Best Electricalsafety Podcasts (2024)

1
Hoarding Risk-Reduction Strategies 49:41

6h ago49:41

49:41

Residential hoarding poses numerous dangers and fire risks for residents and firefighters, yet communities have struggled to find meaningful solutions. Today on the podcast, two of North America’s most prominent hoarding researchers join us to talk about the causes and trendlines of hoarding (2:08), as well as the latest risk reduction strategies t…

1
Moral Injury and Suicide 41:39

24d ago41:39

41:39

In most years, more firefighters die by suicide than from accidents or injuries that happen in the line of duty, according to the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance. It’s well understood that PTSD is a huge contributor to the problem, but recently a new concept called moral injury has also become recognized as a significant factor. Today on the…

1
What to Know About CO 26:46

1M ago26:46

26:46

Each year, accidental carbon monoxide poisonings cause at least 430 deaths in the U.S., and send more than 100,000 people to emergency rooms, according to the CDC. Studies have found that the number of accidental CO deaths has increased over the last decade. Today on the podcast, we speak to Richard Roberts, a member of several NFPA committees on c…

1
Doing It Right: Energy Storage and Solar Installs 38:18

2M ago38:18

38:18

As the number of energy storage and photovoltaic systems being installed across the world continues to rise dramatically, so does the need for trained professionals to ensure that these systems are reliable and safe for decades to come. Today on the podcast, we discuss the various codes and standards needed for the proper installation and maintenan…

1
Where is AI Headed? 1:02:30

2M ago1:02:30

1:02:30

We wrap up our two-parter about how AI technologies might impact fire and life safety by talking with Xinyan Huang, a fire protection engineer, professor, and AI researcher at the Research Centre for Fire Safety Engineering at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He tells us about a few of the AI tools he and his colleagues are developing and how they…

1
Artificial Intelligence and the Fire Service 41:31

3M ago41:31

41:31

Today’s podcast is the first in a two-part series looking at how artificial intelligence technologies could impact fire and life safety. In this episode, we focus on AI’s potential impact on the fire service. How might fire departments use AI? What are the dangers? What guardrails need to be in place to ensure that the technology is reliable and sa…

1
Sustainability vs. Fire Protection 40:25

3M ago40:25

40:25

Lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic panels are technologies that may improve environmental sustainability, but also present challenges to fire protection engineers. Conversely, chemical flame retardants may lead to better fire outcomes, but also have potentially serious impacts on human health and the environment. Today on the podcast, we talk a…

1
Short-Term Rentals: Risky Business 39:28

4M ago39:28

39:28

From elevators that can decapitate you to grills that can explode in your face, short-term rental properties aren’t short on things that can hurt you—or worse. In fact, short-term rental safety expert Justin Ford calls these properties the most dangerous sector of the travel and hospitality industry. In this episode, we sit down with Ford to discus…

1
Re-Thinking Wildfire 50:06

4M ago50:06

50:06

As destruction from wildfire in the U.S. continues to set records, it’s become abundantly clear that the country’s current strategies are not working. But what should we be doing differently? Over the past year, a wildfire commission, comprised of 50 experts from a range of fields, met to try and answer that incredibly complicated question. In Sept…

1
Trauma and Risk 39:40

5M ago39:40

39:40

It’s well understood that childhood trauma can have dramatic effects on a person’s adult life, and in recent years, risk prevention experts have started to recognize it as a sizeable contributor to both individual and community risk. Today on the podcast, we talk to a director at the University of Michigan Trauma Burn Center about the role that chi…

1
The Economic Impact of Fire Departments 38:31

5M ago38:31

38:31

At budget time, fire departments are listed as a cost on the city ledger, but that’s only part of the story. Firefighting and fire prevention also provide huge returns on investment by saving lives, buildings, businesses, and jobs. Is there a way to quantify these economic and social impacts? On today’s podcast, we talk to a Montreal fire chief who…

1
Heat, the Silent Killer 53:15

6M ago53:15

53:15

Heatwaves aren't just uncomfortable; they are deadly for millions of people around the globe each year. Recognizing this growing threat, governments and safety departments are starting to reconsider their vulnerabilities to heat and are taking action to protect their populations and infrastructure. Today on the podcast, we talk to Eleni Myrivili, w…

1
The Survivors, Part 5: “Never Again” 22:37

7M ago22:37

22:37

We are replaying "The Survivors," an award-winning podcast series that NFPA first published in 2017. In the final episode, the van Dijks and other survivors want their experience to be the catalyst for the inclusion of fire sprinklers in all new homes. However, a powerful group has spent serious dollars preventing that from happening.…

