4-Hour Evolutions: Monday and Tuesday, April 16-17
8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

Advanced Vehicle Extrication NEW!
Lead Instructor: Battalion Chief Leigh Hollins, Cedar Hammock (FL) Fire Department
Four stations will present four real-life, challenging, difficult extrication scenarios requiring advanced skills to stabilize the vehicles and remove multiple patients entrapped and entangled in the wreckage. The instructors will preview each scene and provide guidance and instruction in how to safely, quickly, and efficiently mitigate the situation. Students will learn everything from setting up a command structure to zoning the incident to performing the various tactics and strategies. They can then take their knowledge back home to share with others to more efficiently deal with complex vehicle extrication scenes that occur daily.

Aerial and Tower Operations NEW!
Lead Instructor: Lieutenant Michael Wilbur, Fire Department of New York
Students will learn the proper techniques and the safe operation of aerial ladders, rear-mounted tower ladders, and mid-mounted tower ladders. Topics include scrub area; feathering hydraulic controls; and depth perception. Students will also learn how to calculate the minimum and maximum apparatus operational footprint and the true horizontal working length; the proper procedure for short jacking, water flow, and apparatus ventilation; the proper use and position of a stokes basket during a rescue; and new technological advances in apparatus. Every student will get limited operational time with the apparatus.

Engine Company: Essentials
Lead Instructor: Captain Anthony Piontek, Green Bay (WI) Fire Department
Students can actively engage in hands-on evolutions and decision making concerning water supply, hose loads, stretches, and how best to service their respective districts. They will advance lines as members of an attack team under various realistic scenarios of fire attack and rotate through the following sessions: dry lines, preconnects, static beds, standpipes, and wet lines. They will understand and demonstrate basic requirements of an engine company, including engine design/setup, tools and equipment, hosebed design/configuration, hose load options, and deployment strategies; stretch size-up techniques for different occupancies, proper line selection, and deployment strategies based on crew size, other available companies responding, fire extent, and available water supply; options for water supply, including the use of booster tank water, forward and reverse lays, split lays, and augmentation of existing laid lines; the “hose team” concept using proper crew resource management techniques for basic task and tool assignments; the skills needed to effectively advance charged and uncharged handlines at various at grade, below-grade, and above-grade incidents; and the proper use of standpipes for fire attack, including tools and equipment, line selection, hose loads, deployment options, crew resource management, and attack strategies.

Essentials of Search and Rescue
Lead Instructor: Firefighter Joseph Alvarez, Maplewood (NJ) Fire Department
This course is designed to improve students’ ability as well as their confidence in the use of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). It is imperative that all firefighters be able to use SCBA in today’s toxic environments. We face new hazards to our respiratory system at all potentially hazardous calls and must wear respiratory protection devices. Students will practice what they have already been taught as well learn new methods to take back home. It will also be a good benchmark for students to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. Stations include search techniques, vent-enter-search, and mask confidence.

Fire Department Rescue Operations
Lead Instructor: Firefighter Paul DeBartolomeo, Fire Department of New York
Today’s first responders are faced with challenging rescue scenarios such as vehicle and machinery accidents, construction mishaps, building collapse, and various other entrapments. This program covers the types of equipment used in mitigating these emergencies. Students will get hands-on instruction in the use of high-pressure airbags, pneumatic and hydraulic jacks, hydraulic rescue tools, rescue jacks, struts, grip hoists, and basic wood cribbing. They will participate in realistic rescue scenarios that will allow them to use various types of rescue equipment to develop new skills and techniques the modern-day rescuer needs to succeed. The ultimate goal is to provide the students with a better understanding of the equipment they carry so they can use it in a safer, more efficient manner in the field.

Firefighter Escape Options NEW!
Lead Instructor: Lieutenant Daniel DiRenzo, Cherry Hill (NJ) Fire Department
Firefighters engaging in fireground operations must have a solid foundation in emergency escape procedures in an emergency. Under rapidly changing or deteriorating fire conditions, it may become necessary for firefighters to use a secondary means of egress when their primary means becomes cut off. This program will cover several options to safely egress upper-floor entrapments. Techniques from simple to enhanced, along with the adaptation of the personal escape system, will be covered. Students will be placed in various simulated emergency situations that will necessitate that they use these emergency techniques. They will rotate through skills stations to include traditional egress techniques, personal harness egress, and escape system use with each station incorporating a simulated scenario. Learning objectives include proper interior reorganization skills, procedures for conducting an upper-floor emergency egress, the options available to egress an upper floor, multiple firefighter egress, rapid egress forced by a sudden change in fire development, emergency procedures while conducting a vent-enter-search operation, and egress of a window to an awaiting aerial ladder.

Flashover
Lead Instructor: Battalion Chief Joseph Berchtold, Teaneck (NJ) Fire Department
Firefighters have the opportunity to observe fire behavior and the signs that lead up to flashover. Phase #1 training from Swede Survival systems allows them to observe and experience in a controlled environment how fire develops and grows up to and through the flashover stage and how ventilation and hose streams can control a flashover. Learn to recognize when it is time to get out of the structure, the events that lead up to a flashover, and the ways firefighters contribute to the creation of flashovers.

