The Firefighters Podcast
The Firefighters Podcast is a global podcast seeking to develop, inspire, connect, motivate, represent & celebrate the world of our emergency services operators through a series of wide-ranging conversations celebrating those within our emergency services family and encouraging the support of this incredible group of people.
Operational UK firefighter Pete Wakefield speaks with individuals from all walks of life who share a connection with, can add value to, or can develop those who choose this life path.
Our driving purpose is to create a legacy resource for the current and future generations of firefighters & first responders
Episodes
378 episodes
#392 SOUTH COAST FIREFIGHTER CHALLENGE 2025 DEBRIEF
The second instalment in our Challenge debrief series. Last time, we kicked things off with the Welsh Firefighter Challenge, Today we’re keeping that momentum going as we head south to shine a light on another incredible event the South Coast C...
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Season 5
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Episode 392
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1:05:02
#391 WELSH FIREFIGHTER CHALLENGE 2025 DEBRIEF
If you’ve been with us over the past couple of years, you’ll know we’ve done firefighter challenge debriefs before and the feedback has always been "do more of these"…so here we are, kicking off the first debrief of 2025.
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Season 5
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Episode 391
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48:06
FIREFIGHTER FOUNDATIONS: FLOWPATHS
This episode of the Firefighter Podcast dives into the critical concept of flow paths—the routes that heat, smoke, and fire gases take through a structure, driven by pressure differences, wind, and firefighter actions. Understanding flow...
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Season 5
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Episode 388
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20:25
#390 Beyond the Job: John Kelly on Holistic Health & Outliving the Fire Service
John Kelly is a former professional MMA fighter and Miami-Dade County firefighter who has become a holistic health coach. With over twenty years of experience in fitness, performance, and recovery, John now dedicates his life to helping first r...
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Season 5
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Episode 390
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1:51:35
FIREFIGHTER FOUNDATIONS: Basic Chemistry for Firefighting - The Reactions that Feed Fire
The Firefighting Foundations mini-series is a focused collection of episodes designed to lay down the essential building blocks of our craft. It’s not a complete manual, and it doesn’t claim to be — instead, it delivers a powerful, pract...
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8:46
#389 Evolution of INCIDENT COMMAND in the UK Fire Service with Kevin Arbuthnot
In this episode, Kevin Arbuthnot and I take a deep dive into how Incident Command has evolved in the UK not just in policy, but in culture, mindset, and leadership. We explore pivotal incidents that changed the way we operate, the pressures of ...
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Season 5
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Episode 389
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1:41:17
FIREFIGHTER FOUNDATIONS: The Foundations of Scientific Thinking for Firefighters
The Firefighting Foundations mini-series is a focused collection of episodes designed to lay down the essential building blocks of our craft. It’s not a complete manual, and it doesn’t claim to be — instead, it delivers a powerful, pract...
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Season 5
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Episode 388
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11:35
#389 Tactical Firefighting, Macedonia, Evolution & National best practice with Dave Berry - part 1 of 2
Today’s guest is someone whose name carries serious weight in the UK for tactical firefighting that's Dave Berry, Tactical Firefighting Training Lead at Greater Manches...
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Season 5
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Episode 389
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1:12:23
#388 Forensic Leadership & The Traces we leave behind with Paul Kinkaid
“Every contact leaves a trace.” That’s not just a principle from forensic science, it’s a profound truth about leadership, about life, and about the influence we carry every day, often without realizing it.In this episode, I sit...
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Season 5
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Episode 388
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1:27:54
HAIX GTX Extraguard - The Future of Fire Boots with GORE & HAIX
There has been a need for Innovation in Firefighting footwear and finally its here. In firefighting, there has always been a trade-off between comfort and protection & There is a lot of research and evidence that shows the heavy weight of f...
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Season 5
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Episode 383
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47:03
#386 Firefighting in a WARZONE with a Ukraine Firefighter
Today on The Firefighters Podcast, we are bringing you a conversation that will stay with you long after you hear it.For his safety and the safety of his colleagues, our guest’s identity will remain anonymous. He is a firefighter serving...
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Season 5
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Episode 386
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33:05
#385 Help I think My Boss Is A Narcissist
In today’s episode, we’re tackling the often-unspoken side of leadership and culture the subtle, psychological dynamics that quietly corrode healthy teams. While most of my experiences with leaders in the fire service have been overwhelmingly p...
