Conference Program

2009 Conference Program (PDF)

Check back often for updated information.

Conference sessions are 90 minutes in length, unless otherwise noted. Program subject to change.

July 22, 2010
8:30 AM	Are You A Survivor? John J. Salka, Jr., Battalion Chief, FDNY Why are some firefighters able to get themselves out of critical and dangerous situations while inside a fire building and others are not? Why are some firefighters able to control their reactions to extreme situations and others panic and die? We are constantly examining the technical and tactical reasons for firefighter injuries and fatalties yet we rarely look at the physiological impact that critical situations produce and how this may affect the chances that a distressed firefighter has to survive. Join FDNY Battalion Chief John Salka as he discusses some research that has been conducted on how and why humans react to distress and panic and how we may be able to apply some of this information to our own firefighter fatality training.
8:30 AM	Developing Exceptional Fire Officers…Critical Areas of Focus Dennis Compton, Chief (ret.), Mesa, AZ, FD; IFSTA This session explores key areas of focus and critical leadership concepts that will contribute to the success of fire officers and simply improve their performance. It is well established that fire departments cannot outperform the capability of their leaders. Current and aspiring fire officers of all ranks will find this session unique, practical.
8:30 AM	Driver Training With Your Eyes, Head, Hands and Feet!! Richard Bowers, Fire Chief; Mike Clemens, Assistant Chief; Jeff Williamson, Captain, all with Montgomery County Fire and Rescue, MD; Mike Wilbur, Lieutenant, FDNY This class will provide the participant the opportunity to be exposed to driver training classroom instruction techniques, actual "hands on? driver simulator techniques and exposure on an apparatus skills driver course. All of these interactive driver training components will provide the participant with the opportunity to establish basic, intermediate and advanced driver training techniques and programs for fire, rescue and EMS apparatus in their departments.
8:30 AM	Introducing the Contemporary Fireground Mark Emery, Battalion Chief, Woodinville, WA, Fire & Life Safety District During the last 40-years the North American fire service missed a number of significant changes to the traditional fireground. These changes represent a call to action for the fire service to adapt strategically and tactically. You will learn what these changes are and contemporary tactical alternatives that will achieve traditional strategic outcomes.
8:30 AM	Know Your Crew and Build a Better Team Kim, Owner, Fire Presentations Teambuilding in the fire service is more important than any other industry. Understanding the people you work with in the fire service is the first step to building better teams. This humorous and insightful session will equip you with the knowledge and tools to understand why you get along so well with some people and butt heads with others. Topics will include: understanding social style in your teams, why certain people annoy you, why you annoy others, and how to adapt to get along with anyone. This session is appropriate for all levels in the fire service.
8:30 AM	Recent Line of Duty Deaths -- Analysis of Trends and Relationships to Current Research Efforts J. Gordon Routley, Division Chief, Montreal FD, Kevin Roche, Assistant to the Fire Chief, Phoenix FD, AZ The presentation will provide the most up-to-date information on trends and causal analysis of firefighter fatalities as well as insight on current research efforts directed toward problem areas that require urgent attention. The primary emphasis will be directed toward identifying and applying research findings that will have a significant impact on preventing injuries and fatalities.
8:30 AM	The Challenge of Extrication Involving Vehicles with Advanced Steel Structures Ron Moore, Battalion Chief/Training Officer McKinney, TX FD With increasing frequency, fire departments are reporting an inability to cut through common structural areas such as the B-pillars of late model vehicles. Our normal rescue cutting tools, whether hydraulic, electric, or air-powered are stalling out. They may be essentially out-gunned by new ultra high-strength steel alloys called advanced steels. These steels such as Boron can be found in the roof pillars, roof rail, or rocker channels on a wide array of late-model vehicles.In this presentation, Ron Moore brings the pages of his recent 5-part University of Extrication series on this topic to life as he explains the lessons learned from his nearly year-long research project into how rescue teams can prepare themselves to meet the challenges presented by the presence of advanced steels. Most importantly, Ron's program will detail some new alternative extrication techniques for departments that do not have advanced steel cutting capabilities to implement when faced with an advanced steel vehicle rescue incident. These steels are here today. Is your rescue team ready for the challenge of advanced steel?
