Fire Engineering

WHAT WE LEARNED Battery Electric Vehicles: The New Reality of Vehicle Transport Fires - ow.ly/eOSc51057B6 The 2025 Tesla car-carrier fire in Sylmar, California, illustrated that dynamic. It also highlighted how battery electric vehicle (BEV) cargo can change the operational profile of what might otherwise be considered a “routine” vehicle hauler fire. On August 16, 2025, the LAFD responded to a car-carrier truck fire going southbound on Interstate 5, transporting eight Tesla vehicles. The initial dispatch at 5:35 p.m. was for an auto fire, with two engines each from the LAFD and Los Angeles County Fire Department (due to automatic-aid agreements) responding. The first-arriving unit reported a fully involved semitruck cab carrying multiple vehicles, which was quickly updated to include four fully involved Tesla vehicles. Recognizing the complexity, the incident commander (IC) immediately requested a battalion chief, California Highway Patrol for lane closures, two additional engines, a water tender, and a hazardous materials unit, noting the significant water requirements and possible hazardous materials issues. Access was severely delayed due to heavy traffic and lane closures. The incident location was a challenge because there was no close freeway off ramps or on ramps within five miles. The freeway is also divided by concrete k-railing (heavy sloped concrete barrier, aka Jersey barriers) to prevent traffic from crossing over into oncoming lanes. While the driver was accounted for with no injuries, the toxic gases from the fire necessitated closing all freeway lanes, though initially only two were requested.

WEBINAR November 23, 1:00 pm ET: ow.ly/xC275104HZU Road to FDIC: Leading Through the Staffing Crisis -with Frank Viscuso, Candice McDonald, Frank Ricci, and Dena Ali Recruitment is down, turnover is rising, and workforce expectations are changing. How can fire service leaders respond? In this exclusive Road to FDIC webinar, Frank Viscuso leads a discussion with Frank Ricci, Dr. Candice McDonald, and Dena Ali to explore the biggest challenges facing departments today, from retention and culture to mental wellness and organizational trust. Discover proven leadership approaches that help build stronger teams and more resilient organizations. Walk Away With: -Insights into why firefighters are leaving and the workforce trends driving today’s staffing challenges. -Proven strategies for recruiting and connecting with the next generation of firefighters. -Practical ways to build a department culture that fosters engagement, commitment, and trust. -Leadership approaches that support mental wellness and strengthen organizational resilience. -Actionable ideas for improving retention and creating an environment where firefighters want to stay and grow. Don’t miss these real-world lessons and experiences from Fire Engineering Books authors and FDIC instructors leading through these challenges today.

WEBINAR TODAY, 1:00 pm ET: ow.ly/HJSl5100axc FET Mobile App Demo: 5 Ways to Close the Training Gap -with Jeff Schneider and Justin Beamis Training competes with calls, shift changes and staffing gaps, and too often it falls behind or gets lost on paper. In this live demo, you will see how the Fire Engineering Training mobile app helps departments close the training gap. Crews can complete courses, check in to drills, log hands-on training and run shift checklists from their phones, whether on shift, between calls or at home. Attendees will see each feature from both sides: what it means for the firefighter and what it gives the training officer. Division Chief Justin Beamis will also share how Celina (TX) Fire Department uses the app to keep training organized and compliance on track.

Although the triple play is seldom seen in baseball, firefighters need to execute the three elements of our triple play successfully at each incident to make best use of our resources: establishment of procedures, size-up and performance. Achieving a high level of performance using solid procedures and while conducting continual incident size-up doesn’t happen by chance. Much of the hard work lies in the planning and vetting of procedures and equipment and training our firefighters for success. Our best fireground performances are not happy accidents, but are the result of preparation, size-up, practice, and execution: ow.ly/f5365103x8m

Lithium-Ion Batteries Caused Boston Fire That Killed Firefighter Robert ‘Bobby’ Kilduff: ow.ly/6Lpr5104aQp Lithium-ion batteries stored in a third-floor enclosed porch in Dorchester sparked the blaze that killed firefighter Robert “Bobby” Kilduff Jr. in May. Boston Fire officials said an investigation released Wednesday points to a “thermal runaway” ignited by those batteries. “Bobby Kilduff gave his life in the line of duty, doing what our firefighters do every day, putting themselves in harm’s way to protect their neighbors in our community,” said Mayor Michelle Wu at Boston Fire headquarters.

