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2023 CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

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Keynote

Building a Tradition of Passion

The calling of the fire service has created many traditions which make firefighting much more than just a job. As the modern fire service works to preserve the fabric of its culture while simultaneously expanding its mission, maintaining that calling has never been more important. Building a Tradition of Passion takes the culture clash occurring in the fire service head on by dissecting outdated practices that drive us apart and introducing progressive strategies to preserving our most important traditions. This course focuses on how to build an environment that encourages members at all levels to work together around the common theme of being invested in the job. Our discussion with take us through generational differences, polarized beliefs, roles and responsibilities, managing change, enhancing communication, and building organizational values where engagement and enthusiasm thrive. We will learn how to use expectations, standards, and discipline to make morale more than just a buzz word. Built around the core values of passion, dedication, and accountability, this class will bring everyone in the room together at a time when many believe we have drifted apart. Students will leave energized to build an atmosphere that preserves the calling of the past in the future of our departments. By building great leaders and followers, we can make passion our best tradition!

Nerding Out on the Engine

This course will examine all that is engine. We will dissect many of the broader concepts into simple and important pieces to ensure attention to detail in all that makes up a department’s engine operations. Course topics that will be explored include target flows, hose loads, deployments, advancements, incident priorities, and company/individual responsibilities. The two presenters will use their experience, education, and insights to approach these topics from the perspectives of a backstep firefighter through a battalion chief.

Challenges of Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Responses

This class will cover Emergency responses to EV/Hybrid and new car technology from multiple manufacturers.
Concentrating on high voltage components, battery systems, hazards during vehicle accidents, High Strength materials and alloys, fires, internal thermal regulatory incidents, and battery components. In-home storage and charging systems, commercial charging stations and appropriate response procedures.

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.

Probie to Promotee: The Missing Link of Professional Development

Although modern fire academies and certification programs provide as wealth of structured, organized information to new members during their initial training, the path to success after that can become very cloudy. The time between initial certification and the first promotional process can be a wasteland of wonder, confusion, and even abandonment. Students of this course will learn how to guide their careers down a path for success using fundamental skills and tactics as the foundation of their knowledge base. While each member will not take the same career path, establishing a foundation of strong work ethic and attention to detail will ensure professional development occurs no matter where the member ultimately wants to go. This course is a spin on “things I wish I knew” as it lays out many of the things we wanted to ask as new members as well as things we didn’t know we should ask. From how we stage our gear to how to become promotable, this course will give new firefighters and their bosses the tools necessary to make competent, prepared firefighters as they transition to our future leaders!

A Passionate Pursuit. The 7 P's to Perfection

This 2-hour presentation is intended to be a conversational style approach to what I believe it takes to prepare daily for your next fire event. I will incorporate out of the box methods involving daily task, chores, and non-fire related calls, showing the participants that preparation can be done at every level.

Forcible Entry

This is a completely hands on forcible entry course that dives into the design of tools, benefits and uses to increase your effectiveness and be a force multiplier on the fire ground. We will focus primarily on single person forcible entry skills to make you capable of getting through the toughest of doors on the street. No BS just work and knowing the WHY to make you more capable and save lives.

Tower Rescue Technician

Tower Rescue Technician : This 8 hour program is designed to meet the Chapter 4 – 4.3 Tower
Technician Level of NFPA 1006 2021. Students will develop an action plan, direct a tower rescue, ascend
a tower and perform a rescue of a victim suspended from a tower. Students will have the opportunity to
develop and practice skills in tower rescue. Students must be proficient in Rope Technician Level
requirements.
Prerequisites: Rope Technician Level or equivalent or approval from AHJ.

The Dynamic Fire Chief

The premier executive chief officer course in the country. This course focusses on often under appreciated administrative duties of the chief officer staff.

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!

