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CLASSROOM SESSIONS

Ever wanted a sneak preview of an FDIC class to help decide if you want to take it or not? Click on the links below classroom descriptions to hear Bobby Halton interview FDIC 2009 instructors about the subject matter of their classrooms and workshops. More interviews and links added each week.



Efficient Truck Work for Smaller Departments

Battalion Chief Mike Alder, San Bernardino City (CA) Fire Department

Smaller departments have to be creative to make up for a lack of resources to ensure efficient truck company operations on the fireground. This class describes that creative philosophy and introduces techniques for effective ground and aerial laddering, ventilation operations, and forcible entry as well as predesignated assignments and truck company priorities, building construction and fire behavior, and getting the most out of basic tools.




INTERMEDIATE



Calls That Stick with You: You Are Not Alone

Chief (Ret.) Paul J. Antonellis Jr., MA, CEAP, Adjunct Professor, Anna Maria College, Seabrook, NH

An analysis of how your job can affect you and your family. Learn how to make a proper referral and how to seek help for Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which are commonly misunderstood or minimized in firefighters. Symptoms may be masked by factors such as alcohol abuse and drug abuse. Understanding ASD and PTSD can help survivors and coworkers feel more in control and aid in recovery and prevention.

BASIC



Supersize Your Training!

Captain Brian Arnold, Oklahoma City (OK) Fire Department

Learn how to optimize training for each of the generations of firefighters in today’s fire service and those who will be entering in the future. Core values, learning tools, teaching techniques and their relevance, and teaching plans are among the topics.

BASIC/INTERMEDIATE



Fireground Strategies: The Dangers of Common Fireground Operations

Deputy Chief Anthony Avillo, North Hudson (NJ) Regional Fire & Rescue; and Deputy Chief Mike Nasta, Newark (NJ) Fire Department

The emphasis is on avoiding “common” operational safety issues when engaged in structural firefighting and “what to do when things go bad.” Communications; fire spread and fire attack; search; avoiding disorientation and ways to become “reoriented”; Mayday transmissions; and light, air shaft, and cornice hazards are among the topics discussed from the perspectives of the IC, company officers, and interior firefighters.




BASIC



Big Fire in a Small Town

Chief William R. Ball III, Williamsport (MD) Volunteer Fire & EMS

“Could our fire department manage such a big fire? We’re just a small fire department in a small town.” If you have ever asked yourself this question when a catastrophic fire arises in other jurisdictions, this class is for you. Learn how to plan for “the big one” using a commonsense approach. The focus is on the challenges small-town commanders face when multiple buildings are burning on all four sides in the square of their town. Add to this list the challenge of inadequate staffing.

 



INTERMEDIATE



Company Officer Academy

Battalion Chief of Training Michael J. Barakey, Virginia Beach (VA) Fire Department

Your department expects new officers to make competent decisions, but how much training or direction did these officers receive from your organization? If the answer is, “Not much,” you can change that. Learn how to establish an officer academy from scratch, and take with you the resources to implement one in your department.
INTERMEDIATE



Wildland Firefighting in Urban Settings

Firefighter Christopher J. Barney, Portland (OR) Fire & Rescue

Urban fire departments may not always place grass fires near the top of potential challenges for their departments, but the threat is real. By planning ahead, departments can help ensure more efficient and safer suppression operations should such a fire develop. Learn what such planning entails, how to develop and implement a plan, and how to involve civilians and other agencies.

INTERMEDIATE



All Hell Breaks Loose … And Now You’re Out of Air

Lieutenant Steve Bernocco, Captain Mike Gagliano, Battalion Chief Phil Jose, and Captain Casey Phillips, Seattle (WA) Fire Department

New ideas for effectively improving safety and performance on the fireground are presented and explained. This class is an expansion of these instructors’ previous air management classes, moves toward implementation in emergency and nonemergency situations, and addresses NFPA 1404, 2007 edition.

 



ALL LEVELS



Who’s Got Your Back? Your Next SCBA Purchase or Upgrade

Lieutenant David Bernzweig, Columbus (OH) Division of Fire

We all depend on an SCBA to cover our back while working in an immediately dangerous to life and health atmosphere. An objective overview of features and options to consider when purchasing or upgrading your SCBA. Cylinder volume, emergency air systems, electronic management, and revisions in the 2007 editions of NFPA 1981 (Open Circuit SCBA) and NFPA 1852 (Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Open Circuit SCBA) are among the topics covered. Also, learn how to design objective combative and noncombative field tests.

INTERMEDIATE



Incident Safety Officer and Fixed-Burn Building Evolutions

Lieutenant Jason Blake, Montgomery County (MD) Fire Rescue

The focus is on preventing injuries and line-of-duty deaths during realistic live burns in a fixed burn building. Learn to develop the plan and evaluate it from the safety perspective. Case studies will illustrate the role of the incident safety officer during the preburn, evolution, and post-burn phases. Laws and standards pertaining to live burns will also be covered.

BASIC



Decision Making by the First-Due Company

Battalion Chief Richard J. Blatus, Fire Department of New York

A series of scenarios will arouse your critical thinking skills as you ponder decisions that you, as the first-due company, must make related to the availability of personnel on the scene and other “make or break” decisions.

INTERMEDIATE



Lessons from a First-Time Training Officer

Lieutenant Jason Blount, Hillsboro (OR) Fire Department

What happens when a suppression officer is rotated into the Training Division? What are the challenges and priorities? How can you ensure success in the training arena? What are the lessons learned from such a rotation? These are some of the issues addressed. Observe how adequate planning for drills, properly dealing with mistakes, and building coordination and communication into the training experience can enhance department competence and confidence.

INTERMEDIATE



Basic Forcible Entry

Firefighter/Training Officer Andrew Brassard, Milton (Ont. Can.) Fire Department

Sizing up for forcible entry, forcing swinging doors and door hinges, cutting padlocks, pulling cylinders, and sawing techniques for padlocks and roll-down metal gates are among the areas discussed.

ALL LEVELS



Residential Search and Rescue for the Street Firefighter

Firefighter Michael Bricault, Albuquerque (NM) Fire Department

Learn or review the mental tools, physical techniques, and tactics the fire service has relied on for years. Students will determine and categorize their actions based on a given set of circumstances and the viewing of scenarios.

BASIC



Mayday: What To Do When You Get in Trouble

Firefighter/Paramedic Patrick L. Brown, Chicago (IL) Fire Department

Do you know when and when not to call a Mayday? Learn how to communicate a Mayday, how to use the PASS alarm after calling a Mayday, techniques for “reorienting” a firefighter who has become disoriented, self-preservation techniques, “skip breathing,” and the role of firefighters not involved in the Mayday.

BASIC/ INTERMEDIATE



Bruno and Norman “Unplugged”

Chief (Ret.) Alan Brunacini, Phoenix (AZ) Fire Department; and Deputy Assistant Chief (Ret.) John Norman, Fire Department of New York 

Two fire service superstars share in an informal and entertaining manner the observations and perspectives they gained throughout their illustrious firefighting careers. This is your chance to “talk shop” with the best! As always, this is a unique learning experience available only at FDIC.

ALL LEVELS



Residential Tactics for Firefighting

Deputy Chief Nick Brunacini, Phoenix (AZ) Fire Department

Help to ensure more effective performance at residential fires. A logic-based size-up, the eight main critical factors for residential structure, construction techniques for old and new structures, and modern fire behavior in the residential setting are some of the areas covered. Practice the newer approaches in the context of real-world tactical simulations.

INTERMEDIATE



Leading with Attitude

Division Chief Eddie Buchanan, Hanover (VA) Fire & EMS

It’s easy to complain about the job, but what can you really do about it? What can you do about others who don’t love it as you do? This presentation offers a rankless “gut check” into how each of us contributes to the success of the fire service. Concepts such as loyalty alignment, followership, and attitude are explored in detail; tangible techniques for facilitating change are offered.



ALL LEVELS



Teaching Others To Make Good Decisions

Chuck Burkell, Training Specialist, Executive Development, DHS/FEMA/USFA

Fire executives and officers not only face situations daily that call for making nonincident-related decisions in ambiguous and uncertain environments but they also are responsible for preparing others to make effective decisions. Learn the characteristics of the decision-making process, how to identify the roles and relationships of the individuals responsible for executing a decision-making process, and some methodologies for building personal and organizational decision-making capacities you can incorporate into training and education activities.

INTERMEDIATE



Taking Public Education to Another Level

Lieutenant/Fire Marshal Daniel Byrne, Beaufort (SC) Fire Department

Learn how to build a fire prevention-oriented culture within your department and the fire service to decrease the number of U.S. civilian fire deaths. This is an offensive, instead of a defensive, approach to public education. Developing the “whole fire prevention” package (fire prevention, fire survival and training, targeting audiences, and reducing fires); successfully reaching audiences such as daycare-age children, elementary school students, seniors, and Spanish-speaking citizens; and acquiring nontraditional partners and audiences are discussed. Learn how to use the media effectively.

