Firehouse Expo Sessions for Chiefs and Company Officers
Firehouse Expo takes place in just over two months in Nashville.
This year's conference provides dozens of learning opportunities for new and experienced fire officers and chiefs. Below is a list of programs designed for those who manage the fire department and lead firefighters, whether in the station or on the fireground.
Hands-on Sessions
These four- and eight-hour sessions include hands-on training. Attendees must pre-register for these programs, which take place Oct. 18 and 19.
First-Due Tactical Operations for Chemical Incident Hazards: Meth Lab, Chemical Suicides, CO and Related Emergencies
Phil Ambrose, Hazardous Materials Captain, Glendale (CA) FD
Students will respond to scenarios set in an “as real as it gets” environment with instructors who are also responders. Students will learn proper air-monitoring techniques, how to recognize different types of methamphetamine labs, see the signs related to potential chemical suicide and learn the decontamination challenges with each type of incident.
Teaching and Learning Fire Dynamics with Small Scale Models
Ed Hartin, Fire Chief, Central Whidbey Island (WA) Fire & Rescue
This class will improve students’ knowledge of practical fire dynamics, and provide them the tools and techniques needed to effectively share that information with others. Class will include a brief presentation on concepts in fire dynamics. Then students will conduct live-fire exercises using small-scale models, such as single and multiple compartment dollhouses.
Fireground Command & Control - Live Simulations
Mike Bryant, Deputy Chief (ret.), Los Angeles County CA, FD; Elite Command Training Group
Students will be in the seat of command, while at a simulated building fire. Serving as the Incident Commander, you will order resources, develop a strategy, assign resources tactical objectives and develop a safety and functional incident action plan (IAP). Students will be provided live tactical inputs via radio and face-to-face from the fire ground identifying changing conditions. As the Incident Commander, you will act on these inputs adjusting your IAP, while being mentored by an experienced incident commander. If you’re looking to improve your command knowledge, skill sets and abilities then this class is a must for you!
Preconference Sessions
These four- and eight-hour sessions include in-depth discussions on a variety of topics. Attendees must pre-register for these programs, which take place on Oct. 19.
10 Rules for Leadership Success
Les Karpluk, Fire Chief (ret.), Genesis 2020 Solutions
Leadership is nothing new in the firehouse. It’s easy to get discouraged, however, with all the leadership theories regarding motivation and self-growth. The title of this presentation, 10 Rules for Leadership Success, sums up the focus of the discussion. It is a simple and straightforward class with an instructor who’s learned from 32 years of experience.
Flawed Situational Awareness: The Stealth Killer of First Responders
Rich Gasaway, Gasaway Consulting Group
Situational awareness is one of the leading contributing factors to near-misses and LODDs among first responders. If we are going to reduce responder casualty incidents, we must first improve our ability to develop and maintain situational awareness under stress. This program provides attendees with a thorough understanding of situational awareness.
Grants Don't Grow on Trees
Brian Vickers, CEO, Vickers Consulting Services, Inc.
Preparing and executing a successful grant application can’t just be done on a whim. This class will give students the knowledge they need to ensure that every grant application they create is as competitive as possible, so that they have the best shot at success and relieving any pressure on their department’s budget.
The Leader as Coach
Brian Crandell, Fire Chief (ret.) Rae & Sourdough (MT) FD
This is an intensive, interactive, multimedia course that uses discussion, hands-on simulations and exercises to develop training and leadership skills in fire officers and fire instructors. We will apply the most current understanding of how firefighters are effectively training and supervised, and how instructors and supervisors can best improve their performances.
First In, Last Out Leadership for Fire Officers
John Salka, Battalion Chief (ret.), FDNY
This program is a discussion and analysis of the major functions of the incident commander at a structural fire. Nine critical functions are examined, and examples are used to illustrate best practices for each of the areas. The functions discussed are: strategy and tactics, the ICS system, initial fireground operations, safety and accountability, progress reports and fire control estimates, search procedures and results, offensive/defensive operational modes, multiple alarm situations, and fire officer responsibilities. Each of these areas is discussed from the perspective of the chief and how it relates to the company officers on scene as well.