8:30 AM	What the……!!!! We Can Do Better at Structure Fires Steve Bernocco, Lieutenant, Seattle, WA FD, Phil Jose, Captain, Seattle, WA FD This is a dynamic, 100% video-driven presentation that focuses on the tactics of the first due companies at structure fires. Students will watch dynamic videos of structure fires and then discuss the various Engine and Truck tactics that could be used to fight these fires. This class will add to your experiential slide tray, and will give you looks at fires that you need in order to be successful and effective at structure fires. This is a critical decision-making class like no other, brought to you by the "Seattle Guys.?
12:00 PM	A View From The Street-The First 20 Minutes Thomas J. Richardson, Battalion Chief, FDNY, Richard J. Blatus, Battalion Chief, FDNY It's the middle of the night. You pager goes off reporting smoke from a dwelling in a remote area of town. What runs through your mind as you rush to get to the scene? What information have you gathered? If you arrive first, what actions will you take to establish safe and effective operational tactics? This scenario based program is designed to provide the students with the opportunity to direct fire ground operations based on information gathered from the transmission of the alarm. What could/should you rely on if you are unable to obtain the information you need to make safe/sound operational decisions?
12:00 PM	First Due Size-Up Reports for Company Officers Leonard Carmichael, Jr., Captain, Trenton, NJ FD This course covers the initial on-scene size-up for the first arriving officer at all incidents that they respond to and sets up the framework for the entire fireground experience from assessing the incident scene arrival information and setting up an IMS organization. Thru lecture and individual scenario assessment, the student will use a systematic mental checklist using the CASH acronym, (Command, Actions, Size-Up, and Help) for on-scene size-up reports which can be used at all incidents. Topics include the establishment of command, the 13 point size-up factors, actions of the first due companies, and additional resources that will be needed; a plus for promotional exams.
12:00 PM	In Pursuit of the Perfect Fire Peter F. Kertzie, Battalion Chief, Buffalo, NY FD There are many fires that leave us thinking that things went pretty good and those that leave us feeling that nothing went right. Whether we are assigned to an Engine, Truck, or are a chief, when we pick up from a fire and take an honest look at what had transpired throughout the incident, we can probably come up with many things that could have been done differently and a number of things that we would want to continue to do. Hopefully the good feelings outweigh the bad. Either way, there are a certain chain of events that we expect will evolve at the scene of a structure fire. These include such things as deploying the first line and obtaining a water supply for engines, forcible entry, search, horizontal ventilation, and vertical ventilation for trucks, and salvage and overhaul for both. This class will explore the preparation leading up to, and actions that must be taken at the scene in order to try and achieve the elusive perfect fire.
12:00 PM	Search Operations for Today’s Standard & Complex Structures Jeff Seaton, Department & Recruit Academy Instructor, San Jose, CA FD Today's fireground is a dynamic environment that can become deadly in a matter of seconds. The Unites States fire service reports that "Fire Fighter Disorientation? is a leading cause of close calls and LODD'S in our nation. Firefighters are in desperate need of ensuring that safe, effective, and coordinated search operations are practiced daily in today's standard and complex structures.
12:00 PM	The Truck Boss: From the Firehouse to the Fire Floor Robert Pressler, Lieutenant (ret.), FDNY This class takes a look at the Ladder Company Officer and the operations of a Ladder Company. Starting in the firehouse, personnel concerns, riding positions, tool assignments, and training are all covered. Once on the street, the class looks at responses, operations, and company management. Using the inside/outside team concept, staffing levels from as little as 3 to a full crew of 6 will be covered.
12:00 PM	To Go or Not to Go: Fireground Decision Making Robert Moran, Chief, Englewood, NJ FD, John Lewis, Lieutenant, Training and Safety Division Passaic, NJ FD This session will provide an interactive forum designed to discuss and define the key relationships strategy and tactics, street-wise size-up, and risk benefit analysis have on the critical first few minutes of structural firefighting operations.
