The future of realistic firefighter training allows aspiring firefighters to balance safety as well as protecting the environment with real life experiences  Firefighting training varies from country to country, especially due to climate and geographical terrain differences and common types of fires. For example, a UK based firefighter would not typically train repeatedly on how to deal with wildfires, but would be more versed in urban firefighting. There are some factors that remain consistent throughout any firefighting training, the substances used to suppress fire, the teamwork and manner in which one goes about it, priority and risk assessment, as well as realism.   Realism plays a large part in training, because aspiring firefighters must understand and comprehend the dangers of working on the front line, and how best to tackle live fires in order to be able to save people and assets without panicking.   Brian Hesler, Consultant and Specialist Advisor at Dräger Safety UK and former Chief Fire Officer for the Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service discusses how ‘realism’ has become one of the most important elements of modern firefighter training, and how the industry is balancing this against firefighter safety and protecting the environment.  While training has always been a critical part of a firefighter’s job, the need to provide more effective realistic training for our firefighters has become increasingly important in recent years. First and foremost is the welcome reduction in fires over recent decades. While in the 1970s and ‘80s it would not be unusual for many urban fire stations to attend up to 5,000 incidents every year, the improved awareness, education and fire safety measures have thankfully reduced fire incidents by close to 80%.  This means, however, that firefighters are not receiving the frontline experience that they did previously which supports maintaining competence and safe working. Training that enables firefighters to experience realistic incident scenarios is therefore essential to ensure firefighters are competent and confident in how they approach the wide variety of incidents they face.  The fact that there is now a greater variety of combustible materials used in furniture and interiors has also increased the need for focused training to demonstrate how these materials will react in different scenarios – it is no longer about training a firefighter to react in a situation, but rather to understand the science of fire and be able to predict what is most likely to happen in varying ambient conditions.  Global warming and the increasing prevalence of wildfires and flooding is also putting pressure on our Emergency Services to widen their breadth of critical response knowledge. This rarely featured in firefighting training two or three decades ago, but fire services in the UK are now working globally with sector experts and are doing an outstanding job of sharing best practice and devising robust measures to combat such devastating and more frequently occurring events. Covid-19 has further heightened the importance of realistic training as some non-operational firefighters have had to refresh their skills in a short period and return to the front line to replace colleagues who are shielding, in isolation or simply supporting and protecting family members.  In essence, experience counts in making every move a firefighter makes automatic, with instant reactions being what saves lives. In the absence of real-life incidents, realistic training is what we need to provide that experience.  What we’re trying to achieve  We have come a very long way from the days when fire training centred simply around exposure to hot temperatures – often referred to as ‘burn to learn’. It is now about much more than protecting a firefighter from becoming burnt, but rather teaching the science and behaviour of a fire and the effects of its contaminants, not only to support fire and rescue operations, but also to protect the firefighter’s ongoing health. All of this must be undertaken in a controlled and safe environment.  Key areas  Training systems – these encompass mobile or fixed training facilities that enable state-of-the-art training so firefighters can experience real fires or extrication scenarios in a safe environment including compartment fire behaviour training (CFBT). At Dräger they include a vast portfolio of potential fire and rescue environments, including petrochemical plants, hospitals, schools, high-rise buildings, vehicles, aircraft, ships and underground stations.  Technical training – providing comprehensive know-how on the maintenance and repair of equipment – from mechanical and electronic components through to cleaning and disinfection.  Fitness training – providing equipment to help ensure that firefighters are prepared for the physical challenges that come with the job and can be tested and monitored to improve their fitness and safety.  Realistic training also ensures firefighters are practised in using breathing apparatus and safety equipment within confined and uncomfortable spaces. And understand the loss of sensory perception as a result of their very effective PPE, its limitations and both the physiological and psychological impact of firefighting.  Training also needs to encompass a wide range of free-standing and mobile objects from vehicles, aircraft and vessels to industrial buildings and the cooling and extinguishing of containers with hazardous materials.  Protecting the environment  Training that provides the necessary realistic fire environment produces significant smoke and related emissions from its carbonaceous fires. These can obviously have an adverse effect on the environment and present a nuisance element to neighbouring properties. Large quantities of smoke and emissions provide an unfit and unacceptable environment for local businesses and residents, with other practical training scenarios such as those using firefighting foam creating the potential to pollute local waterways if proper mitigating measures are not adopted. Another consideration is the fuel required to power training facilities, as well as challenges in how we dispose of or, where possible, re-use materials and structures used in incident training.  It is our role as manufacturers of medical and safety technology to innovate solutions that not only provide the necessary realistic training, but also limit the impact they have on our environment.  Technology balancing realism with the environment  Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) simulation training became popular approximately 20 years ago, and has considerable benefits in providing