Firehouse Central 2010 will take place September 27-October 1, 2010 in Dallas, TX.
Please check back for event details.

Wednesday Conference 2009

October 28, 2009
8:00 AM	Critiques: A Roadmap for Future Success Don Abbott, Owner Command Emergency Response Training Category: Training 2 Hour Class CRITIQUES?. It is an important part of our individual, crew, and department growth. Without critiques we offer our personnel little opportunity to examine our successes and weakness. Critiques, if presented properly, will educate and train our personnel in everything from response, communications, command issues, and fireground operations. This program will present some different types of critiques and their application to help ensure future successes. (2 credits)
8:30 AM	Alternative Funding Opportunities for Emergency Service Organizations Loy Senter, Fire Chief, Mark Nugent, Operations Battalion Chief Both with Chesterfield, VA Dept of Fire and EMS Category: Funding With budget challenges facing emergency service organizations of all sizes, providing a source of alternative funding should come only second to the safety of your personnel. This class will offer several proven alternative financial solutions that have provided millions of dollars to fire and EMS organizations across the nation. Whether you lead a one station volunteer department or are the chief of a major metro organization, you have one thing in common: you are constantly competing for budget monies to operate. This session will provide valuable tips in areas including grant writing, fee for service, and marketing your organization. This is a must attend seminar for all attendees. (1.25 credits)
8:30 AM	CANCELLED: Fire Department Tanker/Tender Safety Mike Weider, Assistant Director IFSTA/Fire Protection Publications, OK State University Category: Safety Fire department water tankers/tenders are the most likely type of fire apparatus to be involved in a fatal collision. Serious tanker/tender collisions have been on the rise in recent years. This program focuses on the causes and prevention of these collisions. The information in this presentation was developed during the preparation of a report for the United States Fire Administration and much of it also applies directly to pumpers and aerial apparatus. The presenter was the author of the USFA report.(1.25 credits)
8:30 AM	Responding to Everyday Rescue Emergencies Mickey Conboy, Lieutenant, Squad 41, FDNY Category: Specialized Rescue Firefighters across the country respond to an increasing number of rescue emergencies each year. Learn invaluable lessons from recent incidents such as workers buried in a trench and tanks, children impaled on fences, and occupants trapped in a building collapse.(1.25 credits)
8:30 AM	Tactical Medical Response Initiatives Met Clark, Lieutenant, Fire EMS Training Officer Austell FD, GA Category: EMS/Law Enforcement The tactical medical response initiatives is a three phase response to austere, remote, disaster, SWAT and special operation environments. This template was established for the first responders arriving on scene for nonconventional threats. The first tactical medical initiative is Risk Management and Mitigation. The second initiative is Medical Evacuation. The third initiative is Critical Incident Stress Management. This subject fits within the scope of SWAT medicine and special operations. Tactical medics often use the tactical combat casualty care guidelines established by the United States military to perform medical skill sets in the austere environments. The first phase of the tactical combat casualty care is care under fire. This phase states that the medic should essentially pick up any weapon and shoot back to gain fire superiority. Within the continental US, medics cannot pick up weapons and fire indiscriminately without proper accreditation and training. This class addresses the issues of the care under fire phase and applies the tactical medical response initiatives template to public safety.(1.25 credits)
10:45 AM	Opening Keynote: In Search of the Hunter Caregiver Scott Bolleter, BS, EMT-P In today?s complex world, a ?survive and concur? mentality often clashes with those of us in EMS who are programmed to ?seek and assist,? and the result of these confrontations is usually not pretty. Understanding the conflict and the reality of our collective solutions will strengthen our ability to respond and improve our caregiving flexibility. In this emotionally charged presentation, Scott looks at the reality of the professional world of EMS; describes the development and design of today?s provider; identifies the emotions related to emergency care; and defines the lessons offered by our patients. This talk is specifically designed to help realign our chosen profession with solutions that make a difference.