12:00 PM	Training the Rapid Intervention Crew Robert Cobb, Deputy Chief (ret.), Jersey City, NJ FD, Director of Community Mitigation, ISO This program covers some of the tasks and techniques that are needed to rescue lost, disoriented or trapped firefighters. Training and preparation are the keys to a successful rescue mission. This session will look at several firehouse quick drills that can be performed in the firehouse by chiefs, company officers and firefighters. These drills can be implemented with a minimum of two firefighters using standard firefighting tools and equipment from your turnout gear pocket. Some of the quick drills include; downed firefighter assessment, simple one and two FF drags and carries, 2:1 mechanical advantage from your pocket, search rope tactics, ladder rescues, and drills to test "How well do you know your equipment?? The first time you "practice? a firefighter rescue technique should not be at 3:00 am in a smoke filled burning building!
July 23, 2010
8:30 AM	A View From The Street-Commercial Building Operations Richard Blatus, Battalion Chief, FDNY, Tom Richardson, Battalion Chief, FDNY Decisions made by the incident commander are based on the information provided from the company officers and firefighters inside of the structure. Commercial buildings complete with complex floor plans, unreported renovations, and in some cases large open areas, often present some of the most difficult operations for the incident commander. What information is paramount? What should you be looking for? Chiefs Blatus and Richardson will discuss the hazards, obstacles, and potential dangers present in commercial occupancies and how they will impact on the operational decisions made by the incident commander.
8:30 AM	Company & Command Cohesion – “Are We on the Same Page?” Jeff Seaton, Department & Recruit Academy Instructor, San Jose, CA FD Today's command officers and line companies often lack cohesion. Command officers are inundated with special projects, administrative duties and personnel issues. Therefore, interaction between the company and command staff is often limited to actual emergency responses. This program is designed to bring cohesion between the company and command staff, regarding fireground operations.
8:30 AM	Elevator Emergencies Tony Tricarico, Captain (ret.), FDNY, Squad Company 252 This classroom presentation will provide attendees with the basics and terminology of elevator emergencies. The differences and similarities of two basic types of elevators will be discussed: wire hoist and pneumatic. Specifics will include: construction, site safety hazards, steel and wire supports, interlock devices, hoist way door operations, lock-out tag-out procedures, how to gain entry without doing any damage and how to locate an elevator and use the two phases of elevator recall.
8:30 AM	Firefighter Survival, Close Calls and LODD's: Responding to and Operating at Single Family Dwellilng Fires - What Went Wrong? Billy Goldfeder, Deputy Fire Chief, Loveland-Symmes, OH FD, Contributing Editor Firehouse Magazine 3-Hour Class Without question, the most "common" fire response most of us do is to simple single family dwelling fires. Well, at least that's what we often think. After all, it's "just" a simple, single family house fire. What could go wrong? From pre-plan to training...to dispatch, to response, to size-up, staffing and operations, each of these items in the "fire time line" can be the weakest link unless we plan ahead and LEARN from past firefighter injury and death. Join Chief Billy Goldfeder for an extremely in-depth look at the facts that lead to serious injuries as well as line of duty deaths...at seemingly "simple" single family dwelling fires-that turned out to be ANYTHING but simple.
8:30 AM	Firefighting Operations in Basements and Cellars Michael Daley, Lieutenant/Training Officer, Monroe Twp, NJ, Fire District #3 and Rescue Specialist, NJ-TF1 One of the most dangerous assignments is the area above a fire. Basement and cellar fires expose a firefighter directly to the dangers and hazards associated with these assignments. More firefighters are killed and injured battling cellar fires than operating at fires involving any upper floor fire. This class is designed to aid the first arriving company in operating safely at an incident involving a basement or cellar.
