Final version as of 9/29 FDIC 2016 Classroom Sessions Real-World Hydraulics Chief Kirk Allen, Kansas (IL) Fire Protection District Are you tired of being told something, taught something, or sold something with claims of performance, only to find out after the fact that the claims were less than promoted and, in some cases, completely erroneous? The focus is on flow testing--the major issues uncovered that few are aware of--from the water main in the ground to the fire hose in your hand. Knowing the problem is only half the battle. The other half is becoming acquainted with the simple solutions proposed in this class. ALL LEVELS Cultural Competence for the Fire and Emergency Services Deputy Chief Michael Allora, Clifton (NJ) Fire Department Strategies for engaging multicultural communities to maximize effectiveness in providing services such as risk reduction, public education, disaster management, and emergency response to diverse communities are the focus. ALL LEVELS How Diversity and Politics Influence Change Management Assistant Professor Paul Antonellis, Merrimack College, North Andover, Massachusetts All organizations are built around political, ethical, and social forces and differences in beliefs and values that help shape the culture within the organization. This class examines how diversity and politics can influence change management in an organization and what steps you can take to include all members in open, honest, and respectful communication to ensure that the organization is operating at peak performance. ALL LEVELS Fire and Crash Response to High-Voltage Vehicles Assistant Chief (Ret.) Brock Archer, Hopland (NC) Fire District Understanding how to safely interact with high-voltage vehicles is a must for the modern rescuer. Learn the universal procedures to safely “shut down” and “make safe” all hybrid and electric vehicles. The instructor has developed, based on research studies, operational considerations and tactics for extinguishment, overhaul, release, and transport of these vehicles when they have been involved in fire incidents. INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED Combined Fire Attack Fire Officer Arturo Arnalich, European Organization for Nuclear Research International Presenter A proper combination of tools, techniques, and tactics (3T) allows for safer, more efficient, and more effective firefighting operations. It’s all about timing and coordination. Given the same fire scene and context, different fire services approach the situation using divergent tactics, often with opposite approaches. The combined fire attack is one of many examples of a tactics combination that brings together the advantages of transitional attack, positive-pressure attack (PPA), and the traditional European antiventilation and gas-cooling techniques. One of the biggest disadvantages of PPA is the rapid fire development in today’s ventilation-controlled fire environments. Softening the target and using gas cooling before and during interior progression

prevent fire development while the positive-pressure ventilation fan enforces the desired flow path and prevents steaming of the attack team during the transitional attack. ALL LEVELS Volunteer or Career: the 12 Keys to Becoming a Professional Battalion Chief Bob Atlas, Contra Costa (CA) Fire Department Are we professionals, or is that just what we call ourselves? A professional prepares and trains to a standard well above the amateur. Your personal implementation of standards and training prepares you to become a professional. In today’s fire service, those who seek professionalism will be rewarded with an incredible sense of accomplishment and success. This class examines 12 “keys” to professionalism for career and volunteer firefighters, officers, and chief officers. Among the topics covered are strategies and tactics for putting the customer first, organizing your career action plan, and embracing change. ALL LEVELS Effective Roof Operations: Lessons Learned from East to West Chief Ken Bailey, Travis County (TX) Fire Rescue Roof operations vary from the East Coast to West Coast. Students gain an understanding of vertical ventilation techniques from across the country and are shown how to blend best practices for safe, predictable, and effective roof operations. The course is based on firsthand experience of training with firefighters from coast to coast and cutting countless roofs in training and on the fireground. Among the topics covered are tool selection, roof techniques/tricks of the trade, building construction, and roof diagnostics; all of this is compared and contrasted with what the new science is saying about traditional ventilation practices. ALL LEVELS 105 Tactical Extrication Tips in 105 Minutes Engineer Paramedic Leslie Baker, Charleston (SC) Fire Department This high-tempo presentation covers the extrication process from preparation to termination and includes 105 tactical-level tips that better prepare students to respond to today’s motor vehicle collisions. Establishing command, sizing up the incident, and formulating a plan based on good strategies are among the topics addressed. The street-level tips are presented through case studies with photos and videos and can be implemented in any department. ALL LEVELS The Assessment Center Process: How To Be Successful Battalion Chief Lisa Baker, Oakland (CA) Fire Department Students are guided in the assessment center process and how to achieve higher scores. PowerPoint® will be used to present exercise questions. The focus will be on recognizing good responses and those that need improvement. Students are guided in the components of a better-than-satisfactory response and receive pointers on how to do well in each aspect of the test. ALL LEVELS Assessing Your Comunity for the Wildland Urban Interface Threat Captain/Training Officer Seth Barker, Big Sky (MT) Fire Department Getting back to the basics with a wholistic approach to assessing a community and the real-world challenges responders face with the imminent threat of a wildland fire in the urban interface are the focus. This approach includes identifying target hazards, accurately creating an incident action plan, and developing an overall strategy for the local fire department and responding agencies. Specific topics include how to adequately prepare to perform techniques for mitigating

the hazards in their communities; educating local agencies and community stakeholders about what it means to fight wildland fires, mitigate hazards, and develop real response profiles; mapping the community’s capabilities; ensuring that the customers understand how much danger they are in and how to better combat that danger in the future; and ensuring that all are fully informed on all major threats to the fire district. ALL LEVELS eLearning in the Fire Service: Choosing the Right Learning Management System Firefighter/Paramedic Freddie Batista, Fort Lauderdale (FL) Fire Department Walk through the process of choosing the right learning management system for your fire department. Fire department training has evolved. With shortages in staffing and the inability to send personnel to conferences or out-of-state training, departments need to look at another avenue for facilitating their training. The focus is on selecting the learning management systems (LMS) that will work best. Students are guided in creating a checklist of questions to ask when shopping for the most efficient and effective system. ALL LEVELS Treating the Injured Firefighter Captain Jason Blake, Montgomery County (MD) Fire/Rescue Emphasis is on developing proactive and engaged officers who facilitate training in the firehouse, on the street, and at the academy so that fewer firefighters are killed and injured during firefighting. Incumbent training is as important as initial training and, many times, is an excellent opportunity to learn from the near misses that occur almost every day. Students become acquainted with the ideas of officers and instructors and proven programs used in a combination department to teach firefighters how to learn from past events and recent case studies. They will see how lessons learned were the driving force for writing objectives and building training props to deliver a high-intensity training schedule to in-service units over a short time. ALL LEVELS View from the Street: The First 20 Minutes Battalion Chief Richard Blatus, Fire Department of New York It’s the middle of the night. Your pager goes off; it is 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 interactive program places you in the role of the incident commander. Fireground operations are based on the information gathered from the transmission of the alarm. Addressed are questions such as, what could/should you rely on if you are unable to obtain the information you need to make safe/sound operational decisions and what are the critical actions you can take to avoid some of the pitfalls that can occur during the first 20 minutes of an operation? ALL LEVELS Special Operations in Small Departments Captain Art Bloomer, Kearny (NJ) Fire Department Many departments across the nation respond each year to incidents that require specialized rescue equipment and the proper training to operate it and quickly get in over their heads, sometime with tragic results. Every department should have at least a basic knowledge of special operations. Learn about all of the potential issues you may face when responding to these types of incidents, how to identify the pitfalls, the laws and regulations involved, and preparing for your next rescue response. Among the topics addressed are the required training, the specialized

equipment needed to mitigate such incidents, “sizing up” your response area to find sites prone to these types of incidents, and getting these industries to aid you in training and obtaining equipment. In addition, you will learn about other resources that may be in your area, such as regional USAR teams, and how to access them. ALL LEVELS Reviving Your Volunteer Program Chief Scott Blue, Carroll County (GA) Fire Rescue An overview of how one department rebuilt its volunteer firefighter program. Carroll County is a combination fire department that at one time had more than 200 volunteer firefighters. Over the years, this number continued to decline. In 2014, the department reached an all-time low of only 18 active volunteer firefighters. At this point, a new administration placed emphasis on rebuilding the volunteer program to supplement career staff. Over the next 16 months, the number of active volunteers increased by more than 300 percent. The lessons learned throughout this process are presented and discussed. ALL LEVELS Fostering an Atmosphere of Operational Resilience Firefighter G. Howard Blythe, Fire Department of New York This presentation outlines a model of tactical characteristics, training structure, and administrative philosophy that has the potential to create an environment and culture of operational resilience. This trait is one of the five characteristics of high reliability organizations and is the cornerstone of efficient and quick reacting operating organizations. In environments of high consequence and constantly evolving conditions, operational resilience is a principle that allows for greater organizational success and individual performance. ALL LEVELS The Fire Service Harness: a Multipurpose Tool Firefighter Chris Botti, Fire Department of New York The fire service harness is more than just something to which you attach your firefighter escape system. It is a multipurpose tool that can be used for self-rescue, the rescue of civilians, and the rescue of down firefighters. Students will gain an understanding of how to use their fire service harness to its fullest extent. ALL LEVELS A Broader View of “Science” and the Fireground Major Jason Brezler, USMC/Fire Department of New York The focus is on a broader view of science as it relates to the open-system fireground. Valuable academic concepts are reinforced with anecdotal and empirical evidence. The fire service has made great strides in conferring with the scientific community in recent years, but the application of “science” has been narrow. The most significant scientific disciplines, those that center on the human element, have been neglected. The human element plays the most critical role in determining outcomes. ALL LEVELS Bruno and Norman “Unplugged” Chief (Ret.) Alan Brunacini, Phoenix (AZ) Fire Department; and Deputy Assistant Chief (Ret.) John Norman, Fire Department of New York An opportunity to see, hear, and interact with these two fire service luminaries. Glean the lessons learned from their illustrious firefighting careers. Share their observations and perspectives in an informal and entertaining atmosphere. Available only at FDIC. ALL LEVELS

Gaining Relative Superiority: the 2½-Inch Attack Line Firefighter Brian Brush, Edmond (OK) Fire Department Students learn that a cut in staffing does not automatically have to mean a reduction in the size of the hoseline used. A three-person engine is far and away the most common firefighting unit in the country. On paper, this appears appropriate: an officer, an engineer, and a firefighter. The real-world translation at a working fire is pump operator and two firefighters. Many organizations use this perceived staffing deficiency to explain away their ability to place anything other than a 1¾-inch hoseline into service. The fallacy is that the 2½-inch line necessitates more people or is more complicated. In many situations, this is not true. Operating as a 1¾-inch-only department is a choice; operating as a one-line engine is a result of staffing deficiencies. They are independent. The 2½-inch handline is a larger line, but it is still a single line. Through training, education, and proper tool selection, your company can effectively deploy and initiate an attack with the bigger weapon. ALL LEVELS Preparing You for Survival: IAFF/IAFC Wellness Fitness Initiative/Candidate Physical Ability Test Lieutenant Michael Cacciola, Fire Department of New York The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)/International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Fire Service Joint Labor-Management Wellness-Fitness Initiative (WFI) is the fire service-accepted program to build and maintain fit uniformed personnel. Fitness--medical, physical, and mental--necessitates than an effective wellness program be available to recruits, incumbents, and retirees. This program offers a step-by-step approach to implementing the entire WFI. It has now been more than 10 years since the release of the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT). More than 1,000 jurisdictions have successfully implemented this valuable program. This class provides data to demonstrate the successes in this program, especially as a fair evaluation system for the selection of firefighters to ensure that all firefighter candidates possess the physical ability to complete critical tasks effectively and safely as well as provide for increased fire department diversity. ALL LEVELS Common Principles of Firefighting (Conceptos Comunes del Combate Contra Incendios) Captain Pedro Cáceres, Wayne Township (IN) Fire Department International Presenter This class is delivered in Spanish. Firefighting often differs from one department to another, from one region of the country to another, and definitely from one country to another. At the same time, several principles are constant for all good firefighting, even at the international level. Teamwork, command presence, training, situational awareness, and fitness and are all factors that can improve the fire service regardless of its location. This class reviews these principles by using case studies that illustrate the need for and importance of sound firefighting principles and includes the sharing of lessons learned and supporting research and data. ALL LEVELS The Changing Nature of Large-Vehicle Fire Operations Captain/Fire Prevention Officer Robert Callahan, Bossier Parish (LA) Fire District 1 Much like today’s structure fires, fires involving large highway vehicles, including 18-wheelers, buses, and recreational vehicles, have undergone a radical change in the past several years. New hydrocarbon-based solid fuels in greater quantities have led to faster burning, hotter, and more dangerous fires that can easily challenge a department’s response capabilities. The changing

nature of these fires presents personnel, operational, and logistical challenges that were not issues in the past but now challenge even the most well-staffed volunteer, combination, and small career departments. These challenges are discussed, and students learn how to solve them through preplanning, using mutual aid, and employing tactical changes that include using heavy-flow initial lines on the fireground that will allow the balance of power to tip back into the favor of the responding departments. ALL LEVELS In for the Long Haul: Introduction to Firefighter Mental Resilience Assistant Chief of Chaplaincy Steve Calvert, Coppell (TX) Fire Department Consider the information shared “bunker gear for the mind.” The focus is on the safety aspects of mental resiliency (National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s Life Safety Initiative 13) and on actions firefighters can take to build awareness and safeguards against distractions that can negatively affect their safety on the fire line. ALL LEVELS Achieving Success Isn’t an Accident: the Higher Reliability Organizing Path Battalion Chief Dane Carley, Fargo (ND) Fire Department The focus is on higher reliability organizing (HRO). Students learn how to recognize and adapt to changes brought about by the constant flux in today’s environment. HRO, used by other industries, is a resource that can help the fire service to use its members to recognize threats and opportunities and create new ideas that can lead to potential solutions. The system is applicable to day-to-day operations as well as emergency scenes. HRO develops advantageous behaviors in members, which makes it part of the culture and fosters an expectation of performance. ALL LEVELS Initial Size-Up Reports for First-Due Company Officers Deputy Chief of Operations Leonard Carmichael Jr., Trenton (NJ) Fire Department The initial on-scene size-up for the first-arriving officer at various types of incident responses is the focus. This course addresses Goals 3 and 4 of the United States Fire Administration’s Emergency Services Leader Strategic Plan. The framework is established for the entire fireground experience from assessing the incident scene arrival information to setting up an incident management system. Through lecture and individual scenario assessment, students use a systematic mental checklist (Command, Actions, Size-Up, and Help--CASH) for on-scene size-up reports that can be applied to 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. This class is a plus for promotional exams. ALL LEVELS Running a Volunteer Fire Department Harry Carter, Chairman, Board of Fire Commissioners, Howell Township, New Jersey The majority of the fire departments in the United States and North America are volunteer organizations. This class will help members of volunteer departments of all sizes to understand their organization and how it works. Organizational design, leadership, management, training, recruiting and retention, and ethical behavior are addressed. Attendees will be able to use the information to make their organizations more dynamic and effective. ALL LEVELS Fire Research and Victim Survivability: What About the Victim? Firefighter John Ceriello, Fire Department of New York

