Fire Chief Shane Lawlor was quickly dispatched to the Palisades after a fire broke out in Los Angeles more than a week ago. He has been working ever since. On his first day on the job, Lawler worked on the team's front lines for 20 hours straight, with no time to eat or sleep. He still works on the fire line, and when he's not on duty, he's been sleeping on site or at the station in Santa Monica.

Back home in Carlsbad, Calif., Lawlor's son, Cian Lawlor, is a fifth-grader at Magnolia Elementary School and a budding journalist. The 11-year-old has a new podcast kit that his family recently got him for Christmas.

Earlier this week, NPR asked Cian to interview his father via Zoom. It was Lawler's first day off since the fire, and he answered calls at his station at Santa Monica Fire Department Station 2. Sheehan was at home in Carlsbad, a few hours south of Los Angeles. Father and son bonded within a week.

“I’m glad he’s able to do this and help people in need,” Sheehan said of his father’s work. “He gave his heart for the greater good.”

This interview was prepared and hosted by Cian with the help of the Mulan Primary School Radio Club, Magnetic TV Directed by Andrew Luria. The photos were taken by Cian's friend and Magnolia student journalist Eivan Wheyland. NPR sat in on their conversation.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Cian Lawlor: What goes through your mind when you're fighting a fire like this? Are you afraid?

Sean Lawler: Scared? Not so much. But there is no doubt that you have to take care of yourself. You have to be aware of your surroundings. It's moving so fast and there's so much going on that it's very difficult to hear important radio traffic that could be very important. It's very, very important to make sure you know when you're in the wrong place and you have to get out of there.

Cian: How does the size and damage of this fire compare to other fires you've fought?

Lawler: I've been to fires in California in the past, but almost everyone has not experienced fires like this.

I used to live in Santa Monica, so I do know a lot of the neighborhoods that were affected, and those neighborhoods are gone. They're not even there anymore.

In terms of the scale of the fire, I haven't seen anything bigger in my career. I don’t think many people have. In terms of the extent of the damage, it was obviously devastating.

Cian: How is the wind? How do they affect fire and the work you're doing?

Lawler: The wind makes you think you're doing fine on one side of a nice house, but when you go around the corner, the wind causes the other side of the house to catch fire. So you're kind of wasting time and you need to redirect. So that makes it very challenging.

The one that had the biggest impact on me was what we call “ember casting.” Those are just tiny, tiny embers, and when they burn, they blow off a tree or building and whip around you. They can appear behind you. They're all screwed, and when they collapse, your job becomes very difficult.

These embers can start other fires. So you're constantly protecting yourself from those hot embers in the wind, and you're constantly chasing the new flames they're sparking. So that makes things very, very difficult.

Cian: What was your reaction when you saw the devastation caused by the fire and all the houses burned down?

Lawler: You're going to be disappointed at first because you can't save many or more of these homes. It then turns to sympathy for those who have lost their homes.

And then you'll also be grateful for the fact that we still have a home to call home. We have to appreciate what we have because there are a lot of families who no longer have homes or anything like that.

Cian: Tell me something that happened that you were very proud of.

Lawlor: I’m very proud of the crew around me. They literally went out of their way to save every family. They work hard day and night. No food, hours without anything, no sleep, just trying to save everything. It's a great sense of pride.

Cian: How is the morale in the department now?

Lawler: There's definitely fatigue, physical fatigue, there's definitely mental fatigue. But we're doing okay. Everyone is so grateful for all the support we've received. Having so much food and so many well-wishers at our firehouse really gives us the motivation to keep going every day because we know we want to make a small difference in someone's life.

Cian: Are you still putting out fires? What does your day at work look like now?

Lawler: Yes, I am. I am currently assigned to the Palisades Fire Department. We started out with 12-hour shifts and now we're doing 24-hour shifts. So you talk to me on my day off. This is both a physical break and a mental break. Then I'll report for my 24-hour shift tomorrow morning at 6 a.m., and then I'll be there for another 24 hours. So we're still in direct contact with the fire line, which is actually the edge of the fire, and if the fire starts again, that's where it starts.

Someone went in on foot and they used tools to run hose along the entire perimeter of the fire. If any problems arise, there is now a water main in place and they can deal with it. Does this answer your question friend?

Xi'an: Got it. Do you have any questions for me?

Lawler: What would you say to a ten-year-old boy whose home is now gone or affected by a fire?

Cian: I'll tell them I'm glad you're safe. Look on the bright side. Everything will be fine. How can we help you meet your needs?

Special thanks to Cian’s mom, Jaleh Lawlor of the Magnolia Elementary School Radio Club, make tvand club director Andrew Luria.

MagTV is a 2024 Fourth Grade Champion You can learn more in the NPR Student Podcast Challenge here.