Tuesday, April 17 thru Saturday April 21, 2012

Nature: Professional Development Training & Seminar Participation

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana

FDIC 2012

During the period of Tuesday April 17th thru Saturday, April 21st, the Indian River Volunteer Fire Company permitted seven (7) officers to attend a premier training opportunity nationally and internationally for all levels of fire service practitioners.

The Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) hosted more than 24 hands-on training evolutions, 34 preconference workshops, and more than 160 classroom presentations.

The seven members of the Indian River Volunteer Fire Company will obtain and/or enhance their knowledge, skills and abilities to train and assist our organization in further operational needs as well as review and evaluate the newest equipment, tools, apparatus, etc. Below is an example of the courses and activities attended:

Succession Planning in the Fire Service - Batalion Chief Anthony Katros, Sacramento Valley, California

Planning and preparing our current and future leaders for the firegroung, firehouse, political and fiscal landmines that lie in the oncoming paths.

Reading Smoke 2012: Tactical Solutions Battalion Chief (Ret.) Dave Dodson, Response Solutions, Thornton, CO

Learn “street-tested” tips that will help first-due decision makers. The biggest challenge for firefighters is understanding the changes that have taken place in fire behavior. The key to predicting today’s fire behavior is directly related to the ability to read smoke on arrival. Reading smoke helps you discover the specific location and intensity of a fire, building collapse potential, and the likelihood of a hostile fire event like flashover.

Garden Apartment Fire Challenges – Division Chief Jimm Walsh, Winter Park, FL Fire Department

The primary focus is on the necessary command fireground functions and the roles of company officers, and firefighters in mitigating a fire in a garden apartment structure.

Volunteer Department Funding, Recruitment and Retention – Chair Chad Sartison, Firefighters 1st

The three (3) primary stress factors fire companies today are recruitment, retention and funding. Instead of blaming others for our plight, we will look at how we as a fire service contributed to getting ourselves here and how we can get ourselves out. By taking responsibility for the roles we and our predecessors have played in helping to create the challenges our departments are facing, we not only understand a critical component to the solution but take control of the problem and gain the power to initiate change.

Growing Leaders Using Empowerment – Captain Larry Conley, St. Louis (MO) Fire Department A principle-focused approach to fire safety and the EMPOWER model. T

hey will learn seven behaviors designed to promote a principle-centered approach to fire safety and prevention. The lecture emphasizes how internalizing these principles can improve individual firefighters and, consequently, their fire departments.

Engine Company Operations “Gallons per Second” - Battalion Chief Curt Isakson, Escambia County (FL) Fire Rescue

The focus is on exceeding fire flow needs and still managing water during the crucial initial hoseline advancement in an interior offensive attack. Learn why it is necessary to think in terms of gallons per second at this time. Strategies are presented for managing the booster tank supply until a sustainable water supply has been established. The class is especially relevant for engine companies that commonly engage with the booster tank and deploy suburban fire tactics. All aspects of first-due fire tactics at your most common structural fires and how to quickly and effectively suppress them are covered.

These members attended on their personal time utilizing personal leave, vacation leave or unpaid leave from their respective employers in order to attend these professional development opportunities.

Additional information may be obtained by viewing http://www.fdic.com/attend/conference.html