ALL LEVELS



Cause and Origin: A Systematic, Comprehensive Investigation

Adrian Cales, Asset Protection Manager, Public Service Enterprise Group; Detective Sergeant (Ret.), Arson Investigation Unit, Bergen County (NJ) Prosecutor’s Office

View actual fire scenes as if you were conducting the investigation. Open dialog and exchange of ideas are encouraged. Come away with a comprehensive format for the examination, documentation, and determination of the origin of the fire as well as for eliminating and documenting of all fire causes.

INTERMEDIATE



First-Due Size-Up Reports for Company Officers

Captain Leonard Carmichael Jr., Trenton (NJ) Fire Department

This class sets up the framework for the entire fireground experience from assessing the incident scene arrival information to setting up an incident management system organization. Students will use a systematic mental checklist using the CASH acronym for on-scene size-up reports that can be used for all incidents. Also covered will be establishing command, the 13-point size-up factors, actions of the first-due companies, and additional resources needed.

INTERMEDIATE



Officer Development Skills and Drills

Captain Bob Carpenter, Miami Dade (FL) Fire Rescue

Many officer certification programs are high in academics and quite low in fireground supervision skills. This class examines the content of various officer development programs, determines the range of hands-on skills that should be addressed, and evaluates a dynamic hands-on skills clinic students can adapt to their departments. View the content of the “Skills and Drills Week I and II” program that has become a cornerstone in Miami Dade’s fire officer development program.



INTERMEDIATE



Leadership: A View from the Trenches

Harry R. Carter, Ph.D., Chairman, Board of Fire Commissioners, Howell Township (NJ) District #2

Students will explore ways to assess, establish, and implement effective leadership in their organizations. Studies have shown that the quality of an organization’s leadership affects its efficiency. Various types and styles of leadership are presented. Students will come away with information they can put to use in their departments.

INTERMEDIATE



Conducting Compliant Live-Fire Training

Chief Dave Casey, Superintendent, Florida State Fire College

The controversy between safe and realistic fire training continues. This class presents compliant methods for maximizing the benefits of training in acquired and permanent props without compromising safety. Fuel loading, interior props, formal instructor training programs, realistic drills, common mistakes, and adherence to NFPA 1403 standards are covered. The focus will be on the “how to” aspects of conducting valuable live-fire exercises in a safe and compliant manner.

INTERMEDIATE



Tactical Decision Making

Battalion Chief Steve Chikerotis, Chicago (IL) Fire Department

The instructor shares powerful lessons he learned while crawling hallways during the past 30 years of his career. Among the topics highlighted are risk management, reading smoke, building construction and collapse, fireground tactics, flashover, communications and accountability, commanding the Mayday, and RIT rescue.

ADVANCED



Truck Company Operations: A Hundred Things To Do

Lieutenant Michael Ciampo, Fire Department of New York

Learn street-smart truck company skills, tactics, and tips that will help you perform your job more safely and effectively. More than just “tricks of the trade,” they are methods that help truck firefighters to adapt and overcome limited resources and other challenges on the fireground so that they can perform the numerous tasks that must be accomplished for successful operations.

BASIC/INTERMEDIATE



Training Today’s Fire Service

Chief Douglas K. Cline, Eden (NC) Fire Department

Can you identify the “gaps” in your department’s training program? You not only will learn how to identify and analyze such gaps, but you will also get pointers on program focus, time management, scheduling, and maximizing member participation. Training officers and instructors from paid and volunteer/combination departments especially will benefit from the presentation and discussion of ideas for building bigger and better training programs.

INTERMEDIATE



Lessons Learned from Real Air Disasters

Captain Don Collins, Massport Fire-Rescue, Logan International Airport, Boston, MA

What you should know about air crash responses. Scene security, identifying bodies, gathering evidence, rescue and recovery, and airport operations issues—runway marking, lighting, and traffic control—are among the topics addressed. The function of Go Teams and how such teams apply to the fire service are explained. Learn how to preplan your local airport and establish mutual-aid response plans.

ALL LEVELS



Recent Catastrophic Events: Lessons Learned

Captain Larry Collins, Los Angeles County (CA) Fire Department

Manmade and natural events pose potential hazards for every region of our nation and the world. Presented will be a common set of guiding principles that apply when planning for and responding to these incidents wherever they may occur. Recent catastrophic events (Hurricane Katrina, the 2008 China earthquake, the Mynamar cyclone, and others); an exercise involving response to a major catastrophic event; and lessons learned are also discussed.

ALL LEVELS



Leading as a Fire Officer: Your Department Needs You

Chief Dennis Compton, International Fire Service Training Association

Explore the leadership concepts and skills that contribute to fire officers’ performance. Learn how to be an effective leader in the battalion, on the shift, in the office, and at emergency scenes. How to motivate and maximize the performance of others and the impact of specific fire officer behaviors on the organization are also addressed.

ALL LEVELS



First Amendment in the Firehouse

Chief David C. Comstock Jr., Western Reserve (OH) Joint Fire District; Attorney, Comstock, Springer and Wilson Co., LPA

The interaction between a firefighter’s First Amendment rights of free speech, association, and religious freedom and a governmental administrator’s right to maintain order and discipline within the fire department is explored from the perspective of reducing the department’s potential liability from adverse lawsuits based on the First Amendment. Federal rules and regulations and federal court cases are reviewed. Various circumstances, including criticism of fire officials and retaliatory action; peremptory gag orders; public demonstrations; political campaigns; beards, tattoos, body piercing; and union organization and activities are addressed.

ADVANCED



Company Officer’s Role in Transitioning from Operations to Investigation

Captain Stephen Coover, Bloomington (IN) Fire Department

Preserving evidence applies not just to incendiary fires. Learn to identify the many circumstances in which it is necessary to preserve evidence and how to protect against charges of spoliation, which is a criminal act in the United States. The company officer’s role as it pertains to fire investigations and evidence preservation is fully explored.
BASIC/INTERMEDIATE



What Actually Caused the Beverly Hills Supper Club Fire?

Professor Glenn P. Corbett, John Jay College, New York City; Technical Editor, Fire Engineering

We all know the story: a crowded nightclub outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, awaiting the performance of popular 1970s entertainer John Davidson. A fire starts in the Zebra Room and quickly spreads to the rest of the building. It moves toward the Cabaret Room, where the opening act, a pair of comics, is performing. A young busboy grabs the mic and announces that a fire has broken out and asks the patrons to leave the building. Some immediately follow his order; many do not. When the fire actually bursts in the Cabaret Room, there are too many people trying to leave. It was an electrical fire—or was it? Hear the instructor and some of the fire’s survivors detail the results of an independent inquiry into the actual cause of this landmark fire that left 165 people dead.

ALL LEVELS



Coordinating the Fireground Attack

Battalion Chief Chris Costamagna, Sacramento (CA) Fire Department

The focus is on the coordination and accomplishment of the basic elements of engine and ladder operations on the fireground and on learning how to adapt the concepts of riding positions, SOGs, and engine/truck basic skills to most firegrounds and larger incidents such as commercial big-box and high-rise fires. You will learn how to incorporate the fire service’s best practices into working guidelines for your organization, regardless of staffing and types of equipment deployed.

INTERMEDIATE



Our Department Has Class A Foam; Now What?

Lieutenant/Training Officer Jeff Cotner, Bloom Township (OH) Fire Department

What is Class A foam? How does it work? What can it do for your department? These questions—and others—will be addressed. Learn some do’s and don’ts related to foam use. Class B foam, standards applicable to foam use, proportioning systems, and nozzles are among the topics.

BASIC



Emergency Service Myths

Firefighter/EMT-B Mark J. Cotter, Salisbury (MD) Fire Department

A critical look at a variety of accepted beliefs and practices relevant to emergency operations that are erroneous, distracting, and dangerous. Many recently identified examples of mistakes, misconceptions, and misdirections are presented and evaluated. Attendees will have the opportunity to submit their “myths” for discussion.

ALL LEVELS



Training That Works in the Street

Assistant Chief Brian Crandell, Central Valley (MT) Fire District

This interactive class focuses on developing and executing multicompany, county, statewide, and interstate mutual-aid drills. Incident action plans for such actual are shared, as are safety and communications plans.

ALL LEVELS



Leading the Volunteers

Michael P. Dallessandro, Board Member, Grand Island (NY) Fire Co. Inc.

Learn how to keep the fun and enjoyment in volunteer fire departments while making the working environment more professional. Learn how to connect what your department did right in the past to the present and the future, become acquainted with the meaning of proper behavior and service, and avoid the politics and pitfalls of all-volunteer organizations. The role individual members play in improving their departments is also addressed.

BASIC

Why Fires in Residential Homes Have Become the Most Dangerous Firefight You Will Face

James Dalton, Coordinator of Research and Development, Chicago (IL) Fire Department

Firefighter fatalities and injuries have occurred in residential buildings because of rapid fire spread through areas of unprotected wood construction or the collapse of unprotected dimensional lumber and/or lightweight wood structural components. In response, the Department of Homeland Security Firefighter Safety Program awarded funding to the Chicago Fire Department, Underwriters Laboratories, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, and Michigan State University to further study this disturbing trend. A series of fire tests compared the structural performance of conventional dimensional lumber construction to lightweight wood construction. This presentation highlights the failure times of tested assemblies, limitations of thermal imaging devices, risk management and tactical recommendations for firefighting operations in residential lightweight constructed occupancies, digital thermal and structural modeling techniques, and other significant findings.

