About this episode
There are more firefighters than ever — and fewer fires for them to fight. So the job has changed. Zachary Crockett slides down the pole. SOURCES: Joshua Hurwitz , lecturer in economics at Tufts University. Eric Mackintosh , administrative battalion fire chief for San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department. Steve Pegram , retired fire chief and township administrator in Ohio. RESOURCES: " The Dire Shortage of Volunteer Firefighters in the US ," by Sam Becker ( BBC, 2024). San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department 2023 Annual Report (2024). " Essays on the Economics of U.S. Firefighting ," by Joshua Hurwitz (Harvard University doctoral dissertation, 2021). " Over Last 20 Years, Annual Fires in the US Declined by About 50% While Career Firefighters Increased More Than 50%? " by Mark J. Perry ( AEIdeas, 2015). EXTRAS: " Getting Old, Adventurously ," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2024). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.