1
The Survivors, Part 4: “Back into the Lion’s Den” 30:26

7M ago30:26

30:26

We are replaying "The Survivors," an award-winning podcast series that NFPA first published in 2017. In Part 4, upsetting his family, Feike joins the fire service and places himself into one of America’s deadliest places for fire: homes. Fire service and safety advocates discuss today’s home fire problem and why the fire dynamics of new homes are a…

1
The Survivors, Part 3: “Refinement by Fire” 33:22

8M ago33:22

33:22

We are replaying "The Survivors," an award-winning podcast series that NFPA first published in 2017. In Part 3, the van Dijk's emotional scarring from the fire seems to have taken a larger toll on the family than their physical injuries. They learn new coping tactics, as have many others impacted by home fire. But everyday has its challenges.…

1
The Survivors, Part 2: “The Aftermath” 32:49

9M ago32:49

32:49

For the next five NFPA Podcast episodes we are replaying "The Survivors," an award-winning podcast series NFPA first published in 2017. In Part 2, impacted by the death of their two boys, the van Dijks go through the painstaking process of healing their physical injuries from a home fire. U.S. burn care experts weigh in on the prevalence and outcom…

1
The Survivors, Part 1: “One of 367,000” 26:30

9M ago26:30

26:30

For the next five NFPA Podcast episodes we are replaying "The Survivors," an award-winning five-part podcast series that first ran in 2017. In part 1, Feike and Noelle van Dijk’s sense of normalcy is shattered when a home fire killed two of their children in 2014. Three years after the incident, the family gives a rarely seen look at the lingering …

1
A Battery in Every Garage? 51:02

10M ago51:02

51:02

Few topics are as hot right now in the fire service as consumer lithium-ion batteries. While electric vehicles and e-bikes still get the bulk of attention, residential energy storage system (ESS) installations are also starting to skyrocket as homeowners realize the value of storing their solar power and having a reliable source of backup electrici…

1
How Virtual Reality Is Changing Firefighter Training 33:05

10M ago33:05

33:05

Incredible advancements are being made around using virtual reality to bolster firefighter training. Some fire departments are even using VR to educate the public about fire safety. Today on the podcast, we talk to Ken Willette, executive director of the North American Fire Training Directors, about what’s available on the market now, where the tec…

1
Is 911 In Trouble? 37:27

11M ago37:27

37:27

In the United States, when someone calls 911 the call is routed to an operator at a public safety answering point, or PSAP. But news outlets across the country are finding that local PSAPs are struggling, and that 911 callers are waiting longer to get help. Today on the podcast, we speak to a researcher who just surveyed dozens of PSAPs to find out…

1
Grilling Safety 31:35

11M ago31:35

31:35

An estimated 75 million households in the United States will fire up their grills this Memorial Day weekend. For most, the worst that will happen is a few burned hot dogs. But each year, about 22,000 people in the U.S. go to hospital emergency rooms with injuries related to grilling. Today on the podcast, we talk to NFPA’s director of public educat…

1
Can We End Cancer in the Fire Service? 41:59

12M ago41:59

41:59

Last month, the U.S. federal government launched the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer—the largest project ever undertaken to better understand and reduce the risk of cancer among firefighters. Today on the podcast, we talk to the leader of this effort, Dr. Kenny Fent (2:40). He tells us what the Firefighter Registry is, how it will work, an…

1
Falls, Fires, and Older Adults 39:41

12M ago39:41

39:41

Falls and fires kill and injure more older adults than many people realize. Not only are seniors twice as likely as the general population to experience a fatal fire, they suffer an estimated 36 million falls each year in the U.S., resulting in 8 million injuries. On today’s podcast, we talk to Dori Krahn, a community relations coordinator with the…

1
Giving Dampers Their Due 37:28

1y ago37:28

37:28

Dampers are usually hidden away in ducts or ceiling cavities and seldom get much attention, but they’re a critical part of the fire protection strategy for many buildings. In a new Code Corner, NFPA Engineer Shawn Mahoney gives us a rundown of the different types of dampers, how they work, and what NFPA standards say (1:31). Then, we are joined by …

1
Diversity and the Fire Service 47:44

1y ago47:44

47:44

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are three words that have quickly risen priority lists at fire departments across the world in recent years. While most agree on the importance of having a diverse and inclusive workforce, what do those words actually mean in practice for the fire service? Why has DEI increasingly become such an emphasis, and what d…