INTERMEDIATE


Hot Topics for Vehicle Rescue

David Dalrymple, Education Chair, Transportation Emergency Rescue Committee-US

This is “one-stop shopping” for all your vehicle-related issues, concerns, and challenges. Operational “best practices” for vehicle rescue are presented. Technology concerns are fused into real-world solutions. Vehicle technology, motive power, firematics, and operational concerns from a global perspective are also addressed, as are today’s trends in vehicles and future operational concerns.

ALL LEVELS



Drive to Survive

Firefighter/EMT Christopher Daly, Goshen Fire Department, West Chester, PA

A dynamic, interactive session designed to teach how and why vehicle accidents occur. Real-life examples are used to illustrate the limits of driving a vehicle using crash reconstruction techniques. Speed, friction, airbrakes, curves, hydroplaning, antilock brakes, and rollover thresholds are among the issues discussed.

BASIC



Wood-Frame Construction, Principles, and Hazards

Paul T. Dansbach, Fire Marshal, Bureau of Fire Safety, Rutherford, NJ

The focus is on safe fire operations in all wood-frame structures. Methods of construction and potential for fire spread and collapse of the four types of wood-frame construction are discussed. Case studies are used to demonstrate collapse potential. Also, a look at occupancy types where wood-frame construction is commonly found and ways to identify the type of wood-frame construction in existing structures.

BASIC



Truck Company Rope Rescue

Firefighter (Ret.) Michael F. Davis, Fire Department of New York Rescue Co. 3; Municipal Training Officer, Beacon (NY) Fire Department

Learn to evaluate the potential for high-angle emergencies in your community. The potential for these incidents exists if your community has buildings more than one story, slopping terrains, elevated structures, water towers, and bridges. Slides illustrate all aspects of the potential problems and training objectives that can mitigate such incidents.
INTERMEDIATE



Ladder Company Priorities

Firefighter Paul J. DeBartolomeo, Fire Department of New York

The focus of this interactive session is to apply proven tactics for ladder company operations to smaller suburban fire departments. A set of realistic tactics that uses ladder company personnel for the most critical function of saving lives is introduced. Riding assignments, limited personnel, home responders, and mutual aid are addressed. In additions, students will learn to recognize the most critical situations at a fire and how to address them in priority order based on available personnel.

ALL LEVELS



100 Years of Firefighting: What We’ve Learned

Battalion Chief Tom DeMint, Poudre Fire Authority, Fort Collins, CO

The Fort Collins (CO) Fire Department’s 1897 Constitution, By-laws and Rules is used as a backdrop to illustrate how the fire department’s rules and goals in 1897 still apply today—safe and effective firefighting, proper behavior, and good customer service are still the priorities—and to enhance your pride in being a member of the fire service. Also, improve your ability to make decisions on the fireground and develop strong leadership skills.

INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED



Personal Harness Use for Firefighter Rescue

Firefighter Daniel DiRenzo, Cherry Hill (NJ) Fire Department

The personal harness has become an addition to many firefighters’ personal protective equipment. Do you know its full capabilities and uses? Learn how to use it for maximum efficiency in firefighter rescue situations. Techniques presented can be applied to all styles and brands of Class 2 personal harnesses being worn or integrated with structural firefighting PPE.

BASIC



Reading Smoke—2009 Update

David Dodson, Lead Instructor, Response Solutions, LLC, Eastlake, CO

The fires we fight in 2009 and beyond will be different from those we fought even a few years ago. You must be able to predict fire behavior and hostile fire events. Otherwise, firefighters will die or be critically injured. Correctly predicting fire behavior is directly related to your ability to read smoke as you arrive and begin firefighting operations.



ALL LEVELS



Garden Apartments, Townhouses, and Condos: Modern Day Row-Frame Building Fires

Lieutenant Thomas Donnelly, Fire Department of New York

Strategies and tactics for fighting today’s modern units are discussed, as are the challenges and problems that may be encountered. Basic engine and truck operations are explored.

BASIC/INTERMEDIATE



Commercial Fire Tactics

Captain Michael M. Dugan, Fire Department of New York

Learn how the risks and rewards of commercial fires differ from those of residential fires and how to protect your firefighters when operating in a commercial building fire. Venting, fire spread, the risks associated with entering a commercial fire building, and proper search techniques and procedures are among the topics.




ALL LEVELS



Strip Mall Fires

Deputy Chief Thomas Dunne, Fire Department of New York

The strategic and tactical considerations for fires in these buildings are explored. Strip mall constructions, recognizing hazards at mall fires, and conducting safe firefighting operations at mall fires are among the primary objectives. These goals are interrelated, since the nature of the construction creates many of the hazards, and tactics are adapted in response to the hazards present.

 

 

 



ALL LEVELS



Access/Egress Problems

Division Chief Kevin Easton, Sarasota County (FL) Fire Department

Identifying the components of a structure that may hinder your ability to gain access/egress or ventilate, the safety issues associated with “concealed” structures, and ventilation concerns within the “concealed” structures are among the instructional objectives. In addition, forcible entry/egress techniques from various exit obstacles are covered.

INTERMEDIATE



Hybrid Vehicles: Separating Fact from Fiction

Firefighter Jason D. Emery, Waterbury (CT) Fire Department

Are you prepared to respond to incidents involving hybrid vehicles? Learn the unique dangers posed by hybrids and strategies to minimize the risk to responders and accident victims. The class covers everything you need to operate safely and effectively around this emerging technology.

ALL LEVELS



Meth Lab Explosion: Lessons Learned

Deputy Chief of Training & Fire Prevention Gord Ferguson, Pickering (Ont., Can.) Fire Services Division

In this class, you will “respond” to a fire and an explosion at an illegal clandestine drug lab—from the receipt of the alarm through disassembly of the lab. Slides, audio clips, and video will take you through the explosions, the rescue of an occupant of the lab, and the nine days it took to safely take the lab apart. Discussions will cover operations, shortfalls and conditions, equipment failures resulting from chemical exposure from the fire, post-incident challenges, and lessons learned.

BASIC



Conducting Live-Burn Training in Acquired Structures

Gregory Fisher, Assistant Fire Education Specialist and Rescue Program Director, University of Illinois Fire Service Institute

This class will walk you instructor through the proper application of the Acquired Structures portion of NFPA 1403. It will provide instructors with the tools they need to conduct live fire training safely while providing quality instruction to their members. In addition to an overview of the standard, suggestions are presented on how to manage live fire training to make the session more efficient. Worksheets are given to students to help them in following NFPA 1403 when preparing for and conducting the training. The presentation continues with recommendations on how to pick safe instructors for live fire training and ends with student discussion and examples of lessons learned.

ALL LEVELS



Thermal Imaging for the Fire Service

Lieutenant John Forristall, Boston (MA) Fire Department

An in-depth look at what firefighters should know before using a thermal imaging camera (TIC) on the fireground. The training needed for this new technology has often been underestimated or misunderstood. Learn the difference between camera orientation and tactical camera training. The emphasis is on the topics that should be included in all department TIC training programs.

ALL LEVELS



Let’s Talk Pumps!

Captain (Ret.) Bob Franklin, Little Rock (AR) Fire Department

This is basically a session on street-wise pump operations and focuses on information not found in textbooks. What happens when you pull a handle or turn a throttle and nothing happens? What should you do if you have a pump failure on the fireground? These are among the many questions addressed. Also, proper pump maintenance procedures and lessons learned from the instructor, a pump mechanic for more than 30 years, are shared.

INTERMEDIATE



Fireground Decision Making

Chief Richard B. Gasaway, Ph.D., Roseville (MN) Fire Department

The focus is on the challenges commanders face when making decisions under stress and the reasons it is difficult to predict future events at complex incident scenes. Various decision-making models are analyzed, and the role situation awareness plays in helping commanders to make good decisions and keep firefighters safe is explored. Learn to recognize the signs that indicate you are losing your situation awareness. This is not a strategy and tactics course.

INTERMEDIATE



Managing a Successful Fire Training Academy

Chief Michael H. Gilbert, Brevard (FL) Community College Fire Training Academy

Students will take a hard look at what worked in fire academies back in “the good old days” and what works today, with the objective of combining the two schools of thought. Learn what it takes to produce a recruit with the knowledge, discipline, and pride to meet the demands of today’s fire service. State and federal mandates and regulations for fire academies are also addressed, as are teaching methodologies.

ALL LEVELS



The Firefighter’s “Interior List”

Chief (Ret.) Bill Godfrey, Deltona (FL) Fire Department

You will gain timely information that will help you recognize warning signs of hostile fire events when operating on the interior: what to look for, feel for, and listen for to stay alive in a structure fire. Students will engage in a conversation about the science of fire behavior and will develop a list of things to do differently at your next fire so everyone goes home.