Maximizing Our Impact - Overcoming Life’s Limitations & The War Within

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 by both internal and external limitations to which some we never even really realize. It’s easy for us to whine and gripe about bad leadership, restrictive policies, lack of time, and so on but what’s truly holding us back? More cases than not all of those things that we like to place the blame on are just excuses we use to cover up the real reason that we haven’t reached our potential - ourselves. There are many factors at work here that never get addressed in the fire service which are the real reasons that we don’t have a bigger impact on others such as; Pride, Fear, & Shame. As much as we all would like to not talk about these, they are apart of all of our lives and we need to learn how to overcome them. I, like so many others, want to do more and be a part of something so much bigger but how do we get there? How do we overcome the forces fighting us within to maximize the impact that we can have on others? How can each of us find our message and use it to make a difference in the fire service and in life. In this class we’ll discuss the normally “unmentionable” factors that hold us back. We’ll dig into how we can overcome these factors to win the war within. We’ll also discuss how we can reach and inspire the people around us, and finally we’ll take a look at how each of us can find our message in order to use it to impact as many lives as possible.

The Revolutionary Engine: The Pinnacle of Fireground Function

This is a BRAND NEW class, focused on advanced engine operations. This class is extremely hands-on and will feature stations such as: 2-line drill, slack movement, stretches, trunk lines, and advanced fireground operations. Be prepared to work! This class will blow your mind!

Engineering Excellence

The professional Driver/Engineer must understand and leverage the ENTIRE water delivery system from start to finish. They must not only understand the “What”, but also the “How” and the “Why” of their equipment, tactics and their position. Driver/Engineers must truly be masters of water delivery and application.They are expected to be intimately familiar with the weapons at their disposal and wield them in a way so as to maximize their impact on the fire scene. The reality is, great driver/engineers are not made by accident. They are systematically built through knowledge, training and experience. This class takes an extensive look at water delivery and application. It delves into the equipment, strategic goals, and tactical deployment models that are essential to success at the pump panel. It examines extensive technical knowledge, hydraulics, pump design, hose and nozzle construction, and how our strategies, tactics, equipment impact our effectiveness on the fireground. If you’re a student of all things ENGINE, this is the class for you!

The Tactical Engine Reloaded

The Tactical Engine is a down and dirty look at the blue-collar fundamentals of aggressive Engine work. This recently updated class has been stripped down, overhauled and restructured to add more technical knowledge, real world scenarios and dynamic discussion points. This class will examine effective tactics for first-alarm assignment Engine companies. It will explore efficiently performing essential fireground tasks, will delve into tactical priorities and will examine fireground decision making. The class will also address truck work for engines that don’t have the luxury of properly staffed truck companies arriving in a timely manner. Subjects covered will include attributes and foundational principles of building a high-performing engine company, size up, initial actions, water supply considerations, the engine search, forcible entry, coordinated ventilation, riding assignments, weapon selection, hose line management, and how to maximize limited staffing/resources in various operational arenas. This class is geared toward those looking to maximize the performance of their Engine Company.

The Priority Search: Occupying the inside because that is our job!

This class will discuss the in and outs of one of the most important tactics on the fire ground. It will cover the Why, What, Where and How of search, from reading structures to search techniques and victim removal. The information and data from this class is based on real rescues made by actual firefighters and recorded on www.firefighterrescuesurvey.com.

The Art of the First Due

The Art of the First Due provides focus for any fire officer that is tasked with rapid assessment as a first-arriving decision-maker at incidents. It has long been said: “So goes the first due, so goes the incident.” Our incidents are changing in scope, impact, and complexity – and so must our ability to rapidly survey and decide the right course of action when first arriving. This is not your typical size-up class! This program has been developed to meet one simple goal: Help the first-arriving fire officer MAKE RAPID DECISIONS that make a difference. The Art of the First Due will accomplish this goal by recognizing the changing world we must operate in and by fiving you tools to develop a rapid assessment approach to incidents.

