My latest podcast features a panel from Fishers Fire and Emergency Services: Fire Chief Ky Ragsdale, Communications Director Ashley Heckly and Todd Rielage, who heads recruitment and training for the department.

We began with one of the department’s most visible summer traditions, the cul-de-sac drills. Fire crews bring their trucks into Fishers neighborhoods, hook up the hoses and let kids (and more than a few adults) cool off in the spray. Chief Ragsdale describes it as “a little bit more than sprinklers” — a chance for firefighters to connect with residents on a good day rather than their worst day. Drills run Mondays and Fridays at 7pm through the end of July, with eight more scheduled this month. Anyone can stop by a drill in any neighborhood.

With summer in full swing, the chief also shared his water safety concerns, and they may not be what you expect. While Geist Reservoir gets the attention, Ragsdale says neighborhood retention ponds worry him most — murky water, sudden drop-offs and no lifeguards. The department teaches water safety to every second grader in Fishers public and private schools, and urges families to designate a “water watcher” whenever kids are in the pool. We also talked about the department’s dive teams, based at Stations 91 and 92, and how mutual aid works on Geist, where Hamilton, Marion and Hancock counties meet.

Fresh off the Spark!Fishers festival and the July 4th fireworks, we reviewed how the department plans for big public events, plus fireworks safety at home: keep them on your own property, soak spent fireworks in water overnight before they go in the garbage can, and consider glow sticks instead of sparklers for the little ones.

Mark your calendar for the department’s annual Safety Day, coming to the Fishers Farmers Market at the Municipal Complex on Saturday, August 22. As of our recording, 46 vendors had signed up, along with fire trucks to tour, a safety trailer where kids can practice calling 911, and a school bus for teaching kitchen and sleep safety.

Todd Rielage detailed a record recruiting cycle. By casting a wider net online, the department drew more than 1,000 interest forms and nearly 600 completed applications — up from the typical 250-300 — with applicants from as far away as California, Florida and Washington, D.C. We closed with the growing demand for EMS runs, a fourth ambulance on the way, and how the department now supports the mental health of its own firefighters through peer support.

The LarryInFishers podcast series is sponsored by Citizens State Bank.

You can hear the full conversation at this link, or the link below.