Happy Father’s Day to all the firefighters, rescuers and first responders! This year, Father’s Day falls on Sunday, 15 June 2025. It’s a day to honour not only the dads in our lives but also those who bravely serve our communities. Firefighters and rescuers are often fathers who balance protecting others with their own family obligations, demonstrating a unique dedication and bravery.
This Father’s Day, recognise the fire service leaders who have made a difference in your life and career and strive to mentor the next generation of firefighters.
“This Father’s Day let’s take some time to reflect on our fire service fathers’ teachings and the core values they instilled into us. Let’s appreciate the time, sacrifice, love and passion our fathers provided us to make us the firefighters we are today. They kept us safe and hopefully raised us to mentor the next generation of firefighters. For many of us, these great individuals continue to watch over us today” ~ Brian S Gettemeier.
Quote of the week “The standard you walk past is the standard you accept.” ~ David Morrison
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Eastern Cape in crisis: Floods and landslides displace thousands, government and NGOs rally together; death toll rises to over 80
More than 80 people have died in the Eastern Cape and several learners are still missing after days of torrential rain turned Eastern Cape rivers into deadly torrents. President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged ‘caution, care and cooperation’ as search and rescue teams, government officials and NGOs race to reach thousands of displaced residents.
Air India Boeing 787-8 crashes in Ahmedabad with 242 people onboard; one survivor
More than 240 people were killed when an Air India plane bound for London crashed moments after taking off from the city of Ahmedabad, authorities said, in the world’s worst aviation disaster in a decade. Air India Flight 171 was a scheduled international passenger flight operated by Air India from Ahmedabad Airport in India to London Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom. On 12 June 2025, at 13:38 IST, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating the flight crashed, approximately 30 seconds after takeoff, into the hostel block of BJ Medical College in the Meghaninagar neighbourhood of Ahmedabad in India.
Light aircraft crashes in KwaZulu-Natal; three killed
A light aircraft crash claimed the lives of three students after it departed Virginia Airport in Durban on Sunday afternoon, 8 June 2025. The aircraft was last tracked flying over Ladysmith before losing contact, which prompted a large-scale search and rescue operation. KwaZulu-Natal Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma confirmed the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre (ARCC) notified authorities that the student-piloted aircraft had gone missing shortly after 3pm. The aircraft was en route to Johannesburg and scheduled to refuel in Greytown after a change in flight plan from the original stop in Mnambithi.
At least 11 people dead after crowd crush outside Indian cricket stadium
At least 11 people have died in a crowd surge outside a cricket stadium in the Indian city of Bengaluru where fans were celebrating Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s first Indian Premier League (IPL) title win, authorities said.
Mother and child die in Mayfair West fire as water crisis turns deadly, Johannesburg
Two lives were lost in the early hours of Monday morning when a fire tore through a home in Mayfair West. Before emergency services arrived, neighbours who tried to help found their taps dry, a recurring reality in Johannesburg’s western suburbs. In the early hours of Monday morning, 9 June 2025, a fire broke out in a five-bedroom house in Mayfair West, Johannesburg, claiming the lives of a mother and her daughter. City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (CoJEMS) said a structural fire call had been received at 02h49am, and fire appliances arrived on the scene at 03h05am.
Europe moves toward unified wildfire strategy
As wildfires become more frequent, severe, and unpredictable across Europe, policymakers, scientists, and practitioners are rallying behind a new strategy and a new approach to wildfire risk. At a two-day gathering in Brussels last week, over 150 experts from across Europe came together to launch the proposal for an Integrated Wildfire Risk Management (IWRM) Strategy, a plan designed to bridge the gaps between science, policy and operational preparedness.
Ekurhuleni signs MOU with several NGOs to manage disasters
The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) through its Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with non-governmental organisations to work together to deal with future disasters in the region as determined by Disaster Management Framework of 2005. The organisations included Red Cross Gauteng, Meals on Wheels, National Sea Rescue Institute and HAMNET. HAMNET, specialists in communication systems’ main role being an establishment of communications and record keeping during disasters such that epicentres and information on disaster magnitudes are recorded.
