Fire Engineering Podcast Network

NERIS: What Do You Need to Know?

Want to learn more about NERIS? On this episode of Professional Volunteer Fire Department, Tom Merrill checks in with Tom Jenkins for a four-month status report on the National Emergency Response Information System. This system went live January 1st, replacing NFIRS. They cover who's on board, common onboarding snags, and practical steps departments should take now, such as verifying their organizational record, training users with short how-to videos, engaging dispatch centers, and standardizing entries. Jenkins explains dashboards and insights reporting and the help desk and regional outreach. They also discuss why accurate timestamps, dispatch data, and interagency tagging matter for funding, staffing, and community planning.
 
This episode is brought to you by The Fire Store: https://thefirestore.com/
 
This episode is brought to you by Fire Facilities: https://www.firefacilities.com/
 
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Eight Saves at 800 Casanova: Mastery of Command

Hosts Anthony Kastros and Brian Brush welcome Monterey (CA) Fire Department firefighters Lou Valdez, Patrick Moore, Greg Greenlee, and Matt Harris. On this episode of Command Show, the panel discusses responding to a nightmare scenario structure fire at the Casanova apartment complex. They detail this three-story, 90-unit building and how they were able to save residents from a smoke-filled hallway. What follows is a masterclass in modern incident command.
 
This podcast is brought to you by Tablet Command. www.tabletcommand.com/get-started-lp
 
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What Does the Future of the Fire Service Look Like?

On this episode of The Backstep Boys, hosts Ron Kanterman and Tom Aurnhammer welcome Anthony Avillo and Jim Duffy to reflect on careers, camaraderie, and the future of the fire service. The hosts discuss volunteer pride and why the firehouse remains a unique hub of both trust and service. They debate technology's role in the future of fire service, arguing that it should not be used in decision making on the fireground. They also highlight the value in human storytelling, fallen colleagues, and why hands-on coaching is so important. The panel warns against social media fame, online criticism, and the dangers of surface-level expertise.
 
This episode is brought to you by The Fire Store: https://thefirestore.com/
 
This episode is brought to you by Fire Facilities: https://www.firefacilities.com/
 
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The Truth About Teamwork

(This episode originally aired in March 2026.)Inside a firehouse, teamwork isn’t part of a slogan—it’s the difference between control and chaos. For this episode of Women in Fire, host Lisa Baker and guests Heather Mozdean, Paige Cowell, and Kim Phillips get candid about what teamwork actually looks like. They move past textbook definitions and into the reality: coordinating ventilation with interior crews, trusting the person next to you to read conditions the same way, and knowing one freelancer can unravel an entire operation in seconds.
 
They also take a look at station life, where unresolved tension, uneven effort, and poor communication quietly erode performance long before a call comes in. This discussion presents an honest conversation about training gaps, ego, leadership responsibility, and the difficulty of building cohesion across personalities and ranks.
 
This episode features:
Lisa Baker, Southwest Trustee, Women in Fire (host).
Paige Colwell, battalion chief, Forsyth County (GA) Fire Department.
Heather Mozdean, deputy chief, Fremont (CA) Fire Department.
Kim Phillips, district chief, Houston (TX) Fire Department.
 
This episode is brought to you by The Fire Store: https://thefirestore.com/
 
This episode is brought to you by Fire Facilities: https://www.firefacilities.com/
 
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Taking Back the Firehouse: Stop Waiting to Be Saved

This week on the Humpday Hangout, Brian Zaitz, P.J. Norwood, and Candace Ashby discuss FDIC, problematic employees, leadership, and management. Ashby challenges firefighters to stop waiting for administration to save them and star saving themselves. They discuss a leadership crisis in the fire service and how negative people spread through the ranks while the majority stay silent. The panel argues that company officers are more powerful than any chief, yet many have traded real command for endless consensus building. She breaks down six core issues plaguing modern departments in this raw, unapologetic look at why the "brotherhood" is fraying now more than ever and how they can reclaim their stations.
 