1
The Persistent Problem of Construction Fires 34:09

1y ago34:09

34:09

The latest data from NFPA shows that the number of fires in buildings under construction has been steadily rising over the past several years. On average, US fire departments respond to nearly a dozen such fires every single day. In this episode, we sit down with Kevin Carr, the NFPA staff liaison to NFPA 241, Standard for Safeguarding Construction…

1
A Better Fit For Female Firefighters 37:48

1y ago37:48

37:48

About 80 percent of female firefighters say that their personal protective clothing doesn’t fit right, and studies show that ill-fitting gear puts women at greater risk of being injured on the job. Today on the podcast, we talk to two textile researchers who measured dozens of female firefighters as part of a multi-year project on turnout gear for …

1
America’s First Paramedics 53:38

1y ago53:38

53:38

In his stunning new book, American Sirens: The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America’s First Paramedics, former paramedic Kevin Hazzard explores the largely forgotten history of the Freedom House Ambulance Service. Hazzard joined the podcast to talk about his book, the early beginnings of EMS, and how a dedicated group of men from a …

1
A New Fire Protection Handbook, 15 Years in the Making 34:53

1y ago34:53

34:53

Today on the podcast we examine one of NFPA’s oldest and most significant publications, the Fire Protection Handbook. Guests Nick Dawe, a fire marshal in Georgia, and Casey Grant, a fire protection engineering consultant and longtime NFPA employee, discuss what the FPH means to them and what’s new in the new edition. It’s been 15 years since the la…

1
Heating or Eating: The Fire Risks of Inflation 49:09

1+ y ago49:09

49:09

As cold weather begins to move into the northern latitudes, families all over the world are struggling with high heating bills, leading some to make desperate choices that can dramatically increase fire risks. On today’s podcast, a prevention officer and public health expert from the United Kingdom’s National Fire Chiefs Council share the work bein…

1
Riding the Tailboard 28:50

1+ y ago28:50

28:50

We are ringing in the New Year by rerunning one of our favorite episodes of all time, which originally aired in January 2017. It might seem strange now, but firefighters dying from falling off fire trucks used to be a huge problem—from 1977 to 1987, an average of nearly four firefighters died this way each year. That all changed after the 1987 publ…

1
The Rising Dangers of Home Fires 35:04

1+ y ago35:04

35:04

Believe it or not, a reported home fire in the US today is more likely to be fatal than it was in 1980. In fact, a new NFPA report reveals that the number of fire deaths per 1,000 reported home fires has risen 13 percent over the last 40 years. On today’s podcast, we talk to NFPA’s director of research and its vice president of Outreach and Advocac…

1
Cooking Fires and Turkey Fryers 44:00

1+ y ago44:00

44:00

Shockingly, cooking fires now kill more people on average per year in the US than they did in the 1980s. As Thanksgiving nears, we are re-airing this episode from November 2020 looking at this growing problem. First, Jesse talks to an NFPA communications manager about cooking fire causes and the resources available for prevention educators (1:57). …

1
Babcock Ranch and the Future of Resilient Design 43:59

1+ y ago43:59

43:59

When hurricane Ian tore through Florida in September, it left a trail of destruction—but not at Babcock Ranch, a 2,000-home development designed to be both sustainable and to withstand the worst natural disasters. Today on the podcast, we speak to an engineer who lives in and helped design Babcock Ranch about the community’s unique features, as wel…

1
Flame Retardant Chemicals in Furniture 31:42

1+ y ago31:42

31:42

For years, flame retardant chemicals have presented a catch 22. When applied to furniture they can help prevent fire ignition and potentially save lives, however, many scientists believe the chemicals are harmful to both human health and the environment. Today on the podcast, we talk to pair of experts about the ongoing debate over the use of flame…

1
Energy, Climate, and California Burning 33:40

1+ y ago33:40

33:40

A new book called California Burning details Pacific Gas & Electric’s 117-year rise to becoming one of the largest utilities in the United States—as well as how the company’s negligence, a changing climate, and state energy policy have all contributed to devastating wildfires in California. Today on the podcast, we welcome the book’s author, Wall S…

1
The Future of Fire Investigation 28:48

1+ y ago28:48

28:48

Thirty years ago, NFPA released NFPA 921, the world’s first comprehensive guide on fire and explosion investigation. Since then, the profession has advanced leaps and bounds. However, a recent report on the profession argues that fire investigation can still be more art than science, with a lack of consistency, no system of peer review, and no high…

1
Fire on Campus: Turning Pain into Purpose 52:34

1+ y ago52:34

52:34

On January 19, 2000, Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos, then 18- year- old freshman roommates at Seton Hall University, were severely burned when the residence hall they lived in caught fire. The blaze, one of the worst at a college campus in US history, killed three students and injured more than 50 others. Shawn and Alvaro now travel the country spe…

