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CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

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Keynote

Keynote presentation

First Due Decision Making: The Engine Company

The first due engine company will set the tone for the entire fireground operation. Upon arriving on location the engine company is tasked with sizing up the fire building, taking the proper position, selecting the best entry point into the building, estimating the stretch, and selecting the correct hose line. All within a matter of seconds. All of these decisions will have a significant impact on the entire fireground operation. In this class we will discuss all of these topics as well as discuss tactical decision making for fires in single family dwellings, multi-family dwellings, commercial buildings, and standpipe equipped buildings.

The Aggressive Mindset

The Aggressive Mindset, what does that mean to you and the members of your department? Our mission has always been to serve the citizens in which we swore to protect. Placing their wellbeing above our own is the expectation that they have and the OATH that we took. Statistically fires are down across the country, but civilian fire fatalities continue to climb. We must change our mindset, training and culture to ensure we are ready to make the grab when the call comes. You don’t think we are making grabs daily? Head on over to Firefighter Rescue Survey and read the numbers. Aggressive search wins…change my mind. Our mindset drives our preparedness, our culture, and our performance. In this class we will discuss taking back time in our readiness, search statistics, creating a culture of excellence and empowering the aggressive mindset to your entire crew. The decisions we make on a daily basis can be the difference in whether someone lives or dies, we must ensure that we are performing as professionals and aggressively. We are here for THEM! Aggressive firemanship saves lives! Do you have the mindset?!

From Lazy to Leaders...12 Steps to Building a Better Crew

This class will give firefighters and Officers steps to move from a lackadaisical crew to the "go to" company. These 12 steps can be used for any company paid or volunteer.

Heavy Rescue: The Initial Size-Up

Pump Panel Revolution

Water supply was an issue” is a comment that is often made after unsuccessful firefighting operations. The problem here is that firefighters are rarely truthful with themselves and never say the second portion of this statement. What really should be said in these instances is “water supply was an issue because the fire department was lacking knowledge, training, and experience that would have enabled them to maintain the needed fire flow.” The truth of the matter is, that the water is out there; it is just a matter of the pump operator’s ability to get it.

Bringing the Medium Diameter Handline Back to the Mainstream

This course is designed to guide fire departments on the in's and out's of medium-diameter lines. As the usage of small, pre-connected hand lines has become the go-to option, comfort level in the deployments and tactical decision-making surrounding attack lines of greater diameters has declined significantly. This trend puts us at a greater risk for property loss, multiple-alarm fires, and even line-of-duty deaths; our fire attack capabilities must be able to escalate to match fire growth beyond that of a typical residential fire. With nearly a dozen hose line sizes being classified as medium-diameter, there is additional confusion into which should be employed. To combat this confusion, we will take an in-depth look into large attack line deployments and how these packages are selected, stretched and operated. Through a clear understanding of the intended purpose of multiple line sizes falling under the medium-diameter umbrella, we will find practical solutions that will guide any department in developing competency, regardless of staffing or size.

Five or Die - Preparing Your Department for the MAYDAY Incident

Annually the fire service averages about 100 Line Of Duty Deaths (LODD). Working Fire incidents have decreased substantially over the last 40 years but LODD's essentially remain the same.

MAYDAY events career and volunteer combined are frequently caused by medical events.

Time is everything and this presentation serves as an attempt to change the existing culture leading to these often preventable events.

This presentation is based on sound data from Chief Don Abbotts Project Mayday. This coupled with the four major RIT/MAYDAY studies conducted within the last 20 years assists us in identifying many behaviors which can be modified in a preventative manner.

We challenge all attendees to provide a fair and reasonable self-assessment as to exactly how long it takes their members to conduct the rescue of one of their own from a below-grade situation. Studies have shown that it takes between 12.5 to 24 minutes to rescue one of their own from a below-grade situation. We will show them how to develop a culture that allows them to do this rescue in less than Five minutes.

