COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Please note all times are Eastern.

KEYNOTE

11:00 am - 11:30 am (Eastern)
Dispelling Modern Fire Service Myths
Instructor: Captain Bill Gustin, Miami-Dade (FL) Fire Rescue Department

This colorful, entertaining, and informative speaker shares his beliefs about the urban legends/myths that are pervasive in today’s fire service. The first is that fires are down; they’re not down in growing suburban areas because of the amount of new construction and the fact that buildings are more dangerous. The second myth is that the nation’s fire service is represented by public’s big city view of fire departments, when, in fact, the nation’s fire service is typically made up of largely suburban, understaffed departments heavily involved in EMS and operations that staffing can’t handle outside of the big cities. The third is that you have to be in the fire service for years and go to a lot of fires to be an effective, knowledgeable firefighter. The opposite can be true. Nobody can through their own personal experience gain enough on-the-job knowledge to be safe and effective. You have to be a student of the fire service. Learn the truth about these urban myths in a not-to-be missed keynote.

12:00 pm - 12:50 pm (Eastern)
Tactical Considerations for First-Arriving Battalion Chiefs

Instructor: Assistant Chief of Operations Todd Harms, Phoenix (AZ) Fire Department

The fireground is a very dangerous place. The building is under attack, visibility is limited, the atmosphere is hot and toxic, and conditions change rapidly. Firefighters need to perform their duties to save lives and protect property. This session will examine fireground operations during the first 30 minutes for first-arriving battalion chiefs. The goal is to improve fireground operations and firefighter safety at the task, tactical, and strategic levels of operation. Attendees will discuss the eight critical factors of size-up in the development of an incident action plan for the completion of the tactical priorities of rescue, fire control, and loss control. This program will follow the same program used successfully everyday within the Phoenix Fire Department and taught at the Operations Training Building (OTB).    

 

2:00 pm - 2:50 pm (Eastern)
Be a Leader, Not Just a Position

Instructor: Deputy Chief Steve Kraft, Richmond Hill (Ontario, Canada) Fire Department

Time and time again, fire officers don’t understand why their people won’t follow them. Usually this is because of the lack of, or misunderstanding of, leadership principles such as walk the talk, lead by examples, choose your attitude, and so on. This presentation will look at the qualities that separate the great leaders from the good leaders—qualities such as honesty, being forward looking, and being inspiring. This is a no-nonsense approach that outlines steps you can take to be a better leader. 

 

4:00 pm - 4:50 pm (Eastern)
Basic Skills and Drills: Is This Missing from Your Officer Development Program?

Instructor: Captain Bob Carpenter, Miami Dade (FL) Fire Rescue

In these economic times, getting the maximum impact out of training time is crucial and reducing “fluff” classes is more important than ever—especially for the new company officer. Miami Dade has instituted a Skills and Drills component to ensure that new officers are prepared and confident to supervise and train companies in the bread and butter hands-on skills of company operations. The program will address some of the hurdles encountered with implementing such a program and the solutions to overcome them. Video interviews with past participants as well as key players who brought this level of training to life are part of the presentation. Skills and Drills is a must-see for trainers, administrators, and training chiefs interested in breathing a new level of enthusiasm into their Officer Development Program.

 

Thursday, February 4, 2010

11:00 am - 11:50 am (Eastern)
Strip Mall Fires

Instructor: Deputy Chief Thomas Dunne, Fire Department of New York

Strip mall fires present challenges that are very different from standard residential operations. This class explores the various features of these buildings that are the source of serious danger for firefighters. Fireground strategy and tactics that emphasize conducting efficient but safe firefighting are reviewed. Building construction, engine operations, apparatus placement, ventilation, and other topics are discussed with the intent of helping firefighters, company officers, and chiefs to operate safely at these types of fires.          

 

1:00 pm - 1:45 pm (Eastern)
Training Tricks of the Trade 

Instructor: Dave Walsh, Chairperson, Fire Science Program, Dutchess Community College, Poughkeepsie, NY

Today’s instructor must be a compilation of many traits: a motivator, an educator, and an entertainer while also being passionate about the topic throughout the class. This session will explore a wide range of tried and proven methods and “tricks” that demonstrate or clarify a point, lighten up a class or drill, and motivate the attendees; they all support your role of motivator, educator, and entertainer. It covers topics such as ice breakers and normal and different uses of technology such as PowerPoint^® and cameras and easy to do and safe demos. It will also get you thinking “outside the box” for ways you can enhance your classes and drills.  

 

3:30 pm - 4:15 pm (Eastern)
Training Officer Liability

Instructor: Deputy Chief (Ret.) John Murphy, Eastside Fire & Rescue, Issaquah, WA

The threat of a lawsuit places fire training officers and their departments in harm’s way, especially when something goes wrong on the training ground and a firefighter is injured or killed. This class is designed to review the current applicable National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) training standards against current case law and provide risk analysis and best practices from the legal and practical standpoint for to avoid training ground incidents and subsequent lawsuits.