ALL LEVELS



Not Everyone Goes Home

Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder, Loveland-Symmes (OH) Fire Department

Real-life, and very current, case studies are used to help participants distinguish between firefighter behaviors that are heroic, involve taking calculated risks, and may end with tragic results and behaviors that are “hardly heroic” and may even border on “stupid.”
ALL LEVELS



Fireground Tricks of the Trade

Battalion Chief Stuart Grant, Dallas (TX) Fire-Rescue

A presentation of multiple tricks of the trade. Learn things/ideas/tricks that can help you to accomplish your job in a safer, more expedient manner. Take 50-plus of these tricks back to your department.

INTERMEDIATE



Fireground Operations in Small and Large Departments

Lieutenant Mark D. Gregory, Fire Department of New York

You will be introduced to fireground operations that can be used in rural and suburban settings. Variations in personnel and alarm assignments are emphasized. Learn how to adapt operations to the situation at hand. Among topics addressed are initial search, vent-enter-search, forcible entry, construction variations, and economic concerns.

BASIC/INTERMEDIATE



First-Arriving Engine Company Operations at Fires in One- and Two-Story Residences

Captain Bill Gustin, Miami-Dade (FL) Fire Rescue

How do you determine where to position the first-arriving pumping apparatus and the correct size and length of the first attack hoseline? From where do you operate the first attack hoseline when rapid forcible entry is not possible or when the first attack hoseline might not be advanced through the front door of a residence? What are your options when fighting a fire in an attached garage? These are among the many topics that will be addressed.




ALL LEVELS



Implementing Effective On-Scene Rehab Programs

Chief Craig A. Haigh, Hanover Park (IL) Fire Department

Students will be given a general overview of NFPA standards and recommendations and strategies for implementing on-scene rehabilitation. Best practices from a variety of fire departments and rehab organizations are addressed. Learn how to form partnerships and collaborations that will help your department implement effective rehab programs. Students will be encouraged to look for alternatives to obtaining rehab services while operating within their departments’ personnel and monetary resources.

INTERMEDIATE



Portable Firefighter Survival Maze

Lieutenant Thomas Hancock, Cobb County (GA) Fire and Emergency Services

Students will learn how to use a portable firefighter survival maze for firefighter survival training. Participants will learn how to design and build the maze, as well as use it to conduct training evolutions. Also covered are reduced profiles, entanglements, a collapse simulator, a hose evolution, a spongy floor simulator, and other critical aspects of firefighter survival training. Take back to your department the knowledge and skills to implement quality survival training using the maze.

BASIC



Tactical Considerations for the First-Arriving Battalion Chief

Assistant Chief Todd Harms, Phoenix (AZ) Fire Department

The focus is on improving fireground operations and firefighter safety at the task, tactical, and strategic levels of operation. Critical factors for operating in six basic building types are addressed. For each construction type, students will be part of conducting a size-up and developing an incident action plan that covers the tactical priorities of rescue, fire control, and stopping loss.



INTERMEDIATE



A Comprehensive Guide to Size-Up

Deputy Chief Peter Hart, Fire Department of New York

All firefighters, not just officers and chiefs, should be part of the size-up assessment. Learn how to make size-up an everyday practice, regardless of the size of the incident, and how to conduct the three types of size-up—prealarm, response, and fireground. Every member of the fire service can learn something new.

INTERMEDIATE



Wide-Rise Tactics: Attacking the Big Box Problem

Captain Joe Hatfield, Ontario (CA) Fire Department

Students will be presented with guidelines for fighting fires in these buildings. Building construction, fire protection features, high-rack storage, firefighting priorities, and firefighter safety are stressed.

INTERMEDIATE



Construction Concerns: Modern Materials

Deputy Chief (Ret.) Gregory E. Havel, Burlington (WI) Fire Department

Students will be guided in making initial and ongoing size-ups at incidents involving steel stud construction. Learn how to predict the performance of wall and roof assemblies built of steel studs, wood trusses, and manufactured wood products for structural size-up at incidents, developing preincident plans, and code enforcement activities.
INTERMEDIATE



Ethanol Fuels: Hazards for Emergency Responders

Greg Hayes, Assistant Director of Emergency Services, Mdewakanton Emergency Services, Prior Lake, MN

Ethanol fuels are in every city in the United States. Become aware of the hazards associated with ethanol facilities. The focus is on a risk management-based response for emergency responders. Foam operations are covered, and lessons learned from previous incidents are discussed and evaluated.

BASIC



Firefighting in Courtyards and Alleys

Firefighter Robert Hedden, Montgomery Township (PA) Department of Fire Services

The emphasis is on team operations for fighting a fire in alleys and courtyards. Students will learn how to recognize areas that may include alleys and courtyards and the construction types and layouts. Learn how to quickly assess the scene to develop strategies and tactics for safely controlling and extinguishing fires in these target hazards.
INTERMEDIATE



Extrication: Using Personnel to Maximum Advantage

Captain Aaron J. Heller, Hamilton Township (NJ) Fire District #9

How to provide more dynamic supervision, how to train personnel, and how to balance the complexities of providing the appropriate medical care to entrapped victims are among the topics addressed. Other areas covered include riding assignments, required tasks, thoughts for the officer, apparatus, equipment tactics, scene considerations, fire suppression considerations, and training.

INTERMEDIATE



Survive Alive: The Ultimate Public Education Program

Aleatha A. Henderson, Director, Survive Alive, Indianapolis (IN) Fire Department

Attendees will become acquainted with this fire and life safety educational program and identify the steps involved in establishing such a program and acquiring potential community partners and funding sources. A promotional interactive DVD and a program booklet that includes lesson plans, floor plans for the Survive Alive facility, and other materials are provided. The session includes a tour of the Survive Alive facilities.

ALL LEVELS



Volunteer Attitudes

Chief Tim Holman, German Township (OH) Fire & EMS

The focus is on how to deal with the three types of attitudes present in a volunteer department so they do not negatively affect the organization. The relationship among attitude, morale, and safety is explored. Gain insight into members’ attitudes, and learn how to use tools to deal with the attitudes in an effective manner.

BASIC



Making Good Instructions Better

Deputy Fire Marshal William A. Hopson, Ocean County (NJ) Office of the Fire Marshal

This interactive presentation is designed to enhance the capabilities of active fire service instructors. Learn how to distinguish between a “good” and a “better” instructor and how to increase overall effectiveness in the classroom.

ALL LEVELS



Recruiting and Retaining Women in the Fire Service

Division Chief of Training Cheryl Horvath, Northwest Fire District, Tucson, AZ; Co-President, International Association of Women in Fire and Emergency Services

A real-world picture of the current state of diversity in the fire service is presented. The “National Report Card on Women in Firefighting” is discussed. Model policies and procedures for enhancing inclusion in the fire service and station environment are presented.

ADVANCED



Training for Rescue Company Operations

Domenick P. Iannelli Jr., Hazmat Response Specialist, Pentagon Force Protection Agency, Pentagon

How to develop a program to train firefighters and how to overcome staffing issues in the rescue company are highlighted. Obtain the information needed to develop and implement a training program for your company and department. Examples of training programs are presented.

INTERMEDIATE



Engine Company Operations: Gallons per Second

Battalion Chief Curt Isakson, Escambia County (FL) Fire Rescue

The focus is on exceeding fire flow needs and still managing water during the crucial initial hoseline advancement in an interior offensive attack. Learn why it is necessary to think in terms of gallons per second at this time. Strategies are presented for managing the booster tank supply until a sustainable water supply has been established. The class is especially relevant for engine companies that commonly engage with the booster tank and deploy suburban fire tactics.

INTERMEDIATE



Hydrogen Fuel: A Primer for First Responders

Lieutenant Jerry D. Jensen, Sarasota County (FL) Fire Department

You will gain an understanding of the basics, uses, and hazards of this fuel. Learn what to do should you respond to an incident involving a hydrogen-powered vehicle.

BASIC



Firefighter Trapped in the Floor: Advanced RIT Techniques

Captain Scott Joerger, Rochester (NY) Fire Department

This class covers a localized collapse, or failure, in a wood-frame that causes a firefighter to become wedged or trapped in the wood floor. Learn why, how, and where such collapses occur and the advanced RIT and command and control actions the incident commander should initiate for the rescue. Self-rescue techniques for trapped firefighters are also discussed. Attendees will take with them a drill they can easily set up and conduct in their departments.

INTERMEDIATE

 



Navigating Marine Fire Emergencies

Captain Peter S. Johnson, Kittery (ME) Fire Department

Become acquainted wit the many challenges these fires present for all levels of fire department personnel. This class is designed to dispel the myths associated with maritime incidents by incorporating essential firefighting skills and tactics with an understanding of the hazards of operating in a marine environment.

INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED



Troubleshooting Pump Operations

Lieutenant Kevin Kalmus, Austin (TX) Fire Department

Anyone who has ever stood in front of a pump panel while the crew advances a line inside a burning structure has two thoughts: “Why did I have to drive today?” and “Please don’t let anything go wrong.” Learn how new safety standards such as OSHA’s two-in/two-out rule and technological changes affect engine company tactics on the fireground. You will see how you can improve communications and crew operations while complying with these latest safety standards. Among topics covered will be the 10 mistakes pump operators make, managing a fast attack, flowing multiple handlines, and tips and tricks for the engine company operator.