Three major research projects have been conducted looking at the fire dynamics associated with ventilation of a residential structure fire. The impact of horizontal, vertical, and positive-pressure ventilation on the residential fire environment was tested with results indicating how fire department operations impact fire dynamics. Hundreds of thousands of data points for temperature, gas velocity, pressure, and gas concentrations were recorded and analyzed to identify tactical considerations. In all the experiments, these data were recorded not only after fire department arrival but also during fire growth. This class reviews these data while emphasizing what it means for potential victims in these types of structures. How fire department operations impact the potential survivability of the victims is discussed, and veteran fire officers will explain what this means on the street and offer operational suggestions for successful victim rescue. ALL LEVELS Lead from the Front: Fireground Tactics and Leadership Deputy District Chief (Ret.) Steve Chikerotis, Chicago (IL) Fire Department Leadership principles to fireground tactics are covered. Students share in leadership lessons learned by the instructor during his 36-year career in the Chicago Fire Department. Modern tactics are compared with traditional tactics from the perspectives of what has changed and why. Audiovisuals reinforce powerful lessons learned. Among additions aspects covered are team building and leadership, earning respect, motivating other firefighters, risk management, fireground tactics, communications and accountability, critical incident decision making, and achieving your goals. ALL LEVELS Tower Ladder Tactics and Tips Lieutenant Michael Ciampo, Fire Department of New York More and more fire departments are purchasing tower ladder apparatus for the overall safety of their firefighters. Many departments and firefighters transferring to a tower ladder company don’t understand all of the apparatus’ uses and capabilities. This class covers everything from training to setup, tactical tips, and overall operations, including street smarts for the tower ladder operator. ALL LEVELS Developing the Next Generation of Fire Service Leaders Assistant Chief Douglas Cline, Horry County (SC) Fire Rescue The focus is on creating a professional development model for your organization. This model consists of a planned, progressive, and lifelong process of education, training, self-development, and experience. Professional development is a critical element of leadership. When you step up to accept the responsibility of leadership, you also accept an obligation to continue your training, education, learning, and personal experience so that you improve your effectiveness. Fire service organizations must provide continual guidance to their personnel through a carefully crafted professional development plan that meets the specifics of the organization. ALL LEVELS What Would You Do? Assistant Chief (Ret.) John “Skip” Coleman, Toledo (OH) Department of Fire and Rescue Every firefighter riding the seat of a fire apparatus, regardless of rank, could be called on to establish command at a fire or other incident. This class will help you to develop the skills necessary to initially assume command at an emergency incident. Students will be walked through the command process at scenarios presented. ALL LEVELS

Drawn by Fire: the Art of Making a Difference Editorial Cartoonist Paul Combs, Fire Engineering Paul Combs has been creating fire service editorial cartoons for more than a decade and has the stories, successes, failures, and backlash scars to show for it! Get an inside look at his creative process and see what makes one of his zany cartoons come to life. He will also show a selection of work that has made a difference in his career and share the cartoons that have evoked the strongest reactions--good and bad. You will be encouraged and motivated to find your own voice to make a positive difference in the fire service by exploring your own tools (skills). ALL LEVELS Firefighter Free Speech Chief David Comstock, Western Reserve (OH) Joint Fire District The interaction between a firefighter’s First Amendment right of free speech and a governmental employer’s right to maintain order and discipline within the fire department is explored. Federal rules and regulations and court cases that have addressed many of the repeating conflicts that occur within the firehouse, including criticisms of fire officials, retaliatory action, preemptory gag orders, participation in public demonstrations, and contacting city officials outside of the chain of command, are reviewed. Precedent court case rulings are applied to recent controversies involving social media rants and raves. ADVANCED Zero to Hero: Leadership Habits Before the Emergency Captain Larry Conley, St. Louis (MO) Fire Department The focus is a principle-based approach to emergency services. Participants learn the details of the EMPOWER model. By internalizing this model, they learn to improve their personal leadership qualities and, consequently, to build stronger teams. ALL LEVELS Toothpick Towers: a Fire Officer’s Guide to Operating in Lightweight Wood-Frame Multiple Dwellings Associate Professor Glenn Corbett, John Jay College, New York City; Technical Editor, Fire Engineering This course covers the evolution of lightweight Type V construction and the variety of dangers it poses to firefighters. Attendees will become acquainted with specific tools for dealing with these buildings from the planning stage blueprint through the major nightmare fire. Most fire departments across the United States have lightweight Type V construction apartments, townhouses, and hotels in their jurisdictions. Although lightweight wood-frame construction has been in existence for more than 40 years, recent changes to codes and new technologies have conspired to make them one of the most significant challenges the fire service faces today. ADVANCED Successful Management of Extrications and Complex Roadway Incidents Paramedic Anthony Correla, Bucks County (PA) Rescue Squad Dealing with vehicle extrications and complex highway incidents involves the coordination of multiple agencies, whether a one-car motor vehicle collision that ties up traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike on a holiday weekend or a multiple-casualty incident (MCI) with a school bus on a weekday. The dynamics related to these incidents create chaos surrounding issues such as

who is in charge and how to properly manage and use resources at these types of incidents. Attendees actively participate in team-building exercises related to managing people, vehicles, egos, and the scene through proper size-up and use of the incident command system. Topics include crew resource management, communication, situational awareness, teamwork, decision making, and barriers to implementing these functions. Students will practice these skills in exercises to improve their operational effectiveness at these types of incidents. INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED Community Risk Reduction: the Future of the Fire Service Fire Marshal (Ret.) Jim Crawford, Vancouver (WA) Fire Department The participants gain an understanding of community risk reduction as it is truly defined--an integrated approach to risk management for local communities. They learn how it blends emergency operations and prevention strategies at the station level and review case studies from around the world that show it produces measurable results and improves community relationships. ALL LEVELS IAFF/IAFC/ACE Peer Fitness Training and Rehabilitation Program Battalion Chief George Cruz, Los Angeles County (CA) Fire Department Firefighting continues to be one of the most demanding occupations in the United States and Canada. Research reveals the need for high levels of physical fitness to safely perform the necessary duties within the fire service career. Students become familiar with the new third edition of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)/International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)/ACE® Peer Fitness Training (PFT) program, which has been revised to place emphasis on overall health and wellness both on and off the job. The focus is on the fire department’s taking the lead in ensuring that uniformed personnel are properly rehabilitated. During rehabilitation, clinicians familiar with firefighting job requirements or essential job functions should determine uniformed personnel’s functional capacities and readiness to return to full duty. In short, the fire department must facilitate the process from beginning to end, and the revised PFT program focuses on aiding personnel to be physically prepared for returning to full duty and thereafter. BASIC “Drive to Survive”: the Art of Wheeling the Rig Firefighter/EMT (Ret.) Christopher Daly, Goshen Fire Department, West Chester (PA) Countless hours are spent training on topics such as fire suppression, vehicle extrication, and mass-casualty incidents, yet these skills are used few and far between. But, every emergency incident, no matter how minor, requires drivers to use their driving skills, and little attention is paid to driver training. Although nearly 25 percent of firefighter and EMS fatalities are the direct result of motor vehicle crashes, few agencies train their members on the safe operation of emergency apparatus. This class teaches members that no matter how long they have been driving or how “good” they think they are, there are limits to the safe operation of an emergency apparatus or personal vehicle. Using the same techniques used by crash investigators, the seminar is designed to provide a better understanding of important topics critical for the safe operation of an emergency vehicle. ALL LEVELS The Three Cs of Fire Operations Battalion Chief Sean DeCrane, Cleveland (OH) Fire Department

Students are introduced to a system that uses the “Three Cs” on the fireground and incorporates the “Four Ws of Ventilation” to facilitate making the fireground safer. Research and live fire scenarios are used to illustrate the importance of implementing these concepts on the fireground. There have been many changes in the fire service over the past 20 to 30 years. These changes have required that the fire service adapt, change, or modify its approaches to battling fires: We have implemented rapid ventilation tactics to permit engine companies to enter structures; we ventilate to create a more tenable atmosphere for occupants. Have we made things safer and better? ALL LEVELS Mental Health Panel Battalion Chief Daniel DeGryse, Chicago (IL) Fire Department; Chief Patrick Kenny, Western Springs (IL) Fire Department; Captain/Chaplain Jeremy Hurd, Palm Beach County (FL) Fire Department; Firefighter (Ret.) John Walters, Fire Department of New York; Captain (Ret.) Jeff Dill, Palatine (IL) Rural Fire Protection District; and Firefighter (Ret.) Dr. Beth Murphy, Bellevue (WA) Fire Department. The mental health and well-being of the men and women in the fire service are the focus of this forum. With growing awareness and discussion on topics such as suicide, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse, fire service personnel are looking for venues that provide information and direction on such topics. The experienced professionals on this panel have presented on these topics across the United States. They will share some of their experiences and field critical questions surrounding these issues. ALL LEVELS Turning the Corner on Behavioral Health in the Fire Service Battalion Chief Daniel DeGryse, Chicago (IL) Fire Department This class is an overview of behavioral health awareness in the fire service. The focus is on substance abuse, mental health, and suicide. Student participation will be encouraged for a safe discussion on these issues and to see what is trending across the nation. The stress response “flight or fight” all firefighters experience over their career and its benefits and adverse affects will be addressed. Learn some important resources available to firefighters for treatment of these issues. ALL LEVELS The Tyranny of the “Or” Chief Tom DeMint, Poudre (CO) Fire Authority This interactive class explores the trap in which the concept of “or” puts organizations and cultures at odds with their values, vision, and mission. The focus is on strategies for differentiating between opposing forces that are absolute (wear your seat belt/self-contained breathing apparatus) and those that artificially indicate there is a single choice and on strategies for integrating the genius of “and.” In today’s fire service, we often find ourselves trapped in comments or arguments such as “Do we fight fire aggressively, ‘or’ do we reset the fire from the outside?” “Do we honor tradition, ‘or’ do we become a progressive profession responding to the ever-changing needs of our community?” F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote, “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.” ALL LEVELS Understanding Mentoring in the Fire Service Firefighter/Special Operations Technician Eric DePoto, Charlotte (NC) Fire Department

The true meaning of mentoring, the characteristics that make effective mentors, improving your already adequate mentoring skills, and the effects of mentors (good or bad) on firefighters are among the topics discussed. Students will critique the mentoring styles and performances of individuals presented by the instructor. ALL LEVELS Saving Those Who Save Others Captain (Ret.) Jeff Dill, Palatine (AZ) Rural Fire Protection District This class is dedicated to educating firefighters on suicide awareness/prevention. It involves information gathered by the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance relative to firefighters’ ages, work status, reasons behind the suicide, and much more. Attendees learn about signs/symptoms, behavioral health, policies, procedures, training, resources, and how to become involved with their employee assistance or chaplain program. The class features role-play that involves real-life situations. ALL LEVELS Normalization of Deviance: How to Overcome Complacency Lieutenant John Dixon, Teaneck, (NJ) Fire Department The focus is on the “Normalization of Deviance” phenomenon, which highlights all aspects of complacency on and off the fireground. Emphasis is on organizational learning and leadership and strengthening personal leadership qualities to navigate through the “Drift into Failure” process. This is not solely a theory or thought-laden class. The “how to” is stressed as students learn to become more self-aware; recognize the signs of “drift”; and learn to avoid, overcome, and battle this process by employing actions that can help prevent firefighter injuries and deaths. ALL LEVELS Reading Smoke Battalion Chief (Ret.) David Dodson, Response Solutions, LLC The instructor uses a “walk-the-walk, talk-the-talk” approach that does not include slides, note reading, or a teleprompter. First-timers will benefit from an introduction to the reading smoke principles using fireground video from real-world incidents (no simulations). Returning participants benefit from several new video examples that allow them to practice/maintain their reading smoke skills. ALL LEVELS A History of Boston’s Ladder Culture Lieutenant Shawn Donovan, Boston (MA) Fire Department The focus is on the ground ladder as a proven effective life-safety tool. Students journey through the history and evolution of the ground ladder in Boston, Massachusetts. Included are Boston’s fire academy practices and drills, field drills, standard operating procedures and standards relevant to ground ladder work, ground ladder tactical considerations, and various ladder throws and methods. Also featured are many documented incidents of how ground ladders were used to effect life safety. ALL LEVELS The House on the Hill: Topographically Challenged Firefighting Lieutenant Danny Doyle, Pittsburgh (PA) Bureau of Fire Learn the tactical challenges associated with structures built on hillsides. Finding on your arrival at the scene a two-story, single-family structure on side A that transverses to five stories on side C will dramatically affect your operation and firefighter safety. Challenges are identified and

countered with fireground-proven solutions and innovative recommendations. Topics covered range from the importance of size-up and detecting above- or below-grade divisions and apparatus positioning for access to tactical advantage to twists on basement fire tactics because there are multiple floors below grade. Discuss street-smart tips for company operations and the need for situational awareness, survival skills, and escape systems. ALL LEVELS Vent-Enter-Isolate-Search: a New Approach Lieutenant Eric Dreiman, Indianapolis (IN) Fire Department This course was developed with the modern fireground in mind. Vent-enter-search is a time-tested and valuable tactic. The modern fireground is much different from the firegrounds of 20 or 30 years ago. This class addresses the differences in fire growth, thermal layering, ventilation-limited fires, flashover, lightweight construction, fire loading, building configuration, and flow paths on the modern fireground. Students see why vent-enter-isolate-search (VEIS) needs an updated approach. Techniques for carrying out a safe, effective, and efficient VEIS on the modern fireground are covered, as is a review of tools and personnel responsibilities. ALL LEVELS Extrication and EMS: Coordinating Team Delivery of Critical Care Lieutenant Rommie Duckworth, Ridgefield (CT) Fire Department Good vehicle extrication demands a unique collaboration between rescue and emergency medical personnel. The objectives are to increase situational awareness and improve your strategic and tactical plans for extrication by incorporating key medical information in the decision-making process. To save a victim (not just chop up a vehicle), you need command, coordination, communication, and care. A real-world approach incorporates advanced life support considerations in the extrication strategy and shows how basic life support first responders can manage quickly and effectively a great deal of critical trauma care. Students learn how to deliver immediate life-saving treatment more safely and efficiently, reduce time from patient contact to patient surgery, and improve the lives of the people they are protecting. ALL LEVELS This House Rocks: Firehouse Excellence Captain (Ret.) Michael Dugan, Fire Department of New York; and Captain Michael Gagliano, Seattle (WA) Fire Department A review of skills and tactics for dealing with issues and problems common to firehouses and departments. The focus is on the five key characteristics that make the difference between a firehouse in which everyone wants to work vs. one where nobody wants to go. These five “markers” are: (1) a compelling vision, (2) individual responsibility/house pride, (3) teamwork, (4) prepared to get the job done … whatever the job may be, and (5) have fun! ALL LEVELS Emergency Responses to Alternative Fuel Vehicles Captain Jason Emery, Waterbury (CT) Fire Department Recent trends in the transportation industry has shown that the number of hybrid and electric vehicles as well as gaseous fuels and fuel cell vehicles on the world’s roads continues to grow. Students are given an overview of vehicles using these types of alternative drive systems and the impact on emergency operations. Among the topics covered are identification methods, vehicle systems and hazards, and response procedures. Buses and other commercial vehicles now

gaining in popularity are included. Attendees learn how to safely work around these vehicles. ALL LEVELS Efficient Rural Water Delivery: Accomplishing More with Less Firefighter Jason Estep, Morrisvale (WV) Volunteer Fire Department Water and personnel are the most valuable resources fire departments have in controlling fire in rural America. However, both seem to be in short supply and are cited as reasons for the ineffectiveness of rural departments. There is a better way. The focus of this class is on the challenges for rural fire departments and ways to address them through training. Among these issues are the following: (1) Fire departments are failing to set the dump tank. Nurse tanker operations are ineffective and do not support the fire flows that today’s modern construction demands. (2) Firefighters have lost the ability to recognize usable water sources. (3) We are very inefficient in fill site operations, and they are very labor intensive. Among solutions discussed are the vacuum tanker, which greatly enhances fill operations, improves fill time, and saves personnel, and fill site operations, which are measured in a metric of gallon per minute per firefighter, which gives a good rating of the efficiency of an operation. ALL LEVELS Line-of-Duty Deaths While Training in Rope Rescue/Rappelling Rescue Training Coordinator Christopher Feder, Montgomery County (PA) Department of Public Safety When it comes to training, safety should always be paramount. We should have full control over training and drills to ensure participants’ health and safety at all times. Occasionally, firefighters get injured and, in some cases, die in training. If we look at a few line of-duty-death (LODD) investigations, we see that many of these incidents were, in fact, preventable. This program reviews case studies in which a line-of-duty death occurred while the victim was engaged in some type of rope rescue/rappelling training. Students are guided in writing, updating, and re-evaluating their departmental standard operating procedures to increase safety and decrease risk to firefighters. Topics addressed include equipment and personal protective equipment, training facilities, curriculum and drill design, instructor requirements, applicable National Fire Protection Association standards, and recommendations. ALL LEVELS Real-World Counseling in the Assessment Center Setting Deputy Chief Freddie Fernandez, Miami (FL) Department of Fire Rescue Human resources are the most valuable assets fire officers manage; therefore, excellent interpersonal skills are mandatory to be a thriving leader. The focus is on counseling subordinates and the effects of personal problems on workplace performance. Addressed are developing and implementing an achievable performance improvement plan, strategies for uncovering underlying personal issues that may be affecting personnel performance, and tips for enhancing the effectiveness of a counseling session. Students are guided in methods for obtaining input from the subordinate for the improvement plan and in the potential consequences of action or nonaction. ALL LEVELS Drilling for Function: an Examination of Methods and Culture Firefighter Aaron Fields, Seattle (WA) Fire Department The focus in on the nuts and bolts of creating and implementing drills and training programs. The methods within the program are scalable, allowing individuals to create individual and

