From the VPR Podcast, “But Why?”

Philadelphia plays an important role in the history of firefighting in the United States. The Union Fire Company, with help from Ben Franklin, was one of the early volunteer firefighting brigades. These days the Philadelphia Fire Department is staffed by career firefighters who do this work as their main job. Lisa Desamour has been on the department for more than a decade and she helps talk to school groups about fire safety.

But fires aren’t always an emergency, so later in the episode we’ll sit around a campfire with the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps and appreciate the warmth of the glowing flames.

Listen to the full 30 minute podcast (VYCC is at the 26 minute mark!).