INTERMEDIATE



Preparing for a Line-of-Duty Death

Chief Ron Kanterman, Merck, Rahway, NJ; LAST Project Team Manager, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation

Is your department prepared for a line-of-duty death? This class answers the tough questions that arise during such a catastrophe. An overview of the Taking Care of Our Own, Local Assistance State Team, and PSOB programs is included.

INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED



Training in Combination Departments

Division Chief of Training Brian Kazmierzak, Clay (IN) Fire Territory

The focus is on developing a comprehensive training program. Essential training, company training, quick drills, Web-based training, and multicompany drills are covered. The role of the training officer, the one constant in a combination department, is explored. Also addressed is how to provide consistency for career and volunteer members in the areas of training, promotions, and implementing and enforcing standards.
INTERMEDIATE



PPV Use in Large Structures

Fire Protection Engineer Steve Kerber, National Institute of Standards and Technology

How to use positive pressure ventilation (PPV) to its maximum potential in large structures is the focus. Students will learn how to use it to pressurize portions of the structure. NIST’s experiments in high-rise buildings and a large-footprint school are discussed from the perspective of PPV capabilities. Many tactical considerations will also be presented.



INTERMEDIATE



Care and Maintenance of Your Truck Company

Captain Peter F. Kertzie, Buffalo (NY) Fire Department

Maintaining, improving, and training your truck company so it can achieve its job responsibilities is an ongoing process. Organizing your apparatus, making riding and tool assignments, and developing personalized SOPs for your company and district are among the areas discussed. Review common truck-related mistakes and shortcomings and learn ways to avoid them.

BASIC



Silent Floors, Silent Killers?

Lieutenant James Kirsch, Bergenfield (NJ) Fire Department

The focus is on the inherent dangers of the wooden I-joist/I-beam, also known as the silent floor joist. Its increased use in all types of new and existing structures has contributed to the incidences of early collapse and, consequently, firefighter deaths and injuries. Preplanning, installation deficiencies, and failure times are among the topics addressed. Case studies of wooden I-joist collapses in which firefighters were fatally injured are also presented.

INTERMEDIATE



Fire Safety Education from the Ground Up

Lieutenant/Training Coordinator Tom Kiurski, Livonia (MI) Fire & Rescue

Whether you are implementing a fire safety education program or have been running one for years, you will get fresh ideas to take home to your department. Among the areas covered are schools and teaching children, fire station tours, and writing safety messages for your community and events.

BASIC



Aggressive Interior Fire Attack

Firefighter/EMT Jerry Knapp, Training Officer, Rockland Fire Training Center, Pomona, NY


Key points relative to an aggressive interior fire attack are presented. The emphasis is on the nozzle team and ensuring that your fire attack system will work effectively on the modern fireground. Using the new low-pressure combination nozzle to supplement smooth bore nozzles, the effects of lightweight construction, nozzle testing, flow testing, recognizing flashover, and achieving appropriate flows are among topics addressed. This class highlights information learned through the years, current research, and new training techniques.

INTERMEDIATE



Be a Leader, Not Just a Position

Deputy Chief Steve Kraft, Richmond Hill Fire Department, Keswick (Ont., Can.)

Learn the difference between management and leadership. Become familiar with the qualities of an effective leader. The objective is to assist new officers and seasoned officers struggling to get their staffs to follow. A review of the 10 steps to being a great leader is presented; the characteristics of good leaders are examined in detail.

BASIC



Company Officer Strategy and Tactics

Captain Robert C. Krause, Toledo (OH) Department of Fire and Rescue

The strategic and tactical decisions the first-arriving officer must make to successfully mitigate an incident are highlighted. Using real-world fire scenarios, you will be challenged to identify and prioritize foreground activities and implement and evaluate potential solutions. The session is highly interactive; students take turns in the “hot seat.”
INTERMEDIATE



Top 10 Hot Topics in Today’s Fires

Executive Assistant Chief Steve Kreis, Phoenix (AZ) Fire Department

You will gain an understanding of how these critical issues relate to fireground safety and the public. Among the topics covered are firefighter safety considerations; managing the hazard zone; assessing and managing risk; smoke, fire, and heat; managing the fire stage, managing offensive or defensive strategy; commercial vs. residential fires; rapid intervention; tactics; and other safety considerations.

 



INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED



Applying Tactical Decisions to Hazmat

Assistant Chief Kristina Kreutzer, Mill Creek Fire Company, Wilmington, DE

Students are given a simple tool for understanding the key behaviors of a hazardous material. Applications include how to determine the size of the exclusion zones, choosing personal protective equipment, developing strategies for managing the material, and making tactical decisions based on analysis. Scenarios include adding environmental considerations to the standard textbook evaluation of materials.

INTERMEDIATE



Size-Up for Strategy and Risk Benefit Analysis

District Chief Thomas C. Lakamp, Cincinnati (OH) Fire Department

Relating the size-up components to the development of a risk-benefit analysis and determining of strategies for various fireground scenarios are the focus. Discussed are 15 components of size-up and the National Fire Protection Association and National Fire Academy risk benefit statements and the International Association of Fire Chiefs Rule of Structural Firefighting.

BASIC/INTERMEDIATE



Fire Service Traditions and Ceremonies

Chief Rick Lasky, Lewisville (TX) Fire Department

Embark on a “journey” back to the early days of the fire service and review the ceremonies and celebrations that have built the pride that brings ownership. Learn ways to help stoke the flames of tradition and pride in your department.




ALL LEVELS



Firefighter Survival: Are We Winning or Losing?

Chief Rick Lasky, Lewisville (TX) Fire Department; and Battalion Chief John Salka, Fire Department of New York

For the past several years, much attention has been paid to firefighter survival, yet the number of firefighters lost each year has not gone down in any significant way. Are we at the bottom of the curve? Is this as far down as it will go? Are we doing the right thing when it comes to firefighter survival training, or is there more that needs to be done? Chiefs Lasky and Salka discuss this vital issue and examine it from two perspectives: Are we doing a good job, or should we be engaged in more activities in an attempt to get the numbers to drop further? An informative and thought-provoking session for every firefighter, company officer, and chief.




ALL LEVELS



Big Rig Rescue

Captain Billy Leach Jr., Ash-Rand (NC) Rescue & EMS

Collisions involving large trucks vs. autos are the focus. Learn the five steps the heavy recovery operator and fire/rescue responder should follow when faced with the overturn of a large vehicle onto a smaller one or when a small vehicle is under-riding beneath a larger one. You will be able to apply these techniques in your department.
ADVANCED



Controlling Vehicle Fires Safely

Assistant Chief (Ret.) Doug Leihbacher, Yonkers (NY) Fire Department

Learn how to reduce injuries when fighting vehicle fires. The potential hazards associated with vehicle fires and step-by-step methods for extinguishing the fire safely are highlighted. Among the topics are safety hazards including new fuel technology and safety equipment, proper apparatus placement on roadways, scene safety, vehicle stabilization, compartmental vehicle size-up, special hazards of each vehicle compartment, estimating water needs, forcible entry, and hoseline approach.

INTERMEDIATE



Back to Basics: Engine Company Concerns

Captain Bob Leonard, San Jose (CA) Fire Department

Students will learn strategies, tactics, and task-level information for managing and coordinating successful engine company operations on the fireground. Among the topics are predetermined roles and responsibilities; the risk management process; SOPs for any size department; crew accountability and integrity; water supply; locating and reaching the seat of the fire; increasing crew members’ awareness; hoseline management; putting the hoseline in place safely and effectively; tactical considerations for residential and commercial fires; attic, basement, and garage fire tactics; preplanning; and staffing requirements.

BASIC/INTERMEDIATE



It’s in the Basement

Lieutenant John J. Lewis, Passaic (NJ) Fire Department

Learn why the four words “It’s in the basement” should make everyone on the fireground immediately rethink strategy and tactics. Basement fire responses differ from other responses. Become aware of the inherent risks of entering the floor that is actually the ceiling of the fire below and the main support system for your point of attack. The hazards associated with basement fires are addressed, as are building construction, size-up concerns, proper handline placement, ventilation, and search.

BASIC/INTERMEDIATE



Challenges with Machinery on the Fireground

Lieutenant/Paramedic Walter Lewis, Orlando (FL) Fire Department

Responses involving appliances, devices, and machinery can range from “a smell of smoke” call to a “once in a career” call at which everything goes wrong. If you have not had much experience with air handlers, oil furnaces, elevator machinery, chiller units, transformer boxes, and other machinery, this class is for you. Learn how to identify common problems (such as when a motor needs a new belt), the various types of equipment, and what to do when you are summoned to such calls. This interactive class covers all types of common and uncommon appliances, devices, and machinery and their common and potentially hazardous conditions. Scenarios of improperly handled situations are also presented and discussed.