company level drills up to departmentwide training and curriculum development. The program uses “Nozzle Forward” as the model, but it is focused on the methods used for instruction within the program, which provide a template for any skill set. In addition, the program addresses common educational mistakes, pitfalls, and misinformation often found in fire service training circles. ALL LEVELS Firefighter Training Programs: a New Approach Lieutenant Robert Finger Jr., Manlius (NY) Fire Department Learn a new approach to training in these busy times: the “Do the skill or do the drill” model. Members do not have enough time to get the training they need. Maybe 10 people show up for drill, but 20 do not! How do you know that everyone has the skills to be safe and efficient? Receive a complete training program, including skills sheets and lesson plans. INTERMEDIATE Quint Considerations for the Single-Truck Suburban Department Lieutenant Rob Fisher, Snohomish County (WA) Fire District #7 Many departments of varying sizes use quints, but how departments use them differs according to the resources available. The primary focus is on the importance of traditional truck work from the perspective of working on a nontraditional truck from which you can stretch a hoseline. The big question is, when do you stretch the line and work as an engine and when do you decide to position and work as a truck? The pros/cons of operating quints and the lessons learned by others who have worked on them are also discussed. INTERMEDIATE Fire Operations in Protected Structures Lieutenant Brad French, Dayton (OH) Fire Department Do you really know the buildings in your first-due? Various concepts of fire protection systems, some of which can be quite complicated or intimidating, are brought down “to the street” for firefighters. Significant knowledge of standpipe and sprinkler systems, fire pumps, elevators, fire alarm control panels, smoke control systems, and other building safety features is often reserved for fire prevention or code enforcement personnel. Students gain an understanding of complex fire protection system components that will enable them to apply the easy-to-remember principles on incidents. They are also guided in developing a realistic preincident planning process. Case studies involving line-of-duty deaths and high-dollar-loss fires that occurred in buildings despite fire protection systems being in place are examined. ALL LEVELS Meth Lab Fire; Now What? Captain Tobias Frost, Lafayette (IN) Fire Department Meth labs are everywhere, even on TV. What are our hazards? What is the myth vs. the science? How do we decontaminate responders and limit on-scene time? How can we handle these labs, and what do we need to watch out for? These are among the questions addressed. In addition, several production methods are evaluated along with a new response model that pairs fire-based hazmat response with police-based lab processing for faster, more efficient scene processing. Several case studies are used to help identify some of the hazards associated with illicit labs. ALL LEVELS Rules of Engagement for Positive-Pressure Attack Chief Kriss Garcia, American Fork (UT) Fire & Rescue

Amidst all the studies, hype, and hysteria, there are proven methodologies for putting positive-pressure attack into operation safely and effectively. This class looks at the decades worth of practical application of using fans for ventilating fire structures. It drives home that firefighter safety and victim survivability necessitate controlling the fire environment. ALL LEVELS They Are Us: Fireground Size-Up, Command, Control, Accountability, and Survival Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder, Loveland-Symmes (OH) Fire Department It happened to them ... but when will it be us? We turn out day in and day out, normally expecting what to expect, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes, things don’t go as we thought they would. Sometimes, it goes far worse. Success and survival on the fireground have no guarantees; sometimes things go horribly wrong, even when we do our best. Other times, things go horribly wrong, and all the warning signs were there on the scene well before the fire even started. These are the fires we must learn from. The focus is on the proven facts of some recent fires. The lessons learned are taught with the resolve to honor those involved by not repeating fireground history. ALL LEVELS The Hearthwood Condominium Fire: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Firefighter Fatality) Deputy Chief Stuart Grant, Grapevine (TX) Fire Department This presentation addresses the good things that happened at the Hearthwood Condominium fire--the rescues that were made, the tactics that were instituted, and the rapid intervention team’s actions. It also examines the bad things that happened that night: the confusion that existed at the command post and the ugly things that happened that took Dallas Firefighter Stan Wilson’s life. The class concludes with lessons learned. ALL LEVELS Attack from the Burned Side Lieutenant Sean Gray, Cobb County (GA) Fire and Emergency Services There are many tactics for attacking structure fires. For years, the fire service has been preaching to attack from the unburned side. However, there are times when this isn’t always the best tactic. Students will learn tasks and tactics they can use to extinguish fires that originate on the exterior and extend into the attic. Using case studies and with practical experience, students analyze how the “unburned side” fallacy and other fallacies have led to firefighter injuries and deaths. Recent research data are discussed in detail, and students learn how to apply this research to the fireground to make it safer, smarter, and more efficient. This class is against the grain of traditional firefighting and offers an innovative approach to fighting today’s fires. ALL LEVELS Surviving the Insult: 2016 Interior Benchmarking Lieutenant William Greenwood, Keene (NH) Fire Department Making educated decisions in today’s hostile fire environment is critical for firefighter health and safety. This class helps to make sense of the science and help students understand why bad things are happening to good firefighters everyday. The latest fire dynamics studies, an in-depth look at interpreting the findings of a thermal imaging camera for safer decision making, and a review of how your personal protective equipment protects from burn injuries are discussed. Students will examine damaged turnout gear firefighters were wearing when they suffered burn injuries and will receive the five-step situational awareness model “Interior Benchmarking,” an easy-to-remember systematic process for benchmarking interior conditions as you operate on the

inside. These benchmarks (What do I see? What do I hear? What do I feel? Where exactly am I? How long did it take to get here?) will provide the interior firefighter with information for making educated-aggressive decisions on “go or no go.” ALL LEVELS Man vs. Machinery: Are You Prepared? Captain Mark Gregory, Fire Department of NewYork Machinery entrapments occur all across the United States and Canada. Is your department capable of handling one? The objectives of this program are to provide responders with the knowledge to help manage incidents involving extrication of patients from various types of machinery. Both common machinery and machinery specific to locations within your response area are discussed. This is a highly specialized skill set, and caring for victims/patients entrapped in machinery requires providers to be trained in specific treatment modalities and the possible complications that may arise. Tool selection, patient stabilization techniques, and crush injury syndrome are discussed as well as several case studies. ALL LEVELS Standpipe Operations Captain Bill Gustin, Miami-Dade (FL) Fire Rescue The class examines standpipe firefighting tactics and strategy, various types of standpipe systems and components, supplying fire department connections, and methods of stretching and advancing hoselines from standpipe outlets. ALL LEVELS Mitigating New Vehicle Technology Rescue Challenges: Tomorrow’s Cars Are Here! Deputy Chief (Ret.) Carl Haddon, North Fork (ID) Fire Department The message is that vehicles have changed and will continue to change, as will the challenges and dangers they present at extrication operations. Reevaluating traditional methods, tactics, and equipment is a recurring theme in this class. Metallurgy, design, construction, new 2017 glass standards, and safety system changes are addressed. Additional topics include challenges from hybrids and lithium ion battery-powered vehicle fires and changes, advances, and limitations in current rescue tool technology. This program is based on the first-hand, ongoing relationship between the instructor and automotive engineers from major automakers.Visual aids and vehicle photos are based on donated tough new vehicles. ALL LEVELS Fire-Law Enforcement Response: Command Concepts for This “New Normal” Chief Officer Ed Hadfield, Santa Maria (CA)Fire Department The “new normal” is that both fire and law enforcement must work in a unified command on a daily basis. The focus is on developing, executing, and evaluating current command operations from the perspective of a unified manner with fire and law enforcement during day-to-day operations, not just active-shooter events.The one-team command operation is used in patrol-level responses to enhance officer safety and establish a command structure that will rapidly escalate tactical environments to keep response personnel safe and citizens protected. INTERMEDIATE Quick Drills for the Driver/Operator Captain Eric Hankins, Yuba City (CA) Fire Department

The role of the driver/operator is arguably one of the most important functions on the fireground. From safe transportation to and from the emergency scene to operating an engine or a ladder truck at the scene of a multialarm fire, a competent and proficient driver/operator is critical to the success of the operation. This interactive class includes quick drills that can be held at the firehouse or in the response district. They include 10-minute fireground hydraulic drills to complex troubleshooting of a fire pump and how and when to short-jack a tower ladder or position aerial master streams without personnel in the bucket. ALL LEVELS Incident Scene Safety for Fireground Operations Assistant Chief Todd Harms, Phoenix (AZ) Fire Department The focus is on the incident commander’s (IC’s) operational and safety responsibilities on the scene of a structural fire; the IC fills the command and control role for the overall incident. Attendees learn how to apply the eight functions of command and 11 safety considerations discussed in class to fulfill these IC roles. The objective is to decrease firefighter deaths and injuries on the fireground. ALL LEVELS Construction Concerns: Modern Materials Deputy Chief (Ret.) Gregory Havel, Burlington (WI) Fire Department Students are made aware of the characteristics of today’s construction materials, the risks they pose for firefighters, and ways to increase responder safety. At most fires, we assume that immediate structural collapse will not happen. Today’s manufactured building materials have little fire resistance and collapse rapidly in fires. Prefire plans, operational procedures, and size-up help us make informed decisions and can help us work safely. Steel studs and trusses, laminated wood, and gypsum board were developed to save time and skill; they are part of most new and renovated buildings. Changes in construction methods and materials mean changes in fire behavior and firefighting. Firefighter survival requires prefire planning, incident size-up and action plans, and changes to operating procedures. Builders prefer manufactured products to natural wood since the performance is more predictable under normal conditions. Firefighters are concerned with the performance of these products under abnormal conditions. We must know our buildings: their construction, changing use, deterioration, and fire resistance. INTERMEDIATE Command and Control of Fireground Operations Battalion Chief George Healy, Fire Department of New York Firm command and control of fire operations are critical to safely mitigate the hazards encountered at the fire scene. All too often, command fails to recognize or adjust to the current hazards units are faced with at an incident. A confident fireground commander is critical to ensuring the safety of operating units. An incident commander is constantly growing and maturing as a leader with each incident. Students share in lessons learned and tactics the presenter used to control the fire scene during his 10-plus years as an incident commander. INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED Science in the Big Room Panel: Director Steve Kerber, UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute; Fire Protection Engineer Dan Madrzykowski, National Institute of Standards and Technology; Battalion Chief (Ret.) Jerry Tracy, Fire Department of New York; and Assistant Chief Derek Alkonis, Los

Angeles County (CA) Fire Department. Moderator: Battlion Chief Erich Roden, Milwaukee (WI) Fire Department; editor in chief, Fire Rescue The fire service continues to drive the movement for science-based research to better understand the fire environment and how tactics influence the fire conditions. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) continue to partner with the fire service with laboratory and field fire research. UL is in the process of more closely studying fire suppression to educate the fire service in respect to the most appropriate use of suppression appliances and techniques. The most current information on this ground-breaking study will be explained and discussed. NIST is also continuing its efforts to answer questions that the fire service needs answered. NIST is currently looking at some line-of-duty death incidents to recreate the incident and test possible tactics that could possibly avert similar future tragic events. Implementing tactical changes in standards operating procedures and on the fireground will be discussed and illustrated. ALL LEVELS Big Box Store Firefighting Strategies and Tactics Captain Aaron Heller, Hamilton Township (NJ)  Fire District #9 This presentation is for any fire department that will potentially respond to incidents involving these challenging structures. The various aspects of box store building features, engine company and truck company operations in these structures, large-area search considerations, and firefighter safety and survival as applicable to these large commercial buildings are among the topics covered. Included are considerations for the incident commander and the company officer. ALL LEVELS Forcible Entry Wins Are in the Details Lieutenant Samuel Hittle, Wichita (KS) Fire Department Why are some forcible entry attempts efficient while others are embarrassing? The answer is in the details. Setting forks, running a saw, and merely striking are not enough to ensure a win. Success requires knowledge of the system being defeated, familiarity with potential tools, and understanding basic physics concepts (levers, force multipliers, torque, impulse, inertia, vectors). This class will demonstrate nonevasive and evasive methods for windows, residential and commercial doors, overhead doors, hinges, padlocks, magnetic locks, high-density commercial systems, window bars, glass block, shearing, boarded openings, and more. Techniques include hand tools only, saws, and single-firefighter and company operations. Numerical evidence and video will justify why details like body positioning, tool placement and alignment, striking techniques, and exploiting system flaws matter. ALL LEVELS 10 Commandments for the Company Officer: a Guide for Success Off the Fireground Captain Jason Hoevelmann, Florissant Valley (MO) Fire Protection District Just as it is true on the fireground that as the first line goes, so goes the fire, it is also true that in the firehouse, as the company officer goes, so goes the crew! You can look at any company or house and tell a great deal about the attitude and competency of its company officer. Learn 10 basic competencies for company officers to get the most out of themselves and their crews. The focus in on creating a firehouse environment that fosters and mandates professionalism,

effectiveness, and teamwork--qualities also vital for effectiveness on the fireground. Emphasis is on officers’ mastering the basics of leadership, motivation, and empathy to a positive environment so company members can flourish and grow. INTERMEDIATE Instructing on the Drill Ground: Getting Your Assignments Right Deputy Fire Marshal Bill Hopson, Ocean County (NJ) Office of the Fire Marshal This highly motivational presentation examines the three primary roles of the drill ground instructor: observation, evaluation, and certification. It “challenges” attendees to identify the successful elements of the primary roles and examines the consequences of failing to properly perform each one. Attendees get an opportunity to balance ethics and integrity when confronted with meeting administrative and regulatory requirements for providing realistic training in simulated structures. ALL LEVELS Doing More with Less: Cross-Staffing Apparatus Battalion Chief Chris Hubbard, Hanover (VA) Fire EMS With many departments facing budget cuts and increasing demands for emergency medical services (EMS), the fire service has been forced to evaluate the possibilities of cross-staffing EMS and fire apparatus with minimal staffing. Attendees learn from several tricks of the trade to ensure they are meeting the community’s expectations. This program provides a brief overview of how the fire service began cross-staffing apparatus and how this is quickly becoming the norm across the country and the views of local government administrators. The program also discusses the advantages, disadvantages, and challenges some departments are facing. ALL LEVELS Beyond the Burns: Lessons Learned Lieutenant Angela Hughes, Baltimore County (MD) Fire Department This class is based on a near miss that could have cost two firefighters their lives. A simple incident that started with a chair on fire led to a fully involved basement. The firefighters were put into a situation where they were part of the flow path. The interior crew experienced all of the warning signs of high heat and low visibility. The nozzle firefighter suffered second-degree burns to her neck, ears, and face. The backup firefighter suffered first-degree burns. Why did they stay in? This part of this lecture goes beyond strategy and tactics. They were working with a group that believed in the firefighting tactics of long ago. They felt they had something to prove--something to prove, especially being women. The lessons learned go far beyond that of general fire behavior and changing tactics on the fireground. Feeling the need to prove yourself, to be aggressive, could be a fatal mistake. ALL LEVELS Help! This job Is Killing Me! Captain Jeremy Hurd, Palm Beach County (FL) Fire Rescue The focus is on how firefighters and emergency medical service personnel cope with calls that are “out of the norm.” Students learn how to prepare for these types of incidents, how to interact with survivors and coworkers, how to give difficult death notifications, and how to ensure that our personnel are not negatively affected long-term by running these types of calls. There will be lecture, discussion, role playing, and A/V presentation tools that will help prepare students for the next difficult death call each student will run. Behavioral health of firefighters is also emphasized, including how to monitor the individual’s behavioral health and the health of fellow

