Wednesday Conference
Check back often for updated information.
Conference sessions are 90 minutes in length, unless otherwise noted. Program subject to change.
Continuing education credits, from East LA College, are available to all conference attendees. Attendees are encouraged to apply. Your participation benefits you and the fire service. Online registration for these college CE’s is now closed. However, you can still apply for them when you arrive at the convention center. Registration sheets will be available in each class as well as the CSFA booth and select conference locations. (CE’s are free to all California residents; out-of-state residents are required to pay an out-of-state fee.) Attendees that apply for credit will receive .5 units.
| March 3, 2010 | |
| 8:30 AM | Steve Bernocco, Lieutenant, Seattle, WA FD, Phil Jose, Captain, Seattle, WA FD Category: Air Management This video-driven, multimedia presentation expands upon our recent classes in air management and moves towards practical implementation in both emergency and non-emergency situations. There will a brief discussion of the rule of air management, the point of NO return and how firefighters die on the fireground. We will describe effective emergency progress reports utilizing the CARA format with an emphasis on air readings. The class will conclude with a dynamic presentation of survival in "out of air" situations. |
| 8:30 AM | Mike Dugan, Captain, FDNY Category: Fire Attack This is a session about getting the Engine Company and Truck Company to work together as safely as possible. This session will also review the duties and positions of firefighters assigned to either the truck or engine company. |
| 8:30 AM | Darren Hall, Captain, Coronado, CA FD 3-Hour Class Category: Engine Operations This class is designed for firefighters preparing for the transition to the Engineer Position. The class is broken into two segments. This segment focuses on pump theory, pumping scenarios, pump trouble-shooting and how to determine friction loss in a variety of potential hose lays. The class will conclude with trends and realistic examples for Engineer Examinations. |
| 8:30 AM | Alan Brunacini, Fire Chief (ret.), Phoenix, AZ FD Category: Command Firefighters routinely must operate in immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) places to conduct rescue and fire control operations. Those deadly conditions are currently present and our operational and command system must be instantly effective. Dealing with these "here and now" hazards require a local incident management system (LIMS) that can fast track the standard command functions to match the time compressed IDLH time frame. This session will present how we can package the standard (8) command functions so they can be quickly implemented and then effectively applied to match incident conditions that are changing quickly and typically getting worse until we make them better. |
| 8:30 AM | Mickey Conboy, Lieutenant, FDNY Category: Specialized Rescue With a new emphasis on firefighter safety and survival today, take a realistic look at lessons learned from the fireground where we had to deal with firefighter trapped and overcome on the fireground. Not all fires involve only one firefighter in trouble, are you prepared to handle multiple firefighters in need of your help, now? Have you mastered rescuing your brother firefighters or are we doomed to repeat these lessons learned from history of the fire departments in this country? |
| 8:30 AM | Curtis Massey, Firefighter (ret.), President, Massey Disaster Planning Category: Strategy & Tactics This session will cover a detailed analysis of managing rapidly-evolving new-age tenant systems greatly impacting firefighter safety that is little known to many departments which contradict established high-rise SOPs; a study of Curtis's own fireground proven "Rapid Ascent Team" concept that has been adopted by several fire departments; a study of new "super-tall" skyscraper construction that will alter the ways fires are fought in these buildings. |
| 8:30 AM | Tom Somers, Captain, Los Angeles FD Category: Command What is the basic infrastructure required for emergency services to operate? This session will define the basics, how to rapidly assess the infrastructure and build a simple and effective plan with operational objectives. Until fire management recognizes "the situation for what it is" it will continue to operate in a vacuum. |
| 8:30 AM | Bob Barraclough, President, The Best Fire Apparatus Resource, Inc., Plano, TX; Alan Saulsbury, President, Fire Spec Services, Inc., Homer, NY Category: Apparatus Purchasing Body material, body designs and the dress out are important parts of your apparatus specifications. The presenters will explain the "pros" and "cons" of galvaneel, aluminum, stainless steel, GRP and plastic material, what options you should consider with compartmentation, shelving, lighting and how the major components should be placed for maximum safety, balance and usage. You need to see this fast moving Power Point to understand how all of the above will impact dealers, manufacturers and fire departments. |
| 8:30 AM | Todd Harms, Assistant Chief of Operations, Phoenix, AZ FD Category: Command The main focus of this training program is based upon improving fireground operations and firefighter safety at the task, tactical, and strategic levels of operation. Attendees will discuss the eight critical factors of size-up in the development of an Incident action plan for the completion of the tactical priorities of rescue, fire control, and loss control. |
| 8:30 AM | Richard B. Gasaway, Ph.D., EFO, CFO, Gasaway Consulting Group Category: Leadership This program focuses on the psychology of being successful. Each day you are faced with decisions based on your self-expectancy and your self-motivation. You decide what to do... and what not to do; to be positive... or negative; to be productive... or counter-productive. While some motivation is based on outside influences, more often the motivation that compels behavior is created internally. This program examines the emotions that drive motivation. We will look at the role that memory and imagination play in shaping your success. And in order to change your behavior you must be conscious of your shortcomings and conscious of the competencies that you want to possess. |