BASIC/INTERMEDIATE



Lessons Learned from Chief Fire Officers

Battalion Chief Bill Lowe, Clayton County (GA) Fire Department

Become acquainted with proven tactics and strategies that have helped National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officers realize their career goals. This is an interactive session that will challenge you to reflect on and evaluate the process for managing and achieving your career goals.

INTERMEDIATE



Structure Fires: What You Don’t Know Can Kill You

Daniel Madrzykowski, Fire Protection Engineer, National Institute of Standards and Technology

If you want a reality check on the thermal conditions under which you can operate and those under which you can’t, this class is a must. Improve your safety on the fireground by becoming familiar with fire behavior and learning to recognize fire conditions that favor flashover. Learn how building construction, geometry, furnishings, and ventilation can influence fire growth and spread and about the limitations of firefighter PPE and safety equipment.

ALL LEVELS



Fire Development and Control

Assistant Chief Fred Malven, Nevada (IA) Community Fire Department

The focus is on identifying the threats posed by interior construction. The critical roles of interior contents, arrangement, and spatial characteristics in firefighter safety and efficiency are addressed. Among topics covered are fuel considerations, fire spread, personnel orientation and safety, and operational implications and responses.

ALL LEVELS



Chief Problem Solver

Chief Richard A. Marinucci, Farmington Hills (MI) Fire Department

Have a sticky personnel issue? An upcoming confrontation with the mayor or city council? An employee you might be forced to dismiss after repeated reprimands? Whatever officer rank you hold, from the company level to chief, you are expected to resolve issues and make the organization better. Problem solving is a learned skill that can be improved. The better you are, the better the results. Discuss common problems confronting today’s chiefs and go home with solutions. This class is based on the popular regular column in Fire Engineering.




INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED



The Courage to Be Safe

Chief Richard A. Marinucci, Farmington Hills (MI) Fire Department

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation has joined virtually every other fire service organization in an effort to reduce preventable firefighter line-of-duty deaths (LODDs). Through its Everyone Goes Home program, the Courage to Be Safe curriculum was developed to offer methodologies and solutions for fire departments and firefighters to attack the causes of unacceptable deaths and injuries. The program is based on the 16 Life Safety Initiatives, which were the product of a historic summit held involving all the major national fire service organizations. This program will offer the most current version of the Courage to Be Safe program.

ALL LEVELS



Search Rope Procedures

Captain Stephen Marsar, Fire Department of New York

Enhanced search techniques are presented, including search rope tactics incorporating thermal imaging technology, distance and directional landmarking, firefighter safety and survival, rapid intervention teams, and large uncompartmented area searches. An overview of basic search terminologies and methodologies, and their pros and cons, is presented.

ALL LEVELS



Fatal Fire Scene Preservation

Fire Marshal Brett Martinez, Suffolk County (NY) Fire Marshal’s Office

Why and when the fire scene must be preserved at incidents involving fire fatalities or other deaths are explained. Learn the factors critical to preserving a fatal fire scene during and after fire suppression operations and the firefighters’ roles.

ALL LEVELS



Coordinating Fire Operations

Lieutenant Jim Mason, Chicago (IL) Fire Department

The coordination and communication issues found on every fireground are highlighted. The focus is on resolving these issues so that all on the fireground can work together to get the job done safely and effectively. Students will participate in discussions of the point/counterpoint perspectives of a company officer and the incident commander.

INTERMEDIATE



Engine Company Errors: The Dirty Dozen

Lieutenant Ray McCormack, Fire Department of New York

The 12 most common tactical errors engine companies make on the fireground are identified and discussed. The focus is on learning to recognize these errors and avoid them in the future, thus reducing firefighter injuries and deaths.

BASIC



The Elephant on the Fireground: Secrets of NFPA 1584-Compliant Rehab

Mike McEvoy, EMS Coordinator, Saratoga County, NY

NFPA 1584, Standard on the Rehabilitation Process for Members During Emergency Operations and Training Exercises, 2007 edition, lists nine key components for rehab compliance. The nine components are identified and discussed. Also, learn your options for realistically integrating rehab into your department.

BASIC



Habit-Based Fireground Operations

District Chief David M. McGrail, Denver (CO) Fire Department

The emphasis is on the importance of applying good habits at our daily operations to ensure that is how you will behave when it really counts. Learn how to develop and maintain a proper firefighting mindset. Video, photographs, and case studies are used to illustrate the connection between proper daily habits and fireground success.

INTERMEDIATE



Emergency Response to “Unique” Hazmat Incidents

Firefighter Todd C. McKee, Eastern Knox County (OH) Joint Fire District

“Unique” hazmat incidents are spills or releases that occur under suspicious or even criminal circumstances. Learn how to recognize such events, considerations for responders, and Code of Federal Regulations for these events. Basic scenarios are used to encourage student interaction.

BASIC



Case Study: Floor Collapse and Three Maydays

Richard E. Merck, Senior Fire Protection Engineer, Montgomery County (MD) Fire Rescue Service

Students participate in a post-fire analysis of a garden apartment floor collapse in which the second-story floor collapsed wall to wall. Three firefighters self-rescued out a second-story window and suffered life-changing injuries. You will be taken from the fire, collapse, and Mayday events through to the origin-and-cause process—using the scientific method—and into the experimental testing of the hypothesis, using data collected during the investigation and NIST fire test data.

INTERMEDIATE



Proficiency-Based Training: It’s All About Skills

Captain Kevin Milan, Parker South Metro (CO) Fire Rescue

The focus is on firefighter proficiency related to the NFPA standards and the process of bringing about change. Learn how to assess your department’s training strategies, use scenario-based training to document job performance requirements, and create assessment tools that accurately measure performance and competency. Handout materials will enable attendees to improve fire training in their departments.

INTERMEDIATE



Tactics for Lightweight Construction

Captain John Miles, Fire Department of New York

The emphasis is on the need to change firefighting tactics to protect against the dangers of lightweight construction. Among questions addressed are the following: Should you operate on a first floor made of lightweight wooden I-beams when the fire is in the basement? Should you cut a truss roof made of Q-decking? How should you perform roof ventilation? Simulations of a burning house fire and a taxpayer are used.

BASIC



Why Building Construction Matters in 2009

Battalion Chief (Ret.) John W. Mittendorf, Los Angeles City (CA) Fire Department

An overview of common types of old and new building construction and their advantages and disadvantages from the perspective of “everyday” fireground operations is presented. Learn how to identify conventional, lightweight, and alternative construction methods and to recognize those that continually reduce fireground time; structural integrity; and, consequently, fireground safety and effectiveness.

INTERMEDIATE



Rosters, Radios, and Riding Assignments

Chief Robert G. Moran, Englewood (NJ) Fire Department

How does your accountability system work? Can it be improved? How do you really know where each firefighter is on the fireground? This program offers a broad look at the various accountability systems in use today and their pros and cons. Assigned riding positions on apparatus with designated tool assignments and the use of command boards are among the methods discussed.

BASIC



Live-Fire Training

Walter A. Morris, Training Program Manager, Maine Fire Training and Education

The focus in on gaining the knowledge and skills necessary to use NFPA 1403 as a risk-management tool. Students will be given a “Structural Fire Attack Policy/Checklist” to assist in providing safe, effective firefighter training that is NFPA 1403-compliant.
BASIC



Training Officer Liabilities

Deputy Chief (Ret.)/Attorney John K. Murphy, Eastside (WA) Fire & Rescue

The current NFPA training standards and regulatory agencies’ roles are evaluated in light of current litigation to determine the legal risk for training officers when firefighters die or are injured in training exercises. The training officer’s responsibilities and duties, training deaths and injuries statistics, and civil and criminal litigation are discussed. Three case studies of training fatalities are explored from the perspectives of the NFPA standards, the NIOSH investigation, and the events’ legal impact.

INTERMEDIATE



Collapse Concepts and Case Studies

Scott G. Nacheman, Field Instructor, Illinois Fire Service Institute; Sr. Associate, Thornton Tomasetti

Students will benefit from a comprehensive review of the typical building construction materials and methods for steel, concrete, and masonry structures. Case studies are used to highlight the failures of these materials in buildings of different sizes and uses. Gain insights into the roles collapse characteristics play in size-up, strategy, and tactics at a building collapse or fire incident with collapse potential. Theory and practical applications are also explored.

INTERMEDIATE



Redefining Firefighter Safety

Christopher J. Naum, SFPE, Chief of Training, Command Institute, Washington, DC

The focus is on changing the safety culture of the fire service by redefining methodologies for firefighter safety during combat structural fire engagement and incident operations. Students are introduced to the fundamental core relationships of building construction, risk management, firefighter behaviors, incident operations, and situational safety. You will come away with an intelligent and safe approach toward unified fireground safety, risk reduction, operational superiority, and company integrity.
INTERMEDIATE



Water Supply Alternatives When the Hydrants Don’t Work

Gerard J. Naylis, Fire Instructor and Former Chief, Bergenfield (NJ) Fire Department

The focus is on developing alternative plans for the times when the public water supply is compromised or remote from the area of need. Traditional (relay pumping and water shuttle) and nontraditional (private swimming pools, private storage tanks, below-ground cisterns, and water detention basins) are examined. Also, learn methods for determining minimum fire flow requirements based on building and occupancy types and how to develop long-range plans for the times when the water supply may be interrupted by development or redevelopment projects.