firefighters so that we can prevent the negative results that often come from these types of calls. ALL LEVELS Engine Company Operations: “Gallons Per Second” Battalion Chief Curt Isakson, Ecambia County (FL) Fire Rescue This class covers the fire alarm assignment and where to stretch the first three lines at a private-dwelling fire to stop fire spread and search for trapped occupants. The focus is on aggressive interior operations to save lives and stop property loss. Today’s accelerated fire growth necessitates rapidly applying water in terms of gallons per second and stopping fire growth while still considering the trapped occupants. Nearly 3,000 Americans trapped inside private dwellings during a fire die every year. ALL LEVELS Firefighting Operations in Mega-Mansions Past Chief Greg Jakubowski, Lingohocken (PA) Fire Company Today’s homes are being built larger than ever in all community settings from rural to suburban to urban. These residential occupancies present many significant risks and operational challenges to commanders and fire companies. Building construction, engineered systems, and design configurations of common mega-mansions--ranging from 4,000 to 20,000 square feet--are the focus. Topics include predictability of building performance; occupancy risk and reading the building; and strategic factors and tactical methodologies integrating the latest on fire behavior, flow path, and compartment control with insights on accessibility, limited water supply factors, and coordinated operational and incident management principles. Firefighting operations in these homes necessitate significantly different operational models than those used in the conventional home; these “new” models must ensure that command and company officers and firefighters have the additional knowledge and skill sets for safe operations. INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED Death of a Member During a Training Exercise Deputy Chief David Jephson, Terrace (British Columbia, Canada) Fire Department International Presenter The mission is to stress to trainers that they need to be diligent during all training exercises and not deviate from set course guidelines just to make the class cool or sexy. This class is a push to improve safety for our members. During a training/call in a river in British Columbia, a search and rescue volunteer fire department member died because the group was not directed to focus on safety. During the exercise, which involved using a highline system, the member was pulled out of the boat by a cable and died in the river. Not that that was not enough, but there also was no safety plan in place, and attempts to save the member stopped after 18 minutes. Since that day, the presenter has been discussing training and safety issues that he has learned from this call as well as been an expert witness on the inquiry. Among the topics covered are rapid intervention teams, backup crews, accountability, and much more. ALL LEVELS Tilt-Up Construction: Fortress or House of Cards? Firefighter James Johnson, Vancouver Terrace (British Columbia, Canada) Fire and Rescue Services International Presenter An in-depth look at the construction process of tilt-up buildings: their construction and their materials and components. Students will learn how to identify a tilt-up structure and the reasons

this type of structure is inherently dangerous for firefighters. Student participation is encouraged. ALL LEVELS The “Combat Ready” Engine Company Chief Tony Kelleher, Kentland (VA) Volunteer Fire Department With the “Combat Ready” mindset as the foundation, this multimedia, interactive class brings back the basics of engine company operations and teaches attendees how to use those basics to overcome obstacles, think outside the box, and prepare for any operational task that needs to be carried out. ALL LEVELS Rescue Company Tools: the Must Haves and the Nice to Haves Lieutenant Thomas Kenney, Hyannis (MA) Fire Department The class covers the tools available for rescue companies. Tool groups are broken down into packages such as manual, mechanical, electric, pneumatic, and hydraulic. Among the topics discussed are which tools always work, must-have tools on the rig, and buying into package tool systems. ALL LEVELS Mayday for Mental Health Chief Patrick Kenny, Western Springs (IL) Fire Department The cultures inside and outside of the fire service as they relate to mental health awareness, the history of how we have dealt with traumatic incidents in the past, and some basic definitions of common mental health conditions are part of the discussion. The session addresses how volunteer and combination departments that do not have access to the Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) deal with this issue. Even if those programs are available, are the firefighters referred to the EAPs courageous enough to come forward? The presentation is delivered from a very personal perspective of chief and the turmoil that naturally evolves from trying to maintain the “super” image of the department leader vs. the image of a father who is struggling to keep his son alive. ALL LEVELS Top 20 Tactical Considerations from Firefighter Research Director Stephen Kerber, UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute Over the past several years, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) have been working with the fire service to examine fire dynamics and firefighting tactics. More than a hundred experiments have examined the changes in the fire environment over time, the impact of ventilating ventilation-limited fires, and the implications of flow control and effectiveness in suppression tactics. These experiments were conducted with firefighters from across the country from departments of different types with varying levels of staffing, resources, and operating procedures. The NIST and UL studies have produced tactical considerations that have become common themes over several studies that may change the way you view your standard operating guidelines. ALL LEVELS Engine Company Operations: Avoiding Failure on the Fireground Captain Mike Kirby, Cincinnati (OH) Fire Department A review of the cultural, mental, and physical factors involved in engine companies failing on the fireground. Poor fireground operations, inadequate training, and multiple other factors can lead to serious injury or death on the fireground. Firefighters and company officers can effect

change in the fire service. This class will reenergize you and show you ways to be successful on the fireground. ALL LEVELS How to Start and Run a Certified Fire Academy Through a High School Lieutenant Tom Kiurski, Brighton (MI) Fire Department Howell High School began teaching a state-certified fire academy during school for the 2013-14 school year for the first time. The course is the first successful fire academy taught in a high school in Michigan. The instructor will discuss the arrangements, challenges, and state participation and student/cadet issues you should know about before you undertake this type of program. This can become a great way to recruit and train firefighters who know they want this at an early age. This program is a success. Find out why! ALL LEVELS The Illicit Manufacture of Butane Hash Oil: Dangers to First Responders Captain Siegfried Klein, Aurora (CO) Fire Department The focus is on the chemicals, dangers, and risks for first responders associated with the manufacturing of butane hash oil and safe practices when encountering these labs. Students are shown demonstrative evidence seized by Aurora Fire Department fire and explosive investigators. On January 1, 2012, the State of Colorado enacted Amendment 64, which made recreational use and possession of marijuana and hash oil legal for people 21 years of age and older. As a consequence, many people in Colorado have been manufacturing this lucrative and potent oil, which has led to several explosions in private and multifamily residences in Aurora and throughout Colorado; in 2014, there were 32 explosions and fires in the state. ALL LEVELS Initial Company Search and Rescue Tactics for Tornado Events Lieutenant Scott Kleinschmidt, Wichita (KS) Fire Department Search and rescue operations related to tornado events are not confined to any particular geographical location within the United States. These violent acts of nature can strike anytime and anywhere; lightweight residential and commercial structures are at high risk for catastrophic damage. Often, these storms strike in areas that might not have the specialized rescue equipment of larger departments, leaving personnel to perform these rescues under marginally safe conditions at best. Even the biggest departments can find their resources maxed out, leaving them in the same situation. This class focuses on how to safely perform search and rescue operations in and around these types of structures. Emphasis is on basic rescue operations and techniques that can be safely performed using equipment found on most engine and truck companies before specialized equipment arrives from regional, state, or federal teams. ALL LEVELS Stranded Energy and Firefighters: from Electric Vehicles to Photovoltaic Systems Senior Project Manager Andrew Klock, National Fire Protection Association Firefighters nationwide are responding to incidents involving a new, evolving technology: sizable, high-power energy storage systems (ESS) involving large high-voltage battery systems, as found in electric vehicles and photovoltaic systems. These ESS are being installed nationwide to act as electrical backup systems and store excess solar and wind farm energy. A 2014 U.S. Department of Energy report showed substantial gaps in responder knowledge in fire suppression, commodity classification, verification and control of stored energy, post-incident response and recovery, and first responder awareness and response practices. This presentation

addresses responder safety awareness and focuses on the risk of shock, stored energy release, cascading failure of high-voltage battery cells, water exposure, toxic and flammable fume release, hazardous materials leakage, and thermal runaway fires. BASIC Aggressive Fire Attack at Modern House Fires Training Officer Jerry Knapp, Rockland County Fire Training Center, Pomona, New York The focus is on fire suppression. Attendees are challenged to review their current fire suppression strategies/tactics based on construction; overcrowding (migrant workers, college towns, high cost-of-living areas); the earlier occurrence of flashovers; increased security; and the new residential fire curve impact on search and ventilation. Interactive computer-generated simulations cover key topics. Case histories and intended/actual outcomes are discussed, and tactical solutions are presented. Also addressed are RECEO-VS and SLICERS; residential flashover and warning signs, near misses; and water delivery by the engine, selecting and testing handlines for target flow, and proper nozzle selection. ALL LEVELS Fighting Fires in Fast-Food Restaurants Chief Joseph Knitter, South Milwaukee (WI) Fire Department Based on extensive research and a photo library of “behind-the-counter” and actual incident pictures, this program highlights for company officers and firefighters the dangers of this common form of free-standing construction that can be found in nearly every fire department’s response area across the country. Topics covered include the common causes of fires in these structures, common construction features, and operational considerations for grease duct fires. Spurred on by the tragic loss of two firefighters in an intentionally set fire at a McDonald’s restaurant in Houston on Valentine’s Day 2000, this program takes a first-hand look at the building construction and design characteristics and the associated hazards that pose deadly threats to fire suppression personnel. ALL LEVELS Atmospheric Monitoring on the Fireground Special Operations Chief Jason Krusen, Columbia (SC) Fire Department Participants learn why atmospheric monitoring is needed on the fireground. The focus is on products of combustion and detecting some of the most dangerous gases commonly present at all fires. Recent findings and common practices are also discussed. ALL LEVELS Issues and Challenges in Today’s Fire Service Chief (Ret.) Rick Lasky, Lewisville (TX) Fire Department; Battalion Chief (Ret.) John Salka, Fire Department of New York; and Chief (Ret.) Bobby Halton, FDIC Education Director/Fire Engineering and Fire Apparatus and Emergency Equipment Editor in Chief The fire service is faced with a vast array of issues and challenges. For the past 88 years, FDIC has been the place where honest discussions have led to workable solutions to these issues and challenges. This session features three of North America’s most outspoken and informed practitioners. Join them as they tackle the most critical issues facing the fire service today in a no-holds-barred session. From pike poles to pensions, from VES (vent-enter-search) to VSP (victim survivability profiling), and from staffing to science, join the chiefs as they discuss the biggest issues in frank, open, and straightforward language. ALL LEVELS Rapid Intervention Team Gone Wrong

Chief (Ret.) Rick Lasky, Lewisville (TX) Fire Department; and Battalion Chief (Ret.) John Salka, Fire Department of New York An examination of the many issues related to rapid intervention operations with a focus on previous rapid intervention team (RIT) operations that were not successful. Students discover the elements of the operation that contribute to failure. Topics covered include RIT leader training, lack of follow-up, RIT training for firefighters, RIT bags (air) overloaded, complicated RIT drills, unrealistic Mayday procedures, evacuating the building during RIT operations, changing channels for RIT operations, and more. Whether your department already has RIT/Mayday guidelines or has operated at a RIT/Mayday operation, you will find some solid and interesting information in this program. ALL LEVELS Alternative Fuel and Hybrid Trucks and Buses Are Here Now! Rescue Instructor (Ret.) Billy Leach, Ash-Rand (NC) Rescue & EMS It was only a matter of time before alternative fuel (AF) and hybrid trucks and buses began appearing on American roadways. Responders need to prepare for them. Students are introduced to AF and hybrid heavy vehicles, how they work, and their associated hazards and will learn a “simple” strategy they can employ to make these vehicles safer for responders. Hazard mitigation tasks are also included. ALL LEVELS Fireground Deconstructed Firefighter Paramedic Nick Ledin, Eau Claire (MN) Fire Department This class in not a boring fire behavior lecture, nor is it a disconnected, subjective strategies and tactics class. It is a hybrid that combines the best of both of these fundamental topics and allows students to actively participate.Tom Brennan said it best: “You can never know enough about something that can kill you.” This truth is the theme of the class. More than half of the class time is spent deconstructing the fire triangle using the laws of physics and mathematics; then, we will dissect our tactics with the same tools. A simplified fireground flowchart is introduced to guide thinking. Students may consult the flowchart when discussing the pros and cons of specific actions (inactions) portrayed in videos of firegrounds. ALL LEVELS Managing Church Fire Operations Battalion Chief Frank Leeb, Fire Department of New York Successful tactics for combating church fires are discussed. The fire service has few standard operating procedures for managing fires in places of worship, specifically structures of the Gothic type. Among topics covered are the unique construction features that company and chief officers must address to operate safely and successfully, hoseline selection and placement, apparatus positioning, and ventilation tactics. INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED Wye Operations: Hydraulic Implications Lead Consultant Dennis LeGear, LeGear Engineering FD Consulting Modern flows of 160 to 185 gallons per minute (gpm) in 1¾-inch hose and wye operations are a troubling pair in 2½-inch trunk line hose, even when the rules of equal leg lengths and matched nozzle pressure and gpm are followed. Problems can be very significant--from an uncontrollable nozzle to substantial drop in attack flow from both legs of 1¾-inch attack handlines. Discussed in detail are the additional specters of line commitment, line selection, line identification, dual

line failure, stretching, wye shutoff/on tying, and extra connection issues that exist tactically and cause many potential problems during wye handline operations. ALL LEVELS Helping Firefighters Manage Stress: Courses, Counseling Units, and Case Studies Captain Frank Leto, Fire Department of New York Behavioral health support for firefighters is the focus. The instructor explains the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s Stress First Aid program and other behavioral health programs available for free on the Fire Hero Learning Network and the Counseling Service Unit of the Fire Department of New York and elements of the program that can be applied to other departments. Case studies of the three most frequent scenarios that a peer counseling unit encounters are discussed. ALL LEVELS Developing a Field Training Officer Program District Chief Walter Lewis, Orlando (FL) Fire Department Many of today’s fire departments’ most experienced members are preparing to retire or have already retired. There is a need to “capture” and pass on to today’s youthful fire service officers and members the knowledge these veterans possess. This class focuses on developing and implementing a field training officer program that stresses mentoring and other methods to ensure that experienced members pass on their knowledge before they leave the department and the fire service. INTERMEDIATE Flipped Fire Training: Meeting the Demands of Today’s Fire Service Assistant Training Officer Frank Lipski, Florissant (MO) Fire District Students gain an understanding of the term “flipped training” and see how it can greatly improve department training. The instructor shares the story of how a failing training division was transformed into a successful program that has become the model for many agencies across the country. It meet the the learning needs of all four generations in today’s fire service and improves how information is learned and retained. These techniques can be used by any size department or agency. Attendees are given a detailed roadmap they can follow to achieve amazing results at their departments right away. ALL LEVELS Dead Men Do Tell Tales: Crime Scene Preservation for Fire and EMS Personnel Chief Gary Ludwig, Champaign (IL) Fire Department Students are shown how to preserve evidence at a crime scene even while performing life-saving techniques. Unfortunately, fire and EMS personnel are notorious for destroying evidence on the emergency crime scene. EMS and fire personnel can damage or alter forensic evidence when entering the scene. The instructor, a 37-year veteran, shares his expertise in this class; audiovisuals illustrate much of the information. ALL LEVELS Survivability Profiling 2016: a Proven, Life-Saving Process for Firefighters Captain Stephen Marsar, Fire Department of New York Applying the concept of survivability profiling to making informed, intelligent decisions differs from basic risk vs. reward. It goes beyond the tendency to justify risk whenever we respond to an occupied building. Size-up components, situational awareness, and determining if civilians are savable before committing firefighters are discussed. The concept is compared and contrasted with basic size-up strategies. Videos are used to demonstrate today’s rapid fire progression as a

