Fire Engineering Podcast Network

Ways to Modernize Incident Command

Command Show host Anthony Kastros and guest Rick Nelson, Chief of the Reading (MA) Fire Department, discuss how a small New England fire department modernized incident command to close the tactical gap. They unpack NIOSH 5 failure points and show how decentralized leadership, mutual-aid run cards, and tactical supervisors improve accountability, reduce radio traffic, and improve outcomes.
The conversation covers regional collaboration across New England, practical benchmarks for tactical communications, and Reading’s next steps. Kastros and Nelson also talk about technology and how leaders empower lieutenants to lead during mutual‑aid responses.
 
This podcast is brought to you by Tablet Command. www.tabletcommand.com/get-started-lp

Secrets of Success for the Next Generation

How often do you think about leaving the fire department better than you found it and setting the next generation up for success? In this episode of Talkin' Tactics, hosts David Polikoff and Sam Villani welcome Frank Ricci, a retired battalion chief from the New Haven (CT) Fire Department to talk about these important topics.
 
They discuss recruitment and academy culture, why early leadership training matters, and how realistic, stressful drills build the muscle memory crews need on the fireground. The discussion contrasts career and volunteer models, suggests swap programs and targeted on‑apparatus mentoring, and stresses paced promotions so officers learn every job. The panel also examines day-to-day credibility, with a focus on doing the "small" tasks, setting clear expectations, and holding candid post‑incident debriefs.

What We Can Learn from Fatality Reports

On this episode of The Backstep Boys hosts Ron Kanterman and Tom Aurnhammer discuss firefighter line‑of‑duty reports and the hard lessons that persist: breakdowns in incident command, poor communication, accountability gaps, and the ongoing danger of modern building construction and synthetic fuels. They trace the origin and purpose of the national firefighter fatality investigation program, how free, nonpunitive reports are structured, and why they’re essential training tools for recruits and veterans. 
 
The conversation also touches on firefighting history, an upcoming book compiling major U.S. and international conflagrations, and the human cost behind statistics. They also talk about the unseen workload of incident management teams who support families after tragedies. 

In The Books: Infection Control Policies and Procedures for Community Paramedicine and MIH, 2nd edition

Katherine West joins us to discuss the expertise behind her newly updated Infection Control Policies for Community Paramedicine and MIH, 2nd Edition. With decades of experience, West explains the differences between emergent care and home‑care practices, offering practical, evidence‑based guidance. She highlights challenges such as healthcare‑associated infections, inconsistent training, and the expanding role of EMS in home environments. In our conversation, she shares insights that help CP/MIH programs strengthen safety, support diverse community‑care models, and better protect both patients and providers as EMS roles continue to expand.
 
Link: https://fireengineeringbooks.com/books/infection-control-policies-and-procedures-for-community-paramedicine-and-mih-2nd-edition/?utm_source=youtube.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=in_the_books&utm_content=infection_control_policies_and_procedures_for_community_paramedicine_and_mih_2nd_edition

Understanding the Fight to Keep Good People

If you teach, lead, or want to grow the talent in your department, give this conversation between Billy Hux and Bobby Drake a listen. The Point of Origin hosts unpack the lone‑chief challenge, stressing trust, training, and emotional intelligence as the antidotes to isolation. They also offer tactical reminders about audience engagement, workload balance, and using conferences to find allies and solutions.

Looking to Teach, Lead, or Grow in the Fire Service?

If you teach, lead, or want to grow the talent in your department, give this conversation between Billy Hux and Bobby Drake a listen. The Point of Origin hosts unpack the lone‑chief challenge, stressing trust, training, and emotional intelligence as the antidotes to isolation. They also offer tactical reminders about audience engagement, workload balance, and using conferences to find allies and solutions.

Can You Beat the Clock?

Your choice of tactics, your attitude, and your training are all factors in whether you can beat the clock at incident. In this episode of The Command Post, hosts Rick Lasky and John Salka dig into a truth every experienced firefighter learns sooner or later: the building is the real opponent. Fire is just the ammunition. 
The conversation moves from leadership to street-level tactics. What makes a “firefighter’s fire chief”? Not popularity. It’s credibility earned through experience, preparation, and a clear understanding of how firefighters actually operate on the fireground.

Parades Are Great Unless You Have No Plan

From parades and fireworks to large town gatherings, with an emphasis on terrorism-aware preparation, this episode of Two Vollies and a Guest focuses on the process of building an operational plan for public events. The panel discusses topics including threat assessment, interagency coordination, chain of command, resource allocation, staging and access, and more. They stress using scalable incident action forms, pre-event walk-throughs, clear delegation of authority, and mutual-aid strategies to avoid tying up local services. Tune in for practical tips that will prove invaluable to local officials and event organizers.

Navigating Local Politics

Fire Commissioner Jared Renshaw, from the Western Berks (PA) Fire Department, joins host Tom Merrill on this episode of The Professional Volunteer Fire Department. They discuss a topic that doesn’t always get the attention it deserves in the fire service: building strong relationships with the local elected officials who help shape the future of our departments. Too often we focus only on operations, training, and response, but the reality is that successful fire departments are also built on trust, communication, and collaboration with the people who make policy and control funding. Renshaw offers valuable insight into how chiefs and fire service leaders can get to know their local politicians, build productive working relationships, and advocate effectively for their departments and communities.

What Does the Domino Effect Look Like on the Fireground?

Small decisions add up to big effects. And they matter. In this episode of Fireground Strategies, hosts Anthony Avillo and Jim Duffy talk "dominoes" and how tragedies on the fireground are never the result of just one decision. When the dominoes tumble, they add up.  The episode opens with a sobering statistic: More than 350 civilians have already been lost to residential fires this year. The discussion moves from strategy to the human side of the job. Battalion Chief Mickey Tofexis, of Miramar (FL) Fire & Rescue, joins the show to talk about physical fitness, career longevity, and the reality of nearing retirement after nearly three decades in the fire service. He also shares the mission behind The For Paul Foundation, which supports families of first responders killed or injured in the line of duty.
 
The result is a grounded conversation about accountability, preparation, and the choices firefighters make long before the alarm sounds.