High-Rise Mayday: One Fire Chief's Account

Fire Engineering Podcast Network · Apr 13, 2026 · 1h 45m

In this episode of Mayday Monday, host Tony Carroll speaks with Chief Wells Wilson of the Alexandria (VA) Fire Department about a March 2024 working high‑rise fire that involved a Mayday. A routine alarm escalated when elevators and water supply complications slowed access, smoke rapidly charged a stairwell, and firefighters who were low on air called a Mayday. Wilson—with 19 years on the job, having been recently promoted to chief—recounts operational decisions, crew coordination, the value of a dedicated driver and captain, and how training, command checklists, and clear radio language…