1
The New Foams 39:56

1+ y ago39:56

39:56

For more than 50 years, firefighters have relied on aqueous film forming foam—better known as AFFF—to quickly and effectively put out dangerous liquid fuel fires. However, due to health and environmental concerns, AFFF is now being rapidly phased out across the world. On today’s podcast, we talk with one of the world’s leading researchers on firefi…

1
The Dangers of Wildfire Smoke Inhalation 35:55

1+ y ago35:55

35:55

As the number and severity of wildfires increase in many parts of the world, experts have concerns over what the health impacts of wildfire smoke inhalation might be. In today’s episode, we hear from three researchers who are studying that topic by exposing mice to wildland fire smoke. So far, their research suggests inhaling wildfire smoke can lea…

1
The Failures Before the Fires 49:13

1+ y ago49:13

49:13

In May, journalists Madison Hopkins and Cecilia Reyes were awarded a Pulitzer Prize for their investigative series, “The Failures Before the Fires,” which exposed dangerous systemic flaws in how Chicago handles building code enforcement. On today’s podcast, Hopkins and Reyes join us to discuss the details of their award-winning investigation, how t…

1
Are SMART Sprinklers the Next Big Thing? 22:12

2y ago22:12

22:12

SMART fire sprinklers, which use less water and can employ a range of sensors to target exactly where a fire is happening, have potential to be a game changer, according to some experts. Today on the podcast, Jesse talks to Dr. Yibing Xin, a research manager at FM Global, who has conducted numerous fire tests on these devices. He discusses how the …

1
Safety in Short-term Rental Properties 37:48

2y ago37:48

37:48

From elevators that can decapitate you to grills that can explode in your face, short-term rental properties aren’t short on things that can hurt you—or worse. In fact, short-term rental safety expert Justin Ford calls these properties the most dangerous sector of the travel and hospitality industry. In this episode, Angelo sits down with Ford to d…

1
E-bike and E-scooter Fire Safety 31:42

2y ago31:42

31:42

Battery-powered electric bicycles and scooters, collectively known as micromobility devices, have exploded in popularity in recent years, but so too have fires involving these devices. From New York City to India, e-bikes and e-scooters batteries have sparked fires that have killed dozens of people and destroyed hundreds of thousands of dollars of …

1
An Arc-Flash Survivor’s Story 42:40

2y ago42:40

42:40

In 2011, longtime electrician Brandon Schroeder was involved in an accident on the job that left him severely burned and without the use of his hand. After a long and grueling recovery, Schroeder became a vocal advocate for electrical worker safety and now travels the country to offer his own story as a warning. In honor of Electrical Safety Month,…

1
Lessons from Grizzly Flats 37:45

2y ago37:45

37:45

For more than a decade, the small, wooded town of Grizzly Flats, California has participated in Firewise USA, an NFPA program where residents voluntarily work together on community projects to lessen their risks from wildfire. In August 2021, however, the Caldor Fire tore through Grizzly Flats, putting its mitigation efforts through a major test. T…

1
Under Fire: Life for Responders in Ukraine 53:39

2y ago53:39

53:39

The State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) has taken on an unrelenting burden since Russian forces invaded more than two months ago. Among other tasks, the SES’s 60,000 responders put out fires, search for survivors buried under rubble, clear landmines, and recover the dead—all while being shot at and shelled by the Russian military. On today’s e…

1
Drugs, Falls, and Fires 34:26

2y ago34:26

34:26

Research suggests that two-thirds of US adults aged 65 and older use at least three prescription medications. Meanwhile, older adults are twice as likely as the general population to experience a fatal fire, and deaths and injuries from accidental falls have skyrocketed in this age group over the last decade. It begs the question: Do certain prescr…

1
40 Years of Fire Research 41:13

2y ago41:13

41:13

Since 1982, the Fire Protection Research Foundation, the research affiliate of NFPA, has been instrumental in answering countless important questions about how best to protect the world from fire and electrical dangers. Its research has improved safety in countless industries and led to numerous changes to codes, consumer products, fire test standa…

1
Long COVID and the Fire Service 33:27

2y ago33:27

33:27

Dr. Denise Smith, who has spent decades researching the physiological impact of firefighting, joins The NFPA Podcast to discuss how firefighters who have been infected with COVID-19 could struggle for weeks or even months following acute illness as they return to work. Smith and other researchers are currently working on a project supported by the …

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