8:30 AM	High-Rise Firefighting: Part One Curtis Massey, President, Massey Disaster Planning Refining the basics of hose lays (incl. back-up lines), fire flow demands and proper/effective handlines that match today's fire loads; learning base building systems (incl. HVAC smoke removal and elevator/stair pressurization systems) and how to interface with them; understanding stack effect and ways to manage it; designating and managing the attack and search & rescue/evacuation stairwells which greatly impacts movement of civilians and deploying fire suppression personnel; understanding the importance of addressing "dewatering? issues; firefighter safety and survival ? how to survive if your air runs out on an upper floor above the fire; new ideas in augmenting transmitting emergency traffic messages; how to conduct high-rise evolutions and case studies of recent high-rise fires here and overseas.
8:30 AM	How to Excel at Fire Service Promotional Exams Steve Prziborowski, Battalion Chief, Santa Clara County, CA FD This session will assist fire service personnel specifically prepare for their upcoming promotional exam. Participants will be exposed to and offered key points for the most common events within a fire service promotional process: the written exam, the oral interview, the personnel problem, the oral presentation, and the emergency simulation.
8:30 AM	Thirty Years of Emergency Service Vehicle Training – What Have We Learned? Dr. William F. Jenaway, Ph.D, CFPS, CFO, MIFE, Executive Vice President, VFIS VFIS Emergency Vehicle Driver Training Program has been used over 30 years, in every state, with tens of thousands of vehicle operators trained. Much has been learned about operator behavior, vehicle design and construction impact, and the influence of accidents and regulations. Learn from the experts what we have learned.
10:15 AM	A Firefighter's Guide To The Fire Service Chain Saw Peter F. Kertzie, Battalion Chief, Buffalo, NY FD This class will present when and where to use the chainsaw as well as the saws' nomenclature, operating instructions, and post use care and maintenance. Being an expert at the workings of an internal combustion engine is not a job requirement, although working with them is. This class will go over some basic knowledge that is required for maintaining and using the fire service chain saw. These uses will include vertical ventilation, overhaul, and wall and floor breaching. This class will stress the "non-small engine repair guy" things that firefighters can do in the firehouse.
10:15 AM	Aerial Ladder & Tower Ladder Placement and Operation Mike Wilbur, Lieutenant, FDNY, Tom Shand, Regional Manager Seagrave Fire Apparatus Topics covered will be the characteristics and operating features of rear-mount, tractor drawn aerials, platforms and quint apparatus. Special emphasis will be made on truck company placement for various types of occupancies, rescue and life safety strategies and tactical work of quint apparatus. Finally strategies and tactics will be discussed in the operation of and proper position of aerial ladders and tower ladders and how to successfully deploy both at the scene of a fire. Students will then employ this knowledge in a series of outside hands on demonstrations.
10:15 AM	Fireground Strategies: Private Dwellings Anthony Avillo, Deputy Chief, North Hudson Regional, NJ Fire & Rescue This course covers various types of private dwellings from both a fire spread and structural problem viewpoint. Also discussed are both firefighting concerns and life safety concerns inherent in this type occupancy. Strategic considerations and interior fire control factors are discussed, with the point of entry rule of thumb explained in detail to assist the fire and command officer in proper decision-making on the fireground. Engine and Ladder Company tactics are discussed as well as tactical considerations common to these occupancies.
10:15 AM	High-Rise Firefighting: Part Two (Advanced Class) Curtis Massey, President, Massey Disaster Planning Understanding new-age technology systems being introduced into today's high-rises which will greatly impact firefighter safety (battery rooms ? the 21st century version of the "truss? as a firefighter killer); rooftop transmitters/RF radiation hazards; raised floors and exposed ceiling grids with high-voltage cabling; tenant special suppression systems; man-traps; tenant/access stairs; the plenum wiring "epidemic?; new on-site electrical generating plants; new Gen-2 and computerized/?touch-less? elevator systems; a study of Curtis's own "Rapid Ascent team? concept and in conclusion - a look at the new wave of supertall skyscraper construction and how it will forever alter the ways these type fires are fought.