Breaking Barriers

Breaking Barriers - introduces first responders to individuals with an intellectual disability, and how they can better understand the reactions and perceptions that they might encounter during an emergency situation, and how first responders can break down potential barriers of service. The course covers understanding and awareness, communication, misconceptions, and stress points and actions of the individual with a disability, allowing for a better understanding of how to work with these behaviors, and what they mean. The training also offers important things to understand about disabilities, that will help keep the first responders safe. In some geographical areas, we will also introduce participants to an individual with Down syndrome, which will allow attendees to ask questions, and hear for themselves how to better understand communication with an individual with an intellectual disability. We also provide important materials to go back with the First Responder, and tangible items to help them when they serve individuals with an intellectual disability.

Firefighter Rescue

Firefighter rescue starts first with members being prepared to save themselves when things go bad. Next
firefighters must be prepared to save their partner when they are in need. Then, and only then members must be trained and prepared to save THEM, the people we are sworn to protect.
Solving the Firefighter Rescue Paradigm is a powerful reminder that firefighting will always be a dangerous profession. Students will learn firsthand that by being properly trained and prepared they can overcome many of the mental and physical obstacles which lead to death and injury on todays fireground. Using modern statistics, like Chief Don Abbott’s Project Mayday, students will see exactly where firefighter death and injury is statistically predictable and more avoidable with the correct awareness and preparation. Students will first learn how to train for the best chance to save their fellow firefighters from many of the situations identified in Project Mayday. They learn that Rapid Intervention Teams (RIT) are seldom fast enough and that statistics prove that the interior crews are much more likely to facilitate a rescue with the preparation and developed skills gained from this class. Here students will learn necessary skills involving the assessment of a downed firefighter, drags, carries and movement of down members. The student will become proficient in moving a down member using SCBA conversion, Webbing, and Multi Loop Rescue Strap. This section transitions into the horizontal and vertical movement of victims utilizing various Hasty Rescue Devices like the FAST Board. Students will become proficient in
rescuing members from nationally recognized rescue scenarios such as Denver Drill, Nance Drill to name a few. To round out the skills the participants will train on FF CPR. This will allow them to transfer care knowing they have done everything possible to effectively save their own. At class end students will participate in combined exercise designed to bring the learned knowledge, skills and abilities into play during a stress induced scenario designed to develop critical thinking and decision making while utilizing effective communications and team building. At days end the students will participate in a tailboard critique and sharing of thoughts of the day.

Commercial Vehicle Rescue with Wrecker integration – Lifting – Moving – Making Space

Class will cover multiple scenarios utilizing lifting, moving, stabilizing of Commercial vehicles and heavy objects encountered during rescue responses. Rigging, equipment, safe integration of a heavy wrecker and skilled operator will allow students to understand their capabilities and how to utilize them as a valuable resource. Medical interventions and needs related to patient care, crush injury, amputations, traumatic injuries will be incorporated into our real-life scenarios.

Dynamic Solutions: A Case-Based Study of Challenging Issues

This case-based class will feature case studies, tackling tough challenges and difficult issues in the fire service. The case studies in this course are based on real life scenarios from Chief Haigh's consulting work. Bring your questions and be ready to engage in this interactive course.

Prioritize the Search

Prioritize the Search is a realistic fire environment that promotes a mission first mentality to decrease civilian fire fatalities and maintaining an aggressive mindset. We examine search statistics, forcible entry, search techniques, locating victims and making the grab. You cannot perform adequately if you do not prepare properly. We will spend the first half of the class building foundational knowledge and maximize reps for each student. You could say we are breaking down the basics and growing our abilities. The second half of the class is where the heat will be turned on. Literally. This portion will be real world scenarios that will challenge students to push themselves to their limits. The goal is to provide so much information, reps, skill, and knowledge that when returning to their departments, they can pass on the knowledge to make the difference in decreasing civilian fire fatalities. The whole purpose of our job, right? Students will perform forcible entry, the 10% search and primary searches locating/removing victims in zero visibility conditions. Students will encounter different size victims, different floor surfaces and techniques that will make them successful in each scenario. Only question left to ask. Are you ready to dive in?!

