Fire Engineering Podcast Network

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.

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.

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

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. 

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.