The Dusseldorf Airport Disaster of 1996 | Episode 82

Do you like fire but hate airports? Have we got the episode for you.

On today’s episode:  we’ll be pulling off the front of our skulls and spending some time fingering our limbic systems; we’ll learn why not all fire rescue services are created equal; and we’ll find out how hot it needs to be for your skin to melt off.

And if you had beenlistening to this as a Patreon supporter, you get to enjoy an additional 8 minutes where we discuss: why calling Germans stoic clock-watching robots is considered so flattering; you’d find out if you’d be considered an idiot, moron or imbecile back in the day; and you’d learn how Dusseldorf compares to Hiroshima.

I will also point out that at the end of the episode, there is a very special Book Giveaway contest! That’s right. I’m giving away the very first book/piece of research I ever used in the creation of the show. William McKeown’s "Idaho Falls: The Untold Story of America's First Nuclear Accident" using a once-in-a-lifetime Name That Tune style contest. You’ll just have to see for yourselves.

I'll be doing a few listener shout-outs at the end of the episode, and also thanking you all for your kind encouragement during a time when I wanted to punch my own face off. I don't have a safety segment against that kind of thing, so your gentle intervention was appreciated. We ended last year with a bang and start the new year with a whoosh! I hope you all at least began 2025 in a better space, but even if you didn’t, we’re burning down an airport together, so forget about your worries for an hour or so.