Code 3 - The Firefighters Podcast

Venting the Roof: When, Where, and How with Nicholas Papa

Do you know exactly how vertical ventilation works?Depending on your level of experience, you may think you do, but you still might not have a really solid understanding of why it works. Simply cutting a random 4x4-foot hole in the roof won't do the job in all cases.My guest today has a good deal of experience as a firefighter, but he admits that, until he saw a live fire test, he misunderstood how cutting a hole in the roof affects the fire.We’ll talk about that, as well as when it’s the best time to vent the roof, how dangerous it is to work up there, how handlines can be used to move air and smoke with it, and how much training firefighters need to remain proficient in roof operations.Nicholas Papa is a 17-year veteran of the New Britain, Connecticut, Fire Department, where he’s a captain. He became a firefighter in 2003, volunteering for a neighboring suburb until he was hired by New Britain. He is the author of the book Coordinating Ventilation: Supporting Extinguishment & Survivability.

Getting Treatment for PTSD at the IAFF's Center of Excellence with Curt Isakson

If you spend any time on social media, you’re probably familiar with Curt Isakson.He has a massive presence on Facebook and about 6,000 followers.Chief Ike, as he’s also known, has had a 30-plus-year career in the fire service.He's also been an advocate for treatment of firefighters who sufFer from PTSD. So it was not a big surprise when Curt decided to enroll in the IAFF’s Center ofExcellence for Behavioral Health Treatment and Recovery.It’s an in-patient treatment program held at a facility in Maryland. The program isdesigned for firefighters and treats a variety of emotional problems. Whileabout a third of the participants suffer from PTSD, there are also victims ofsubstance abuse and other issues, like depression. In Curt’s case, he decided to check himself in to be treated for PTSD.As his social media followers know, his request for time off to be treated wasdenied by his employer, Escambia, County, Florida, Fire-Rescue.Curt decided to go anyway.When he returned, he was forced into retirement. But Curt is not sorry he went, even though he lost his job.

When It Was Fun & He Carried a Gun with Bill Niemann

When Bill Niemann joined the fire service in 1976, the landscape looked verydifferent. This was a time of rubber boots, and riding the tailboard of theengine. SCBAs were the newest thing, and not everyone got to have one.When Bill Niemann joined the fire service in 1976, the landscape looked verydifferent. This was a time of rubber boots, and riding the tailboard of theengine. SCBAs were the newest thing, and not everyone got to have one.But for the second half of his career in the fire service, Bill carried a gun. He was an assistant fire marshal assigned to the Arson Crimes Unit of PrinceWilliam County, Virginia. Back then, there were no rules for fire investigations. Just wait until you hear how he wrote his own rulebook.Speaking of writing, Bill has also written a novel. It’s titled “Heavy Fire Showing.”But for the second half of his career in the fire service, Bill carried a gun. Hewas an assistant fire marshal assigned to the Arson Crimes Unit of PrinceWilliam County, Virginia. Back then, there were no rules for fire investigations. Just wait until you hear how he wrote his own rulebook. Speakingof writing, Bill has also written a novel. It’s titled “Heavy Fire Showing.”WhenBill Niemann joined the fire service in 1976, the landscape looked verydifferent. This was a time of rubber boots, and riding the tailboard of theengine. SCBAs were the newest thing, and not everyone got to have one. Butfor the second half of his career in the fire service, Bill carried a gun. Hewas an assistant fire marshal assignedto the Arson Crimes Unit of PrinceWilliam County, Virginia. Back then, there were no rules for fire investigations. Just wait until you hear how he wrote hisown rulebook. Speakingof writing, Bill has also written a novel. It’s titled “Heavy Fire Showing.”

Choosing an IC on a Volunteer Response with Richard Ray

If you’re a member of a volunteer department, you’ve probably run into the problem of Incident Command.The issue is, who’s going to be the IC on a given fireground.Now, if your volunteer department is lucky enough to have career firefighters showing up to calls with you, the problem’s not so bad. Odds are, that career firefighter is going to be the one who takes command of the scene.But what if the response is all-volunteer? Who takes command then?That’s the question we’re going to examine on this edition of Code 3.My guest today is Richard Ray. He’s got over 30 years in the fire service. He’s both a firefighter with the Creedmoor, North Carolina Volunteer Fire Department. His full-time job is battalion chief with the Durham, North Carolina Fire Department. He instructs on a national level as well.

End of the Road for a Fire Chief with Scott Freitag

This edition of Code 3 is a little different than most.It’s about a Fire Chief who lost his job after he incurred the wrath of the UnionLocal’s officials and, ultimately, the IAFF. Scott Freitag was the chief of the Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority, orCAFMA. The agency was created under Scott’s leadership when two fire districts combined undera JMA to form CAFMA in 2015.CAFMA covers 365 square miles of territory of Yavapai County, Arizona. And it servesabout 100,000 residents from 12 stations.One day in August 2024, a press release showed up in email inboxes saying that theIAFF had censured Scott Freitag by a vote of 2,520 to 0. Iwas pretty startled to get this news because I know Scott Freitag to be anhonest, decent Fire Chief who was genuinely concerned about the welfare of hisfirefighters.As you’ll hear, the no-confidence vote led to Scott’s firing after 11 years asFire Chief in September 2024.How this all went down depends on whose story you believe. It may well have hadlittle to do with firefighting and much more to do with politics and a healthplan.