10:15 AM	House Fires - Common Fireground Mistakes Robert Pressler, Lieutenant (ret.), FDNY This class, through the use of both Power Point and videos, examines our everyday fires and some of the recurring mistakes that lead to unsafe and inefficient operations. The class will identify the problems and will offer possible solutions to help address your everyday operational problems.
10:15 AM	Passenger Rail Emergencies: A Comprehensive Look at Passenger Rail Systems and the Potential They Pose to First Responders Al Mullins, Battalion Chief, Fairfax County, VA FD, Jim Forgo, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department This presentation will look at what can happen when a passenger rail emergency occurs. Many fire departments in the United States have railroads that run through their areas of responsibility. In this presentation, we will give them a look at what they can expect if that nightmare event occurs.
10:15 AM	“It Takes More than Plastic Fire Hats!” Taking Public Education to Another Level Daniel Byrne, Lieutenant, Fire Marshal, Beaufort FD, SC The sharp decline in fires and fire deaths we enjoyed in the 1970s has stopped; in fact, overall residential fires are again on the rise. Society has evolved, along with how we learn and what we value, yet many departments continue to approach fire prevention the same as they did over three decades ago. This program is designed to get students rethinking their department's current approach to public education, as well as "outside the box? thinking and ideas to developing new programs and finding new non-traditional partners to make your public outreach more dynamic and effective, along with reshaping the fire service's message to influence change. If you want to do more for fire prevention than hand out plastic fire hats, this is the class for you.
12:00 PM	Developing Great Leadership in the Fire Service Kim, Owner, Fire Presentations Leadership issues are not just for the chiefs and company officers. Great leadership needs to be developed all the way to the front line. When you take care of the leadership development in your department, you will take care of most other issues as well. This session is for all levels in the fire service and will cover important topics like real leadership versus positional leadership, taking responsibility, how to get people to want to follow, raising morale in the department, and developing your future leaders.
12:00 PM	Fire Fighter Near Miss: A Tool to Enhance Training and Improve the Safety Culture in Your Fire Department John Tippett, Battalion Chief, Montgomery County, MD The target audience of this presentation is company officers, training officers and safety officers - the change agents of the fire service. However, firefighters and chief officers will benefit from the cultural assessment, exposure to the concept of Near Miss and the tie-in to enhancing training and safety through the use of www.firefighternearmiss.com. The relevance here is emphasis on modifying risk-taking behaviors, and improving experience and knowledge through lessons taught by living firefighters that submitted near-miss reports. A second relevant point is the value of using best practices since many near-miss reports reinforce how best practices minimized risk and exposure to injury. The target audience will get to walk through the system with the presenter as they assess their own cultural norms, saving them valuable time when the attendees get on the system themselves. Presented materials will include: interactive and visually stimulating Power Point, a brief overview of a free software package that can be downloaded and used to create computer imaged reproductions of near-miss reports and a copy of the Power Point presentation in notes form.
12:00 PM	Fireground Orientation - The Most Critical Skill John J. Salka, Jr., Battalion Chief, FDNY Take a look at the firefighter fatalities for any given year and you will find that there are many different causes of death listed. Even when you examine the NIOSH firefighter fatality investigation reports you will see numerous causes of death including smoke inhalation, thermal burns and crushing injuries. If you take an even more careful look at these reports you will also see that many of them begin with a statement such as "A 40 year old male career firefighter dies after becoming lost inside a commercial building..." One of the most common denominators concerning firefighters that die inside burning buildings is that they get lost! Once you are lost, then you run out of air and die. Or get trapped in an area that flashes over and you die. Or before you can find your way out, the building falls down and you die. Getting lost, or staying orientated is the MOST IMPORTANT SKILL for interior structural firefighters. Join FDNY Battalion Chief John Salka as he describes his fireground orientation training program which includes skills such as "counting the corners" and "mapping the room" and how it can increase you chances of survival at your next structural fire.
