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Rachel Engel

Rendering Aid

Rachel Engel is an award-winning journalist and the senior editor of FireRescue1.com and EMS1.com. In addition to her regular editing duties, Engel seeks to tell the heroic, human stories of first responders and the importance of their work. She earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, and began her career as a freelance writer, focusing on government and military issues. Engel joined Lexipol in 2015 and has since reported on issues related to public safety. Engel lives in Wichita, Kansas. She can be reached via email.

LATEST ARTICLES
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Health & Wellness
Burnout is an operational issue, not a personal wellness problem
For many EMS providers, burnout is not a wellness challenge to be solved with another resilience training; it’s a warning sign that the work environment itself needs repair
November 13, 2026 01:08 PM
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Rachel Engel
Election 2026 House Pennsylvania
Legislation and Funding
A fire service voice in the House
Surviving a house fire at 18 shaped how Rep.-elect Robert Brooks served for 20 years in the fire service — and how he’ll serve in Congress next
November 10, 2026 05:16 PM
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Rachel Engel
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Infectious Disease
Measles: What it is, how it spreads and what to do if you suspect it
Think you or someone you know might have measles? Here’s what you need to know
November 09, 2026 03:51 PM
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Rachel Engel
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Your 360
Your 360: Staffing and pay top firefighters’ budget wish lists
With a hypothetical $2 million budget surplus, readers put people first, followed by new stations, apparatus and safety gear, while a few made the case for saving the money or spending it on morale
October 28, 2026 02:05 PM
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Rachel Engel
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Your 360
Your 360: Should firefighters be required to spend time on an ambulance?
More than 500 FireRescue1 readers weighed in on cross-training, ambulance rotations, career planning and what today’s fire service should expect from its members
October 23, 2026 09:21 AM
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Rachel Engel
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Your 360
Your 360: How hands-on should fire chiefs be?
We asked FireRescue1 readers if chiefs should regularly “ride the backstep” and join crews on scene. The result? It depends.
October 14, 2026 01:58 PM
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Rachel Engel
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Your 360
Your 360: The skills firefighters wish got more training time
Readers named everything from fireground basics to size-up and SCBA discipline, with many arguing that fundamentals and fire-reading skills get too little attention
October 08, 2026 11:05 AM
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Rachel Engel
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Fire Prevention Week
Fire Prevention Week: 10 ways AI can support your community outreach
Whether you need data-driven outreach or just better graphics, AI offers practical ways to strengthen your prevention messages
October 06, 2026 03:01 PM
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Rachel Engel
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Your 360
Your 360: What firefighters wish the public understood about their work
More than 250 firefighters reveal what the public gets wrong about the job, from medical calls and station expenses to lasting health risks
September 23, 2026 06:41 PM
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Rachel Engel
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National First Responders Day
Origin story: The history of National First Responders Day
A six-year push for the day of appreciation, inspired by heroism and tragedy, culminated in the designation of Oct. 28 to honor first responders
September 07, 2026 05:43 PM
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Rachel Engel