This episode is brought to you by The Fire Store: https://thefirestore.com/
 
This episode is brought to you by Fire Facilities:  https://www.firefacilities.com/
 
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A Pre-FDIC Chat: Ladder Tactics, Constructive Criticism, and Leadership

Hosts Rick Lasky and John Salka break down high-stakes decisions on the fireground, planning ahead of FDIC, and window rescues on this episode of The Command Post. They discuss consoling a terrified, conscious victim, removal options, the importance of ladder selection and placement, using tower buckets, and when to radio for more resources. The hosts also call out "keyboard cowards" who attack firefighters online, and urge constructive critique, mentorship, and humility as way to learn more. 
 
This episode is brought to you by The Fire Store: https://thefirestore.com/
 
This episode is brought to you by Fire Facilities: https://www.firefacilities.com/
 
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High-Rise Mayday: One Fire Chief's Account

In this episode of Mayday Monday, host Tony Carroll speaks with Chief Wells Wilson of the Alexandria (VA) Fire Department about a March 2024 working high‑rise fire that involved a Mayday.
 
A routine alarm escalated when elevators and water supply complications slowed access, smoke rapidly charged a stairwell, and firefighters who were low on air called a Mayday. Wilson—with 19 years on the job, having been recently promoted to chief—recounts operational decisions, crew coordination, the value of a dedicated driver and captain, and how training, command checklists, and clear radio language shortened response time. He candidly describes his own physiological reaction under stress and the department’s immediate medical and after‑action support. Key lessons include establishing incident routines and command tools ahead of time; empowering company officers to solve problems; front‑loading resources early; and rehearsing realistic simulations that highlight warning phrases and failure points. This conversation features useful and practical takeaways for anyone involved in high‑rise firefighting or incident command operations.

FDIC 2026 Preview: Classes, Symposiums, and the Anniversary of 9/11

In this episode of Fireground Strategies, hosts Anthony Avillo and Jim Duffy speak with Jack Murphy about their upcoming FDIC classes, classroom offerings, and the 25th anniversary of 9/11. They break down what's new for FDIC, the ins-and-outs of opening ceremonies, hands-on evolutions, and commemorations of 9/11. They also explore responding to high-rise "superblocks," practical preincident building intelligence, and street-level recon. They preview FDIC classes, symposiums, and encourage attendees to honor responders and exchange knowledge.
 
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This episode is brought to you by The Fire Store: https://thefirestore.com/
This episode is brought to you by Fire Facilities: https://www.firefacilities.com/

Leadership, Humility, and Patience with Nozzle Forward Founder Aaron Fields

Aaron Fields joins host Steve Shaw to discuss ways to cut through the hype in modern fire service training and leadership on this episode of Perspectives on Leadership. They argue for humility over spectacle, deliberate practice over one-off tricks, and measurement over opinion. Fields details his unconventional path into the service, explains why standard operating procedures and shared language matter, and outlines how teams build trust through consistent problem solving. The discussion also covers managing emotion during conflict and holding people accountable. And they touch on the importance of patience and long‑term change.
 
This episode is brought to you by The Fire Store: https://thefirestore.com/
This episode is brought to you by Fire Facilities: https://www.firefacilities.com/

Who’s Responsible When Firefighters Cross Into Mutual Aid?

Who is liable when firefighters cross into mutual aid? On this episode of Fire Service Court, John Murphy breaks down the "borrowed servant" doctrine. He explores how control, duration, equipment, and pay decide which agency is liable during mutual aid, mobilizations, and task-force deployments. Murphy details a tragic Illinois case, reviews OSHA findings, details a $31 million settlement, and explores the preventable failures. He lays out clear risk controls: written mutual-aid liability clauses, indemnification, ICS/NIMS command, cross-training, strict PAR and two-in/two-out enforcement, SCBA tracking, and robust documentation.
 
This episode is brought to you by The Fire Store: https://thefirestore.com/
This episode is brought to you by Fire Facilities: https://www.firefacilities.com/