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Season 5
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Episode 385
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1:16:41
#384 DEBRIEF: FIRE IN THE SKY
In 2010, a terrifying blaze tore through the high-rise apartments at 200 Wellesley Street East in Toronto, pushing firefighters and resources to their absolute limits. Crews faced intense heat, heavy smoke, and severe challenges with stairwell ...
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Season 5
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Episode 384
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33:19
#383 The Future Direction of the UK Fire Service with NFCC Chair Phil Garrigan
Today on the Firefighters Podcast, I sit down with Phil Garrigan, Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, to discuss the future of the UK fire and rescue service. With 34 years in the job, Phil shares why this is not about titles but about p...
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Season 5
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Episode 383
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1:53:21
#382 What Happened at Grenfell with expert witness Steve McGuirk
On 14 June 2017, the Grenfell Tower fire in West London claimed 72 lives and exposed critical failures in building safety and fire preparedness. Over 250 firefighters faced unimaginable conditions as the fire spread rapidly due to combustible c...
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2:17:59
#381 FDNY Chief Officer Frank Leeb
Frank Leeb is the managing director of the First Responder Center for Excellence (FRCE). He previously served as a Deputy Assistant Chief in the Fire Department of New York. Retiring in June 2024 with more than 31 years. During his tenure with ...
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Season 5
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Episode 381
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56:33
#380 The Worlds Strongest Firefighter 2025 with Frank Boniello
Today’s we explore what it means to live with strength, service, and purpose. with a man who represents all of that and then some.Frank Boniello is not just a firefighter. ...
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Season 5
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Episode 380
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2:16:47
#379 A Story of Racism, Resilience & Resisting Systems of Denial with Sal Naseem
In this episode, I sit down with Sal Naseem. A powerful voice on racism, resilience, and truth. From growing up as a Scottish Pakistani Muslim in Kilmarnock to ch...
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Season 5
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Episode 379
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1:37:28
#378 Leadership, Low Agency & Learned Helplessness in the UK Fire Service
In this solo episode I explore a quiet but powerful undercurrent in the UK Fire and Rescue Service: low agency and learned helplessness. Speaking not from a podium but shoulder to shoulder with every member of the service - we confront the cult...
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Season 5
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Episode 378
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18:54
#377 Instructor Discussion Netherlands Smoke Cooling Experiments Ep1
In this first episode from our trip to the Netherlands, I had the privilege of joining leading fire service professionals at the Nederlands Instituut Publieke Veiligheid (NIPV) to explore the latest in smoke cooling experiments. Building on the...
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Season 5
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Episode 377
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34:54
#376 Fighting Fire Fit with Phill Matthews
Phill Matthews is a former wholetime firefighter turned online coach, specializing in helping serving and aspiring firefighters enhance their fitness and performance. Through his platform, Fighting Fire Fit, he has assisted hundreds in achievin...
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Season 5
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1:21:05
#375 Hazmat, Detection & The Hidden Threats we face with Dr Mark Norman
Today were talking hazardous materials, detection technology, and how it’s reshaping our work in the fire and rescue services.Joining me is Dr. Mark L. Norman, a Senior Field Applications Scientist at 908 Devices and a leading sub...
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1:41:11
#374 Firefighter Stephen Hunt & The Paul’s Hair and Beauty World Incident Debrief
In this powerful episode, we revisit the tragic events of July 13, 2013, when Firefighter Stephen Hunt of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service lost his life at the Paul’s Hair and Beauty World fire in Manchester. Drawing on published inve...
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Season 3
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Episode 374
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21:31
#373 PGI Particulate Protection & Decontamination Seminar with Joe Taylor of Dewipe
Final episode in our PGI Particulate Protection & Decontamination Seminar Series. So far, we've heard powerful stories from families, survivors, and advocates within the firefighting community. Today, we shift focus to innovation and action...
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Season 3
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Episode 373
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17:50
#372 PGI Particulate Protection & Decontamination Seminar with Robbie Burns & Michelle O'Toole
Welcome back to the Decontamination Seminar Series. Today, we continue that journey with two remarkable voices from within the firefighting community—Robbie Burns and Michelle O'Toole. Both are cancer survivors. Both are advocates. And both hav...
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Season 3
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Episode 372
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29:27
