#429 Building a Fire Service at the Roof of the World: Everest Fire and Rescue - Fire Aid Nepal

This episode is being recorded from Lukla in Nepal, the gateway to Everest and the Khumbu Valley. A place where life happens at altitude, infrastructure is limited, and when something goes wrong the community cannot rely on fast backup arriving from down the road. Fire, rescue, and medical emergencies here are dealt with by local people, on foot, in extreme conditions, often hours away from definitive care. At the centre of that reality is Sonam, the local fire chief, and the community he serves.

We talk about how Everest Fire and Rescue has grown in just three years, from almost nothing into a functioning rescue capability spread across multiple villages, built on training, trust, and sheer determination. You will hear what emergency response looked like before this project existed, why equipment alone was never enough, and how the focus has shifted toward sustainable training, local leadership, and protecting the people who live here year round. This episode will give you perspective, challenge some comfortable assumptions about rescue and resilience, and leave you with a clear understanding of what it really takes to build a fire and rescue service from the ground up in one of the most unforgiving environments on Earth.

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