Next, we discuss how RIT is no longer fast and when a member is down, unconscious, not breathing in an IDLH environment they have literally 5 minutes to be removed to an environment where effective life-saving pre-hospital care can be administered. We intend to provide an atmosphere where the attendees can openly discuss conventional RIT operations versus what can be done by their own members in close proximity of the down firefighter.

All aspects of MAYDAY Prevention, firefighter self-rescue, members proximate to RIT rescue will be discussed.

As an added bonus we will share new techniques for victim movement and rescue with drags, carries, and a Hasty Rescue Device (HRD). In closing we discuss effective Firefighter Down CPR integrated into a Hasty Rescue Device movement.

This session is designed to be fast-paced and thought-provoking. Our goal is that it serves as a catalyst for positive change in today's fire service.

Gas Powered Forcible Entry

"Gas Powered Forcible Entry" is technically a two part class that takes a deep dive into all things related to forcible entry with saws.....saw/blade anatomy, maintenance and truck checks, ergonomic body mechanics, safe effective operation, inboard vs outboard, various cut sequences for different types of overhead doors, drop bars, window bars, mortise lock gap cuts, panic bar plunge cuts, use of battery powered saws/grinders, and more. This class is suited for all experience levels from a brand-new recruit to the seasoned veteran; everyone will walk away having learned something new.

Impact Beyond the Firehouse Walls - Going Outside of Department District Lines to Reach Your Full Potential

Making a positive impact on the fire service is something we are all constantly striving for. Unfortunately at the same time we find ourselves confined by the limits and restrictions that are put on us by our current departments. Whether it’s policies that restrict the content of our messages or the decision makers limiting our involvement in creating positive change because of differing mindsets; we have to play by house rules at home. As the saying goes, “you’re never a profit in your own land”.

The good news is that there is so much more that we can do beyond the walls of our firehouses. I, like so many others, want to do more and be apart of something so much bigger but how do we get there? What avenues are available for us to make the biggest impact possible? How do we create opportunities for ourselves to share our message?

In this class we’ll discuss the lessons that I have learned through a journey of going from being checked out to being all in. This journey has only become possible because I have embraced the discomfort of growth and opportunity. We’ll discuss what it takes to transition from being a firefighter who only takes from the fire service to becoming a firefighter who will truly leave it better than they found it. We must never underestimate the power of one person doing good things.

The amount of positive impact that we can have on the fire service is only limited by our willingness to stretch beyond our comfort zone.

Fire Ground Considerations

The fire ground is an ever-changing and often chaotic place, where firefighters are forced to make a multitude of split-second decisions to affect a positive outcome. This class provides experience-based tactics that take a simplistic and aggressive approach to thinking outside the box. From building construction and size-up, to specific fire situations, this class covers an array of information that is paramount for your success. It will help instill confidence in your fire ground decision making, as well as give you knowledge to operate more effectively. Whether you’re entry level or a seasoned veteran, take some of this information that some fail to consider and make yourself a game changer.

First Due with a Clue: Essential Functions of the 1st Engine and Truck

Everyone wants to be First Due to every fire they are dispatched to. But what happens when you are successful at beating everyone there? Do you know what needs to be done? Can you accomplish it all? Nothing is worse than arriving first, only to be beat to the seat by the 2nd due because you were unsure of what needed to be done or how to do it. This course will discuss the necessary tasks of the Engine and the Truck when arriving first due. Engine topics include positioning for success, riding and tool assignments, hoseline selection and deployment for the greatest benefit among others. Truck topics will cover positioning around other apparatus, riding and tool assignments, the 2 team concept and how to consolidate positions when short staffed; we will also cover ladders, forcible entry, ventilation and search procedures.