House Fires - The Core Competencies

The majority of the structure fires that firefighters respond to are in single family dwellings. The residential fire problem is a tremendous concern as it accounts for the largest majority of civilian fire casualties and injuries. Aggressive fire attack and aggressive searches are key to reducing the civilian casualties and injuries as well as reducing property damage loss. This interactive workshop will focus on the initial actions of first arriving crews and the tactics needed to address fire attack, the search, and the supporting fireground tasks at house fires. The practices and concepts taught will be based on successful as well as unsuccessful experiences on the fireground and nationally recognized fireground tasks. The student will learn tactics that will help increase their effectiveness for fire attack and search. The concepts covered include size up, incident command, where to initiate the fire attack, where to begin the search, and coordinating additional fireground tactics such as ventilation, laddering, and water supply to support the fire attack and search. Recent studies from UL FSRI will be utilized to validate fireground tasks and their sequence. In addition to the studies, fireground videos and pictures will be used to reinforce points. The student will also learn how to apply these tactics to match their departmental response and resources. These practices and concepts taught are effective, safe, inexpensive, and can be applied immediately.
Through proper fireground tactics firefighters can greatly reduce civilian injuries and casualties. This class is designed to teach and share with the participant’s ways to improve fireground operations in single family dwellings for their respective department.

Fire Attack For Them

This class originated from a simple question, why is there such a drop in victim survivability when found by an attack crew vs a search crew. This class focuses on what we can do as a hose team to directly influence the survivability of our victims. This 4-hour Classroom class teaches techniques to improve handline speed and efficiency with a focus on victim survivability and search. Students will learn strengths and weaknesses in hose line and nozzle types and construction, how to use these strengths and weaknesses to influence our victims’ chances of survival, how to more efficiently advance hose line, techniques for searching without sacrificing the speed in which we are advancing our attack lines, and the whys of search. With fire attack being the second highest percentage of victims found at fires the odds are in our favor to come across a victim and the time to figure out how we are going to handle that victim encounter is not as we crawl over them while we are pushing a hallway. This class is designed to begin these conversations.

Levering Your "Why": The Power of Purpose-Driven Leadership

In this course, students will gain insight into the psychology behind sharing our “why” as leaders. We will discuss how providing others insight into the reasons behind our leadership decisions can inspire and motivate employees, increase engagement and commitment, and ultimately drive organizational success in ways that simply communicating "what" needs to be done cannot. This increased understanding can foster a sense of engagement and commitment among employees, leading to greater job satisfaction and productivity. Additionally, communicating the "why" can help employees understand the broader impact of their work and how it fits into the organization's overall strategy, which can increase their sense of ownership and accountability.

But, when leaders fail to share their "why" or the purpose behind their actions, it can create confusion, mistrust, and disengagement among their teams. Without a clear understanding of why certain decisions are being made or what the ultimate goal is, employees may struggle to connect with their work on a deeper level and may become less motivated to perform at their best. Additionally, without a clear sense of purpose, employees may feel less invested in the success of the organization and may be more likely to seek out other opportunities that align more closely with their own values and goals. This can lead to increased turnover and difficulty in retaining top talent. Furthermore, failing to share the "why" can also result in misalignment among team members, as different individuals may have different interpretations of what the leader is trying to achieve. This can lead to misunderstandings, conflicts, and a lack of coordinated effort, which can ultimately undermine the success of the team and the organization as a whole.

Students will learn practical strategies for articulating your organization's purpose, connecting employees to a larger sense of meaning and purpose, and aligning your team's work with your organization's overall strategy. You will leave this course with a deeper understanding of the power of purpose-driven leadership and the tools you need to communicate your “why” effectively.

Topics covered in the course include:

Understanding the unique challenges and opportunities of leadership in the fire department
Developing emotional intelligence and self-awareness for effective leadership
Communication, decision-making, and relationship building
Building relationships with the community and other agencies
Navigating career advancement opportunities and challenges