Fire Chief Marc Bashoor and FireRescue1 Editor-in-Chief Janelle Foskett reflect on a most challenging year, discussing the unprecedented challenges fire and EMS personnel faced due to COVID-19 and civil unrest, while also considering some of the bright moments from 2020, including words of encouragement from fire service leaders.

Mike Pertz, a firefighter-paramedic with the Avon Lake (Ohio) Fire Department, offers tips to prospective firefighters facing challenges joining the ranks, addresses some of the misconceptions recruits have about the fire service, and tackles the key reasons members ultimately leave the fire service, and what leaders can do to keep them interested in a career in firefighting.

Gordon Graham, a risk management expert and co-founder of Lexipol, delineates the 10 families of risk, identifying the single risk that poses the biggest threat to firefighters as well as the fastest-growing risk within the fire service. Graham offers advice to all levels of fire service personnel about how to stay safe and out of trouble.

Fire Chief Marc Bashoor breaks down the U.S. Fire Administration report summarizing the fire service line-of-duty deaths (LODDs) in 2019, spotlighting the decrease in death totals, highlighting commons causes and reinforcing the push to "Get Below 50" LODDs in a single year.

Dr. Burton Clark, a 50-year fire service veteran, tackles firefighter behavior and organizational culture in order to help identify what prevents firefighters from taking proper safety precautions, even when they know it's the right thing to do.

Dr. David Black, a clinical psychologist and CEO of Cordico, discusses mental fitness within the fire service, addressing why firefighters don't seek help for behavioral health concerns, as well as how firefighters and fire service leaders can help each other and themselves when stresses grow.

Firefighter James Pribyl shares his experience as a volunteer firefighter with Turkey Creek Fire Rescue in Sneads Ferry, North Carolina, and its connections to his time as an active-duty Marine for 19 years. Pribyl also shares an honest look at a typical day of a volunteer firefighter, based on his FireRescue1 article "I am your local volunteer firefighter."

Loveland-Symmes (Ohio) Deputy Fire Chief Billy Goldfeder details the problem with "personality-based mutual aid," how crews can integrate policy into daily operations, tips for maintaining fire department relevance, and the key issue that keeps fire chiefs up at night -- and how to solve it.

Graham addresses how public safety agencies can employ training and policies to ensure their response efforts have a synergistic effect, rather than three agencies operating in silos. He also shares details about the Lexipol Connect Virtual User Group Conference on Oct. 14, 2020.

Chief Randy Bruegman discusses the recent CPSE/ICMA white paper “21st Century Fire & Emergency Services,” designed to stir debate, create dialogue and promote conversations about the changes facing the next generation of leaders, not only in the fire service but also in local government.