Given Firehouse Expo’s move to Columbus, OH, we wanted to answer some questions that we received from attendees and readers. In addition to frequent updates online and via social media, this section provides brief insights into Firehouse Expo 2021 and shares why you need to join us there.
Why Columbus?
Columbus was selected as the new home for Firehouse Expo after taking many points into consideration. We sought an area that has strong, progressive fire departments to support us. Like the pricing for the conference, we wanted a city that provides affordable travel and lodging and a location that offers plenty of activities in the days before and after Firehouse Expo and in the evenings during the event.
Columbus offers all of that and much more. We are excited to work with the strong and progressive Columbus Division of Fire, with fire departments in Franklin County and with the Ohio State Fire Academy.
It’s easy to fly into Columbus through John Glenn Airport (CMH), with more than 40 nonstop flights daily. The drive time from the New York City area is less than nine hours; points including Nashville, Chicago and Upper Michigan are less than six hours on the road.
Will there be HOT?
Yes. We will offer a number of new hands-on training (HOT) classes at two top-notch training facilities. We partnered with the Columbus Division of Fire and the Ohio State Fire Academy to provide a number of new eight-hour classes, including fireground search, hoseline operations, truck company skills, school bus extrication, and rapid intervention and mayday training.
In addition to two days of HOT classes, we will have two days of pre-conference workshops and three days of conference sessions, which will feature dozens of new instructors and classes. In total, we will offer more than 100 education sessions. Over three days, you also can visit the expanded exhibit hall for a chance to see new apparatus and emergency vehicles, the latest tools and equipment and new technology.
Will there be EMS sessions?
Yes. We will have more than a dozen EMS-related sessions, including pre-conference and main conference sessions. Thanks to the partnership with the Columbus Division of Fire, attendees will be eligible for CEUs for those sessions.
What is there to do after hours?
Columbus’ Short North Arts District, which is just a block from the Greater Columbus Convention Center, is packed with great restaurants for lunch and dinner and shopping and features great bars and nightlife activities.
If you like sports, The Ohio State University has a football game while Firehouse Expo is in town. The NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets play at Nationwide Arena, which is just a five-minute walk from the conference, and the city is home to the Columbus Clippers, which is the Triple-A affiliate team for the Cleveland Indians and plays at Huntington Park downtown.
There are several great neighborhoods to visit, including Germantown, and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and the Center of Science and Industry, which faces the Scioto River that runs through the city, are must-sees.
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Firehouse Staff
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