Firefighter Podcast

Pete Wakefield
  • 4.7 (102)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED TWICE WEEKLY

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

  1. #476 AFOA 2026 Conference Live RFFS Industry Update with Neil Gray

    1 DAY AGO

    #476 AFOA 2026 Conference Live RFFS Industry Update with Neil Gray

    In Episode 3 of our AFOA 2026 Conference Live mini-series, Principal Aerodrome Inspector Neil Gray from the UK Civil Aviation Authority provides a comprehensive industry update covering key developments affecting aviation fire and rescue services. Topics include terminal safety, the importance of Safety Management Systems, risk mitigation and maintaining operational focus within complex aviation environments. This episode offers valuable CPD for anyone seeking a broader understanding of the regulatory, strategic and operational issues shaping the future of aviation firefighting. 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

    1hr 2min
  2. #475 Electric Vehicle Fires Explained with Mike Maybin from IRRTC

    3 DAYS AGO

    #475 Electric Vehicle Fires Explained with Mike Maybin from IRRTC

    In this episode I sit down with Mike Maybin from IRRTC to explore how rapidly evolving vehicle technology is reshaping the fireground. From electric vehicles and lithium-ion batteries to hydrogen systems and heavy goods vehicles, Mike explains the hazards firefighters are increasingly likely to encounter and why many of our legacy tactics, training packages and assumptions are struggling to keep pace. We discuss the science behind battery fires, the importance of understanding thermal runaway, and the operational realities of dealing with incidents that can burn hotter, longer and with far greater complexity than conventional vehicle fires. This conversation is a practical and timely update for firefighters, officers and trainers who want to stay ahead of the curve. Mike shares insights from his extensive work across the UK and internationally, highlighting the progress that has been made, the gaps that still exist, and what fire services need to do now to ensure crews are properly prepared. If you are involved in operational response, training delivery or strategic planning, this episode will help you better understand the challenges and opportunities presented by the next generation of vehicles. Learn about IRRTC 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

    1hr 7min
  3. #474 AFOA 2026 Conference Live: Resilience After Trauma with Matt Bourner

    14 MAY

    #474 AFOA 2026 Conference Live: Resilience After Trauma with Matt Bourner

    Welcome to Episode 2 of our special mini-series recorded at the Airport Fire Officers Association (AFOA) Conference 2026, where we are sharing some of the most powerful presentations and conversations from across the aviation fire and rescue sector. In this episode, I sit down with Matt Bourner from Manchester Airport Fire Service to hear an extraordinary story of resilience after trauma. Following a devastating motorcycle collision in 2019, Matt lost part of his leg and was initially told it could take years before he walked again. Through determination, discipline and an unwavering commitment to his recovery, he returned to work within months and resumed full operational firefighting duties just one year later. This conversation explores the physical and psychological challenges of rebuilding after life changing injury, the role of support from family and colleagues, and the mindset required to overcome adversity. Matt’s story is a powerful reminder that resilience is not about avoiding hardship, but about refusing to let it define what comes next.  Learn about AFOA 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 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

    25 min
  4. #473 AFOA 2026 Conference Live: Operational Learning from the Southend Airport Crash with Justin Nicolson

    13 MAY

    #473 AFOA 2026 Conference Live: Operational Learning from the Southend Airport Crash with Justin Nicolson

    Welcome to Episode 1 of our special mini-series recorded at the Airport Fire Officers Association (AFOA) Conference 2026, where we are bringing you some of the most valuable presentations and conversations from across the aviation fire and rescue sector. We begin with a powerful operational debrief from Justin Nicolson, who draws on more than 30 years of experience in airport fire and rescue and airside operations to examine the response to the fatal Beechcraft King Air B200 crash at London Southend Airport on 13 July 2025. In this presentation, Justin provides a detailed account of the airport fire service response, the immediate operational challenges faced on the ground and the critical lessons that have emerged. This is not simply a retelling of a tragic event, but a thoughtful exploration of how organisations respond under pressure and how those lessons can be used to improve preparedness, decision making and outcomes across the wider emergency services sector. Learn about AFOA 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 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

