If you’re like a lot of firefighters, you stay busy. That’s productive, right? But what if you’re staying busy to keep from dealing with emotional problems? That’s not so good. On this episode, therapist Jada Hudson explains why firefighters need to have some time to do … nothing.

In a world with SLICE-RS. RECEO, and REVAS, comes a new and potentially better acronym: SLAB SAVERS, Jesse Quinalty’s solution to firefighting mnemonics. Find out what it means on this episode.

Burn buildings are part of every firefighter’s training, but how worthwhile are they? What do we learn in them, and are those things valuable? David Rhodes explains why burn buildings aren’t always the best way to learn real-world tactics and how to fix that.

One of the unfortunate changes the fire service has seen in the last few years is a move toward equipping firefighters with ballistic vests and body armor. It’s a reality, though, and Kane Nixon tells us why his department issues them.

What if there was a better standard for prehospital care than “First, Do No Harm?” Mike Rubin offers some alternative phrases that might make you think twice when you’re treating a patient.

As active-shooter incidents become more common, firefighters are being asked to do EMS rescues in some situations that they never used to enter. Jim Morrissey explains how interagency cooperation will work in the current atmosphere of hazards.

There’s been a lot written on how to advance in the fire service, but not as much on what to do when you’re passed over for a promotion. Matt Tobia offers some tips for doing better the next time.

There’s a certain sector of the fire service that advocates just slamming a fire with overwhelming water and getting an instant knockdown. Firmly in that camp is Paul Shapiro, who has been known to use a deck gun on some residential structure fires.

Everyday people don’t understand what firefighters see day in and day out. TV and movies have taught them that it’s mostly a heroic job where the victim almost always survives. Michael Morse tells us how he explains what firefighters know to civilians – and what he doesn’t discuss.

A mayday is enough to send chills down a firefighter’s spine. For several years, Don Abbott’s “Project Mayday” has collected recordings of the radio traffic that precedes a mayday in an effort to find out what causes them so they can be prevented. Hear about what Don’s learned so far in this episode.