North Royalton (OH) Identifies Firefighter Killed in House Fire: ow.ly/yZvI5103Qto North Royalton has identified the firefighter killed in a house fire there as Ryan Milligan, 36, of Seven Hills. A second North Royalton firefighter, 38-year-old Andrew Protsman of Parmar, remains hospitalized in serious but stable condition. Both men were injured while battling a house fire Monday night around 9 o’clock in Broadview Heights on West Royalton Road, WKYC reports. Both firefighters were transported to a hospital, where Milligan was pronounced dead. Milligan, a Seven Hills native and 2009 graduate of Normandy High School, was a husband and father of two.

From Gut to Grid: Leading the Data-Informed Fireground - ow.ly/NSQy5103s8c Innovation and technology today is outpacing local government’s ability to adapt to change. Fire service leaders are attempting to budget for technology whose development moves faster than the procurement process. These technologies can be expensive, and budgeting for projects where the tools are still in development is difficult. This impacts fireground commanders, ultimately affecting fireground operations and safety. Leaders on the fireground must become tech savvy and understand this new environment. While fireground operations will remain hands-on, commanders will be challenged to incorporate technology that improves operations rather than impeding or disrupting them. Historically, fireground commanders have managed incidents solely based on experience, tactics, intuition, or gut instinct. They have led operations based on what they can physically see and the resources at hand. By properly applying and using technology and data, operational capabilities and awareness can be enhanced to improve firefighter safety and firefighting efficiency. The challenge for technology providers is to create tools that anticipate what data will be needed ahead of time and present that data to the proper decision maker when they need it, and then get out of the way without adding stress or confusion with unnecessary data. In other words, “Tell me what I need to know, when I need to know it, and get out of the way.”

OH Firefighter Dies Battling House Fire: ow.ly/v1lz5103moy A North Royalton (OH) firefighter has died after suffering injuries while battling a house fire in Broadview Heights Monday night, according to city officials. A second North Royalton firefighter was also injured in the incident and remains in serious but stable condition. Both firefighters were transported to a hospital by ambulance.

WEBINAR TODAY, 11:00 am ET: ow.ly/qhYO50ZTAaL Breaking the Chain of Contamination: A Practical Approach to Biological Exposure Control for Fire & EMS -with Clint Greenwood Emergency responders routinely encounter biological contamination through patient care, blood and body fluids, infectious materials, contaminated environments, and vector pests. The incident may end when the unit clears the scene—but contamination can continue traveling on clothing, PPE, equipment, apparatus, and personal belongings. This webinar examines the entire contamination pathway, from initial recognition and exposure control through isolation, personal decontamination, equipment processing, documentation, and return to service. Participants will also examine emerging approaches to chemical-free decontamination, including how heat, humidity, and UVC technologies can be incorporated into a comprehensive exposure-control program. ow.ly/qhYO50ZTAaL Sponsored by Cres Guard and Cres Cor Health and Safety

"There Are Only Three Types of Fires" by Ray McCormack: ow.ly/Mfo05102Yyy The three types of fires I’m speaking about are probably different from what you’re thinking. It’s not private dwellings, multiple dwellings, or commercial. It’s also not high-rise, mid-rise, or warehouse fires. Well, at least not specifically. It’s not frame construction, such as post-and-beam, platform, or balloon. It’s not lightweight truss, laminated timber, or steel construction. It’s not heavy or advanced fire, vent-limited, or modern fire. The three types of fires I’m thinking about are firefighter fires, company officer fires, and incident commander fires.⁠ ⁠ Think about the fires you’ve experienced for a minute and you’ll see that some fires hit hard for a specific rank and skill set. All fires have some element of spillover because we work them together, however each rank has fires that fit them best. The difference between these fires is the level of involvement each rank has at certain types of jobs.⁠ ⁠ Every fire type requires you to be at your best and provides the opportunity to put another notch on your belt, even if the fire’s not a perfect fit.⁠ ⁠

