Firehouse Expo Getting Ready for Baltimore in July

Firehouse Expo, July 21-26 at the Baltimore Convention Center, is getting the final planning touches.

This year's Opening Ceremony & Keynote Presentation - THE TOTAL EXPERIENCE will feature a 30 minute video produced by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation focusing on firefighter safety. The Life Safety Initiatives Resource Kit - Volume 4 includes this video of interviews of numerous firefighters, officers and chiefs from the FDNY, veterans speaking about cultural change leading to greater firefighter safety.

The Resource Kit will be given to each attendee after the Opening Ceremonies. Volume 4 includes easily deployable fire service training on two DVDs and one CD. Some of the video training materials include: Smoke Reading, Rapid Intervention Teams, Calling the Mayday, Seatbelt Use, Pre-Planning and Fitness. CD resources also include support materials for each of the video training modules included.

The "Everyone Goes Home" program will be shipping Life Safety Initiatives Resource Kit - Volume 4 to over 35,000 U.S. fire departments this summer.

New education sessions

Several new speakers will present classes for he first time at Expo. One of the more timely classes is a FREE class for City Officials and Chief Officers! This six-part, four hour class titled "A basic understanding of the fire service for public and elected officials" is to assist local government in understanding the needs of the fire service. Included topics are:

Briefings regarding ISO Insurance
NFPA codes and standards
Purchasing fire apparatus
EMS impact on the fire industry
Personal protective clothing and equipment
Expressing budget needs

Pre-Conference sessions

Two-day Command Competency Clinic by Mark Emery,

Mark Emery, Battalion Chief, Woodinville, WA, Fire & Life Safety District, Partner of FIRE COMMAND LLC Author of The Ten Command-ments

The fireground incident commander is responsible for the management of three things: strategy, resources, and risk. Using multiple-screen simulations, action plan templates, status boards, portable radios, and passports, this highly interactive "clinic" you will provide strategic "tools" you need to be a competent incident commander, company officer, safety officer, branch director, division supervisor, or group supervisor.

The Basics and Beyond of Firefighter Fitness by Rich Meyer,

Rich Meyer, Firefighter, Auburn, NH FD, Author & Instructor

This class will cover the basics of fitness programming and touch upon advanced concepts such as reconditioning, plyometrics, and advanced cardio programming then integrate concepts into an actual group exercise session utilizing functional training equipment.

Primary Search techniques, Trapped Firefighter Rescue by John Norman

John W. Norman III, Deputy Assistant Chief (ret.), Rescue Operations, FDNY

This is a one day class designed to familiarize a department with the "how-to's" of establishing, and operating rapid intervention companies, and the techniques they must use to successfully rescue a fallen firefighter. The class is built around a series of actual case histories of trapped or overcome firefighters. It is the result of intensive investigation and experimentation into what went wrong, what went right, and how to do it better the next time. All of the techniques shown have been tested and used repeatedly with success for removing unconscious firefighters from below grade, above grade, or at ground level.

The four part, eight-hour Chief's Leadership Class.

These four classes create an all-day preconference session geared towards chief officers and those aspiring to become chief officers. You will have the opportunity to sharpen your leadership skills and connect with others from around the country.

Common Threads of Firefighter Tragedies Richard Bowers, Chief, Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service, MD; Jennie Collins, Battalion Chief, Prince William County Department of Fire & Rescue, VA

This presentation will examine several recent incidents that involve firefigther "maydays". This presentation will examine structure fire incidents that have seriously injured and burned firefighters. This presentation will discuss the common threads in these tragic incidents that are injuring and burning our firefighters.

Survival Skills for the New Fire Chief - UPDATED FOR 2009 Dr. Robert S. Fleming, Ed.D., CFPS, CFO, Professor of Management, Rowan University, Staff Battalion Chief, Goshen Fire Company

The success and effectiveness of the new fire chief is typically determined within the first year of a fire chief's tenure. This session will provide an overview of the numerous mistakes that new fire chiefs often make that compromise their effectiveness and ability to lead their fire departments. Strategies for enhancing success during your early years as a chief officer will be presented. Whether a new fire chief or a chief officer aspiring to become fire chief, this seminar will give you management and career insights.

Effective Delegation within the Contemporary Fire Department - NEW FOR 2009 Dr. Robert S. Fleming, Ed.D., CFPS, CFO, Professor of Management, Rowan University, Staff Battalion Chief, Goshen Fire Company

Fire chiefs today face an array of challenges in their pursuit to ensure that their departments succeed in effectively, efficiently and safely delivering the services required to address the needs of the communities they serve. The successful fire chief must learn how to effectively delegate to others. This session will examine the delegation process, centralization versus decentralization, importance of delegation, benefits of delegation, consequences of ineffective delegation, situations where delegation is appropriate, obstacles to effective delegation, and criteria for selecting subordinates for delegation assignments.

Preserving our Past - Protecting our Future Mike 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 organization they are today while at the same time identifying new behavioral patterns 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.

This year Exhibit Hall Only badges will include more educational opportunities than ever before! Podcast/Roundtable sessions will be open to anyone with an exhibit hall or conference badge. Sessions will be posted soon. Check for details at the Firehouse Expo Web Site.

Meet the speaker events

During the open exhibit floor, attendees can meet the conference speakers at the Firehouse Booth 1003.

Thursday, July 23

Gordon Routley 1:00pm-1:30pm

Mike Dugan 2:00pm-2:30pm

Joe Berry 2:30pm-3:00pm

Gary Wiemokly 3:30-4:00

John Norma 3:30pm-4:00pm

Friday, July 24

Rich Blatus/Tom Richardson 11:00am-11:30am

Mickey Conboy 12:00pm-12:30pm

Dwight Polk 1:00pm-1:30pm