| 8:30 AM | Quinn MacLeod, Engineer/Acting Company Officer (ret.), Parker Fire Protection District, Parker, CO, Owner/Lead Instructor of Integrated Fire Solutions Category: Communications Communication is more than just talking over the radio or giving someone an order to carry out a fireground assignment. Communication is all about being a good listener as well as a good speaker. In this session fireground briefings are introduced utilizing the 5-step briefing format. |
| 8:30 AM | Robert Cobb, Deputy Chief (ret.), Jersey City, NJ FD, Director, Community Hazard Mitigation, ISO, Inc. Category: Leadership This guided program will foster insight into the tools and resources available through ISO. Retired Deputy Chief Cobb will apply his 37 years of fire service experience to enhance your knowledge of the ISO's Public Protection Classification (PPCTM) program, Fire Suppression Rating Schedule and ISO's Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS??). Cobb will provide an overview of the ISO resource, Fire Chiefs Online - a special secured website with information and features that can help improve your ISO Public Protection Classification (PPCTM). |
| 8:30 AM | JP Harris, Battalion Chief (ret.), Los Angeles County FD, CA; Gary Harris, Captain, Los Angeles County FD, CA; Brian Crandell, Assistant Chief, Central Valley Fire District, MT; John Culbertson, Captain, Central Valley Fire District, MT 3-Hour Class JP Harris, will present a 3 hour Wildland Urban Interface Structure Protection class utilizing the latest updates to the new edition 2010 Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG) all attendees will receive a 2010 IRPG. This tactical concept utilizes Fire Behavior Estimate and insuring that LCES is available in order for Firefighters to commit. This concept is standard operating procedure in many Southern California and Montana fire departments. |
| 10:15 AM | Joshua Stapleton, Fire Captain/Paramedic, EMS Representative, American Heart Association Regional Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee Category: EMS This course is designed to bring the latest updates to the Fire and EMS communities directly from the American Heart Association's Resuscitation Science Symposium. The course will cover the forthcoming changes in the 2010 Guidelines and how they will impact the way pre-hospital providers do business. It is designed to prepare both providers and EMS Administrators for the training, logistical, and financial impact the guideline changes may create, as well as to inform front-line pre-hospital providers of the research, science, and statistics behind the changes to foster understanding. |
| 10:15 AM | Jeff Seaton, Department & Recruit Academy Instructor, San Jose, CA FD Category: Strategy & Tactics The American fire service has the highest firefighter fatality rate of any fire service in an industrialized country; firefighter disorientation is one of the leading contributors to that! Today's firefighters are in desperate need of ensuring that effective and efficient fireground search operations in Big Box and Hi-Rise occupancies are implemented daily. The intent of this program is to assist in "Preventing the Next 100" LODD'S by providing an increased level of operational capability and safety to all ranks while searching for life and or fire in a Big Box & Hi-Rise occupancy. This program will assist in simplifying these low-frequency extremely high-risk fireground search operations, so that "Nobody Gets Left Behind"! |
| 10:15 AM | Michael Contreras, Captain, Wellness & Fitness Program, Coordinator, Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA); Jeff Hoey, Captain, Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) Category: Fitness Speakers will discuss the proven approach to recruit success through a strong physical fitness program. |
| 10:15 AM | Paul Lepore, Division Chief, Redondo Beach FD, CA Alan Patalano, Deputy Chief, Long Beach, CA FD Category: Career Advancement Many candidates struggle with how to answer questions during a promotional interview. They struggle with the culture of the fire service versus doing what they think the panel is looking for. Participants will have a rare opportunity to see the promotional interview through the eyes of the evaluators. |
| 10:15 AM | Mickey Conboy, Lieutenant, FDNY Category: Specialized Rescue Firefighters across the country respond to an increasing number of rescue emergencies each year. Learn invaluable lessons from recent incidents such as workers buried in a trench and tanks, children impaled on fences, and occupants trapped in a building collapse. |
| 10:15 AM | Mark Emery, Battalion Chief, Woodinville, WA Fire & Life Safety District Category: Fire Station Discover how to develop personal and professional leadership in your life and in your fire station. Your personal and professional leadership can establish a legacy of excellence in your life and in your fire station. The principles of the Fire Station Pyramid of Success will help you discover the peace of mind that comes from knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable. |
| 10:15 AM | Devon Wells, Assistant Fire Chief, Hood River FD, OR, Western Regional Director, ISFSI Category: Training Training is the back-bone of the fire service and it is an ever changing environment. This class will help officers and instructors recognize new ways to manage their training program. We will cover managing daily shift training, volunteer drills, training schedule creation, and utilizing training to create "buy-in" at all levels of the organization. This presentation will create many ideas in the attendee's minds that can be used to be creative in their own department. The participant's will leave with a sense of new ideas and ways to look at training program management. |