precursor to human survival limits. The 16 Life Safety Initiatives and Rules of Engagement are referenced as participants are guided through the Duty To Die Syndrome. Fire scenarios and case studies provide examples of incidents at which the concept was used. Students get practice in applying and an opportunity to discuss the concept. ALL LEVELS Stategies and Tactics in Subdivided Single-Family Dwellings and Single-Room Occupancies Firefighter Aaron Martin, Fire Department of New York The concept of subdividing singe-family dwellings began in the urban areas and matriculated into a nationwide dilemma for firefighters. This growth was caused in part by the rising cost of housing and expansive job cuts. This has been a dangerous and potentially fatal trend for firefighters. This class focuses on the inherent hazards associated modifying the structure or floor plan and adding occupancies. ALL LEVELS Effective Use of Tower Ladders in Tactical Operations Battalion Chief Nicholas Martin, Columbia (SC) Fire Department This class is for departments with tower ladders and those without tower ladders. The popularity of tower ladders has grown, but they are still less common than traditional “straight stick” aerial apparatus, and their optimum use is not always understood. To obtain maximum benefit from this versatile apparatus, firefighters, officers, and incident commanders must understand their capabilities and how they can most effectively be integrated into the fireground. The focus is on the proper use of tower ladders in several fireground scenarios including firefighter access, rescue of civilians or firefighters, elevated master streams, and technical rescue. Rear-mount and mid-mount devices are also discussed, and “ladder towers” and “tower ladders” are compared. In addition, the pros and cons of using tower ladders and straight aerials in various scenarios are discussed. INTERMEDIATE Winch Operations 101 Instructor Stephen J. Martin, SE-WY-CO (PA) Fire Company Have you ever been properly trained on the safe operation of your winch? Just about every fire department has some type of winch in its equipment arsenal. Few have ever been trained to use it. This interactive training program was designed to meet the rescuer’s needs and provides the proper procedures and techniques for using vehicle-mounted or portable winches. Maintenance, use, and safety aspects of a winch and its related equipment are among the topics covered. The participant learns how to hold loads, pull loads, and secure vehicles for stabilization and techniques for inspecting the winch for safe, efficient, and effective rescue operations. Participants learn to use a simple formula to calculate how to safely operate a winch to prevent injury to personnel or damage to equipment. ALL LEVELS They Fought for Each Other Assistant Engineer E. J. Mascaro, Charleston (SC) Fire Department This presentation is based on “Blood Brothers,” the award-nominated series that ran in Army Times about the a courageous military unit that sacrificed their lives to change Adhamiya, Iraq. Personal experiences from the hardest hit and most decorated unit in the U.S. Army since Vietnam are discussed, as are successful strategies and techniques for good morale and cohesive units from the Army to the fire service. The fire service seems to have lost sight of the task at hand. Many firefighters feel that what they are currently doing is not what they signed up to do.

We all get caught up in social media, but how can we ensure that we aren't being affected? Not only do we have to look after one another, but we have to look after ourselves as well. Students will learn of proven successful strategies and techniques for maintaining morale and teamwork in situations where quick decisions must be made. ALL LEVELS Surviving the Strategic and Tactical Firefight Lieutenant Mike Mason, Downers Grove (IL) Fire Department An in-depth look into the world of strategic and tactical considerations for surviving the different aggressive postures in firefighting. Among the areas covered are defining and redefining committing firefighters to interior operations, strategic and tactical postures, spirited aggressive actions with sound decision making, transitional dynamics, preventing and surviving Maydays, staffing and fireground behaviors, fighting fires in conventional and lightweight construction, interior operations relating to room orientation, tactical air management and practices in interior firefighting, recognizing the attack progress, establishing exit strategies, and managing Maydays. ALL LEVELS Field High-Rise Technical Training Curtis Massey, Founder, Massey Enterprises, Inc. Chief officers, company officers, and firefighters can glean an invaluable amount of knowledge on fighting fire in these highly unique structures. This “walk-about” of sorts allows students to gain a very thorough understanding of building features and systems, in addition to many tips that can provide crews a strategic edge in those first few minutes--when most of the critical decisions are made. Attendees rotate among stations at an actual high-rise and extract key nuggets of knowledge from a veteran major city chief and a Virginia-based instructor who has been training big city departments for more than 20 years. Among topics covered are fire department connection pump operations, lobby control, stairwell/fire attack operations (including the use of large-diameter hoselines), elevator operations, understanding “air balancing,” and base building systems that must be resourced during a working fire. INTERMEDIATE Fire Investigation: Case Study of a Fire Involving Interagency Cooperation, the Media, and the Scientific Method Chief Fire Marshal Arthur Mastrangelo, Fire Department of New York Early in the morning of July 22, 2010, fire erupted in a residence in Staten Island, New York. The fire eventually rose to a third alarm; it, tragically, claimed the lives of five occupants. Based on erroneous information “leaked” to the press, the fire was blamed on the teenage occupant of the apartment. However, after a thorough investigation involving numerous agencies over the course of five days, it was revealed that the mother of the children was responsible for the murders and the subsequent fire. The fire and resulting investigation highlight the importance of working with the media but also limiting the type of information released to the press until a formal, thorough investigation has been completed. Among other topics highlighted are preserving a crime scene immediately following fire suppression; identifying signs of arson, particularly when there is a loss of life; and the detrimental effects that “leaked” information has on the investigation and the public. INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED Down and Dirty Mayday Firefighter Justin McCarthy, New Haven (CT) Fire Department

On this job, your life can change in a tenth of a second. An in-depth look at one of the most stressful situations firefighters face, a Mayday. Instantly, a Mayday can send an already chaotic situation into a tailspin. This program is for large and small departments. The focus is on the basics and some proven techniques to help ensure a successful rescue. The class goes beyond the incident commander and the firefighter in trouble. Included are the roles and responsibilities of everyone operating on the fireground, including the rapid intervention team, dispatch, tactical reserve, fire attack, and ventilation. Lessons are reinforced with case studies, group discussions, and new approaches for mitigating Maydays being used around the country. ALL LEVELS The Chief Officer’s Role in Creating Enhanced Engine Operations Lieutenant Ray McCormack, Fire Department of New York Chief officers need to look at the big picture and maximize the capability and effectiveness of their engine companies. More than just directing fires, engagement begins with evaluating and modifying hoseload configurations, surveying the response area, developing quicker stretches, effectively tasking personnel, streamlining water delivery, and developing extinguishment tactics. When you design winning engine company layouts and strategies, you enhance both community and firefighter safety. INTERMEDIATE Preventing Member Derailment and Embarrassment in the Fire Service Firefighter/EMS Officer Candice McDonald, Winoan (OH) Fire Department Just as they prepare for emergencies, departments need to train to prevent and manage unexpected threats to their reputation. The focus is on research-based strategies for safeguarding the firehouse against members’ damaging behaviors while protecting the integrity of the fire service. Among topics covered are social media, theft, discrimination, and poor behavior. INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED Living Through My Mayday Captain Ryan McGovern, Boston (MA) Fire Department In November 2013, the instructor became trapped in a structure during suppression operations. He had fallen through a floor and was hanging between the first floor and the basement. He tried numerous times to call a Mayday, but no one heard his call for help until he activated the emergency alert button on his portable. While awaiting the rapid intervention team, he was able to self-extricate out of the structure. As a result of his becoming trapped, he received second- and third-degree burns to his lower extremities and spent a short stint in the burn unit. Students are taken through the steps that led up to this incident. The focus is on dealing with this type of incident more effectively and preventing it altogether. ALL LEVELS First-Due Tactical Considerations for Wildland Urban Interface Operations Chief Todd McNeal, Twain Harte (CA) Fire & Rescue Company officers and firefighters are introduced to the current tactical information necessary to accurately assess the fire’s potential impact to the threatened structure and the safety of the engine company. Critical fire behavior and the most effective and safest initial tactical actions for the first-arriving responder or the company officer in the dynamic wildland urban interface (WUI) are addressed. The primary focus is on rapid recognition of fire threats and correctly selecting the most appropriate action from a variety of tactical actions to begin managing the

incident by improving students’ understanding of the dynamics of wildland fire behavior. ALL LEVELS Training for Proficiency: Task Books and Qualification Programs Assistant Chief Kevin Milan, South Metro (CO) Fire Rescue Authority The class focuses on increasing fireground proficiency through direct and deliberate training programs and on methods for prescriptively determining training needs. Task books and position qualification manuals are explained; attendees receive templates for producing training materials and examples of tried and tested resources. Students receive assessment tools and a toolbox to create scenario-based training based on standards and standard operating procedures. Students will receive a complete task book-based training program. Electronic resources are customizable for any department. INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED The Essentials of High-Rise Firefighting: What You Need to Know Before Going into Battle Firefighter (Ret.) John Miller, Los Angeles (CA) Fire Department Nearly every sizable community possesses multistory buildings. From low- to high-rise, as structures rise away from terra firma, they become more challenging and perplexing to first responders. These buildings can be unforgiving of mistakes in a fire. The stakes are high. Be it single or mixed-use, it is imperative that you fully grasp all the nuances involved with fighting fires in these occupancies, many of which are “contained vessels” holding large populations. This class explores the facts and mysteries involved in these types of fires. The need to interface with base building systems that are ever-changing and evolving and the demand to adapt to these changes through new tactics and strategies compel today’s incident commanders and line firefighters to stay on top of their game. INTERMEDIATE First Due! Residential Fire Concepts for Engine and Truck Companies Lieutenant Doug Mitchell, Fire Department of New York The focus is on the mission-critical incident actions for engine and truck companies at residential fires. The class highlights the “must-have” roles and responsibilities for each unit and showcases elements that are imperative to establishing an efficient and effective fire attack. Successful fire suppression and rapid victim rescue rely on a deliberate balance of coordination and communication among all operating members. This class covers preincident readiness, radio reports, and tactical resource deployments for “both sides of the floor.” Although the application of water still extinguishes fire and searches still locate trapped civilians, what is being questioned is the art and science behind how, when, and why we mount the attack. We must be ready to answer these questions! The first-arriving company’s actions can make or break the operation. Is your team best prepared to operate in the modern residential environment? Don’t think so--know so. ALL LEVELS Not Guilty; Now What? Director of Fire and Emergency Services/Chief Michael Molloy, Meaford and District (Ontario, Canada) Fire Department The focus is on how adverse events on the fireground can result in legal proceedings with charges levied against the fire department--in this case, by the Ministry of Labor [Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)]--and how such events impact the department.

Students hear a first-hand account from the individuals involved from both a personal and a corporation’s perspective. The incident was a working structure fire at a restaurant that had an apartment on the second floor. Two firefighters entered the structure after the owner’s girlfriend reported that an was individual inside. During the search, a firefighter reported a low-air alarm. As he and another firefighter were exiting the structure, they became disoriented and ended up in a room that was not observed on their way in. The two began buddy breathing. A rapid intervention team (RIT) located and extricated the first firefighter; the second was still in the building. A second RIT located the down firefighter, whose vital signs were absent. Fire and emergency medical service staff initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Both firefighters survived. The Ministry of Labor levied six charges against the department. The department pleaded not guilty to all six charges. After three weeks of trial over a period of two years, a not guilty verdict was rendered. ALL LEVELS Overhead and Underground Electric Emergencies and Fires: What You Need to Know Battalion Chief (Ret.) Frank Montagna, Fire Department of New York When responding to electrical emergencies and fires, you may have to make life-and-death decisions before the utility experts arrive. This course gives you the “need-to-know” information that will help you make those decisions and keep yourself, other firefighters, and the public safe. Responses to electric substations and to overhead and underground electric incidents are the focus. You will be alerted to the potential hazards inherent in these responses and introduced to the strategy and tactics that can keep you safe. BASIC How to Introduce CAFS to Your Department Training Captain Olan Morelan, Springfield (MO) Fire Department An inside look into the trials and tribulations of implementing a new firefighting tool, specifically compressed air foam systems (CAFS). The course is taught from the perspective of a training officer who is or could be tasked with completing training with or without the manufacturer’s guidance. Topics includes the predelivery prep work, tips on working with the manufacturer’s training representatives, writing and establishing policy, tactical discussions from lessons learned, and a layout for the most vital portion--retraining. ALL LEVELS NFPA 1403: the Fire Instructor’s Risk Management Tool Training Program Manager Walter Morris, Maine Fire Service Institute Recent live fire training incidents in both acquired structures and fixed training centers have resulted in line-of-duty firefighter injuries and deaths. All fire service instructors must be familiar with NFPA 1403, Standard on Live Fire Training Evolutions, which provides a risk-management tool for conducting live fire training in a safe manner. BASIC Building Intelligence for Initial Operations and Beyond Fire Marshal (Ret.) Jack J. Murphy, Leonia (NJ) Fire Department The focus is on the levels of building intelligence: Basic for initial operations; Intermediate for strategy and tactics; and Comprehensive as the incident is unfolding. Gain an understanding of real-time building construction projects and fire protection system impairments. Although many departments are rich in knowledge of construction/occupancy types and fire protection systems, they lack information as to specific building components as well as firefighter safety and precautions. As construction moves forward with lightweight materials and other industries are

installing energy storage systems and residential ion-lithium batteries, and so on, firefighters need to ask, “Do I feel comfortable reading the outside of the building?” and embrace a military mentality when analyzing the fireground. ALL LEVELS Firefighter Mental Health: Skills for Helping Yourself and Your Firehouse Family Firefighter (Ret.) Beth Murphy, Bellevue (WA) Fire Department Behavioral health continues to be an area that needs focus in the fire service. Firefighting is the most stressful job of 2015, as identified by CareerCast.com. The evaluation was based on the typical demands and crises inherent in the job and did not include the intersection of job demands with the firefighters’ personal lives. The complexity of stressors both on and off the job firefighters experience contributes to varying degrees of mental health struggles. Untreated, the effects of these stressors can lead to a loss of career or, worse, suicide. This class provides a brief overview of the problem and, then, through discussion, demonstration, and role-play, attendees learn the skills that help them become more comfortable with recognizing and helping individuals who are struggling with mental health issues. ALL LEVELS Training Liabilities: Preventing Legal Jeopardy Deputy Chief (Ret.)/Attorney at Law John Murphy, Law Office of John K. Murphy Fire departments are continually under the threat of litigation from the public and, at times, from our own firefighters or their families. At times, a training accident will prompt litigation against the fire department and the training staff. The focus of this class is to make training officers, chiefs, and firefighters aware of the legal risks of providing training. Applicable National Fire Protection Association training standards, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health investigations of firefighter deaths caused by training, and current national incidents that involved firefighter fatalities and injuries on the training ground will be reviewed. Current case law related to training fatalities will be analyzed from the perspectives of risk analysis, best practices, and measures for preventing litigation. ALL LEVELS Pump Panel Pointers for Training and Operations Chief Jerry Naylis, Bergenfield (NJ) Fire Department This class prepares pump operators to use a variety of techniques including tools, job aids, and pointers to ensure the proper flow and pressure while operating a pump during fireground operations. Successful delivery of water is stressed. Fire operations in urban, suburban, and rural settings are addressed. Case studies are used to demonstrate how one or two simple changes would alter the water supply and enhance the operation from the pump panel. Practical training session setups are provided to demonstrate how to conduct pump training exercises using readily available apparatus, equipment, and appliances. ALL LEVELS Rapid Intervention for Volunteer and Other Nonurban Fire Departments Firefighter (Ret.) Joe Nedder, Uxbridge (MA) Fire Department So many times when reading line-of-duty fatality reports, we learn that a rapid intervention team (RIT) was not staged and ready at the scene. Worse yet is the fact that so many of the crews staged at many fires are just there to fulfill the National Fire Protection Association requirement. Many of these teams have little, if any, RIT skills training; they are not really ready to save a fellow firefighter. The reasons for these conditions vary. However, a skilled and capable RIT is even more necessary in the volunteer fire service than in larger urban organizations because most