Where We Come From

While change can invite and usher in innovation it can also create tension in our organizations, and space where incumbents fear becoming irrelevant. If this happens we risk losing the common sense, historical perspective and value they offer our organization and teams. Perhaps worse, we are inviting these folks to become toxic and disengage from our progress. In this class, we discuss the importance of understanding culture, and when change, especially from tradition is necessary—and when it’s not.

This presentation entertainingly discusses culture’s ability to influence our beliefs, values, attitudes, perceptions, traditions, and mission. Leaders at all ranks are welcome for an honest discussion on how to move the fire service we know and love forward without forgetting where we came from.

Pump Panel Revolution (Saturday)

From the Mile High to the Dirty South 3.0: The Ultimate in Engine Company Ops

Before moving onto full scale scenarios under smoke and fire conditions the students will be rotated through stations to include: hose stretching and advancement, extending lines, pushing stairs, working rooms, and much more. In addition, firefighters will have an opportunity to practice loading, deployment, and obstacle navigation with the modified minute man load and the triple load.

The Dynamic Fire Chief

Irons and Saws

Josh Pearcy with Training Solutions and the crew from Wood's Forcible Door Prop have joined up to bring "Irons and Saws" to the revolution. This will be 8 hrs of forcible entry, getting reps on everything from residential doors, padlocks, chains, Commercial doors and more.

The Mayday Mindset

This presentation will cover experienced driven firefighter survival and RIT/RIC training models backed by real world data. Rob will address the effects of these high energy; low frequency life or death emotional events have on our tactical and strategic decision-making process. This discussion will also include the psychological and physiological preparations required to successfully respond to,
command, and survive the modern fireground mayday. Attendees at any experience level or rank will be provided with an interactive and honest look into our data. As well as what we have learned from past incidents and how we can better prepare our members by implementing data driven, street proven training solutions. This course will be delivered in a raw and uninhibited manner and focuses on the premise that OUR feelings are not FACTS!

The Art of Reading Smoke: The Next Generation

Today’s structure fires are more dangerous than ever before. Lightweight construction, low-mass synthetics, and open space floorplans have created a perfect storm for rapid, prolific fire growth and extreme behavior. It is imperative for firefighters of all ranks and experience levels to be prepared for this new battle. The Art of Reading Smoke, developed by Dave Dodson and continued by Rob Backer, provides the knowledge necessary for first-arriving firefighters, officers, and chief officers to determine the fire’s location, progression, and future “from the seat” before seeing any flame. This knowledge ensures that the correct tactics are implemented for the best possible outcome. Through the extensive use of actual fireground videos, first-time students will develop, and return students will refine their knowledge and skills to become INTELLECTUALLY aggressive firefighters, rather than ARBITRARILY aggressive. The next generation of Reading Smoke brings new research, a new library of videos, and discussion on cancer prevention, tactics and strategies to develop the next generation of aggressive interior firefighting!

Intoxicated Leadership: Thinking Strategically vs. Reacting Emotionally

The Center for Creative Leadership estimates that "75% of careers are derailed for reasons related to emotional competencies, including the inability to handle interpersonal problems, unsatisfactory team leadership during times of difficulty or conflict, or the inability to adapt to change or elicit trust". Our flagship program reviews how our body processes and primes us to respond to conflict--including a review of emotional intelligence, common communication mistakes, conflict management, and executive functioning.

Using real-world examples and videos, we coach how to have more effective relationships with our teams. This improves our ability to navigate how and when to have conversations to address personal and professional problems. This also helps us regulate our emotions and have a stronger, more effective command and control during emergencies. We place an emphasis on the prevention and management of conflict, as opposed to solely its resolution. Be prepared to laugh (including at yourself) while learning how to build deeper, more authentic relationships with your team.

Intoxicated Leadership illustrates how the body perceives disagreement and why we respond to conflict the way we do. Luckily for us, emotional competencies can be learned and improved upon. Using this information, participants commonly report improvement not only at work but also in their personal lives with their children and spouses.

