August 2025

Issue Description: The August issue of Firehouse includes feature articles on electric vehicle lithium-ion battery fire mitigation, wildland fires, tech upgrades for fire apparatus and what to expect when onboarding NERIS. Cover Description: The Fort Worth, TX, Fire Department Alarm Office received multiple calls of an apartment on fire. When crews from Station 23 arrived, they found heavy fire coming from the first and second stories of an apartment building. A working fire was declared as firefighters began to battle the blaze. Strong winds, heavy rain and continual lightning complicated efforts. As the storm grew stronger, a second alarm was called by the incident commander. Ultimately, a defensive strategy was used to help to bring the fire under control. At one point during suppression operations, an overhanging roof collapsed and fell onto a firefighter. He was pulled quickly from the debris by fellow members and transported to the hospital with minor injuries. One resident also was injured but was treated on scene by emergency personnel. PHOTO BY GLEN E. ELLMAN Dedication: Seven U.S. firefighters recently died in the line of duty— Firefighter Lee Kraus, Battalion Chiefs Frank Harwood and John Morrison, Capt. Michael Reedy, Firefighter Violet Caramella, Firefighter Jake Bridges and Forest District Maintenance Supervisor David Warfel. This issue of Firehouse is dedicated to these firefighters.

More content from August 2025

Images courtesy of Andrew Bozzo
The drawing and the command board here demonstrate a simple set up of divisions and groups. When assigning divisions to a wildland urban interface fire, the author makes sure that division supervisors know their title, objectives, resources that are assigned and the communications plan, aka TORC.
Andrew Bozzo explains why the box approach to incident command at wildland urban interface fires ensures that saving lives and protecting property are the top priorities.
Aug. 7, 2025
Photos by Curt Isakson
Fire officers/fireground commanders must recognize that their tactical options are constrained when they are limited to low staffing and a restricted amount of tools and equipment. For example, an engine company that’s staffed with three firefighters might dictate that the driver operate a top-mounted deck gun that has a gate valve installed on it as part of an exterior/defensive attack, including to protect exposures.
Curt Isakson cautions ICs at fires to not think only in terms of apparatus and equipment when they build their plan but to consider staffing as a "resource," too.
Aug. 6, 2025
Photo courtesy of Bridgehill
The coating that's applied to fire blankets that are used in the mitigation of electric vehicle (EV) lithium-ion (li-ion) battery fires is a key component in the devices' effectiveness.
As electric vehicles become more prevalent, the mitigation of fires that occur when their li-ion batteries ignite has developed into a complex issue that involves multiple strategies...
Aug. 5, 2025
fire chiefs citizens challenging decisions preparation Peter Matthews As Firehouse Sees It
Peter Matthews reminds fire chiefs that the heightened scrutiny that they can face today can have them be put on the spot out of the blue and they can prepare for that by getting...
Aug. 4, 2025
Photo by Glen E. Ellman
A hallmark of developing expertise on a subject is examination of a claim about it that you held as true since first exposed to it as a student, but when faced with the prospect of informing people of it, you dig deeper and find out that the claim isn’t as you thought or must be examined further.
Edward Tracey explains why members of the fire service can improve their own learning and retention of fire, rescue and EMS information through the acts of preparing for and teaching...
May 27, 2025