| 10:15 AM | Richard Blatus, Battalion Chief, FDNY Category: Strategy & Tactics An in depth discussion concerning operational tactics and procedures at several types of residential and multiple dwelling fires. Construction hazards, operational difficulties, and tactical decisions will be explored and reviewed with an emphasis on the types of information the incident commander needs from the firefighters on the "inside". This class is a comprehensive review of decisions which face firefighters when operating in both old and new types of residential construction. |
| 10:15 AM | Mike Wilbur, Lieutenant, FDNY; Tom Shand, Contributing Editor, Firehouse Magazine Category: Purchasing This program will cover the advantages and operational differences of each type of aerial device with some practical examples of how these units perform on the fireground. |
| 10:15 AM | James Dalton, Coordinator of Research and Development, Chicago, IL FD; Partnered with Underwriters Laboratories Category: Strategy & Tactics Chemical composition of smoke particles encountered by first responders during operations (knockdown and overhaul) and continued exposure to residual particulates on protective clothing is believed to be a contributing factor to the increased risk of firefighter cancer. Jointly, Underwriters Laboratories Inc (UL), the Chicago Fire Department (CFD), and the University Of Cincinnati College Of Medicine have recently completed research focused on firefighter exposure to smoke particulates. This presentation will describe the investigation and analysis of the combustion gases and particulates generated from three scales of fires: residential structure and automobile fires; simulated real-scale fire tests; and material based small-scale fire tests. It will provide a valuable background to interpret fire hazards and can be used by: the medical community to advance their understanding of the epidemiological effects of smoke exposure; first responders to develop situational assessment guidelines for self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) usage and personal protection equipment cleaning regimen; and organizations such as NIOSH and NFPA to develop new test method standards and performance criteria for respirators used by first responders and the care and maintenance of personal protection equipment. |
| 1:45 PM | Richard B. Gasaway, Ph.D., EFO, CFO, Gasaway Consulting Group Category: Command Have you ever watched a video or read a case study of a catastrophic fire and asked yourself "How could they not see this coming?" This program examines the challenges of developing and maintaining situation awareness in dynamic, high-stress, high-consequence environments. You may be shocked and amazed to learn the many ways your situation awareness can be impacted. The National Fire Fighter Near Miss Reporting System 2007 and 2008 Annual Reports identify issues with Situation Awareness as the leading contributing factor to fire fighter near miss events. The National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) has identified issues with situation awareness as contributing to dozens of fire fighter deaths at structure fires. Now that you know there's a problem with fireground situation awareness, you need to do something about it! The program examines the challenges of decision-making in high-stress, high-consequence, time-compressed environments and examines the role that situation awareness plays in helping commanders make good decisions and keep firefighters safe. |
| 1:45 PM | Darren Hall, Captain, Coronado, CA FD This class is designed for firefighters preparing for the transition to the Engineer Position. The class is broken into two segments. This segment reviews driving techniques, defensive driving, and driving laws and regulations. The class will conclude with trends and realistic examples for Engineer Examinations. |
| 1:45 PM | Bill Tricarico, Fire Commissioner, Cortland, NY FD, Dave Denniston, Loss Control Training Specialist, McNeil & Co. Insurance, Exec Dir, Nat'l FARMEDIC Training Progra Category: Liability An alarming number of firefighters across the country are being charged, injured or even killed while performing duties which were intended to protect the public. This fast-paced multimedia seminar will explore fire service leaders' roles in protecting our firefighters and EMTs. The no-holds-barred seminar will review the leading causes of injury, death and liability issues facing fire service organizations and provide sample policies and procedures to help limit these exposures. |
| 1:45 PM | Douglas Woods, Regional Fire Program Specialist,, Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program FEMA Region 9, Oakland California This workshop will provide information about the submission of competitive applications under this competitive grant program. Interested representatives from fire department as well as representatives from non-affiliated EMS organizations are invited to attend. Information is presented on program changes, program priorities, eligibility requirements, and on the application process. Also, general assistance in the writing of a competitive narrative for a department's grant application is discussed. The session is free and participants need not be registered for the conference to attend this, and only this, conference session. However you will need to stop by registration BEFORE reporting to the classroom. More information about this FEMA Fire Grant workshop can be found at http://www.firegrantsupport.com. The speaker will also be available during conference exhibit hours at the FEMA/U.S. Fire Administration booth. |