Fire Research, Tactics, Training & Application
Robin Zevotech, Lead Research Engineer, UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute
Understanding fire dynamics in residential structures improves fireground performance. Research has demonstrated some key fire dynamics principals that all firefighters should know. This class will examine these principals and how they can be employed on the fireground. Emphasis will be placed on understanding how firefighter actions will impact fire dynamics within a residential structure.
Conference sessions
These 90-minute sessions take place Oct. 20-22.
Thursday
Command of Fireground Operations
George Healy, Deputy Chief, FDNY
This class will highlight the key elements of a successful fireground commander, such as having firm command and control of fireground operations, making instantaneous decisions, performing a thorough size-up, deploying resources, etc. Personal lessons learned will also be discussed, as well as tactics used to command the fire scene.
Firefighting and Training with Technology
Brian Kazmierzak, Battalion Chief, Penn Twp., IN, FD
Understand how to adapt technology to your fire department to make you more effective. This course will look at all aspects of technology in the fire service, including fireground, training and management. Participants will also learn about future technology for the fire service and how it can be used in all aspects of your department.
Fireground Leadership: Attitudes and Behaviors Shape Our Culture
Mike Bryant, Deputy Chief (ret.), Los Angeles County CA, FD; Elite Command Training Group
Attitudes and behaviors drive your fireground culture within your fire department. This presentation will identify fireground operations and the way firefighters think, feel and act. We will discuss our good/bad habits and actions, and how firefighters apply them on the fireground. Organizational learning is crucial to risk management.
Fireground Survival Is No Accident
John Salka, Jr., Battalion Chief (ret.), FDNY
This class will explore the major components of the chief officers combat school, which include command and control, effective fireground communications, leadership lessons, etc. Each of these topics is discussed so that attendees discover the best ways to plan for, execute and conclude operations with an eye toward firefighter safety, civilian survival and tactical excellence.
Management Case Studies for Chief Fire Officers
Gary Ludwig, Fire Chief, Champaign, IL, FD
Join this interactive group discussion with real administrative and operational scenarios that other chief officers have faced and see if you can make the right decision on how to manage and resolve a problem instead of making it worse. We all make decisions and resolve problems based upon our experience, background, religious beliefs, and culture.
The Company Officer As an Instructor
Brad French, Lieutenant, Dayton, OH, FD
Effective company officers are the key to overall operational success. This high-energy class will provide fire officers with various instructor resources and training ideas that are geared toward informal, company-based daily drills. With these elements, officers can more effectively reinforce skill competence and develop an intimate familiarity of their company’s first-due response district.
ABCs of Fire Suppression: Communication, Coordination and Control
Sean DeCrane, Battalion Chief, IAFF Local #93
This presentation will use research and actual fire scene scenarios to explain the importance of the three Cs on the fireground: communication, coordination and control, and how to incorporate the four Ws of ventilation. We will also explain how one division has changed tactics to implement changes to standard operating procedures.
Fire Service Mayday: Fire Department Survival Strategies of the Next Generation
Eric Saylors, Captain, Sacramento (CA) FD
How do you justify your budget? Historically the fire service focusing on measuring the value losses at incidents. However, simply measuring losses only demonstrates the magnitude of the event more than it illuminates the effectiveness of the fire department. And the more effective a fire department is at suppressing fires, the less the department appears to be needed. The fire service must change the narrative by measuring, quantifying, and reporting the value of saves opposed to losses in a standard format.
Overcoming Suppressive Leadership in the Fire Service
Justin Arnold, Captain, Portsmouth (VA) Fire Department – Governmental Affairs, ISFSI
This class will discuss suppressive leadership and what to do about it. Widely used in the fire service, it’s the top killer in career succession planning. And it’s not just an executive-level problem; it’s also a core problem with station officers. It can involve discouraging classes, dismissing new ideas or criticizing past fireground performances.