12:00 PM	Improving Response and Roadway Safety in the Police and Fire Services Mike Wieder, Assistant Director, IFSTA/Fire Protection Publicati, Oklahoma State University Law enforcement officers and fire service personnel face very similar challenges in terms of response and roadway scene safety. Much research has been done on this topic by each discipline, but the results have typically not been shared between the two. This presentation will highlight a project that was jointly funded by the USFA and the U.S. Department of Justice and was performed by the IAFF whose main goal was to bring together information on these important issues from the fire and police disciplines into one place. Information that will be addressed in this presentation includes response procedures, vehicle conspicuity, incident management procedures, and avoiding police and fire service conflicts at the incident scene.
12:00 PM	Issues Affecting Vehicle Fires in Parking Garages Russell Merrick, BPS, EMT, Captain, Rochester, NY FD If you have never experienced a vehicle fire in a parking ramp garage you may be in for a rude awakening. Vehicle fires can be challenging in and of themselves. This program addresses the different challenges encountered with locating the vehicle, protecting the exposures, dealing with some of the additional hazards associated with the cargo some vehicles may be carrying, and the need in some cases for ventilating the area. Students will leave having a better understanding of the necessary strategies and tactics needed to be successful when operating within the two different style (below grade or above grade) vehicle garages.
12:00 PM	Matchbox City Allen Baldwin, Assistant Chief and EMT, Gettysburg, PA FD Students will be shown how to develop and use basic table top scenario based training for their department. They will be given the chance to play out various response scenarios in a table top atmosphere. Incidents will range from single resource responses to multijurisdictional responses using various levels of the command structure including unified command. Skills and topics will include command, communications, vehicle placement, tactical decision making, operations coordination, patient triaging, EOC operations, command and control of a variety of incidents and incident related activities. Students will be required to make quick on the scene decisions to prepare them for life out on the street. Other audio visual aids will be used to help create the atmosphere.
12:00 PM	New Apparatus: Be Sure Your Body Has What You Need! Bob Barraclough, President, The Best Fire Apparatus Resource, In, Alan Saulsbury, President, Fire Spec Services, Inc., Homer, NY Body material, body designs and the dress out are important parts of your apparatus specifications. The presenters will explain the "pros? and "cons? of galvaneel, aluminum, stainless steel, GRP and plastic material, what options you should consider with compartmentation, shelving, lighting and how the major components should be placed for maximum safety, balance and usage. You need to see this fast moving Power Point to understand how all of the above will impact dealers, manufacturers and fire departments.
12:00 PM	The Engine Company Essentials Dan Shaw, Captain, Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department Doug Mitchell, Lieutenant, FDNY This dynamic and interactive program will discuss the most vital unit on the fireground, the Engine Company. While the ultimate job of getting water to the fire has not changed, building construction, staffing levels, and much of our equipment has changed. This presentation will teach sound tactics and tips for success in the modern day Engine Company.
July 24, 2010
8:30 AM	Apparatus Rebuilding: Is this the Answer to Your Replacement Problem? Mike Wilbur, Lieutenant, FDNY, Tom Shand, Regional Manager Seagrave Fire Apparatus Consultant Emergency Vehicle Response This program will review the cost advantages of apparatus rebuilding, review the NPFA 1912 standard on rebuilding and explain the life cycle costs to help your department decide whether rebuilding is the right program for your department to consider.
8:30 AM	Are WE weakening our own Fire Service? Walter Lewis, Lieutenant, Orlando, FL FD As today's fire service works to provide a safer and better work environment, some misguided attention is being focused on the safety aspect of firefighting and directing it away from the core missions of our expected duties. This presentation will bring forth challenging thoughts and consideration of where the American fire service is headed and what potential direction is needed.
8:30 AM	Emergency Service Reputational Risk Dr. William F. Jenaway, Ph.D, CFPS, CFO, MIFE, Executive Vice President, VFIS "Reputational Risk? is a developing area of real world problems for emergency service organizations. Whether created by harassment situations, financial mismanagement, substance abuse, media mis-management, computer security, or something else; the areas of people management, policy implementation, training, supervision, and discipline become critical business components for fire departments to implement.