urban organizations have many more firefighters on scene; they have the numbers to support a personnel-intensive operation. The focus of this class is to prepare students from volunteer departments, particularly those with staffing issues, so that they will be capable and efficient and fully understand what their job is if they are needed to make a valiant effort to save a fellow firefighter who is lost, trapped, or unaccounted for. ALL LEVELS Special Needs Fire Prevention and Response Awareness Battalion Chief Craig Nelson, Fargo (ND) Fire Department Attendees are introduced to important issues relating to fire prevention and emergency response when people with disabilities are involved. The class provides an introduction to some of the common disabilities responders may encounter, a description of each, and ways in which responders can best help. Proactive fire prevention methods are also discussed. ALL LEVELS Fireground Commander’s Intent: Coordinated Actions for Mission Success Battalion Chief Sid Newby, Wichita (KS) Fire Department The focus is on the importance of meeting a commander’s expectation on emergency scenes and a framework within which the company officer can act. Fire companies are the linchpins for a successful emergency scene operation. Synchronized small unit (engine and truck company) tactics are discussed. Students see that following the commander’s intent is critical to a successful mission and that emergency operation outcomes are the results of many small unit outcomes and that if one small unit fails to perform its task, the whole operation could have a negative end result and change the commander’s strategy. The principles discussed are reinforced by applying the information through interactive discussions and video demonstrations. ALL LEVELS The Right Seat: a Volunteer’s Perspective Operations Deputy Chief Christopher Niebling, Mantoloking (NJ) Fire Company The focus of this class is on the unique problems associated with the volunteer ranks discussed from the perspective of the volunteer fire officer, not the many issues fire officers in career and volunteer departments face in common when dealing with personnel in their stations. ALL LEVELS Hybrid Search Techniques Lieutenant Keith Niemann, Wichita (KS) Fire Department Far too often when rope or thermal imaging cameras (TICs) are used during searches, the process is slowed down instead of speeded up. The focus is on increasing accountability and speed when adding TICs or rope to the proven methods of traditional searches. Some of the pitfalls of rope-assisted search and incorporating a TIC in the search are discussed. Company level drills to reinforce good search habits when using these valuable tools are presented. ALL LEVELS Attic Fires: UL-FSRI Technical Panel Results Deputy Chief/Training Officer P.J. Norwood, East Haven (CT) Fire Department The information learned from the Underwriters Laboratories- Firefighter Safety and Research Institute (UL-FSRI) technical committee on exterior fire spread and attic fires is the focus. Students get an in-depth look at the testing, the results, and the tactical recommendations. UL-FSRI video and data help students to understand more thoroughly attic fires, the tests, and the

tactical recommendations for increasing safety and decreasing property loss through rapid extinguishment. ALL LEVELS Perceptual Distortions on the Fireground Battalion Chief Eric Nurnberg, Iowa City (IA) Fire Department The fire service increasingly embraces the application of research and scientific principles on the fireground. For the first time in the modern fire service, the scope of firehouse debate rooted in physical sciences grows exponentially with each passing day. While we talk at length about how any number of physical factors affect our fire scene for better or worse, we largely neglect the science and research that have the most significant influence on tactical performance and mission outcome: human factors science. This class clearly demonstrates that every performance metric is predicated on a resilient mindset and that it is important to conduct training that enhances mental performance under stress. The primary focus is on how stress diminishes mental performance, causing perceptual distortions such as inattentional blindness and auditor exclusion. ALL LEVELS Aircraft Down and You Are First Due Firefighter Nick Palmer, Haughton (LA) Fire Department This class brings high risk, low frequency to a new level. An emergency involving hundreds of victims; 50,000 gallons of burning jet fuel; unexploded ordnance; jagged metal; and a pinch of structure fire mixed in for good measure is a recipe for chaos and confusion. At any given time, your district is at risk of experiencing an emergency involving a down aircraft. As first due, are you ready to handle the complications of such an incident? Do you know the hazards associated with this type of incident and how to mitigate them? Students get an in-depth look at the types of aircraft flying over their jurisdictions, the many systems aboard those aircraft, and the hazards they present. Case studies involving municipal responses to aircraft crashes involving commercial airliners, general aviation aircraft, and military aircraft are discussed. ALL LEVELS Volunteers: Doing the Job with Limited Resources in Small Departments Captain Todd Parker, Ward (LA) Fire Protection District #1 Volunteers provide fire protection to more than 70 percent of America. Today, the number of volunteers is dwindling, and volunteer firefighters are faced with limited personnel and resources to handle structure fires. Beginning with the response, arrival, size-up, and extinguishing of the fire, attendees will be challenged to use the limited resources to perform all firefighting tasks on scene. On-scene responsibilities, training, and use of partnerships, which reflect the real-world experiences of the attendees, are highlighted. Attendees are encouraged to share their ideas and solutions. ALL LEVELS Fundamentals of Writing Assistance to Firefighters Grant Applications Branch Chief Catherine Patterson, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington DC The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG) provides more than $340 million worth of grant funding directly to fire departments each year. AFG provides funding for equipment, training, vehicles, personal protective gear, and other life safety initiatives. This session provides attendees with the tools necessary to maximize their opportunity to submit a competitive grant application. FEMA staff will provide information on program updates, funding priorities, and grant requirements. BASIC

First On Scene Water Rescue Operations Lieutenant Josh Pearcy, Oklahoma City (OK) Fire Department The focus is on giving the first-in company to water rescue incidents the tools and information to help make time-critical decisions. A wide range of water responses ranging from static water drowning to high-risk, low-frequency swift/flood emergencies are covered. Scene size-up techniques, response considerations, and interviewing witness techniques are addressed. PowerPoint® is used. Students are encouraged to prepare for water-related emergencies and to move water rescue into every company’s regular training schedule if it is not now included. ALL LEVELS Preplanning and Inspecting Manufacturing and Industrial Facilities Second Assistant Chief Benjamin Peetz, Napoleon (IN) Volunteer Fire Department Investigations following fires and explosions in manufacturing or industrial facilities often point to areas that fire personnel might never have considered threats. Additionally, catastrophic losses can be compounded by a fire department’s lack of proactive prevention efforts and a poorly planned response when an event occurs. From combustible dust explosions to high-voltage electrical fires, firefighters must understand what makes industrial facilities very different from a typical single-family dwelling. To reduce and prevent personnel and property losses before and after a fire occurs at a manufacturing or an industrial facility, we must know and understand what goes on inside. The focus is on being prepared for when a high-risk, low-frequency fire or other emergency that extends well beyond the scope of a room-and-contents or other bread-and-butter response occurs, as it likely will one day. ALL LEVELS The First 365 Days as a Newly Promoted Chief Officer Chief Steve Pegram, Goshen Township (OH) Fire Department Drawing from his experience of being “the new chief” four times in his fire service career, the instructor shares how he successfully transitioned into the role. The focus is on how to prepare yourself, how to integrate yourself, and how to be successful in the new role without rocking the boat too much or creating enemies. ALL LEVELS Hoarder Homes: Using Offensive Tactics on Traditionally Defensive Fires Fire-Medic Ryan Pennington, Charleston (WV) Fire Department Compulsive hoarding disorder, a growing issue facing firefighters worldwide, is the focus. The number of people afflicted with this disorder has been steadily climbing. Very little research on fire attack has been documented. Traditionally, many firefighters use the mentality, “We won’t go in.” This can be a solid choice, but it is not the only option. Commonly, hoarding is found in ventilation-limited conditions that may produce smoldering fires that can be extinguished easily. Education is essential to identify the presence of cluttered conditions, understand the fire dynamic variables, and apply appropriate tactics. All hoarding fires do not fall into defensive-only tactics. Attendees are introduced to the cues and clues of hoarded environments, exposed to fire dynamic variables, offered solutions to search orientation, and presented with potential solutions. ALL LEVELS What You Should Know as a Fire Officer and Nobody Tells You Deputy Chief Chris Pepler, Torrington (CT) Fire Department

There is more to being a good officer than being efficient at fighting fires. This dynamic and interactive workshop is designed for prospective and seasoned officers looking for the tools to square themselves away and become the best officers they can be. The officer’s role, organizational accountability, personnel management, knowing the business, and working with the media are among topics covered. This workshop covers the issues nobody wants to talk about--mistakes most officers make. Attendees will be involved in role-play scenarios that include personnel issues, conflict resolution, and surprise media interviews. ALL LEVELS Planning Your Leadership Journey Firefighter Tim Pillsworth, Washingtonville (NY) Fire Department Leadership is the most difficult skill to learn. With more than 75 percent of our country protected by volunteers, the need for more training for leaders is increasing. As with all journeys, it is all in the planning. “Failing to plan is planning to fail” holds true in the journey called leadership. Creating a list of the tasks as goals that meet the requirements of the position and mapping/planning your way through the journey to completion will allow for a smoother trip, greater success, and less stress. This class reinforces the message that officers need a plan with known tasks and goals, or they will not be able to accomplish anything. You will learn a simple way to plan your journey through your entire career and the importance of personal relationships throughout the journey. ALL LEVELS Mobile Homes: Small House, Big Challenge Battalion Chief Joseph Polenzani, Franklin (TN) Fire Department Learn what makes trailers different from “regular” wood-frame structures and how to safely operate within this challenging environment. Tactics for suppression and ventilation and strategies for operating in high-density mobile home communities are discussed. Mobile homes are found in communities of all sizes. In fact, 24 percent of mobile homes are in cities with a population of more than two million. In rural areas with long response times, a trailer fire is often a defensive operation. However, in urban or suburban communities, interior fire attacks are feasible, especially in larger double- and triple-wide modular homes. In these structures, ultra-lightweight construction, tight hallways, and unusual floor plans combine to make an unfamiliar and potentially dangerous environment for firefighters accustomed to operating in site-built houses. ALL LEVELS Commanding the Incident from the Front Seat to the Chief's Buggy Battalion Chief David Polikoff, Montgomery County (MD) Fire Department This interactive class uses a short PowerPoint® presentation to review the National Incident Management System, tactical worksheets, and size-up. During the hands-on training portion, participants will command incidents using radios that are provided and the latest fire simulation programs. ALL LEVELS Long-Term Injury Prevention Captain /Lead Peer Fitness Trainer Jordan Ponder, Milwaukee (WI) Fire Department As a firefighter, you are more likely to get hurt in a fire today than in 1981, according to National Fire Protection Association data. Firefighters are expected to perform the most physically demanding tasks while their movements are most restricted by gear, positioning, and chaos. Our focus then becomes completing the task regardless of how it gets done. These

inefficiencies lead to compensations, poor movement patterns, and eventual injuries. In this class, you’ll learn specific safety movements that will decrease common injuries by using the FD-PT T.A.C.T.I.C. and LCAN training model. The training will enhance fireground performance, conserve energy, and increase safety. ALL LEVELS How to Excel at Fire Service Promotional Exams: Key Points! Deputy Chief Steve Prziborowski, Santa Clara County (CA) Fire Department The focus is on preparing for the upcoming promotional exam. Attendees are exposed to and offered key points for the most common events within a fire service promotional process assessment center--the oral interview, the personnel counseling session, and the emergency scene simulation. Participants learn key points so they can create their own game plan for success when they take their next promotional examination.The key points in this session will help to increase the final score and may make the difference between getting promoted and not getting promoted and having to retake the test. ALL LEVELS Active Shooter Response: Oak Creek (WI) Fire Department’s Approach to Rescue in the Warm Zone Battalion Chief Joe Pulvermacher, Oak Creek (WI) Fire Department The instructor reports on two active shooter incidents that occurred in his response area and how the lessons learned in each incident impacted the response paradigm. Students share in a response protocol/procedure for mass-casualty tactical incidents developed by the Oak Creek Police and Fire Departments following the Sikh temple shooting in 2012. The importance of collaboration, uniformity, and scalability in these responses is emphasized. ALL LEVELS Prioritizing the Volunteer Fireground Captain Richard Ray, Durham (NC) Fire Department How the on-scene resources available at a residential structure fire are used and the initial actions the first-arriving responders take will determine the outcome of the incident. Volunteer firefighters may find it challenging to complete fireground tasks in a timely manner. When you arrive on the scene of a residential structure fire, do you have the firefighters and the equipment to safely and effectively accomplish fireground tasks? This class focuses on methods fire departments responding with volunteers can use to prioritize fireground tasks based on staffing and equipment. ALL LEVELS The European Way to Stop Smoke, Eliminate the Air Track, and Sniff the Fire Regional Fire Commander Michael Reick, Eislingen, Germany International Presenter The ability to control smoke flows in buildings in a fire is essential for safe rescue and firefighting operations. Protecting civilians from the exposure of smoke and keeping escape routes smoke free are fundamental, especially in larger buildings. The principles of stabilizing smoke flows and fire conditions have been studied extensively in Central Europe in the past 10 years. One main approach to this problem is to partially block openings by fire crews and apply either positive-pressure ventilation or antiventilation whenever these opponent strategies are needed. The principles, limitations, and chances of these strategies are explained together with multiple examples of real fireground experience where these approaches have been applied. Discussing the differences and similarities between this tactic and the related “flow path

discussion” in the United States provides a deeper understanding of this subject. INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED Firefighting Personal Protective Equipment: Fact, Fiction, and the Reality Lieutenant Jim Reidy, San Antonio (TX) Fire Department An overview of personal protective equipment (PPE) from a firefighter’s perspective. Students gain an insight that ranges from the makeup of members on the National Fire Protection Association 1971, Standard on Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting, and 1851, Standard on Selection, Care, and Maintenance of Protective Ensembles for Structural Fire Fighting and Proximity Fire Fighting, technical committees to the testing requirements of NFPA 1971 to the retirement of PPE. Realistic protective expectations are discussed, including reducing carcinogen contamination. Career and volunteer firefighters of all ranks will benefit from the information and perspective conveyed. The photos, illustrations, and videos provoke thought and help reinforce the information. ALL LEVELS Toxic Leadership: a Wounded Soldier’s Insight into Decon MSG (Ret.) Mike Reynolds, Cahoun (GA) Fire Department MSG (Ret.) Michael Reynolds’ career as a firefighter and soldier has seen toxic leadership. After a brain injury in Iraq and multiple hospitalizations and years of rehabilitation, he was forced to retire. He tells his story through an elaborate invention he built as he relates his life to a can of Coke®. ALL LEVELS Hazardous Materials Training: Next-Generation Training Props Chief Jake Rhoades, Kingman (AZ) Fire Department This program challenges the traditional approach to hazardous materials training. Its highlights include an emphasis on innovative training props that can be used to increase the effectiveness, confidence, and safety of responders because they have “been there, done that” in the most realistic hazardous materials training environment. Evolving risks, increasingly complex scenarios, and the low frequency of hazardous materials calls combined with the decreased level of experience of many new officers have made the need for training more important than ever. Departments across the country are struggling with hazardous materials training because of a lack of realistic training environments that can simulate real-world decision making. ALL LEVELS Effecting the Rescue Through Aggressive Tactics: “It’s Your Turn to Make the Grab” Drillmaster Frank Ricci, New Haven (CT) Fire Department An unconscious victim has never been saved by a crew standing outside the building. The focus is on the actions that are imperative to effect the rescue--coordinating command, search, ventilation, and fire attack to control the building along with company tactics that can improve your effectiveness. The new science has not changed our mission. Students see how the science can be reconciled with proven aggressive tactics. An areas of emphasis will be search--our successes and our failures. ALL LEVELS How to Read a House District Chief Curtis Rice, Palm Beach County (FL) Fire Rescue

