Science to the Station

06/05/2026

NERDS... It's Friday! You know what that means. 🐦🤓

This week Nerd E. Bird was... a lot...

🏋️ Hit the gym with a very serious fitness agenda
📞 Crashed the Safety Stand Down planning call
🎓 Showed up to cheer on Kirsten Andrews as she defended her thesis on stress and mental health outcomes in women firefighters
(She nailed it. Obviously.)

As for the Safety Stand Down for this year: Fit to Serve, Fit for Life isn't just a theme:
It's the gym sessions.
The planning calls.
The research that changes things.

Safety Stand Down week is June 14-20.
Get your crews ready now 👉 safetystanddown.org

06/05/2026

Science doesn't change the fire service from a journal shelf... it changes it on the apparatus floor, in the rehab area, in the chief's office where the next big decision gets made. That's the bridge we exist to build.

We're proud to have partnered with CRACKYL Magazine (our official media partner) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) on this Fire Science & Technology Special Edition: a limited run putting next-gen PPE research, human performance, firefighter health, and emerging tech directly into the hands of the people who'll use it.

This is what getting science to the station actually looks like. Grab your copy and help us close the gap between what we know and what we do! 🔬🚒

🔗 https://www.crackyl.com/fire-science-technology/

The future of the fire service isn't coming — it's already here.

From groundbreaking health research and firefighter performance science to emerging technology, PPE innovation, and operational advancements, our Fire Science & Technology Special Edition explores the ideas shaping the next generation of firefighting.

Produced in partnership with Science to the Station and the IAFC, this limited-edition publication brings together the researchers, innovators, and fire service leaders helping departments make smarter, safer, evidence-informed decisions.

If you're passionate about where the fire service is headed, this is an issue you won't want to miss.

📖 Reserve your copy today and help bring science to the station.

https://www.crackyl.com/fire-science-technology/

06/04/2026

Much of what a firefighter uses everyday is trying to protect you. But it is also putting forever chemicals into your body... 🔬

PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, persist in the human body with a half-life of up to 4.8 years. They accumulate in your blood silently, without obvious symptoms, through your AFFF foam, your turnout gear, and your station environments, and more.

Here is what the evidence actually says:
-PFOA is now classified as a Group 1 human carcinogen by IARC — that classification was upgraded in 2023. It is directly linked to kidney and testicular cancers. This is not "possible." It is proven.
-PFAS exposure is associated with immune dysfunction, including reduced vaccine effectiveness and altered immune response, per ATSDR clinical guidance
-Elevated liver enzymes and disrupted lipid metabolism have been documented in PFAS-exposed populations: National Academies of Sciences, 2022
-A randomized clinical trial of 285 firefighters published in JAMA Network Open found that both blood and plasma donations caused significant reductions in serum PFAS levels - the strongest form of scientific evidence we have for an actual intervention
-If your provider needs a billing code, ICD-10 Z13.88 supports preventive PFAS blood serum testing when occupational exposure is suspected but not yet linked to a specific illness

This is not a scare post.

This is information that belongs in every firehouse, in every provider's office, and on every firefighter's radar.

Science to the Station built this resource so you have it. Use it.

🔗 science2station.org/pfas-firefighters

06/02/2026

This stadium graphic stopped us this morning! 50,000 firefighters have signed up for the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer. Look at that image!!! Every seat is a person who said: I'm in. Use my data. Protect the people coming after me.

The NFR is the largest effort ever undertaken to understand and reduce cancer risk in the U.S. fire service. We know firefighters face elevated cancer risk compared to the general population. We know hazardous exposures on the fireground matter. What we've been building, seat by seat, is the data to understand exactly how, where, and for whom.

In February, the registry announced 40,000 enrollees. Today: 50,000. Ten thousand more firefighters in four months. This community does not stop!!!

If you haven't registered yet, WE ARE talking to YOU. It takes about 30 minutes, requires no cancer diagnosis, and is open to every type of firefighter: structural, wildland, industrial, military, career, volunteer, active, retired. All of you are needed.

Your seat is open. Join at NFR.cdc.gov.

06/01/2026

Okay NERDS, dropping everything to tell you about this one. 🐦🧠
TOMORROW. June 2nd. 2pm ET.

The National Volunteer Fire Council is hosting a Roundtable Talk for Safety Stand Down 2026 and it is stacked. Like, actually stacked.

Roundtable Talk: Safety Stand Down 2026 Fit to Serve, Fit for Life
📅 June 2 | 2pm ET

Presenters joining the conversation: Quentin Cash, Dave Frost, Shelby Hall, Dan Kerrigan, and Eric Valliere Moderated by Darin Wallentine

Here's the deal.

Safety Stand Down week is June 14-20, and this year's theme is Firefighter FITNESS: Fit to Serve, Fit for Life. That's not a slogan. That's a challenge. And honestly? One the fire service needs to take seriously.

This roundtable is your prep session. You'll get the breakdown on this year's daily FITNESS topics, why physical readiness is a non-negotiable part of responder performance, and how your department can actually plug in and participate during Stand Down week.

You'll also walk away with real resources (you'll even see some special information from the Nerdherd). For you AND your crew. Are you fit for the fight? Let's find out.

Register now: nvfc.org/online-trainings

Get your crew ready for Stand Down week: safetystanddown.org

05/30/2026

Introducing: The Exotic Life of Nerd E. Bird 🐦🤓

Okay, NERDS. Buckle up. Because we've been holding out on you — and that stops today.