8:30 AM	Extinguishing the Flames of Liability (a/k/a: Top Ten Ways to Keep Your Firefighters Alive, Yourself out of Jail and Your Department out of Negative Headlines) Bill Tricarico, Fire Commissioner, Cortland, NY FD, Dave Denniston, Deputy Fire and EMS Coordinator, Commissioner Virgil Fire District, NY An alarming number of firefighters across the country are being charged, injured or even killed while performing duties which were intended to protect the public. This fast paced multi-media seminar will explore fire service leaders' roles in protecting our firefighters and EMT's. Fire service leaders also have an obligation to the firefighters to provide a safe working environment and to the public to protect the interests of the tax payers and to limit liability that may be imposed on the district or department. The no holds barred seminar will review the leading causes of injury, death and liability issues facing fire service organizations and provide sample policies and procedures to help limit these exposures.
8:30 AM	How to Excel at Promotional Exams – The Fireground Simulation Exercise Steve Prziborowski, Battalion Chief, Santa Clara County, CA FD This session will provide numerous tips for success when faced with your next fireground simulation exercise. Learn how to go from just "checking the box? to being more organized and actually understanding what needs to be completed on the fireground, in a simulation and more importantly, in real life.
8:30 AM	Hybrid Vehicle Safety Train the Trainer Ron Shaw, Lt. (retired); Doug Sato, Alternative Fuel Vehicle-Automotive Engineer; and Craig Blake, Firefighter/Automotive Engineer 2-Hour Class This class is designed for trainers, company officers and other personnel responsible for providing vehicle rescue information to responders and tow/wrecker personnel. The program includes a standalone model hybrid vehicle safety program as part of the student handouts on CD.
8:30 AM	Surviving the Fireground...The Changing of a Culture Robert Cobb, Deputy Chief (ret.), Jersey City, NJ FD, Director of Community Mitigation, ISO In 2007 the NFPA & NFA reported that there were: 78,750 firefighter injuries and 107 LODD's. This program looks at some of the cultural changes that need to take place to improve firefighter's ability to survive the fireground. Participants will be asked to identify fire service traditions that have compromised firefighter safety. Students will recognize why; learning from the lessons of the past and not repeating them are critical survival factors. Two tragic fire incidents will be presented and participants will be asked to develop the lessons learned. This interactive course will help firefighters recognize dangerous situations that could result in injury or death on the fireground. Can you identify changes that need to take place to reduce injures and assist to make sure everyone gores home. Find out why repetitive cyclic training is a must to reduce firefighter's injuries and death. Do you have the courage to stay safe and avoid the needless risks to survive the fireground?
10:15 AM	Company Level Training: Designing a Program to Fit Your Specific Needs Larry Manasco, Captain, Fort Worth FD, TX, Kelby Childers Walk through a step-by-step process to establish a training calendar for your shift based on the needs of your response area. Firefighters should train during every tour, but choosing the topics and the means to carry them out can often times be difficult. This class will cover the practical applications of training props and offer ideas for both quick and extensive training sessions.
10:15 AM	Fireground Command Situation Awareness Richard B. Gasaway, Ph.D., EFO, CFO, Gasaway Consulting Group Some think that situation awareness is as easy as paying better attention to what's going on around you. If it were that simple, commanders would pay better attention and firefighters would not get hurt or killed fighting structural fires. This program focuses on the process of establishing and maintaining your situation awareness, how it is lost, and how to regain it. Participants will learn the four essential ingredients to making effective command decisions, five ways commanders get into trouble, and ten best practices commanding safe emergency incidents.
10:15 AM	Leading the Volunteers Michael Dallessandro, Director, Grand Island Fire Company, Erie County, NY Creator of “RESPONDSMART” Fire Apparatus Driver Safety Workshop Today's all volunteer fire service is facing many challenges and leaders of these organizations are going to have to wear many hats to keep these organizations heading in the right direction. This workshop will focus on key behavioral points of members that helped make our fire companies of yesteryear grow into the organizations they are today while at the same time identifying new behavioral patters that are causing concerns for the future. Attendees will take home with them a positive message and teaching points about dedication to community service, proper behavior in the firehouse and in public, ethics, values and what it means to freely give of yourself to be a volunteer firefighter today.