3:00 PM	CANCELLED: Real Time Rescue 2009 Fred LaFemina, Battalion Chief, Rescue Operations, FDNY FEMA/USAR Task Force Leader NY-TF1 Category: Specialized Rescue This is a presentation on technical rescue incidents and problems that will arise which are not part of the training manuals. We will discuss actual trench cave-in collapse rescue and body recovery, collapse operations, scuba rescue, confined space and the training, and national standards that cover them. In addition, Chief LaFemina, who responds to technical rescue incidents on a daily basis, will discuss actual incidents in which he was the incident commander and what actions he implemented to ensure a safe and successful rescue of the victim. Learn what really happens and not just what the book tells you what might happen.(1.25 credits)
3:00 PM	CANCELLED: Solving Fire Officer Problems Workshop Peter Lamb, Fire Chief, North Attleboro, MA FD Category: Leadership This interactive program will alternate between a tactical and a personnel problem and several actual problems will be discussed and solved in a group think process by all participants with an experienced fire officer guiding and facilitating. This will be fast paced and active as we will discuss and get alternatives and comments on the problems that face all departments, whether career, volunteer, on call or combination. This program will be informative and allow folks to think about leadership and tactical problems with the benefit of all to help out and act as a safety net. (1.25 credits)
3:00 PM	Decontaminating Law Enforcement Personnel Russ Merrick, Captain, Special Operations Command, Rochester, NY FD Category: Hazmat When seconds count are you trained and ready to perform your task? Haz-Mat teams typically perform decontamination operations of entry personnel and equipment upon leaving the Hot Zone, but are you prepared to handle a Law Enforcement incident that requires decontamination of SWAT and or Bomb Squad personnel and their equipment? Undoubtedly we live in a time when acts of terrorism involve Weapons of Mass Destruction or Improvised Explosive Devices. These types of situations require entry team members to wearing unconventional personal protective equipment and tools not normally worn by our Haz-Mat entry teams. Will your teams be successful? Why agencies need to take their training to that next level to perform safely and proficiently. (1.25 credits)
3:00 PM	Georgia Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (GaMABAS) Dennis Thayer, Sergeant and Paramedic Cobb County FD, GA With the introduction of the National Response Plan, updated and now called the National Response Framework, states are required to develop plans for statewide, intrastate mutual aid, and incident response. Georgia was selected by the International Association of Fire Chiefs Intrastate Mutual Aid Program as a Tier One mutual aid system. The Georgia Mutual Aid Group (GMAG) was charged with the responsibility of writing the fire Mutual Aid Response Plan. GMAG has developed a plan based upon the Illinois Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) program. In addition GMAG has gone a step further by developing a statewide interoperability plan that includes mapping, high hazard identification and pre-planning, resource tracking and all brought together by a state-wide semi-automated dispatch system. Georgia is the first state in the country to take on such a project encompassing a manual box alarm system that is designed to be scaled relative to the needs of the incident. Additionally, we can locate, dispatch, and track (real-time) resources throughout the state as they respond to and demobilize from large scale incidents. While our system has not been fully developed out, different aspects are being utilized throughout the state on a smaller scale, with constant work being accomplished to take the entire project state-wide.(1.25 credits)
3:00 PM	Recruiting and Retention: You Cannot Leave it to Chance Dr. Harry Carter, Chief, (ret), Adelphia, NJ FD Contributing Editor Firehouse Magazine Category: Leadership Gone are the days when people were literally breaking down the doors to join their local volunteer fire departments. Dr. Carter is a 45-year veteran of the fire and emergency service world. He has literally lived through the changes which have affected us all, and are continuing to this very day. In this session he will assist you in creating a plan to retain and recruit members for your fire department. He is a firm believer that retention comes before recruiting. He will help you to bring that attitude to bear in your own community. (1.25 credits)
3:00 PM	We Will Never Forget Richard Bowers , Fire Chief, Montgomery Cty Fire and Rescue, MD, Jennie Collins, Battalion Chief Prince William Cty Dept. of Fire & Rescue, VA Just after 6:00AM on April 16, 2007, Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue units were dispatched to a house fire. Six minutes after arriving, conditions dramatically changed and two MAYDAY radio transmissions occurred. The result was the tragic line of duty death of one of their own. What happened and what lessons can be learned by all firefighters and departments? Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue desires the ultimate outcome of this tragic incident to be the sharing of knowledge and lessons learned in an effort to prevent this from happening to another firefighter and fire department.