    57 min
  5. #472 The Art of Decision Making: Incident command, Cognition & Chaos on the Fireground

    11 MAY

    #472 The Art of Decision Making: Incident command, Cognition & Chaos on the Fireground

    In this episode of The Firefighters Podcast, we explore incident command, cognition and the art of decision making on the fireground. This is not just a conversation for commanders. It is for every firefighter, because every person on the incident ground is making decisions that shape outcomes. From situational awareness and recognition primed decision making to THINCS, decision controls, stress, fear, ego, culture and command mindset, this episode looks at how firefighters think under pressure, how good decisions are built, how poor decisions emerge, and why the future of firefighter safety depends on cognitive agility, self awareness and the ability to think clearly in chaos.  Get this as an article CLICK 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 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

    54 min

  6. 7 MAY

    #471 Why Good Ideas Fail in the Fire Service with Peter Younes of PROJECT COMMAND

    In this episode I sit down with Peter Younes, host of Project Command, to explore one of the biggest hidden gaps in the modern fire service: our ability to turn good ideas into finished, effective change. We talk about why firefighters are often brilliant at delivering under pressure on the fireground but far less prepared for the complex world of projects, planning, implementation, stakeholder management and organisational change. Peter shares his journey from firefighter and captain into leading major projects, building structure around delivery and learning why so many well intentioned ideas fail before they ever reach the people they are supposed to help. This conversation gets into mission & scope creep, change management, soft skills, behavioural friction, leadership development, promotion gaps and why the fire service needs people who can do more than identify problems. It needs people who can actually get things done. FIND PETER HERE  FIND PROJECT COMMAND PODCAST 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 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

    1hr 27min

  7. 4 MAY

    #470 Cuts, Cancer, Crewing & What’s Really Happening to the UK Fire Service with Ben Selby Assistant General Secretary of Fire Brigades Union

    This episode with Ben Selby from the Fire Brigades Union takes a clear and honest look at the pressures facing the UK fire and rescue service, from funding cuts and the loss of around 12,000 firefighters since 2010 to the real-world impact seen in places like Oxfordshire and Dorset and Wiltshire. We explore the strain on on-call systems, the need for national standards and how workforce changes, duty systems and family support are shaping the modern job.  The conversation also dives into firefighter health, contamination and the move toward health monitoring, alongside a critical discussion on water infrastructure, flow rates and the risks of relying on a system firefighters do not control. This is a grounded, wide-ranging discussion about safety, resilience and what the future of the fire service could look like if the current trajectory continues. Support & Join the FBU HERE  Connect with Ben 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 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

    1hr 3min

  8. 30 APR

    #469 Domestic Violence in The Fire Service: When the Person who wears the Uniform Needs Protecting with Rhiain Akin

    Me & Rhiain Akin of London Fire Brigade explore the reality of domestic violence within the fire service and why it must be recognised as a workplace issue, not just something that happens behind closed doors.  Drawing on her own experience as a victim survivor and her work leading the Phoenix support network, Rhiain breaks down the many forms domestic abuse can take, from coercive control and emotional manipulation to financial and physical harm, and explains how these experiences directly impact performance, wellbeing and safety on the job.  Together, we unpack the stigma, shame and cultural barriers that stop firefighters from speaking up, the hidden impact on colleagues and families, and the responsibility we all carry to look out for one another. This episode also highlights the practical steps organisations can take to support their people, from policy and training to flexible working and safe leave, and shows how small actions like listening, believing and asking the right questions can make a life changing difference. Find Rhiain 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 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

    1hr 31min
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4.7
out of 5
102 Ratings

About

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

Information

  • Creator
    Pete Wakefield
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    463
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Firefighter Podcast
  • Show Website
    Firefighter Podcast

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