10:15 AM	Saving Your Crew Tonight – Why Are We Still Losing Firefighters? Jeffrey Pindelski, Battalion Chief, Downers Grove, IL FD Actions speak louder than words- but why do we continue to keep losing firefighters for the same reasons? Generational differences, culture, effects of advancements in technology, the need to do more with less as well as other "hot topics? that can be regarded as obstacles to the safety of today's fire service and what steps we can possibly take in the future to have an impact in decreasing firefighter fatalities will be discussed.
10:15 AM	Special Event Planning Allen Baldwin, Assistant Chief and EMT, Gettysburg, PA FD Does your community have a special event just around the corner that will draw large amounts of people and impact your department and community? Are you prepared? Have you written an incident action plan or set up a unified incident command structure? If not, this presentation is for you. The presentation will look at the lessons learned from one department's stepping into being better prepared for this type of event to better prepare you and your agency for your events. Incident action plans and event plans, response management and strategies, use of mutual aid, multiple venue coverage and partnerships will be discussed; statutory requirements and tips on writing them and developing them along with implementation will also be covered.
10:15 AM	Winching Operations for Rescuers Billy Leach Jr., Developer and Sr. Presenter, BIG RIG RESCUE™ Suppose you're facing a big rig that has struck an auto and needs to be moved to perform extrication. Will your winch do the job? Is any of the winching gear overloaded beyond its WLL? Most rescue squads are equipped with a winch, however it is used infrequently. This can lead to dangerous operations when winching actually occurs, due to a lack of knowledge. This presentation will begin with the basics such as types and power systems for winches and progress to calculating resistances and determining the lines to the load, plus the use of snatch blocks. It is an effort towards improving the safety of everyone operating during a winching job. Learn how to use the tools you already possess safely and effectively when you attend this offering.
12:00 PM	Airline Safety David Denniston, Loss Control Training Specialist, McNeil & Company Insurance Strong risk management coupled with detailed policies and procedures has created a successful foundation for safety practices in the airline industry. Both flying and firefighting have inherent dangers and yet one could argue that it is safer to fly in an airplane then it is to respond to an emergency incident in today's environment. This course is based on Chief David Denniston's article in the March 2009 Firehouse magazine titled "Airlines and Emergency Services: We Can Learn a Thing or Two?. The course explores the theories and actions taken by the airline industry and how we as firefighters can learn from these examples and use them to make our own job safer. Students will leave the course with ideas and samples of how to utilize the concepts of risk management, policy development, accountability and near miss reporting. By employing these basic ideas, the participant can enhance the safety culture in their own organization.
12:00 PM	Leading with Attitude W. Edward Buchanan, Jr., Division Chief, Hanover, VA Fire & EMS Go to just about any fire station and you'll likely hear someone talking about how it used to be. They talk about the values and work ethics they had when they came on the job, back when the mission was clear and company officer was king. This program will explore how we, as individuals, can help ensure our departments are on track and ways we can truly make a difference in our organization, regardless of rank. The Leading with Attitude program is a nameless and rankless "gut check? into how we contribute to the fire service. The program offers tangible ways we can improve our job for today and for future generations. The course calls "us? out to be part of the problem, or part of the solution! The program will also explore the concept of loyalty alignment. What does it mean to be a good "follower without becoming a yes-man?? Each of us is empowered to make positive change, but we must accept that responsibility and take charge of our lives.
12:00 PM	Subprime Crisis-Vacant Lightweight Private Dwellings Michael K. Scotto, Lieutenant, FDNY The mortgage crisis has left many private dwellings vacant, especially new lightweight construction types. These occupancies normally have fires. With the mortgage situation, more than the average share will be vacant. Many departments typically don't deal with these buildings. Therefore, re-examination of this construction will better prepare us for the immediate future.