INTERMEDIATE



WMD Training: Fact, Fiction, and Reality

Gregory G. Noll, Senior Partner, Hildebrand and Noll Associates, Inc., Lancaster, PA

An overview of the state of hazmat/weapons of mass destruction training in 2009, with a comparative emphasis on OSHA 1910.120 (q) and NFPA 472 and NFPA 473. As NFPA 472 Committee Chairperson, the presenter will review the new 2008 editions of NFPA 472 and NFPA 473 from the perspective of their impact on the emergency response community. Awareness- and Operations-Level responders and hazardous materials response teams are also addressed. Learn how the risks and challenges emergency responders faced in the 1980s differ significantly from those they encounter today.
INTERMEDIATE



Ventilation

Deputy Assistant Chief (Ret.) John Norman, Fire Department of New York

Ventilation in a variety of structures—peaked roof private dwelling, flat-roof commercial, and residential structures—is discussed. Among other topics presented are venting for fire; venting for life; trench cuts; positive pressure venting; construction considerations; and the many variables you must weigh when deciding when, where, and how to ventilate.

INTERMEDIATE



Firefighter’s Elevator Emergency Operation

Assistant Chief John O’Donoghue, Cambridge (MA) Fire Department

The focus is on the safe use of the elevator recall system (Firefighter’s Emergency Operation). The features of an elevator-equipped with the system and a review of the codes firefighters encounter in their responses to high-rise fires are discussed. Among other topics discussed are Phase I and Phase II operation, the “Rule of Sixes,” and the ASME Safety Code for Elevators-2007.

BASIC



Line-of-Duty Deaths: Where Do We Go from Here?

Dr. Denis Onieal, Superintendent, National Fire Academy

The LODD issue isn’t about the dangers associated with firefighting; it’s about the lifestyles of the firefighters. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine and the International Fire Service Journal of Leadership and Management is reviewed from the perspective of assessing the odds of a health-related LODD. The focus is on identifying solutions to improve the statistics.

INTERMEDIATE



What You Can Do To Make a Difference in Fireground Safety

Battalion Chief Jeffrey Pindelski, Downers Grove (IL) Fire Department

What are the philosophy, the attributes, and the skills needed to keep firefighters alive while operating on the fireground? What are we doing wrong? What steps can we take to control the “common threads” that have led to fireground fatalities in recent years? These and other questions are addressed. The focus is on improving fireground safety and the overall safety culture of a fire department.

INTERMEDIATE



Calling the Mayday

Engineer Anthony Piontek, Green Bay (WI) Fire Department

Knowing how to call a Mayday properly can mean the difference between life and death. Radio communication options, advanced SCBA and air emergency procedures, and skills for reorienting the firefighter and crew are among topics addressed. Students will review real-life scenarios depicting conditions when a Mayday was called or should have been called.



Mobile Homes: Small House, Big Challenge

Captain Joseph R. Polenzani, Franklin (TN) Fire Department

What makes a trailer different from “regular” wood-frame structures and how to operate safely within this challenging environment are the focus. Suppression and ventilation tactics, strategies for operating in high-density mobile home communities, RIT operations, water supply, access, and exposure problems are among the topics addressed.
INTERMEDIATE



Residential High-Rises: Critical Functions of Initial Arriving Units

Captain Michael Posner, Miami Dade (FL) Fire Rescue

Three critical areas set the tone for an emergency in a high-rise: establishing control in the lobby (the cornerstone), the building systems, and emergency elevator operations. Learn pointers for accomplishing objectives in a way that will enhance the operation’s success. Also addressed are systematically approaching the initial actions and assignments of responding companies; using information from enunciator panels to aid in formulating a viable incident action plan (IAP); how to properly use elevators in Phase I and Phase II “Fireman Mode”; and gathering information from the alarm panel—the fire’s location, activation of alarms, fire suppression systems operating, and the condition of the HVAC system.



INTERMEDIATE



101 Drills for the Company Officer

Battalion Chief Steve Prziborowski, Santa Clara County (CA) Fire Department

A wealth of training drills company officers can use for 101 shifts to ensure the training needs of the department’s personnel are met and that companies are prepared when the call comes in. The drills are based on the following areas: fire behavior, building construction, strategy and tactics, incident command system basics, reading maps, department policies and manuals, department operations, various types of firefighting operations, EMS operations, apparatus, tools and equipment, communications, and technology.

INTERMEDIATE



Fireground Safety and Survival for the Company Officer

Battalion Chief/Director of Training, Forest Reeder, Pleasantview (IL) Fire District

The focus is on company officers’ key responsibilities in ensuring operational safety during fireground operations. Some of the most hazardous areas of fireground operations are discussed from the viewpoint of what company officers should be looking for in these situations to keep their crews safe. Participants will be encouraged to rethink some typical tactical assignments when presented with hazardous fire and building conditions.
BASIC/INTERMEDIATE



Training for Adaptability

Battalion Chief David Rhodes, Atlanta (GA) Fire Department

Enhance your ability to adapt and your critical decision-making skills by employing Naturalistic Decision Making. By applying the principles of Air Force Col. John Boyd’s theories of OODA Loop (Observe-Orient-Decide-Act) and researcher Dr. Gary Klein [Sources of Power RPD (Recognition-Primed Decision Making) and The Power of Intuition], create the experience you need to accelerate department members’ journey toward expertise. Learn how to engage the student as individuals or groups through Tactical Decision Making exercises and Scenarios Enabling Adaptability, and by allowing them to learn by figuring out the answers for themselves, learning from others who may choose a different strategy or tactic, and learning from mistakes.

ADVANCED



Prevention, Not Intervention

Frank Ricci, Director of Fire Services, ConnectiCOSH

Practical solutions for minimizing injury and death are offered as students are shown how to enact safe practices and prepare for the unknown. Tactical mistakes, predictable and preventable events, how to recover from mistakes, and recognizing and eliminating unsafe habits are among the topics addressed.

ALL LEVELS



How to Read a House

District Chief Curtis Rice, Palm Beach County (FL) Fire Rescue

Learn how to determine the layout of a structure and how to stay oriented when operating inside by reviewing how architects design residential structures and examining exterior structural components. You will slowly do a 360° assessment of a structure while discussing and reviewing the exterior components of the home.

INTERMEDIATE



Improving Firefighter Safety with Thermal Imaging

Captain/Training Officer Mike Richardson, St. Matthews (KY) Fire Protection

District The advantages of thermal imaging and methods for avoiding the common pitfalls when using it are discussed. Scenarios will illustrate how thermal imaging has improved firefighter safety. NFPA 1801, to be published in 2009-2010, is reviewed.

ALL LEVELS



Dwelling Fire Tactics and Procedures

Battalion Chief Thomas J. Richardson, Fire Department of New York

Participate in an innovative and interactive discussion on everything from construction and size-up to various operational tactics. Engine and truck companies’ responsibilities are reviewed and discussed. Become acquainted with some new ways to use the available resources to cover all tactical operations at a dwelling fire.

INTERMEDIATE



The Charleston Report

J. Gordon Routley, Fire Protection Engineer, Kirkland (Quebec City, Can.)

The investigation of a line-of-duty death almost always produces a list of lessons and recommendations that are directly or indirectly related to the incident. The fire department that experienced the loss is then faced with the task of implementing the changes that are necessary to reduce the risk of a future occurrence. Depending on the circumstances, numerous obstacles may have to be faced to complete this effort. This class reviews the circumstances and causal factors of the June 2007 Charleston Sofa Super Store fire in South Carolina, in which a flashover and structural collapse contributed to the deaths of nine Charleston firefighters. The focus is on the findings and implementation of the recommendations related to the report, given by the team leader for the City of Charleston Post Fire Assessment and Review Team.

ADVANCED



Engine Company Operations: Interior Attack Nozzles

Lieutenant Mathew C. Rush, Austin (TX) Fire Department

A back-to-basics approach to the nozzle and hose attack system is the focus. Emphasis is on understanding the various nozzle and hose configurations commonly used for an aggressive interior attack.

BASIC



High-Rise Fire Operations Training

Battalion Chief John Salka, Fire Department of New York

The focus is on the important elements of a high-rise fire operation. Basic tactics such as locating the fire, elevator operations, standpipe tactics, ventilation, and communications are discussed. Also, strategies for the various situations that may be encountered in these fires are presented.



INTERMEDIATE



Rapid Intervention: Truth or Consequences

Firefighter James Sandas, Fire Department of New York

The purposes and main goals of RIT are reviewed, as are the role requirements and responsibilities of the company officer and RIT team members. Review real-life scenarios involving rapid intervention and their outcomes.

BASIC/INTERMEDIATE



To Hell and Back IV: Cyanide

Assistant Chief Rob Schnepp, Alameda County (CA) Fire Department

The focus is on the everyday risk of cyanide poisoning for firefighters and how firefighters can protect themselves from a new kind of deadly fire smoke. The toxins contained in fire smoke, the long- and short-term health hazards of breathing smoke, the importance of using proper SCBA in all situations including overhaul in smoky conditions, and maintaining and annually fit testing for SCBA masks are among the topics covered.