Man vs Machine HOT

With our Man vs Machine Rescue 8 hour conference Program we will be highlighting difficult entanglements, entrapments, impalements, and the very common yet unconventional encounters between everyday machinery and human beings. We will focus a and teach the students the delicate maneuvers used to disentangle, disassemble, cut, or torch victims from these scenarios.
During this abbreviated combination conference format the students will receive a classroom presentation and a HOT portion in the afternoon. The student of any rank or experience level will learn the finer points of systematic progress capture as well as a fail safe systematic "think outside the box" approach to any of our unique scenarios. This course couples lecture, hands on training student's ability to problem solve in one high speed, data driven, street vetted program.

The 9 L's: Keys to High Performance

This is the keystone Firehouse Vigilance presentation, that will be released as my next book. I believe that the fire service is the greatest job on earth, and cultivating and maintaining a high performance culture is easy if you understand certain key principles. The 9L's are those key principles! It is a 4 hour presentation designed for people in leadership roles, or who desire to promote into leadership roles.

The purpose of this class is to give firefighters the tools they need to measure where they currently are at in their leadership skill set. And the ability to evaluate where they want to be, and what they need to do to get there. The presentation is broken down into nine principles of leadership all of which start with the letter "L". Learn, Listen, Love, Look, Laugh, Level, Live, Labor, Last. Many great speakers and leaders cover topics on tactics and strategies, but often the soft-skills are pushed to the side in the action oriented modern fire service. When they are finished with this class, attendees will leave well prepared, to not only deal with the many issues that arise around the firehouse, but also armed to proactively prevent the underlying issues from arising in the first place!

The ultimate point of the class is to provide firefighters with the single greatest tool that they can possess in a leadership role, and that is a lens by which you can judge every decision around the firehouse... before you make it.

Beds to Bundles: The Flexibility of Stretching Hoselines

The initial attack line is the backbone of every fireground operation and will have a greater impact on the outcome of a fire than any other fireground operation. “As the first line goes so does the fire” - so we must get it right. In doing so, all other operations must support the initial attack line. This course focuses on multiple aspects of the hoseline operations including the target flow rate, attack package selection, and estimating the stretch. Will the second line be a backup line or a second attack line? What about the third line? What about alternate stretches like rope stretches and lines over ladders? During this course, we will discuss tactical decision making for fires in single family dwellings, multiple family dwellings, commercial and industrial buildings, as well as attic fires, cockloft fires, and basement fires. This class will also tackle the topic of standpipe systems and fires and standpipe equipped buildings.

The Imperfect Pitch

Whether you're on an engine, truck, or battalion car; whether you're assigned fire attack, search, or ventilation; whether you're riding the tailboard or the command board: Imperfect Pitch is the building construction class you've always wanted. This is an interactive lecture on construction and how it affects firefighting operations. We'll get into the good, the bad, and the ugly of what keeps the rain out, dispelling myths and misinformation along the way. While there is a heavy emphasis on topside work in this class, we will talk about how everyone on scene relies and acts upon an understanding of what's overhead.

Attendees will take home new approaches to discovering and dealing with the odd and unexpected, based upon real-world examples. In addition to regular fireground diagnostics, students will learn a few guerilla tactics for discovering more about the buildings in their area.

Next Level Extrication

Rapid stabilization and extrication of critical patients in challenging scenarios. We utilize multiple setups from real life incidents to demonstrate and perfect the advanced knowledge/techniques rescuers need to rapidly stabilize/lift/move vehicles in order to provide the fastest extrication times. We teach critical time management, making every move result in survivable space and rapid extrication for our patients. Many “instructors” teach you how to pop a door, cut a roof, or lift a dash in older cars. We incorporate modern vehicle construction and patients into scenarios and perform life saving bleeding control, crush injury treatment and airway management into this course. Multiple teaching stations to demonstrate and practice all techniques and understand new vehicle construction. Final scenarios to bring everything learned together!