Friday
Command Decision Making: Putting the Fire Out Safely
Kevin Conant, Battalion Chief (ret.) San Jose (CA) FD
This interactive presentation is designed to help incident commanders work their way through the new fire research while maintaining the finest of our fire service traditions. We will address the role of command officers charged with safely putting out structure fires while incorporating the latest results from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and Underwriters Laboratories.
Death By Boss
Alan Brunacini, Fire Chief (ret.) Phoenix (AZ) FD
Dysfunctional boss behaviors produce more day-to-day physical and emotional damage to firefighters than any fireground. This session will involve a very active, highly informal discussion about the dynamics of functional boss performance and present a practical approach for how a boss can produce a positive internal organizational environment.
Driving and Surviving the Cultural Change
Mike Wisko, Fire Chief, Galveston (TX) FD
For 20 years, we have heard that our culture is “killing us,” and we must therefore change it. This presentation will walk you through the cultural change occurring in one particular department, and discuss the ways the chief, who is driving the change, is also surviving the change.
In the Eye of the Storm: Benefits of Command from the Car
John B. Tippett, Jr., Deputy Chief, Charleston (SC) FD
The Charleston (SC) Fire Department underwent tremendous change after 2007. One function that received extensive attention was their fireground command system. This presentation will walk attendees through the introduction, implementation, adoption and benefits realized from a concept that changed the way the department handles the function of command.
Tips for the Engine Company Officer
Richard Ray, Fire Captain, Durham (NC) FD
Learn the importance of the company officer, specifically what should be expected of the officer, the negative and positive influence that the officer has to the firefighter and methods the officer can use to build a quality work environment. See how core values drive the organization and the actions on the fireground. The skills and concepts taught are critical to those who are currently in an officer position and in developing line personnel for ascension within the organization which will create a stronger high-performing organization.
Fire Service Hierarchy of Needs - What We Need in Order to Thrive
John Dixon, Lieutenant/Fire Instructor, Teaneck, NJ, FD/Bergen County, NJ, Fire Academy
What are the driving forces behind our actions? Why do we make the choices we do in the fire service as a whole? Leading the modern fire service requires a unique set of skills and needs. The first step towards understanding how we as firefighters and fire officers can become better servant leaders is to identify our personal and professional needs, develop action plans in order to achieve them, constantly evaluate our progress, and ultimately become the leaders who others need.
Sadly, these skills are not often taught or discussed. This course will identify what specifically is needed for firefighters and fire officers to thrive in today's modern fire service through an in-depth self-reflection of all of our needs professionally and personally.
New Company Officer Must Do's
Trey Nelms, Captain, Nashville (TN) FD
What are we doing to prepare new and future company officers? This class focuses on the new company officer’s “must-do’s,” which set the stage for individual and company success. Attendees will learn how to navigate the transition to “designated adult” and how to prepare for their new roles and responsibilities.
Proving Your Worth
Allen Richards, Fire Chief, Sansom Park (TX) FD
Do your city leaders understand your fire department’s needs? Experience is the best teacher, so the value of your department can best be shown to city council members by having them participate in hands-on drills. This class will discuss how to perform these drills and how to clearly illustrate the need for qualified personnel.
Small-Group Leadership Dynamics: Growing Your Fire Department from the Bottom Up
Dr. Harry Carter, Ph.D., CFO FIFireE, Contributing Editor Firehouse Magazine
This class will present the latest theories on small-group dynamics and will teach attendees about the nature and impact these dynamics have on an organization. The importance of small-group dynamics in the development of effective teams within a fire department will also be examined.
Communicate Simply & Powerfully
Kelly Walsh, Owner & President, 1 Smart Career
Better communication has many benefits. For example, our interactions improve, and we possess better leadership presence. This presentation will improve your perception of how you send messages, including what non-verbal signals you give while communicating. Learning to master key communication concepts will optimize your leadership qualities.