INTERMEDIATE



Search Operations for Today’s Fireground

Fire Engineer Jeff Seaton, San Jose (CA) Fire Department

The objective is to provide relevant, applicable, and appropriate training that matches traditional safety practices and the technology with which firefighters are equipped. Emphasis is on acquiring the ability to ensure safe, effective, and coordinated search operations.

ADVANCED



All-Hazard Incident Management Teams: Deal or No Deal?

Chief Gary Seidel, Hillsboro (OR) Fire Department

Directed at members of an incident management team, this class focuses on critical issues that arise when commanding all-hazard emergencies. Among the areas covered are command and management responsibilities in large-scale emergencies, unified and area command, complex management, and multiagency coordination. Case studies are presented.

INTERMEDIATE



Fighting Fires in Residential Buildings

Captain Dan Shaw, Fairfax County (VA) Fire & Rescue Department

This interactive presentation covers proven strategies and tactics for battling residential fires, specifically those originating in the attached garage. Building construction methods, vinyl siding dangers, situational awareness, hoseline deployment and placement, and truck company operations are covered.

ALL LEVELS



Getting the First Line in Operation

Captain Daniel P. Sheridan, Fire Department of New York

Everything you need to know about getting the first handline stretched and operating—the most important job at a fire! Line placement, line size, estimating stretches, emergencies (water loss, burst lengths), and more are discussed from the perspectives of row frames, brownstones, multiple dwellings, taxpayers, private dwellings, and fireproof multiple dwellings.

INTERMEDIATE



Emergency Scene Safety

Deputy Chief (Ret.) William Shouldis, Philadelphia (PA) Fire Department

The incident commander’s managing of the scene and the incident safety officer’s reading of the scene are emphasized. This scene-oriented program examines current and potential issues the command staff may face at an all-hazards incident. Preincident planning, on-scene implementation of tactics, and after-action documentation are among other topics addressed.

INTERMEDIATE



Big City Strategies and Tactics for Small-Town Fire Departments

Firefighter Jeff Shupe, Cleveland (OH) Fire Department

There are more similarities than differences in fireground operations conducted by large fire departments and small fire departments. The emphasis is on illustrating through examples how smaller departments can accomplish “what they previously thought was impossible” on the fireground. The perspectives of personnel, incident priority, and task relationship are presented with the context of bread-and-butter and major fire operations.

INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED



Railroad Emergencies

Battalion Chief Jeff Simpson, Hanover (VA) Fire & EMS

The focus is on assisting public safety departments to develop or strengthen their emergency response to railroad incidents. Among the topics presented are safety in the rail environment, initial response procedures, hazardous materials, tank cars, and railroad equipment.

BASIC/INTERMEDIATE



Heat Stress: Physiological Enemy on the Fireground

Denise L. Smith, Research Scientist/Professor, Illinois Fire Service Institute/Skidmore College

Presented is a model in which heat stress is a common causal mechanism for firefighter injury and death on the fireground. The presentation focuses on the following categories: the definition of heat stress, why heat stress is a problem, the central role of heat stress in explaining firefighter physiological stress, and strategies to lessen heat stress.

ALL LEVELS



Company Quick Drills

Deputy Chief Drew Smith, Prospect Heights (IL) Fire District

Participants will observe a company (attendees) with officer (instructor) performing six company quick drills. Students will be able to implement these drills immediately on returning to their departments. Also, students will acquire the skills to create their own company quick drills.

INTERMEDIATE



Overcoming the Hidden Hazards of Suspended Ceilings

Battalion Chief Les Stephens, Garland (TX) Fire Department

The construction of these ceilings, the hazards they can hide from firefighters, and how to escape these hazards are the focus. Tools that will and will not work on the ceiling assemblies and implementing evacuation procedures are among other topics covered.
INTERMEDIATE



Training Passport: Your Ticket to Effective and Consistent Training

Battalion Chief of Training Robert Stumpf, Bloomington (IN) Fire Department

Learn how a Training Passport provides the structure for in-service training throughout the year, helps the department to meet its responsibilities for mandated training requirements, and empowers individuals to work at the company level within a general framework while accomplishing assignments as they see fit. Participants receive handout materials, including a template, they can take back to their departments.

BASIC/INTERMEDIATE



Watch Out! Firefighters and Emergency Apparatus Struck by Vehicles

Jack Sullivan, Managing Partner, Loss Control Innovations, Midlothian, VA

Best practices for safely operating on our nation’s highways are highlighted. Learn how to protect yourself and your personnel when working motor vehicle crashes, fires, or other emergencies on roadways. Developing operating procedures and training materials, positioning apparatus to protect the scene and responders, and working with law enforcement and DOT for optimum traffic control are addressed.

INTERMEDIATE



Suburban Firefighting by Suburban Firefighters

Deputy Chief Kevin Sur, North Randall (OH) Fire Department

The focus is on effectively operating at suburban incidents with the real numbers and call-in/paged personnel, including tips on how to implement these tactics in your suburban fire department.

BASIC/INTERMEDIATE



Strategy and Tactics for Promotional Assessment Centers

Deputy Chief Michael A. Terpak, Jersey City (NJ) Fire Department

You will be introduced to the promotional testing process by viewing various types of strategic and tactical exercises for the company and chief officer. The scoring process for each portion of the test is explained. Then you will participate in a series of oral assessment exercises.

INTERMEDIATE



It’s Not Just About Training; It’s About Learning

Division Chief Scott Thompson, Lewisville (TX) Fire Department

Learn how to evaluate your organization’s current learning culture, take action to create or improve the organization’s learning culture, develop and implement a structured basic training program, and develop and implement a basic mentoring program in your organization. The material is for all departments of all sizes and types.
INTERMEDIATE



Near-Miss Reporting and Crew Resource Management

Battalion Chief John B. Tippett Jr., Montgomery County (MD) Fire and Rescue Service

Learn about the National Fire Fighter Near-Miss Reporting System as a fire service safety culture change agent tool and Crew Resource Management as a tool for reducing error, injury, and death. You can take back to your department worksheets, instructions, and other materials.

INTERMEDIATE



Taming the Dragon

Battalion Chief Jerry Tracy, Fire Department of New York

This presentation will focus on the appropriate tactical approach to structural fires where wind is a factor. FDNY has experienced numerous fires that have caused line-of-duty deaths and injured scores of firefighters. Learn about the strategies and tactics that have proven successful and those that have not as well as the partnership of scientific research that has been performed to study wind-driven fire and the change taking place within the FDNY today to incorporate alternate strategies of attack.

 

ALL LEVELS



Training: Making Your Department the Leading Edge of the Wedge

Deputy Chief Cynthia Ross Tustin, Bradford West Gwillimbury (Ont., Can.) Fire & Emergency Service

The value of networking, how to establish a training network, and an outline of many of the newest concepts and ideas floating around the fire service today are discussed. You will learn how to gain access to the latest national and international information pertaining to training.

INTERMEDIATE



Training Tricks of the Trade: Make Every Class/Drill a Home Run

Dave Walsh, Fire Science Program Chair, Dutchess Community College, Poughkeepsie, NY

Learn how to make even the most boring training topics interesting. Presented are dozens of tried and proven, easy-to-accomplish “tricks” for transforming lessons on the most mundane topics into exciting and successful educational experiences.

INTERMEDIATE



Tactics for the Combative Patient

Firefighter/Paramedic Michael W. Weaver, Everett (WA) Fire Department

The combative patient represents roughly five percent of all emergency room admissions. A combative individual can pose a serious threat to the fire/EMS providers and their patients. This presentation introduces concepts that will help minimize the chance of injury to responders and patients.

INTERMEDIATE



Preventing Rollover Accidents

Lieutenant Michael Wilbur, Fire Department of New York

Recent rollover incidents are reviewed frame by frame to ascertain what you can do to prevent the same thing from happening to you when driving apparatus. Emergency vehicle defensive driving procedures are discussed, such as what you should do if you round a curve and your wheels leave the pavement. Learn the connection between apparatus design and rollover. A must for POV and apparatus operators. Chief, company, and training officers would also benefit from this training.

INTERMEDIATE



Quick Drills for Ice and Water Rescues

Andrea Zaferes, Instructor, Lifeguard Systems, Shokan, NY

This session uses ice, flood/swiftwater, diving, and small boat disciplines to teach the art of conducting dynamic, proven drills that can be completed in one to two hours in outdoor or indoor arenas. Various types of drills are presented. Attendees will take dozens of drill ideas back to their departments.




ALL LEVELS



“Who Wants To Be a Speaker/Author/Photographer?” Panel

Staff of Fire Engineering/FDIC/Fire Engineering Books

Would you like to be an FDIC speaker, Fire Engineering magazine author or photographer, or Fire Engineering book author but don’t know how to get started? Learn from this session how to submit ideas and get them accepted. Just like the lottery, “You have to be in it to win it!”

ALL LEVELS