Heavy Vehicle Extrication
Lead Instructor: Battalion Chief Todd Taylor, Wayne Township (IN) Fire Department
This class better prepares students for an incident involving heavy vehicles by discussing vehicle design and construction and how they relate to the incident. These vehicles are constructed much differently than regular vehicles. Therefore, normal vehicle extrication techniques will not accomplish the objective of safe patient removal. Students will be able to perform various techniques on actual heavy vehicles, which may include semi trailers and larger vehicles. Learn techniques such as rescue from side underrides, rollovers, and rear underrides. In addition, students will be introduced to the method of using rotating wreckers to assist in the rescue of potential victims.

Keeping Yourself Alive NEW!
Lead Instructor: Chief Curtis Birt, Lake Cities (TX) Fire Department
This firefighter survival and safety program covers some of the most important skills needed for staying alive during fireground operations. The actions of a trapped or injured firefighter will be observed and discussed, and students will be required to correctly call a Mayday. This program will also cover SCBA use, clearing entanglements, emergency procedures, and air management. Learn proper search techniques; room orientation; and how to locate escape routes, and remove and drag injured firefighters, radio procedures, PASS activation, looking for egress, and assisting the RIT team in locating you.

Man vs. Machinery NEW!
Lead Instructor: Lieutenant Mark Gregory, Fire Department of New York
Machinery/equipment entrapments occur all across the country. They can range from a child's finger caught in a lock tumbler to a worker trapped within the rollers of a printing press. As first responders, we are tasked with the process of disentangling the victim. This class will cover various methods using hand and power tools to achieve a successful outcome. Students will be rotated though stations that cover scenarios such as crush injuries involving fingers, limb entrapments, and impalements. Size-up and lock out/tag out procedures will be emphasized. Students are introduced to extrication techniques and are encouraged to think innovatively. Tools include cord/cordless right-angle grinders, sawzalls, drills, and band saws as well as homemade tools, sockets, and other hand tools. Students will gain an appreciation for tools that they have never used in this type of arena along with a renewed respect for teamwork.

Truck Company: Forcible Entry
Lead Instructor: Battalion Chief John Buckheit, Fire Department of New York
Students will perform in a safe manner effective methods of forcible entry on common types of doors, locks, and gates. They will rotate through stations such as inward outward door, conventional irons work; inward door, restricted space, limited visibility; storefront glass and metal doors, padlocks, glass; and rolldown gates. The goal is to gain the skills necessary to negate common security measures to access fires, start searches, place hoselines, access patients, and so on. Hands-on training will teach students how to size up and overcome rolldown store gates, warehouse/factory rolldown gates, padlocks, storefront doors, and thru-the-lock techniques for restricted space and low-visibility operations.

Truck Company: Ventilation
Lead Instructor: Lieutenant Matt Szpindor, Fire Department of New York
Ventilation is an important truck company function that must be performed at all structural fires. Students will review the basics of ventilation and vent size-up, discuss how the type of structure and building construction affect ventilation, and get plenty of hands-on experience using both hand tools and power tools. Instructors will present different perspectives on ventilation as the students rotate through a variety of challenging ventilation skill stations, including peaked-roof and flat roof operations. Students will be able to understand the importance of ventilation at structural fires, how ventilation operations are conducted at different types of structures, and the importance of coordinating horizontal and vertical ventilation; riding positions/tool assignments as they relate to efficient ventilation operations; ongoing size-up during ventilation operations at structural fires; how different types of building construction affect ventilation operations; and how to safely access different areas of a fire building to conduct ventilation operations.

Vent-Enter-Search NEW!
Lead Instructor: Chief of Training Charlie Fadale, Indianapolis (IN) Fire Department
Learn vertical ventilation (power and hand tool techniques) and vent-enter-and search (single and multistory techniques). The techniques will stress firefighter safety during all scenarios. Basic smoke reading, building construction, and ventilation techniques will be covered. Students will be given the opportunity to perform the ventilation techniques on ground-level pitched props and then perform them at height. VES skills will be performed both at ground level (single-story) and at height off a ladder (multistory). The class will cover when, where, how, and why we ventilate, taking into consideration involvement, building construction, and wind and smoke conditions. The ventilation component will also stress safety in getting on the roof, making the cut, and getting off the roof once the cutting is done. VES will also cover these considerations and in addition the increased chance of civilian survivability if done quickly and correctly. The hazards of each technique will be addressed as well as techniques to minimize them.