Duty to Act: Leadership Case Studies
Curt Varone, Director Fire Service/EMS Division, Legal and Liability Risk Management Institute
Two EMTs refuse to provide aid to a pregnant woman because they are on a coffee break resulting in the death of the mother and her child. Firefighters and police stand on shore and watch as a mentally distressed man drowns in shallow water, prevented from intervening by a city decision to eliminate water rescue capabilities. EMS personnel stop performing CPR on a trauma patient and, over the objection of his spouse, discontinue transporting him to the hospital. Each of these cases raises a similar question: do emergency personnel have a legal duty to do more than they did? If so, how much more? Most firefighters and chiefs understand that when they act they must meet a certain standard of care. But what happens when we fail to act and someone is killed or injured? When do we have a duty to act? What are the ramifications of failing to act? If you are off-duty and act will you be covered by workers compensation? This program will address these challenging questions and more.
Incident Command Simplified
Chris Knutsen, Training Officer, Pigeon Forge (TN) FD
Using a six-step process, students in this class will learn how to establish incident goals and objectives. Common pitfalls of failed command and control will be discussed, along with how to prevent the fireground from becoming a freelance zone. Simple, proven techniques on how to maintain accountability will also be demonstrated.
Motivation and Retention of Your Volunteers
Charles Helfin, State LEPC Coordinator, Indiana Department of Homeland Security
This presentation will focus on the challenges facing our volunteer agencies, as well as creative ways to address these challenges on limited budgets. We will provide cost-effective ways to motivate firefighters to attend meetings, trainings and other department events. We will also discuss unique ways to reward volunteers and recruit members.
The Privilege of Leadership
Billy D. Hayes, Fire Chief (Ret) Rosedale (GA), FD
The Privilege of Leadership workshop will explore a number of leadership lessons from history where those in charge were faced with difficult circumstances and demonstrated the ability to face those circumstances with confidence, competence and effective decision-making skills. The intent is for attendees to realize leadership is a privilege!
Saturday
10 Commandments of a Great Company Officer
Steve Prziborowski, Deputy Chief, Santa Clara County (CA) FD
Be inspired by the 10 Commandments and become the best company officer you can be, one that is truly a role model. This session is for current or future Company Officers who refuse to phone it in, or be "retired in place."
Action: Nine Missions for Personal & Professional Growth
Dr. David Griffin, Captain, Charleston (SC) FD
This course will focus on nine missions that attendees can embark upon to embrace their changing work environment. These missions will challenge attendees to perform tasks that they may normally shy away from. Interactive classroom discussions and team-building drills will also be used to help attendees take the information back to their departments.
Cultural Preservation: Molding the Next Generation
Mick Moffitt, CEO, TrainingDivision.com
The fire service culture is selfless and honorable, but how do we preserve it and pass it on? This presentation will cover the necessary leadership characteristics that all ranks must possess in order to preserve fire service culture and mold the next generation of firefighters.
That's Why We're Here, But That's Not What We Do
Justin Schorr, Rescue Captain, San Francisco Fire Department
In this class, Rescue Captain Justin Schorr from the San Francisco Fire Department challenges the argument that firefighters are supposed to fight fires and perform CPR. Interacting with the public is just as important, if not more so, than stretching a line down a hallway or throwing a ladder—yet firefighters never train for it.
Toxic Leadership & Toxic Workplace Environments: Monitoring IDLH Conditions
Dave Emanuel, Assistant Chief Durham (NC) FD
This program will discuss toxic organizations, toxic workplace environments and toxic leaders. Attendees will share knowledge and experiences regarding these topics and will explore the potential impacts of working in such an environment. They will also determine how to strengthen their resiliency and employ strategies for organizational improvement and personal survival.
Twenty Minutes: Get to the Point
John Buckman, Fire Chief (ret.) German Township (IN) Volunteer FD
To be an effective teacher today requires significant change in the delivery of educational content. The material must be delivered in a high-energy environment that challenges students’ minds and senses. The material must be impactful, challenging and pertinent. In this presentation, we will discuss the techniques needed to deliver effective presentations.