WEBINAR TODAY, 1:00 pm ET: ow.ly/IuhG51018YI Before You Choose a Thermal Imager -with Joseph DeVito Choosing a thermal imager for your department involves more than comparing resolution, features, and price. How do you determine which differences actually matter on the fireground? And how can you make meaningful comparisons between thermal imagers before making a purchasing decision? Join fire-service thermal imaging educator Joe DeVito for a practical discussion on what to look for when evaluating thermal imagers. Learn how to look beyond the specification sheet, assess image quality and usability, and develop an evaluation process that reflects your department's operational needs. In this webcast, you'll learn: -Which thermal imaging specifications matter and what they don't tell you. -How image processing, contrast, and colorization affect what you see. -What to consider when evaluating a thermal imager's usability in fireground conditions. -How to approach side-by-side comparisons and hands-on evaluations. -What questions your department should ask before making a purchasing decision. Whether you're serving on an equipment evaluation committee, recommending technology for your crew, or planning your department's next thermal imaging purchase, this session will help you approach the evaluation process with greater clarity. Register to learn what to look for before choosing your department's next thermal imager.

Technology doesn't have to be expensive or complicated to improve emergency response. By incorporating QR codes into operational plans and training materials, departments can reduce confusion, limit unnecessary radio traffic, improve mutual-aid coordination, and give responders immediate access to critical information: ow.ly/t0P35102LCr

WEBINAR November 13, 1 pm ET: ow.ly/VAog50ZWsZo Tactics for Life -with Brian Brush Where the term “aggressive” was once deeply connected to recklessness, today it is more closely associated with anticipation in planning, assertive decisions, and proactive actions. This is how we stay ahead of the incident power curve, properly positioning at the tactical level through a deeper understanding of the dynamics of our environment. Collectively we now have a much greater awareness to the degree in which time affects the fireground. The objectives of this class aim to inform the decisions of today’s fire officers using the information of today. Relying purely on experience is not sufficient for the higher accountability world in which we live, public trust in our profession, and expectations of the positions we hold as officers. This webinar will provide the appropriate blend of experience and evidence that is necessary to support command competence and confidence in the explanation and execution of duties and decisions.

For years I’ve seen firefighter officers hide behind their badges, using rank as a shield rather than accepting responsibility or taking charge. A badge doesn’t make you a leader, and like Frankenstein’s monster, the consequences of your own creation will eventually come knocking with a vengeance. You can dodge accountability, shift blame, and hide behind policies or subordinates, but you can’t outrun the truth forever. I’ve learned that leadership isn’t about the title on your collar; it’s about standing tall when things go wrong. We need to constantly expect accountability, reward decisive leadership, mentor officers in responsibility, and enforce consequences consistently. STAY FIRED UP, and sooner or later, every officer faces their reckoning–and no badge can protect you from that: ow.ly/5usv510265Y

WEBINAR November 3, 11:00 am ET: ow.ly/WEqe51024xI Breaking the Chain of Contamination: A Practical Approach to Biological Exposure Control for Fire & EMS -with Clint Greenwood Emergency responders routinely encounter biological contamination through patient care, blood and body fluids, infectious materials, contaminated environments, and vector pests. The incident may end when the unit clears the scene—but contamination can continue traveling on clothing, PPE, equipment, apparatus, and personal belongings. This webinar examines the entire contamination pathway, from initial recognition and exposure control through isolation, personal decontamination, equipment processing, documentation, and return to service. Participants will also examine emerging approaches to chemical-free decontamination, including how heat, humidity, and UVC technologies can be incorporated into a comprehensive exposure-control program. ow.ly/WEqe51024xI Sponsored by Cres Cor Health and Safety

WEBINAR November 12, 1 pm ET: ow.ly/sxHs50ZGFlu Company Officer Development -with Jason Hoevelmann This webinar is designed to arm new and aspiring Company Officers with the essential skills needed to navigate the challenges of mid-level management. It focuses on the core responsibilities that define the modern frontline supervisor, providing the administrative, interpersonal, and leadership foundation necessary to effectively manage a fire company, ensuring a smooth transition from follower to leader. Key Learning Objectives: - Interpersonal Supervision: Techniques for managing conflict, conducting meaningful performance evaluations, and mentorship. - Company-Level Administration: Essential tasks like shift reports, documentation, and managing equipment records. - Leadership Principles: Implementing a daily philosophy that ensures crew accountability, training compliance, and morale.