8-Hour Evolutions: Monday and Tuesday, April 16-17
8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Collapse and Void Search Rescue NEW!
Lead Instructor: Firefighter (Ret.) Michael Davis, Fire Department of New York
Tornados, hurricanes, and other weather-related incidents—the past few years have seen an increase in these types of events that have required the quick action of first responders and their resources. This class will address the initial skills rescue personnel need to accomplish victim removal early into the collapse operations. A significantly damaged building will be used to simulate a building collapse. Students will “rescue” manikins used as trapped victims. Training will include void search, initial shoring, cribbing, and understanding the magnitude of these events. Learn and fine-tune skills necessary to achieve safe and effective search and rescue in collapsed wood-frame and unreinforced masonry structures. Technical rescue gear and proper personal protective equipment is required. The use of knee pads and respiratory equipment is highly recommended. Full turnout gear can be substituted.

Conducting NFPA 1403 Live Burn Training
Lead Instructor: Assistant Fire Education Specialist Gregory A. Fisher, Illinois Fire Service Institute
This class provides live fire training evolutions conducted in safe facilities compliant with National Fire Protection Association 1403, minimizing exposure to health and safety hazards. Students are led through live burn scenarios and in the process of ensuring that the property meets the standard. SCBA drills may be included. Crews are briefed prior to entry on the lesson plan for each live fire evolution, including the objectives of the drill, and on the site plan and building sketch. Staff members fill the roles of lead instructor, safety, ignition, accountability officers, and crew leaders for each live fire scenario. Rotations allow student exposure to each required position and are closely monitored. Each scenario is critiqued by position under 1403 to familiarize the students with compliance responsibilities. Eight to 10 live fire evolutions occur.

Live Fire First-Due Tactics
Lead Instructor: Lieutenant Doug Stephenson, Johns Creek (GA) Fire Department
The class will consist of six work stations: Strategy and Tactics Lecture, Self/Buddy Rescue, Rehab, Search and Rescue, Ventilation and Suppression, and Hose Movement. Students will learn the importance of such topics as proper hoseline selection and placement and methods to efficiently deploy and use attack and backup hoselines; high-rise hose deployment; hose movement/positioning for fire attack and crew protection; incident priorities and tactics, discipline, and accountability; tasks for search and rescue; use of a hoseline to remove a firefighter from below grade; identifying the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion; and assembling and executing appropriate rehabilitation methods based on current weather conditions.

RIT Combat Drills
Lead Instructor: Assistant Chief James Crawford, Midway (SC) Fire Rescue Department
Rapid intervention team (RIT) training should be realistic and to the point. When a RIT deploys into a burning building for a Mayday, each team member will be taxed to the limit, both physically and mentally. This hands-on program will train and evaluate RIT members at performing these RIT duties under realistic conditions. Students will be assembled into teams and “deployed” into a series of rescue scenarios where they will encounter numerous problems with which they must deal as a team. Teams will be challenged with four firefighter rescue scenarios: a lifting rescue, a deployment/search rescue, a lowering system rescue, and the Pittsburgh drill rescue. Each team must maneuver the rescue course to a downed firefighter victim, perform a victim assessment, complete any extrication, package the victim, and initiate removal. The team must remove the firefighter victim back through the scenario course to safety. All teams will be given a set amount of time to complete the drills, placing pressure on the team. Students will have the opportunity to use specialized equipment, operate portable radios within the incident command system, work within a team under pressure, and practice RIT skills in a realistic environment.

Truck Company: Essentials
Lead Instructor: Lieutenant Michael Ciampo, Fire Department of New York
Students will rotate through a series of stations to get a “taste” of truck company operations in this interactive class. At the Forcible Entry station, each student will learn how to force inward- and outward-opening doors and how to cut simulated window bars and rolldown gates. At the Ladders station, they will learn portable ladder operations that include new leg lock maneuvers and perform simulated rescues and removals. At the Ventilation station, they will perform horizontal and vertical ventilation on the acquired structures. At the Search station, they will conduct primary search, vent-enter-search tactics, and overhaul when searching for fire extension.

Urban Essentials
Lead Instructors: Lieutenant Ray McCormack, Fire Department of New York, and Captain Erich Roden, Milwaukee (WI) Fire Department
Recognize and handle urban life threats such as wind-driven fires in high-rise buildings, C side commercial forcible entry, ventilating both flat and steeply pitched roofs, and defeating property protection systems. C side forcible entry is the most difficult and challenging forcible entry most firefighters will encounter. The rear of these building has been heavy fortified for security reasons; entry through bars, multilocked doors, and windows may be required. Flat roof operations are very common on multiple dwellings and commercial buildings. Cutting the roof comes last--not first. The skills of roof operations include size-up, exposure examination, in-place ventilation of skylights and vent cowls, and how and where to cut. Students will be introduced to the commercial entry cut--a new procedure for one-story commercial roof operations that reduces fire extension to the front of the building. Steeply pitched roof cutting operations require teamwork. Students will practice the Milwaukee method that optimizes safety and coordination and allows for a large single-space ventilation opening. This technique works on all roofs and places all firefighters on ladders, which spreads the weight safely over a large area. Boarded-up systems cover properties from vacant dwellings to modern foreclosures. The complexity of these systems requires us to stay abreast of new developments and appreciate those coverings that still remain from years ago.