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today we have an extraordinary episode featuring none other than Dr. Burton A. Clark. For those of you in the fire service, his name should be synonymous with leadership, education, and pushing the boundaries of fire safety culture.

Dr. Burton A. Clark has an illustrious 50-year career in the fire service. Starting as a firefighter in Washington, D.C., he rose through the ranks to become an Assistant Fire Chief in Laurel, Maryland, and later Operations Chief for DHS/FEMA. He’s held prestigious positions such as Management Science Program Chair at the National Fire Academy and Visiting Scholar at Johns Hopkins University Center for Injury Research and Policy.

Links:
Dr Clarks website
Dr Clarks Linkedin

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My returning guest today is good friend of the podcast John McDonough who has been a professional firefighter for 38 years with the Fire and Rescue New South Wales in Sydney Australia.

He is currently an operational Duty Commander in charge of 14 stations in the busy inner west zone of Sydney. He was Team Leader of the Fire Operational Training Team (FOTT). This team trains all firefighters and officers in structural fire behaviour and firefighting techniques and tactics.

Over the last 17 years, this has developed into a standardized doctrine for how firefighters act and behave at the task and tactical level. It is taught at all levels from recruit to Station Officer.

He is a co-author of ‘3D Firefighting – Training, Tactics and Techniques’, which is published in the USA. In 2009 he was awarded Australia’s highest honor for Fire Officers, the Australian Fire Service Medal for his work in structural firefighting training.

We only feature the latest 200 episodes of the podcast on public platforms so to access our podcast LIBRARY, every Debrief & document CLICK HERE

PODCAST GIFT - Get your FREE subscription to essential Firefighting publications HERE

A big thanks to our partners for supporting this episode.
GORE-TEX Professional Clothing
MSA The Safety Company
PATROL STORE UK
IDEX
HAIX Footwear - Get offical podcast discount on HAIX HERE
Xendurance - to hunt performance & endurance 20% off HERE with code ffp20
Lyfe Linez - Get Functional Hydration FUEL for FIREFIGHTERS, Clean no sugar for daily hydration. 80% of people live dehydrated and for firefighters this cost
Hibern8 - a plant based sleep aid specially designed to promote a restful night's sleep and awaken you feeling refreshed and energised

Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew

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In today’s episode, Beyond the Flames: The Lifespan of Firefighter Fabrics, we’re turning up the heat on groundbreaking research from the University of Alberta. Joining us are two incredible experts: Saiful, a PhD candidate who’s spent the past four years uncovering why firefighter gear doesn’t always stand the test of time, and Dr. Patricia Dolez, an Associate Professor and leader in textile science.

We’ll take you behind the scenes of their cutting-edge work, uncovering the hidden factors that can weaken your protective clothing. We’re talking moisture, heat, and even the chemicals that linger after a tough call. You’ll hear about:

• The science of fabric degradation—tensile strength, sulphur content, and water repellency breakdown.
• The unseen dangers of chemical leaching and how outdated testing standards put safety at risk.
• And exciting new advancements, like sensors that can monitor gear aging in real time and revolutionary cleaning methods that outshine the old-school wash.

This episode is packed with critical insights for firefighters, researchers, and anyone passionate about innovation in safety. Together, Saiful and Dr. Dolez will help us understand how we can better protect those who protect us.

So, grab your gear, settle in, and get ready to explore the science behind the equipment that keeps our heroes safe on the frontlines.

We only feature the latest 200 episodes of the podcast on public platforms so to access our podcast LIBRARY, every Debrief & document CLICK HERE

PODCAST GIFT - Get your FREE subscription to essential Firefighting publications HERE

A big thanks to our partners for supporting this episode.
GORE-TEX Professional Clothing
MSA The Safety Company
PATROL STORE UK
IDEX
HAIX Footwear - Get offical podcast discount on HAIX HERE
Xendurance - to hunt performance & endurance 20% off HERE with code ffp20
Lyfe Linez - Get Functional Hydration FUEL for FIREFIGHTERS, Clean no sugar for daily hydration. 80% of people live dehydrated and for firefighters this cost
Hibern8 - a plant based sleep aid specially designed to promote a restful night's sleep and awaken you feeling refreshed and energised

Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew