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‘I don’t like close games; I like blowouts’: Nicol Juratovac talks aggressive fire attack

The San Francisco assistant chief shares tactical tips for dominating the fire so it has no chance of victory

The best words San Francisco Assistant Chief Nicol Juratovac heard when she got on the job 27 years ago were “interior offensive aggressive attack” – and she’s still advancing that mindset to her crews and students today. As she explains on this week’s podcast, when it comes to fireground tactics, Juratovac wants to dominate and smash the enemy (aka fire) with so much force that it has no chance of victory – and she does that by being a student of the game day in and day out, honing her skills on everything from incident command and apparatus positioning to forcible entry and roof operations. Juratovac shares tactical tips on all of the above, plus we dig into all this:

  • Three fires that produced important lessons learned
  • How she’s become the “master of her own destiny” at scenes
  • Generational differences in learning the craft
  • Why she advises firefighters and officers to not get “too cute” on the fireground

This episode of the Better Every Shift Podcast is sponsored by TheFireStore. Learn more about getting the gear you need at prices you can afford by visiting TheFireStore.

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Previously on the Better Every Shift Podcast
Dr. Rich Gasaway encourages all firefighters to study near-miss reports, not to judge those involved but to learn from them
The San Bernardino County (Calif.) FPD fire chief says it’s time to step up to fix what’s broken in the fire service — and that means embracing technology and innovation
After decades of work in the firefighter counseling space, Leto shares what he’s learned about resilience, relationships and the healing power of doing good
Fire Chief Robert Logan and Battalion Chief David Picone detail how SDFR shows its members ‘we’re focused on you’
Lautz describes extreme diets as “trying to get to a second-story window without a ladder,” which she combats through pro tips for making better choices on scene and at home