An active shooter situation.  What do you do?  The objective is to save lives.  Obviously, it law enforcement plays a key role but treating mass casualties requires fire departments and emergency medical services to be on the scene.  An immediate, coordinated response saves lives when you are on the firing line.    It can happen anywhere and it did.  On September 21, 2021,  the place was Collierville, Tennessee, often known for being one of many suburbs surrounding the City of Memphis.  This incident became the first known case where police and fir ..read more

Have you heard the saying “turning lemons into lemonade?" "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade" is a proverbial phrase used to encourage optimism and a positive "can-do" attitude in the face of adversity or misfortune. Lemons suggest sourness or difficulty in life; "making lemonade" means taking those difficulties & turning them into something positive or desirable.  When I think of first responders in general,  "turning lemons into lemonade" just seems to be in their DNA. There are some stories I want to investigate.  Not all are about a tragic event.  Sometimes ..read more

I, first, began my passion of telling stories of those in the fire service as a young man. A big portion of my experience came from riding with, living with, and working with the men and women of the Memphis Fire Department.  There was a particular group of young men and women who began work in the late 1980s/early 1990s who experienced the birth of a new era of firefighting. From that group, many new and effective leaders were born who serve our communities today.  It has been an honor to know so many of them throughout the years.   One of those individuals was a skinny kid wh ..read more

THE STORYLINE STORY:    You know his voice but do you know the man?  Why would a man with years of experience in radio and television take an interest in the world of firefighting and emergency services? What is this thing called EmergencyFD and the reason for this podcast.... EmergencyFD Storyline? The tables turn.... the interviewer host Tom Mann becomes the interviewee.  Danni Synot interviews Tom Mann about the story of EmergencyFD and this podcast.    Danni Synot is the Founder and CEO of Brave Enough (www.braveenought.org) based in Geelong, Victoria, Austra ..read more

Firefighting is a calling…. a commitment to serve others.  It is also a commitment to serve one another within the fire family.  Despite its’ traditions, firefighting is also a commitment to a lifetime of learning, training, and working hard so you can be on top of your game when duty calls.  My guest is Bobby Williams a second generation firefighter.  The first time I met him…. I said to myself…”now, that is a firefighter”.   He looked the part!  He talked the talk and walked the walk. When you are a second generation firefighter,  you carry the traditions a ..read more

When I moved from the big city to a rural community,  I suspected that the fire department here had to operate differently.  From my first day in the area, I started noticing many differences. I didn’t see any fire hydrants and I knew my residential water came from a pretty small water department.  It seemed there was always a brush fire or some type of structure fire off in the distance. Less than a half mile down the road from my home, I saw a fire station…. next to a major interstate. Almost everyday, a fire engine roared by my house followed by a tanker. The sides of the app ..read more

This edition of EmergencyFD Storyline is called "THE REALITY OF THE JOB...WHEN YOUR CUP RUNS OVER." WHEN THE JOB GET’S TOO REAL... WHEN YOU CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE... WHEN YOU CANT ENJOY THE SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE...  WHEN YOU CANT TURN IT OFF...  POST TRAUMATIC STRESS. EVERYONE EXPERIENCES  IT TO SOME DEGREE ON THE JOB BUT POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER OR PTSD IS ANOTHER THING.  THIS INTERVIEW’S PURPOSE IS TO HELP START THE CONVERSATION.  YOU ARE NOT ALONE.   IF YOU NEED HELP,   SEEK OUT PROFESSIONAL HELP. -Tom Mann Host & Executive Producer EMERGENCYFD ST ..read more

This edition of EmergencyFD Storyline is called "Standing Tall When You Take A Fall."  Bobby Qualls began his career with the Memphis Fire Department in 1986.  Bobby rose though the ranks as a member of the 14's and 7's Engine house to become a lieutenant in on Rescue 2 and 3 in Special Operations.  Two of Bobby's gifts is his humor and practical approach to problem solving in the fire service. Tom Mann sits down with Bobby Qualls as he shares his memories, humor, and years of experience in tough situations.  One situation involved an unexpected accident that came close t ..read more

This edition of EmergencyFD Storyline is called "SURVIVING THE UNTHINKABLE." Hear the story of one firefighter's second by second account of an active shooter situation. He survived but the firefighter next to him and the firefighter behind him did not. Don't miss this inspiring story of his survival and learning to live with memories of the unthinkable. This EmergencyFD Storyline audio podcast is part one of a two part series. "I see him fall.  I hear glass popping.  It was seconds later when the nozzelman said...  Hey George, someone is shooting at us.... 24 seconds." -George ..read more

This edition of EmergencyFD Storyline is called "COVID On The Frontlines." This episode is a Storyline EXTRA and focuses on the COVID-19 experiences of Memphis Firefighter Thomas Mann Jr..  He acquired COVID-19 on the job but not from a treating a patient.  Executive Producer, Tom Mann, talks with his son (the firefighter/Advanced EMT) as he describes what it is like to have COVID-19.  Executive Producer Tom Mann continues  the discussion with Memphis Fire Division Chief of Safety and Wellness Robbie Franks.  Chief Franks discusses how the Memphis Fire Department meets ..read more