 1995

    CLICK HERE JOIN ME AT BLUE LIGHT SHOW | LONDON | JULY 2026 On the 6th of January 1995, at five in the morning, a man discovered his sofa was on fire in apartment 509 of a thirty-storey residential block in North York, Toronto. He tried to put it out, failed, and ran leaving his apartment door wide open behind him. That single decision set off a chain of events that killed six people, all of them found above the twentieth floor in smoke-filled stairwells, in a building where the fire never meaningfully spread beyond the room it started in. In this episode I'm delivering a full operational debrief of the Forest Laneway fire, one of the most instructive high-rise residential incidents ever documented. I'm following the physics of stack effect in a thirty-storey concrete building on a sub-zero January night. I'm looking at the scissors staircase design that confused both escaping residents and arriving firefighters. I'm examining the sixteen-minute window of survivable self-evacuation that closed before a quarter of the building had even heard the alarm. And I'm asking the questions this incident demands we ask about how we brief high-rise fires, how we communicate with trapped occupants, and how many of the same failure points are sitting inside buildings in your area tonight. This is not a story about one bad night in Canada thirty years ago. This is a lesson in what happens when ordinary things go wrong in the right order. Podcast Apparel, Hoodies, Flags, Mugs HERE Please check out our Partners supporting this episode are William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website PBI high-performance fabrics FIRST TACTICAL- tactical gear for elite operators GORE-TEX Professional Clothing MSA The Safety Company JAFCO IDEX FIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD Send us Fan Mail Support the show ***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.*** Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

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