If you were among those fortunate enough to be in the audience at the opening of FDIC 2024, you heard something special.

I’d say it was a call to arms… a call to take revolutionary action.

Chief David Rhodes spoke for about a half-hour, laying out a case for change in the fire service.

His main argument: that the fire service has become too risk-averse. That the leaders of departments are so afraid of injuries—and of course, lawsuits—that they don’t want firefighters to take any risks on the fireground.

Or even in training.

He said that puts citizens in danger.

And he said that change needs to happen, from the bottom up. It sure won’t come from the top down.

Here to discuss that with me is David Rhodes.

Chief Rhodes had nearly four decades in the fire service when he retired from the Atlanta, Georgia Fire Department. He currently serves as the Editor in Chief of Fire Engineering magazine. He’s also the Educational Director for FDIC.