Building a Successful Combination Fire Rescue System
Matthew Tobia, Assistant Chief, Loudoun County (VA) Combined Fire Rescue System
One of the biggest challenges facing communities across this country can be found in ensuring the provision of essential fire and rescue services. This program will provide attendees with a chance to learn how Loudoun County, VA, was able to secure services through cooperation, participation and perseverance.
Leading From Where You Are
Travis Ford, Battalion Chief, Nashville (TN) FD
This class will discuss the need for effective fire officers. Officers must be problem solvers, reflect the best that the fire service has to offer and encourage members to get involved in their profession. Attendees will gain an understanding of how officers’ leadership behavior can stop problems before they occur.
The Training Safety Officer Program: Managing Risk on the Training Ground
Richard Kline, Fire Chief, Plymouth, MN, FD
This class will discuss the training safety officer program, which is designed to increase focus and awareness during training activities in order to reduce risk and injuries. By identifying risk and hazards early in the planning phase, and assigning preventive measures and monitoring activities, the injury potential to participants is significantly reduced.
1,000-Year Flood: Music City Review
Mike Franklin, Deputy Director, Nashville (TN) FD
This 90-minute session will focus on the 1,000-year flood that took place in Nashville, TN, during the first two weeks of May 2010. Included will be a discussion about resource activations (local, state and federal), as well as lessons learned and future contingency planning.
Flipping the Fire Officer Classroom
William Dempsey, Training Administrator, Delaware State Fire School
Fire officer training needs to be adaptable to fire service schedules and budgets. By using online learning and classroom discussion, students can make more efficient use of their time and tie the book material directly to their local needs. This session will provide a blueprint for blended learning and tactical training for officer development and certification.
Getting the Equipment and Cutting the Cost
Bryan Jones, District Chief, Nashville Fire Dept.
Creating specifications to ensure your department receives the equipment and supplies it needs is an art form. This track will discuss the tricks of the trade to developing effective specs. We will also highlight contracts that provide competitive pricing on a daily basis, all within legal constraints.
Intoxicated Leadership: How to Avoid Leading under the Influence of Your Emotions
Benjamin Martin, Lieutenant, Henrico County Division of Fire
This class reveals the truth about conflict management—some conflicts simply don’t get resolved…ever! Participants will receive an overview of emotional intelligence, and real-world tips that can be applied immediately to assist leaders in having easier conversations. Prepare to dump traditional conflict resolution classes on their heads.
A Survival Guide for the Newly Promoted Company Officer
James Jester, Captain, Salisbury Fire Department
This class will address company officer survival and success issues, such as reasons to promote, adapting to the position, leadership, engaging your crew, discipline, time management, performance evaluations and training. If you aspire to become a company officer, or you’ve recently been promoted but feel out of your element, this class is for you.
Critical Decision Making under Stress: How to Be Successful when Time Is Compressed
Bradford Newbury, Captain, Stoughton, MA, FD
This class will explore how first responders make decisions at emergency scenes. Students will participate in an exercise where multiple problems will be presented. We will examine the consequences of being overwhelmed by a situation, as well as the techniques that every firefighter can use when time-sensitive decisions must be made.
Evaluation Strategies for Company Officers, Mentors & Instructors
Paul Hasenmeier, Deputy Chief, Goshen Fire and EMS
In this presentation, students will be instructed on the strategies and techniques that will help them objectively evaluate an associate’s performance in various scenarios. Students will also learn the methods used to evaluate, goals of the evaluation process, difficulties associated with evaluating and what errors should be prevented when evaluating.
Reviving your Volunteer Program
Scott Blue, Fire Chief, Carroll County Fire Rescue (GA)
This class will examine how one department rebuilt its volunteer firefighter program. At one time, Carroll County, GA, had more than 200 volunteer firefighters, but by 2014, they had only 18. A new administration rebuilt the volunteer program, and the number of active volunteers gradually increased by more than 300 percent.
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