This program provides new as well as seasoned firefighters and incident commanders with a quick method for determining with a high probability of success the floor plan of any single-family residential structure anywhere in the country while completing their 360º walk-around. ALL LEVELS Improving Fireground Operations with Thermal Imaging and Modern Fire Dynamics Division Chief of Training & Safety Mike Richardson, St. Matthews (KY) Fire Department This presentation provides firefighters with the knowledge they need to combine thermal imaging technology with the latest National Institute of Standards and Technology and Underwriters Laboratories firefighting research to improve the effectiveness and safety of fireground operations. Students will view videos from fireground operations in which thermal imaging was used and in which key concepts such as ventilation-limited fire behavior, compromised structural integrity, flow path development, and victim survival profiling were in play. Firefighters will ultimately be able to apply thermal imaging in fireground operations with an understanding of its capabilities and limitations. ALL LEVELS Flashover! Case Study of a Near Miss During Vent-Enter-Isolate-Search Captain Jonathan Rigolo, Virginia Beach (VA) Fire Department The focus is on an incident in which a firefighter near miss occurred as a result of a flashover at a dwelling fire. Students hear the events that led up to the flashover, the changes in conditions that occurred, and the subsequent bailout and view a video of prearrival conditions. Topics such as the “indirect” or “hit it hard from the yard” method of fire attack, how vent-enter-isolate-search played a role in the near miss, bailout techniques, physical fitness, and the proper wearing of firefighter protective gear are discussed from the perspective of safety. ALL LEVELS Combat-Ready Firefighting: Are You Ready? Operations Chief Richard Riley, Clearwater (FL) Fire & Rescue This interactive, multimedia-based presentation discusses the effects of complacency in the fire service and why we must combat it. Tips on attitude and equipment readiness are offered for the engine and the truck company, rapid intervention team, and incident commander. A complacent attitude is the first step in a tragic calamity of errors that results in a fire extending beyond where it should have been controlled or in preventable civilian or firefighter injuries and deaths. Firefighting is a “team sport” in which we all count on each other to be ready when the moment comes. Firefighters often think that they are “ready.” Scenarios presented focus on the instructor’s personal experiences at several near-miss fireground incidents; they show how the presence or absence of a “combat-ready” mindset influenced the outcome. ALL LEVELS The Engine Company’s Guide to Winning: Water! Lieutenant Steve Robertson, Columbus (OH) Division of Fire Students are exposed to the aspects of “go” and “no-go” situations. During “go” situations, students are given critical knowledge of what it takes to win the fight, starting with positioning of the apparatus, size-up, and line selection. Special emphasis is placed on the pace of the attack (smooth is fast, fast is slow), coordination of ventilation with the attack, flowing water while advancing, and using the reach of your stream inside the structure. Students are given street-smart tips on locating the fire, estimating the stretch, and where to place the initial attack lines for maximum effect. Topics include overcoming difficult stretches, dealing with knee wall fires,

and second-due engine company responsibilities. The bottom line is, we win with water. Regardless of whether the water is applied from the interior or the exterior, initial line selection and placement are vital factors in a positive outcome. ALL LEVELS The First Five Minutes: Size-Up, Decision Making, and Effective Communication Deputy Chief Charles Ryan, Fairfax County (VA) Fire & Rescue This review of the 13 fundamental elements of size-up addresses the formulation of initial action planning and discusses effective communications/fireground terminology. Multimedia examples are included to illustrate key points. Audience interaction is strongly encouraged. INTERMEDIATE From the Xbox to the Box Alarm: Engaging Today’s Firefighters Deputy Fire Coordinator Tiger Schmittendorf, Erie County (NY) Department of Emergency Services The focus is on creating connections among generations of firefighters. How do we motivate today’s recruits away from the Xbox long enough to answer the box alarm? This facilitated conversation builds the consensus, “The majority of the fires we fight are in the firehouse, not on the fire scene.” Students learn to combat these challenges with solutions that are within their reach, focusing not on generational gaps but, more importantly, on the opportunities for creating connections among generations of firefighters. ALL LEVELS Extrication Zone: Large Trucks/Trailers/Buses/Cable Barriers Firefighter Randy Schmitz, Calgary (Alberta, Canada) Fire Department International Presenter The focus is on large truck and trailer incident response. Topics include Big Truck Anatomy: arrival, setup procedures and hazard control, sustained stabilization, patient access, overcoming height, side wall openings, roof operations, disentanglement, patient removal, and scene termination considerations. Bus Extrication: response issues and social media, command, triage applications, construction and anatomy, metal relocation procedures, entrance and egress, and patient removal. Livestock Trailer Incident Response: dealing with livestock, trailer construction, metal relocation, containment options, and euthanasia. High Tension Cable Barrier Systems: function and purpose, design and construction, emergency response, disentanglement, and cutting the cable. ALL LEVELS Engine Company MCI First Strike: Maximizing the First Five Minutes Paramedic Captain Justin Schorr, San Francisco Bay Area (CA) We know that the first five minutes dictate the next five hours at a multiple casualty incident (MCI). Forget the tarps, tags, and bags. Let’s focus on the first company’s rapidly gathering information, counting the wounded, and relaying the information to incoming units. The actions of the first-arriving unit are crucial in determining conditions, hazards, and the overall scope of the incident. Attendees are led through simple techniques for rapidly deploying a triage team at any level of incident to ensure maximum information gathering, successfully design drills that mimic a real MCI event, and focus on the company-level tasks that must be completed. ALL LEVELS Trapped! Surviving a Mayday

Captain Christopher Schutte, Milwaukee (WI) Fire Department The class emphatically illustrates how quickly things can go wrong on the fireground and why firefighters must always be prepared to recognize the changes and to immediately call a Mayday. The instructor shares his first-hand experience at the incident described below: the changing conditions, his reactions during the fire, his thought process through and beyond calling a Mayday, and the lessons learned. On 5/6/11 he was working his shift at Milwaukee’s E31. He was a lieutenant dispatched to a structure fire. On arrival, heavy smoke was coming from the walk-up attic of a 2½-story wood-frame dwelling. People on scene reported two children were trapped in the attic. Firefighters stretched a handline to the attic to conduct a search and locate and extinguish the fire. Once in the attic, they were met with medium to heavy smoke conditions, light heat, and no discernible fire. Smoke conditions worsened, and multiple calls were made for ventilation. Fire broke out behind them near their egress path. They retreated and hit the fire. Water pressure was lost. The ceiling sheathing collapsed and was followed by a rapid, massive heat increase. The firefighters attempted to exit the attic. The path of egress was no longer accessible. They were trapped, and their skin began to burn. They called two Maydays. There was no response. They moved away from the fire toward the front of the building. They found two windows and dived out from the third floor. ALL LEVELS High-Rise Fires: Essentials for Volunteer Fire Departments Firefighter Sergio Selman, Cuerpo de Bomberos de Santiago, Chile International Presenter This class is delivered in Spanish. The students and instructor “respond” to an imaginary call to a fire on the 20th floor. As they proceed, they identify the key positions, beginning with the incident commander, and determine the training requirements for those positions. The focus is on training for the worst-case scenario. In mid-/high-rise fires, it could be responding alone or with a second-due engine that could take ages to arrive. Furthermore, with an ongoing shortage of volunteers and the difficulty in securing an exact number of firefighters on each engine, we must prepare our volunteers for all the roles. They need to know the essentials of each position they should cover in this type of scenario--from incident command to nozzle, ventilation, and even positioning ladders. All of the essential positions an engine company would have to be proficient at to put out a fire by itself are covered. Each task; the minimum and optimal requirements for each position; and, of course, the best way to train for the functions are included. ALL LEVELS Large-Flow Water Delivery Operations Engineer (Ret.) Paul Shapiro, Las Vegas (NV) Fire Department This class takes students through a step-by-step large-flow water delivery operation starting with the first-in engine. It is based on a simulated growing large fire. The class starts at the point of the arrival of the first engine and progresses through the initial implementation of big water tactics and a complete assignment of units. Various types of water-delivery operations are covered. Other topics include high-flow discharge evolutions such as handlines, master streams, large-diameter hose, relay-pump operations, dual-pump operations, and looped supply line evolutions. The duties and responsibilities of the water supply officer are also covered. ALL LEVELS Developing a Preincident Guide for a High-Hazard Event Battalion Chief Daniel Sheridan, Fire Department of New York

Students are taken through all of the steps of developing preincident guidelines for structures or facilities in their response area that may potentially pose problems for their fire department. Examples of target areas in the instructor’s response district (the industrialized section of the South Bronx, New York) are discussed from the perspective of preplanning. Students are shown how the strategy and tactics developed for a preplan of one of these targets were implemented when that facility experienced a fire to which the instructor’s battalion responded. ALL LEVELS Size-Up Videos and Tactics for the First-Due Engine Lieutenant Tom Sitz, Painesville Township (OH) Fire Department This dynamic and interactive class features audience participation as a key component. Raw fire scene videos that begin prior to the fire department’s arrival and progress through the arrival of the first-due engine are analyzed and discussed from the perspective of strategy and tactics with the focus on the first-due engine. Emphasis is on points of entry and the pros and cons of each entry point, line selection (gallons per minute) and length, flow path control, and probable routes of extension. Direct fire attack, transitional fire attack, and blitz attacks are discussed. Case studies of similar fires in the buildings used in the video emphasize building construction and fire location and extension. Engine company tricks of the trade are also covered. ALL LEVELS What’s Been Missing? Implementing Rehabilitation at the Incident Scene Professor Denise Smith, Skidmore College (NY) and Illinois Fire Service Institute Despite the myriad of dangers firefighters face, the leading cause of duty-related death is sudden cardiac events, accounting for approximately 45 percent of line-of-duty deaths. Firefighting requires high levels of physical exertion and results in significant physiological disruption. Incident-scene rehabilitation is designed to mitigate the physical, physiological, and emotional stress of firefighting to improve performance and decrease the likelihood of injury or death. This presentation provides the foundation for developing and implementing a rehabilitation policy. ALL LEVELS Regional Multicompany Hands-On Training Deputy Chief Drew Smith, Prospect Heights (IL) Fire District Many fire departments regularly rely on automatic aid or mutual aid to effectively respond to fires and other emergencies. For more than 20 years, about 700 firefighters from fire departments of Chicago’s northern suburbs have conducted semiannual multicompany drills to prepare for a safe and effective response. Ranging from skill development to full-scale live fire exercises, these sessions challenge departments to work with one another. Learn about the history and development of this program, details of several past exercises, and the lessons learned and experiences of other regions that have conducted similar exercises. BASIC The Initial Line: Getting It Right the First Time Captain Jonah Smith, Charlotte (SC) Fire Department The deployment of the initial hoseline is one of the most basic and important actions the fire service takes to effect the extinguishment of fires. However, it is often assumed to be elementary even though, at times, it is one of the biggest challenges we face. The need for a dynamic and well-trained engine company in all types of departments is the focus, and engine company operations and their importance to the proper mitigation of fire incidents are emphasized. The

topics discussed include methods for ensuring proper hoseline selection, deployment, and efficiency of operation. ALL LEVELS Standpipes: a New Look at an Old Tool Captain Kyle Smith, Cobb County (GA) Fire Department We all have expectations of performance when it comes to a standpipe system. This class looks at what can be expected of an installed standpipe system and what to do if the unexpected happens. The results of flow testing are reviewed and discussed. Pressure-reducing valves, from their construction features to flow test results and what can be realistically expected from them, are covered. Lessons learned from the hands-on training conducted at the Riviera Hotel and Casino are reviewed, and incidents at which standpipe performance was a significant factor in a near miss or a line-of-duty death are examined. ALL LEVELS Vehicle Extrication from Inside the Auto Industry Senior Firefighter/Design Engineer Michael Smith, Wixom (MI) Fire Department This class takes the new out of new vehicle technology and presents leading-edge information. Students will walk through vehicle design and construction from bumper to bumper, highlighting changes in technology, materials, and processes. In those places where new technology is found in the vehicles, the “why” and “how” of the technology are briefly covered. ALL LEVELS CNG Commercial Vehicles: a Ticking Time Bomb Lieutenant Steve Smith, Arvada (CO) Fire Protection District Compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered commercial vehicles are the focus. The basics of these vehicles are covered; emphasis is on rubbish vehicles. Topics include liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered vehicles and the difference between LNG and CNG vehicles. An incident involving two CNG tanks that failed in Indianapolis is analyzed from the perspectives of the investigators and manufacturer, their conclusions, and what the industry proposes as far as firefighting is concerned (which tactically and mentally go against what we were taught since the fire academy). ALL LEVELS Strategies and Tactics of Great and Respected Firefighters Firefighter David Soler, Firefighter Toolbox, California Discover the success principles of great firefighters that have never been shared in a program before. If you’re looking to reach your potential as a firefighter and want to take your skills and fire service career to another level, this class is for you. This easy-to-understand, step-by-step program is based on the instructor’s 20-plus years of researching and interviewing the best of the best in the fire service. ALL LEVELS Cancer: Prevention Begins with Awareness Director of Fire Service Programs Victor Stagnaro, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Occupational cancer is a reality in the fire service. The outcomes and objectives of the January 2015 Occupational Cancer in the Fire Service Strategy Meeting held in Washington, D.C., are discussed, including the outcomes of the eight objectives reviewed during the strategy meeting. Among topics covered are cancer awareness, recommendations for preventing cancer, and the ongoing research needed to prove some cancers are related to the fire service as an occupation.

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Cancer Awareness and Prevention video is featured and discussed. ALL LEVELS Tactical Thermal Imaging: the First Level of Fire Attack Captain Andrew Starnes, Charlotte (NC) Fire Department Incorporating tactical thermal data into our initial action plan is mission critical to the success of our operations. This takes the participant beyond the standard use of a thermal imaging camera for search and rescue along with overhaul purposes. Tactical thermal imaging can allow firefighters to identify the flow paths and identify cold spots. Firefighters can use this information to detect the fire’s severity and location, define their access path, direct their stream placement, locate trapped victims, assist in locating the fire (visible, vent-limited, and hidden fires in walls or chimneys, for example), locate down firefighters in rapid intervention scenarios, spot locations for ventilation openings, and more. Traditional tactics are not discarded; they are enhanced, and the participant can see the thermal data, which have a powerful effect on changing someone’s paradigm. INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED Tactics for Managing Fire Behavior Chief (Ret.) Joe Starnes, Sandy Ridge (SC) Volunteer Fire Department The focus is on conditioning the access path for the crew and tactical air management with doors, curtains, and redirecting the flow path. Videos reinforce discussions on the use of thermal imaging cameras and thermal indicators that indicate when crews should go/not go. This interactive class encourages students’ questions pertaining to techniques discussed and illustrated. INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED SCBA Bootcamp: a Firefighter’s Survival School Captain Trevor Steedman, Ocean City (MD) Fire Department The focus in on a variety of principles and practices all firefighters can use--rural and urban, career and volunteer. Fire does not discriminate. The Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) Continuum of Survival illustrates the training needs of the SCBA firefighter and provides multiple skills that maximize the potential for everyone to go home. Many firefighters are unaware of the survival options available to keep them alive. SCBA is the lifeline of the firefighter. Basic SCBA training provides rudimentary skills on which firefighters must build. Unfortunately, many firefighters and training programs neglect to advance SCBA skills to adequate levels. When the fire doesn’t go “by the book,” knowing the SCBA Continuum of Survival can make all the difference. ALL LEVELS The Story of West: Multiple Firefighter Deaths Chief Les Stephens, San Marcos (TX) Fire Department An interactive and detailed summary of the investigation report of the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office conducted in cooperation with the Texas Fire Chief’s Association covering the April 17, 2013, West (TX) Fertilizer Plant explosion in which 10 firefighters died in the line of duty. The class leaders are two members of the task force who, along with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents, interviewed surviving emergency responders and examined other incident materials (i.e., radio communications, for example) and established a timeline of events for the incident. Additionally, the task force reviewed fire and emergency strategic