| 1:45 PM | Todd Harms, Assistant Chief of Operations, Phoenix, AZ FD Category: Strategy & Tactics For most departments, the residential house fire is the most common fire response and accounts annually for the largest loss of life. For company officers and battalion chiefs, the main focus of this training program is based upon improving fireground operations and firefighter safety at the task, tactical, and strategic levels of operation. |
| 1:45 PM | Kevin Trost, Captain (ret.), Sacramento, CA FD Category: Strategy & Tactics We continue to kill and injure firefighters and the debate continues if our basic firefighting principles are flawed. We have added ICS/IMS, 2in/2out, RIC, better turnouts, SCBAs, the safety officer, and the numbers don't go away. What is going on? Part of the answer is the fact that there are many myths and misconceptions as to the basic firefighting principles and how to apply these new safeguards on the fireground. This course will walk you through the history of how some of these safety guards have come about. More importantly, this course will try to dispel the misconceptions as to how we should be applying them on the fireground. The course will address "Command"; who, where, when, why, and how. The course will address the fireground "lap"; who should take it and when should it be taken. 2in/2out; what it is and what it isn't. RIC; what it is, who does it, what do they do and when. Lastly, the course will address the Safety Officer on the fireground. |
| 1:45 PM | Bob Pressler, Lieutenant (ret.), FDNY Category: House Fires The everyday fireground operation for the American fire service is the private house fire. Not all these operations conclude successfully. This class will address all aspects of fighting fires in private dwellings. Starting with building construction and continuing with a proper size-up including "reading" of smoke and fire conditions, the class will cover the requirements of the first to arrive companies to try ensure a safe and efficient operation. The emphasis will be on the efficient stretching of the first hand line and aggressive but safe searches for any trapped occupants. |
| 1:45 PM | Steve Prziborowski, Battalion Chief, Santa Clara County, CA FD Category: Career Advancement The fireground simulation is one of the most critical events, and sometimes the most weighted event of a promotional process assessment center. Whether it is a single-unit response or a multiple alarm fire, commanding an incident can be very challenging, especially if you do not have a pre-determined plan to run an incident. Learn how to go from just being the "check-box" incident commander to the incident commander who not only appears to be in control, but is in control! This presentation will help the student be more organized and more complete when faced with an emergency simulation on their next promotional examination. More importantly, this presentation will help provide a framework for the student to use in the position once they are successfully promoted, when the rubber really meets the road. |
| 1:45 PM | J. Gordon Routley, Division Chief, Montreal FD; Kevin Roche, Assistant to the Fire Chief, Phoenix, AZ FD Category: Safety This presentation will provide the most up-to-date information on trends and causal analysis of firefighter fatalities as well as insight on current research efforts directed toward problem areas that require urgent attention. The primary emphasis will be directed toward identifying and applying research findings that will have a significant impact on preventing injuries and fatalities. |
| 1:45 PM | Gary P. Morris, Fire Chief (ret.), Rural/Metro FD, Phoenix, AZ Category: Specialized Rescue Rapid Intervention Teams have and will continue to save firefighters who are lost, trapped, or injured on the fireground. But, do firefighters understand the limitations of these teams and how to improve their capabilities? This course will review a Phoenix firefighter fatality and the RIT operations trying to rescue firefighter Bret Tarver. The class will present research that was conducted separately by the Phoenix and Seattle Fire Departments to determine the RIT capabilities and limitations. The course will deliver the research results and what these two fire departments did to improve the RIT capability. |
| 1:45 PM | Kelley Gouette, Battalion Chief, CA Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection, San Luis Obispo County FD Category: Wildland Tactics CAL FIRE is developing standard operating guidelines for use in Wildland Urban Interface fireground operations. This course will cover ICS organization, structure protection and perimeter control tactics and strategy, developing structure protection plans, evacuations, firefighter safety, structure triage and resource utilization. |
| 1:45 PM | Paul Shapiro, Engineer (ret.), City of Las Vegas FD, NV Category: Hose Streams Whether it be a fire in a single-family residence, a high-rise fire, or a surround and drown big water fire, the weapon of choice in today's fire service is the stream producing appliance, AKA the nozzle, and the ammunition is good old water. This class is going to analyze the various types of fire situations and the types of nozzle, hose, and appliance combinations required to successfully achieve a fire knockdown as safe and efficiently as possible. Emphasis will be placed on utilizing equipment to its maximum capabilities while keeping within the recommendations of the equipment manufacturers themselves. Do not plan on seeing the everyday fire stream classes that have been around forever because this will not be one of them. Students should bring a lot of energy and an open mind to this class and plan on bringing home the latest information on fire stream management. |
| 1:45 PM | Larry Collins, Captain, USAR Task Force 103, LA County FD Specialized Rescue The intent of this program is to prepare fire fighters to understand the dynamics of mud and debris flow, know when to recommend evacuations, conduct an accurate size-up, recognize danger signs, request appropriate resources, and stay alive while commanding and conducting emergency operations to save lives where possible. |
