Last line of defense: Protecting the people who protect us

Last line of defense: Protecting the people who protect us

In this episode, Duncan J. White speaks with Kelly Franko, President of Seraphina Safety Apparel, about her journey into producing protective base layers from the healthcare industry working on advanced wound care products to attending a motor racing event and being asked to make a flame resistant bra. She also discusses the most recent advances in PPE such removing PFAS chemicals from the garments and replacing them with pre-burned material as well as improved moisture wicking and what undergarments should be worn under the base layer.

Raising the Standard in Clean Agent Systems

In this episode, Duncan J. White speaks with Paul Rivers, Senior Advisor at Standard Fluids about the future of clean agent fire suppression following the phaseout of 3M™ Novec™ 1230. The discussion explores the growing debate between generic and engineered FK-5-1-12 fluids, examining the importance of product purity, supply chain transparency and technical expertise in protecting mission-critical infrastructure. The episode also looks at the evolving demands of AI data centres, immersion cooling and sustainable fire protection strategies, and how organisations can navigate a rapidly changing regulatory and technological landscape while maintaining the highest standards of safety and performance.

Keeping firefighters safer with robotic fireground support

In this episode of the FSJA Leaders in Fire & Safety Podcast, host Duncan J. White is joined by Chief John Pope, Fire Chief of the City of Collins Fire Department in Mississippi, Ron Lemons, Sales Manager at Howe & Howe, a Textron company, and Captain Richard Diede, Los Angeles City Fire Captain and Heavy Equipment Supervisor, to discuss the use of robotic systems in frontline firefighting operations.   The conversation focuses on the Thermite RS3, a remotely operated firefighting vehicle designed to support crews in high-risk environments by applying water, moving debris and helping departments manage incidents from a safer distance. Drawing on operational experience from Los Angeles and Collins, the guests discuss how robotics can support firefighter safety, reduce physical strain during long-duration incidents and provide another tactical option at commercial fires, industrial sites and hazardous situations where direct access is limited.

Building safety at height: Rethinking fire protection in modern façades

In this episode of the FSJA Leaders in Fire & Safety Podcast, host Duncan J. White is joined by Brad Davis, Head of Commercial for North America at Siderise, to discuss the company’s expansion into the US market and its approach to passive fire protection in high-rise buildings.   Their conversation examines how fire safety standards have developed alongside modern construction and why building envelope protection remains a key area of focus. Davis outlines how Siderise is working with regulatory bodies, designers and fire services to support safer specification and installation practices. It also looks at the role of in-house testing and research, including the company’s South Wales facility, and how this capability may be extended into North America as part of its long-term growth strategy.

Data Overload! Improving Wildfire Situational Awareness in an AI World

As the volume of weather and risk data continues to explode in today’s AI-driven world, utilities face a growing challenge: turning information into actionable insight. For 20 years, Indji Systems has helped electric system operators cut through the noise with Indji Watch—using patented modeling to track real-world threats like wildfires and lightning as they interact with power lines and other critical assets. By focusing on asset-specific impacts rather than generic data, Indji delivers the precise situational awareness utilities need to protect infrastructure, improve safety, and make confident operational decisions.