(scene) operations and developed comprehensive lessons learned and best practices for preventing similar future firefighter fatalities. ALL LEVELS Fire Department of New York: Black Sunday Firefighter Eugene Stolowski, Fire Department of New York A first-hand account of the events of January 23, 2005, that forced six New York City firefighters to jump out of the fifth floor of a Bronx tenement. Students will see how quickly things can go wrong on the fireground. Among the topics covered are the need for firefighters to have a personal safety system and the hazards of responding in illegally occupied buildings. ALL LEVELS Operating on the Floor Above Captain Daniel Stratton, Camden (NJ) Fire Department The hazards associated with operating on the floor above a fire are identified. Precautionary measures for firefighters engaged in fire suppression activities under these conditions are stressed. Case studies are used to increase awareness of the challenges the firefighters face. Flashover, backdraft in voids, structural failure, wind-driven fires, assessing the fire structure, the priority of and importance in getting a stream on the fire, providing egress with ladders on upper floors, and additional safety and survival techniques are covered. ALL LEVELS RIC for REAL: How Ready Are You to Save Firefighters’ Lives? Captain Paul Strong, Valley (WA) Regional Fire Authority This class covers many of the details learned from realistic, hands-on, rapid intervention training. Four-hundred firefighters were put to the test in stressful training environments that challenged everything they had ever been taught. They were challenged in their basic skills: Officers were challenged in critical decision making; crews were challenged in their efficiency, choreography, and coordination under realistic stress. Learn the best practices for increasing the chances for successful rescues by paying attention to the details in this session’s approach to training rapid intervention crews. ALL LEVELS Roadway Incident Safety: the Hits Keep Coming! Jack Sullivan, Director of Training, ResponderSafety.com In the first three months of 2015, six fire/EMS personnel were struck and killed by vehicles at incident scenes. Distracted, drowsy, drunk, drugged, and just plain dumb drivers are striking our personnel and our emergency vehicles with scary frequency. This class provides the guidelines for safe roadway incident scene response and management and outlines the most recent innovative ideas for highway incident safety. An overview of the new NFPA/ANSI Standard 1091, Traffic Control Incident Management Professional Qualifications, is also presented. ALL LEVELS The Historic Role of Safety in the Decision-Making Process Deputy Chief of Operations John Sullivan, Worcester (MA) Fire Department The past 15 to 20 years have seen an unprecedented increase in safety awareness in the fire service. This increased safety focus has had a positive effect on the decision-making process firefighters use in many cases; however, there are still historical trends the fire service continues to uphold that have not evolved with the times. These “habits” are deeply entrenched in both our

experience and training and continue to shape our tactics and strategy despite the growing evidence that many of these habits are detrimental to firefighter safety. This class explores case studies that highlight those entrenched habits and presents ways to adjust our decision-making process to reflect even greater emphasis on firefighter safety. ALL LEVELS There Is No Such Thing as Extreme Fire Behavior! Associate Professor Stefan Svensson, Lund University, Sweden International Presenter The focus is on approaching fire scientifically and viewing it from the perspective of scientists. Scenarios will include simple examples of theory through small-scale experiments to large-scale experiments. Fire is a process of combustion, and it is driven by laws of nature. Such laws describe how various phenomena in nature are related and affect each other. That we do not always understand these fundamental laws and how they affect the behavior of a fire does not make the fire extreme in any way. The fire simply follows the conditions given, whether we know them or not. INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED "Invitational Intervention": Understanding Where Addiction and Hope Meet Rev. Jim Swarthout, Rosecrance Florian Program, Illinois Sitting around the table at the house--home or station--we often talk about motivation to change, which is a powerful and an influential force when it is harnessed. Much like a flowing river, when the water is channeled, it can be converted to life-enhancing energy. The process of change starts when any one family member decides that the addiction with which he/she is living is creating pain that can no longer be lived with. The addiction has made family interactions too controlling, too chaotic, too isolated, too filled with emotional ups and downs, too filled with anger and resentments, and too controlled by fears. Research has shown that a family member can be successfully coached in how best to invite other family members to participate in an intervention. Our research shows that this coaching is also 60 percent successful at getting the addicted person to attend the first family session designed to get this individual started in treatment. ALL LEVELS First-In Driver: Street Smarts from a Driver Perspective Chad Szeklinski, Heavy Equipment Operator, Milwaukee (WI) Fire Department The focus is on building more successful engine driving operations. Topics include how to properly prepare the engine at the start of the shift, correct positioning of the apparatus for fire/emergency medical calls, getting a water supply quickly, and troubleshooting apparatus issues. The instructor passes along some tricks of the trade as well. ALL LEVELS What Matters? Situations That Arise in a Diverse Fire Station District Chief Susan Tamme, Tampa (FL) Fire Rescue An in-depth look at the issues that surface in the firehouse regarding gender, sexual orientation, and equality. Many company officers are not prepared for these types of issues when they come to light at the first onset. Understanding the underlying message and the needs of a nontraditional firefighter can make these situations easier to navigate. Information is presented from the human resources and legal perspectives. A question-and-answer session is included. ALL LEVELS Good Medicine in Bad Places: a Look Inside the Fire Department of New York Rescue Paramedic Program

Firefighter John Tew, Fire Department of New York A glimpse into the training world of a Fire Department of New York EMS rescue paramedic. The instructor, who served for a decade as a paramedic for private hospitals within New York City, describes the program he developed for paramedics to prepare them--through practical, real-world scenarios--to practice “good medicine in bad places.” The rescue technician and medical training delivered through the program is described in detail. Videos and other visual aids that cover training scenarios and interviews with paramedics are employed in this interactive session. ALL LEVELS Welcome to the Ivy League of Firefighting in High- and Low-Rise Large-Area Office Buildings Battalion Chief (Ret.) Jerry Tracy, Fire Department of New York The challenge of operating in high- or low-rise office buildings demands the disciplines of procedures far beyond routine operations. The presentation provides the information required for preplanning, including the responsibilities of building owners, managers, and occupants. The preplan discussed will be more than a building profile. It will focus on a plan of action for fires and emergencies. The instructor clarifies the characteristics of construction and how they factor in on the fire behavior expected in these structures. The strategies and tactics to extinguish routine fires to the most difficult fires are explained. Controlling smoke movement, search and rescue, and the command system that supports operations are discussed. ALL LEVELS Learning from Others’ Experiences Instructor Dave Traiforos, NIPSTA Training Academy, Glenview, IL Students are made aware of how firefighters’ aggressive actions can increase firefighter risk of injury or death and prevent the completion of the task at hand, interrupting the fire action plan. They identify these aggressive actions in dramatic videos and photos and discuss their potential consequences. Among the topics covered are fire scene accountability, vehicle placement and operations, hoseline placement, the use of portable ladders, company officer development, building construction, water supply, search and rescue, and strategy and tactics. ALL LEVELS Small Departments: Growing Beyond the Single-Line Mentality Chief Jon Trent, Nixa (MO) Fire Protection District Our greatest adversary to organizational growth is past success! This session challenges firefighters at all levels of the organization to take a critical look at on-scene performance. Through the process of examination, the following topics will be considered: How does your organization/shift/crew define your on-scene performance--what is your operational “brand”? Are you living up to your on-scene operational performance brand? At what level of performance is your organization/shift/crew currently performing? Competent? Developing? Peak? How do you move to the next level of performance if you are not at peak performance? How do you maintain peak performance? ALL LEVELS Elevator Emergencies Captain (Ret.) Tony Tricarico, Fire Department of New York Attendees learn what they need to know to mitigate an elevator emergency. Beyond learning how elevators work, the types of elevators, and the basics of elevator emergencies, students become acquainted with the terminology of elevator machinery room mechanics and the elevator

mechanics and shaft parts. Among the topics covered are the tools needed to repair an elevator, how to use the tools, construction, site safety hazards, steel and wire supports, interlock devices, hoistway door operations, gaining entry, internal and external safeties built into elevators, lock out and tag out, locating an elevator, and the phases of elevator recall. In addition, the two basic types of elevators, wire hoist and pneumatic, are discussed. ALL LEVELS Rapid Intervention Teams and Air Management Lieutenant, Special Operations Joseph Troncoso, Portland (OR) Fire & Rescue This class is delivered in Spanish. The focus is on the purpose of the rapid intervention team (RIT), why it is needed, and its function. Additional topics include equipping a team, running command during a Mayday situation, and using the RIT. Air management is also emphasized; air management requirements in the United States, obstacles departments have encountered while introducing air management in their departments, how to implement air management standard operating standards, and how to practice air management procedures are covered. ALL LEVELS Situational Awareness Barriers in a Digital Information Environment CEO/Senior Firefighter Bart van Leeuwen, Netage, Netherlands International Presenter New technologies like mobile data terminals, iPads, and cellphones are entering the fire service at an ever increasing pace. Often, the biggest argument for these technologies is increased situational awareness. However, when used in the wrong way, they can be barriers to situational awareness. This class examines this issue and discusses the source and presentation of information, generational influences, and the differences in the ways varying generations of firefighters use technology. Students are introduced to a common terminology and are given a nontechnical introduction to the way information systems work. A supporter of using digital information at the front line, the instructor did ground-breaking work on this subject at the Amsterdam Fire Department and shares information on the potential pitfalls you may encounter when using these technologies. ALL LEVELS How to Avoid Social Media-Assisted Career Problems Deputy Chief Curt Varone, Exeter (RI) Fire Department The focus is on training firefighters to avoid social media disasters. Social media has been a blessing and a curse for the fire service; it has the potential to create public relations nightmares and disciplinary disasters. The challenge is to establish boundaries between acceptable and unacceptable online conduct without violating individual rights. Career, volunteer, and combination departments all have been impacted by social media. Managing the risks posed by social media involves striking a balance between members’ rights and organizational responsibility while considering the impact of a variety of legal concerns, including the First Amendment; collective bargaining; and privacy rights. ADVANCED Step Up and Lead Deputy Chief Frank Viscuso, Kearny (NJ) Fire Department The highest rated fire service leadership traits--among them are loyalty, adaptability, determination, enthusiasm, empathy, courage, and honor--are the focus. Students gain insight into enhancing their ability to lead themselves and others by analyzing case histories and lessons learned followed by action steps. ALL LEVELS

Fully Involved Leadership Captain Mark vonAppen, Palo Alto (CA) Fire Department This class is directed at fire service professionals who wish to expand their leadership abilities at any level. The focus is on improving team performance; the approach has been in use for more than 40 years in professional football, the fire service, and the business world. Getting team members to pull toward a common goal is a key component in successful operations. Acquire the tools that will help you to create a pact you can apply to all levels of your organization. ALL LEVELS Intelligently Aggressive Truck Functions Division Chief Jimm Walsh, Winter Park (FL) Fire Department Many people associate the term “aggressive” with unsafe, particularly when it comes to truck company functions. The fireground can be made safer through the intelligent execution of truck functions. This presentation stresses the importance of intelligently aggressive truck functions and their positive impact on fireground safety. As a result of limited staffing situations, we must improve our efficiency on the fireground. Aggressive truck functions applied in an intelligent manner allow everyone to work in a safer and more efficient manner. This presentation gives valuable insight into the understanding of aggressive, yet safe, truck company skills. Participants gain valuable tips on how to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their truck functions. Most importantly, participants see how intelligent aggressive truck functions can create a safer fireground. ALL LEVELS Did That Really Just Happen? Chief/Firefighter (Ret.) John Walters III, Port Washington Fire Department/Fire Department of New York Firefighting is a very dangerous job. We all know this and take the risks associated with the job. This class answers many of the questions associated with line-of-duty injuries and prepares students to be proactive in these situations. How would a major line-of-duty injury affect your department? Would the chief down to the probationary member know what to do? Students are taken step by step through the process of a major line-of-duty injury--before, during, and many years after the incident. Learn from members who have been through such events. ALL LEVELS Truck Company Operations for the Engine Company Firefighter Firefighter Jeff Weffelmeyer, St. Louis (MO) Fire Department. This class focuses on the truck company skills in which every firefighter should be proficient. Because of a lack of dedicated truck companies, engine operations are usually the main focus of the suburban and rural fire service. Just because your department doesn't have a dedicated truck company doesn't mean these vital fireground operations don’t need to be accomplished at a structure fire. Who performs these operations on your fire scene? What truck company operations need to be performed? Forcible entry: You can't put the fire out if you can’t get inside. Search: You won’t find the victims if you don’t go looking for them. Ventilation: Improve interior conditions for firefighters and victims. Ladders: Access to roof and upper floors and means of escape for firefighters operating interior. Overhaul: Opening up and making sure the fire is out. Aerial operations: Access to upper floors and elevated master streams. ALL LEVELS

Rural Fire Safety: Do It the Same Way, “Differently”! Chief Devon Wells, Hood River (OR) Fire & EMS The wildland safety concept of lookouts, communications, escape routes, and safety zones (LCES) is widely accepted as one of the easiest-to-remember wildland safety standards in rural fire agencies and throughout the United States. The lack of situational awareness tends to be a leading cause in many line-of-duty deaths and near misses. This presentation provides a new way of analyzing risk at roadway emergencies, structure fires, and other incidents using proven methods. Safety is a topic that draws a lot of press yet doesn’t seem to catch the attention of firefighters. This presentation takes each of the components of LCES and applies them to all-hazard incidents. How to use LCES at motor vehicle accidents, vehicle fires, structure fires, technical rescues, and hazardous materials incidents is addressed. By using easy-to-remember, routine, and adopted safety guidelines at all incidents, our chances for preventing injury and death increase. ALL LEVELS Large Truck Extrication Battalion Chief Steve White, Fishers (IN) Fire Department This program stresses that rescuers should not take a passenger vehicle approach to a large truck extrication. Students gain a working knowledge of large truck construction including air, electrical, and suspension systems. Options for using electric, pneumatic, and hydraulic tools to stabilize, gain access, and perform disentanglement from semitractors, large straight trucks, and cars trapped under trailers are discussed. INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED Flashover Life-and-Death Decisions on the Fireground Firefighter Bryan Winzer, Fire Department of New York Flashover is devastating and has caused injuries and, in many cases, firefighter deaths. The devastating pysical and mental scars left behind after a flashover last a lifetime. Two case studies of incidents where flashover occurred are reviewed. In one incident, a firefighter was severely burned while battling a private dwelling fire. In the other incident, a firefighter was severely burned and his partner succumbed to his injuries while fighting a fire in a garden apartment. ALL LEVELS Lessons Learned from a Near-Miss Mayday in Texas Captain John Wright, Flower Mound (TX) Fire Department A first-hand experience. The Flower Mound (TX) Fire Department responded to a residential structure fire on June 17, 2011. While members conducted a primary search of the second floor, an error was made and the wall was opened up, allowing the room to fill with flames. This disoriented the firefighters, who became lost in the fire room. A Mayday was transmitted, and the firefighters were able to self-extricate through a small set of windows seconds before the room flashed. Students are presented with details concerning the errors that contributed to the firefighters’ becoming lost and the struggles they encountered while trying to get out of the room. Students share in the lessons learned and insights into how firefighters react to overwhelming stress associated with high-speed threats to life. Complacency, gut instincts, proper use of personal protective equipment, muscle memory related to bad habits, preparedness, and pride are also covered as part of the lessons learned. ALL LEVELS Trench Rescue Shoring: Our Dirty Little Secret

Rescue Team Manager Ron Zawlocki, Michigan USAR Task Force In this interactive session, students are challenged to create a model for a trench rescue shoring performance standard. Firefighters are needlessly risking their lives each time they enter a trench that has been shored with equipment and techniques that have not been scientifically proven (tested) to be capable of supporting the soil. The absence of a trench rescue shoring “performance standard” has allowed the continued use of inadequate shoring techniques by firefighters. This presentation teaches the participants to apply critical thinking and system analysis to the shoring systems and practices used for trench rescue shoring. Current theories, myths, and folklore are examined. Participants will learn and apply a simple formula for determining the potential soil forces on their shoring systems and the safety factors of commonly used trench rescue shoring systems. Students learn methods for testing the strength of shoring systems in trenches. ALL LEVELS Heart Heroes: Successful Cardiovascular Program for Volunteer Firefighters 4th Commander Ivo Zuvic, Santiago( Chile) Fire Department International Presenter This class is delivered in Spanish. As is widely known, the cardiovascular accidents have been the greatest cause of death in the fire service in past decades. No fire department in the world is immune to the problem. This presentation relates the experience of the Santiago Fire Department (Chile) with this problem and how it is being attacked. The presentation describes the triggering events of this program--five line-of-duty deaths in a short period of time--the decision to attack the problem, the process of engaging all the volunteers in creating the campaign, and how the plan has been applied and is being monitored. Although the presentation is based on the Santiago Fire Department, the main focus is to share the most important learning points that have been identified, including the errors that can be avoided or the “best hits” that can be replicated by others. ALL LEVELS