March 2026

Issue Description: The March issue of Firehouse includes feature articles on solar farm wildfire tactics, fleet-planning management and leadership initiatives for battalion chiefs.

Cover Description: Chicago Fire Department firefighters responded to a fire in a strip mall that originated in a discount retail store and spread rapidly. Members were withdrawn from the building quickly as heavy fire compromised the steel deck roof. Companies were forced into a defensive mode. Collapse zones were set up, and companies operated numerous master streams, including that of two tower ladders and a Snorkel to try to contain the fire. About 100 firefighters, eight engines, four trucks, two tower ladders, a Snorkel squad and a large contingent of chief officers were on scene. Photo by Gordon Nord Jr.

Dedication: One U.S. firefighter recently died in the line of duty—Firefighter/EMT/Dispatcher Brittany Hathaway. This issue of Firehouse is dedicated to this firefighter.

March 2026

5 Ways for Fire Departments & Firefighters to Improve Their Service

March 25, 2026

firefighter apartment building fire victim rescue Reading Pennsylvania Fire Department

Operations & Training

Hot Shots 3/26

March 24, 2026

Local, state and federal firefighters perform prescribed fire for vegetation management in renewable energy fields prior to primary fire season in southeast Idaho. Decreasing tumble weeds prior to fire season decreases the threat of significant wildfire growth and provides training, and interagency cooperation.

Wildland

Solar Farm Wildfire Strategies & Tactics

March 17, 2026

Leadership

Defining Professionalism in the Fire Service

March 16, 2026

Being diligent about creating a warm zone enables the rescue team space to operate safely.

Technical Rescue

The Incident Command Team: Strategic Infrastructure for Technical Rescue Success

March 13, 2026

More content from March 2026

Dr. David Rayburn, who is the medical director for New Orleans EMS, praises the image quality of Butterfly Network’s iQ3 point-of-contact ultrasound (POCUS) device. After the agency’s first encounters with the system, “They came to me and said, ‘This is a night and day difference’” compared with the previous POCUS device that they used,” Rayburn says. “‘This is so much clearer. I can see structures better. I’m able to interpret the images a lot better,’” Rayburn tells Firehouse those providers told him.

EMS

Game Changers: EMS Technology for Better Patient Outcomes

Advanced AEDs, sophisticated mechanical CPR devices and automated tourniquets put firefighter/paramedics and EMTs in position to save more lives and increase their self-confidence...

March 12, 2026

Engine 201 of Manheim Township Fire Rescue (MTFR), which is located in Lancaster County, PA, is a 2024 Pierce Enforcer that has a short wheelbase and an overall length of 29 feet, 8 inches. The rig is equipped with three rear-body, 2½-inch discharges and a 5-inch rear intake. The aluminum body is 140 inches long.

Apparatus

Case Study: Department, Government & Stakeholder Cooperation for Developing a Fire Department Apparatus Fleet

Tom Shand & Michael Wilbur share the lessons learned that a fire department applied to its specification of upgrades to its apparatus contingent.

March 11, 2026

At this mattress warehouse fire, the incident safety officer, who is in full gear, is confirming accountability beyond the tags, including confirming who entered the immediately dangerous to life and health environment and those individuals’ time in for rules of air management (ROAM). This visual confirmation and face-to-face with the entry point officer is critical. If you look closely, you also can see a chief officer who is the rapid intervention team (RIT) chief. Span of control is critical when going offensive for a commercial building fire.

Operations & Training

Fire Department Command Teams: Commercial Fires & Multi-Alarm Incidents

Curt Isakson explains why a supervising officer, an incident operations officer and, sometimes, a safety officer and a water supply officer are needed for the complexity that ...

March 10, 2026

Careers & Education

Decades of Paying It Forward for the Fire Service

Peter Matthews reflects on his 27 years on the staff of Firehouse and why his work for readers continues to be an honor and a privilege.

March 9, 2026

The shape and contrast of the operating SCBA stands out against the background.

Thermal Imagers

Utilizing a TIC for Rapid Egress in Fireground Emergencies

Gavin Parker explains how to locate and follow a hoseline or guideline, locate alternative exits, identify and avoid hazards, and avoid areas of high temperature and convection...

Oct. 28, 2025

Muskets to Master Streams: A Culture of Resistance?

Leadership

Muskets to Master Streams: A Fire Service Culture of Resistance?

Bradley Feely believes traditions are an integral part of the identities of the fire service at large and of the individual company, but wonders if they are an impediment to meaningful...

March 22, 2025

Physical simulation training uses physical replicas or models of real-world objects or environments, such as utilizing smoke at an acquired structure to create a realistic environment.

Technology

Sparking Excellence in Firefighting Through Simulation Training

Philip Duczyminski reports that compelling study-based evidence indicates improvement in decision-making abilities, preparation for real-world scenarios and job satisfaction.

Nov. 1, 2024