With cancer the leading cause of death for firefighters, one California fire department is partnering with Biotech to improve the odds
Every day, firefighters are exposed to cancer-causing chemicals from the scorched aftermath of forest fires, the melting pot of kitchen cleaning supplies in burning homes and abandoned polyurethane appliances and bags in homeless encampment blazes. Cancer has jumped to the leading cause of death among firefighters; they have a 9% greater risk of being diagnosed with the disease and a 14% higher risk of dying from it than the general population, according to a study published by the National Institutes of Health on the occupational hazards of firefighting. According to the International Association of Fire Fighters, 66% of line-of-duty firefighter deaths from 2002 to 2019 were caused by cancer.
Fire destroys 39 homes in Thembalethu: Aid drive launched
A fire that ripped through Zone 8, Thembalethu, Friday afternoon, 6 June 2025, has razed 39 informal structures to the ground. George Executive Deputy Mayor Browen Johnson, said the city’s Fire Department was dispatched just after 16h00. Fortunately, no injuries or casualties were reported and local churches stepped in to provide temporary shelter to the men, women and children who have lost their homes and all their belongings.
Drought: Netherlands Fire brigade responded to over 16 000 wildfires in first four months of the year
The drought in the Netherlands is causing a lot of extra work for the fire brigade. In April alone, firefighters responded to an average of seven wildfires per day. Between January and April, there were over 16 000 wildfires, roadside fires and other outdoor fires, about 2 500 more than is typical for the first four months of a year, AD reports based on figures from the Netherlands Institute for Public Safety (NIPV).
Canada’s ongoing wildfires emit toxic smoke, trigger international deployments
Canadian firefighters are battling 225 active wildfires throughout the nation as of Wednesday, including 101 fires labelled as “out of control,” according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Numerous evacuation orders are in place throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba provinces. Local officials have declared multiple states of emergency as over 8,318,000 acres (3,366,566 hectares) have burned across the country since the beginning of 2025.
Featured FRI Magazine article: Vulnerability to wildfires by Malcolm Procter
This week’s featured Fire and Rescue International magazine article is: Vulnerability to wildfires by Malcolm Procter (FRI Vol 3 no 6). We will be sharing more technical/research/tactical articles from Fire and Rescue International magazine on a weekly basis with our readers to assist in technology transfer. This will hopefully create an increased awareness, providing you with hands-on advice and guidance. All our magazines are available free of charge in PDF format on our website and online at ISSUU. We also provide all technical articles as a free download in our article archive on our website.
Fire stations of the world: Walpole Fire Station, Walpole, Massachusetts, US
The new Walpole Fire Station opened on 2 June 2018. The Walpole Fire Rescue building was constructed on the site of the old Main Fire Station on Stone Street, Walpole in Massachusetts in the US. The new, multi-storey fire station is 22 000 square feet and houses all of the Town of Walpole’s fire operations including administration, firefighting, rescue and dispatch services. The building includes six double-depth apparatus bays, which house the department’s fire engines, ladder truck, ambulances and other support vehicles. The two-storey administration and support wing houses the Department’s administrative offices, watch-room, back-up dispatch and bunking quarters for the fire fighters.
Technology: Rain and Sikorsky test advanced aerial firefighting technologies using autonomous Black Hawk helicopter
Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT) and Rain, a leader in the emerging firetech industry, demonstrated and tested autonomous wildfire suppression techniques on both propane and burning brush piles using Sikorsky’s optionally piloted MATRIX flight autonomy system layered with Rain’s wildfire suppression planning software. Performed in late April in Southern California, the flight tests familiarised firefighters with the potential of autonomy to help crewed and uncrewed firefighting helicopters find and suppress early-stage wildfires.
Fitness: Firefighter Fitness Programme: First Alarm Seminar, Roseburg Fire Department
The First Alarm Seminar is a two-day course consisting of classroom discussion and physical training. Special thanks to the Roseburg Fire Department for hosting us.
Source: Firefighter Peak Performance
Training: Search and rescue firefighter training: low visibility (Part 2)
Part 2 of 3 of this recruit firefighter training series provides firefighter rescue training. This recruit firefighter training shows the basics of a search assignment in a low visibility environment.
Source: Fire Spotlight
Vintage: “Before They Happen”- Classic 1950s Fire Safety Documentary
“Before They Happen”. A classic 1950s documentary on fire safety
Source: Canada 150 Archive
Inspiration: Quote of the week
Just for fun
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the articles and in any corresponding comments are the opinions of the original authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Fire and Rescue International editorial team or its management.
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