Starting NOW, every Friday we're pulling back the curtain on the real, behind-the-scenes life of Science to the Station's most dedicated (and surprisingly well-traveled) field researcher: Nerd E. Bird.

Each week, you'll get a little photo recap + synopsis of what Nerd E. Bird has been up to — where it went, what it did, and why it matters for getting firefighter health science out of the lab and into the hands of people who need it via one of the world's most arguably famous pigeons.

What does "the exotic life" actually look like?
✈️ Airports. Early flights. Questionable coffee.
🧠 Conferences where we show up and drop science like it's casual.
📊 Data collection in the wild — rain, shine, or white wine.
🔬 Symposia, all-hands calls, and every nerdy in-between.
🐦 And yes, the occasional existential moment of a pigeon surrounded by pelicans.

Every Friday. Same bird. New zip code. Always chasing the science.

BUT since Nerd E. Bird has been extremely busy and this series is just getting off the ground — our first installment covers the entire month of May:
Virginia Fire Chiefs 🔥
Sleep data collection tour ✈️😴
Wildfire Conservancy Symposium 🌲
Coffee stops that were definitely for research purposes ☕
And one very important coastal field observation 🌊

This is the series you didn't know you needed, from the mascot that has apparently not been sitting still.

Welcome to The Exotic Life of Nerd E. Bird! 🐦📍
We're so glad you're here. 🤓

05/28/2026

NERDS. It's time!!! 🔬🐦

Early bird registration for the 2026 Science to the Station Conference is OPEN, and Sara is not here to be calm about it!!!

Kansas City, November 3-5. Research. Community. The fire service health conversations that actually move the needle. And yes, a genuinely good time — the data on what this community does when you put us all in a room together is extremely compelling and even more entertaining.

Now... About the hotel... Last year our host hotel sold out while people were still "thinking about it." I watched it happen in real time. It was painful for everyone involved (mostly them). The host hotel is where the hallway conversations happen, where you accidentally end up in a 45-minute breakfast discussion about cardiovascular health with someone who literally wrote the paper you've been citing for three years. You want to be there!!!

Hotel reservations are open NOW. Registration is open NOW. Early bird pricing ($550) runs through July 3!

Sara doesn't wait, science doesn't wait, and neither should you! Click the link!

🗓 November 3-5, 2026 | Kansas City, MO 🐦 Early bird: $550 through July 3 🏨 Host hotel reservations open NOW 🔗 www.science2station.org/s2sconference
See you in KC. 🤓🔥

05/15/2026

BREAKING SCIENCE: Firefighter Gear Was Never Built for Women's Bodies - New Research Says It's Time to Fix That 🔬🔥

The NFPAs four-point sizing standard for personal protective clothing dates to 1970. It was designed primarily around male bodies. Researchers say it isn't working and the consequences are real.

📊 The Problem:
* The human body has 200+ relevant measurements - current standards use 4
* Those four: chest/bust, sleeve length, waist, inseam
* Less than 10% of female U.S. firefighters report wearing women's-specific gear

⚠️ The Consequences: Ill-fitting PPC contributes to falls, trips, increased physical strain, reduced mobility, and greater risk of on-duty injury for female firefighters compared to their male counterparts.

🚧 Access Barriers Make It Worse: Outdated body size references, budget constraints, limited availability, and uninformed managerial decisions all stand between female firefighters and gear that actually fits.

💡 The Fix Starts With Better Data: A comprehensive measurement database reflecting the full range of women's body sizes and shapes would meaningfully improve fit, safety, and operational effectiveness across the board.

Administrators have a critical role here and so do the firefighters themselves. Use your voice. Ask questions about your gear. The data is clear: this matters.

📥 For more info and to download this breakdown, visit: science2station.org/breaking

05/12/2026

CAVE. Chiefs Against Virtually Everything.

Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer over at FireRescue1 named something a lot of us in the fire service have seen, and if we're honest, probably embodied at some point.

It's the leadership posture where protecting the familiar quietly becomes more important than improving the organization. It sounds like "we tried that once" and "our people aren't ready." It hides behind experience. And according to the research: Kahneman, Edmondson, March - it's not just a personality flaw. It's a deeply human response to perceived risk that can calcify into culture.

This one is worth your time, especially if you're in a leadership role or working alongside someone who might be stuck in the cave.

🔗 Link to read: https://science2station.info/cave

05/11/2026

Viva La Science! 🎉 Early bird registration is officially open for the 2026 Science to the Station Conference and you're going to want to lock in your spot before the rate goes up!!!

📅 November 3–5, 2026 | 📍 Kansas City, MO

The Science to the Station Conference is the ONLY conference built specifically to bridge the gap between fire and emergency service research and the people who actually need it: the firefighters, EMS providers, officers, chiefs, and health advocates on the front lines every day. This isn't death by PowerPoint. It's three days of real science, real conversations, and real takeaways you can bring back to your department.

Whether you're a researcher, a practitioner, or someone who just knows the fire service deserves better health outcomes: this is your room.

What to expect:
🔬 Cutting-edge research on cancer, cardiovascular health, behavioral health, sleep, and more
🎤 Speakers who translate the science into something you can actually use
🤝 A community of people who care as much about this work as you do
🎉 Three days of big energy in the heart of Kansas City

Early bird pricing won't last long. Register now and be part of the movement bringing science to the station!

🔗 www.science2station.org/s2sconference