Taking Command: The ABC's of IMS (Friday, March 26: all-day session)

Faculty: Katherine Ridenhour, Angela Cook.

Once again, learn how to make incident command as easy as ABC. The instructor team for this perennial WFS conference favorite guarantees to build your competence and confidence in command skills, as well as to increase your knowledge in strategy and tactics at structure fires. We focus on a hands-on approach, allowing you to be the incident commander, and also to interact in small groups to enhance your knowledge of strategy and tactical operations.

Participants will be exposed to a variety of media methods to simulate multiple fire problems. You will practice effective radio communication techniques, learn to identify incident priorities quickly and systematically, determine an action plan, and implement a solid IMS structure. Small-group work will emphasize tactical operations which give you the opportunity to learn various firefighting techniques from sister participants.

This workshop is a must for anyone wanting to learn, improve, and practice fireground command and leadership skills in a supportive environment. It is designed for firefighters as well as officers who want to increase their knowledge and confidence as an incident commander. Our goal is to ensure that you leave this workshop with a renewed assurance in your knowledge of not only how to fight fire, but also how to command the fireground.

Class size is limited to 16 participants, and as of February 22, only 3 spots remained. Please contact us before you register, if you want to attend. Observers are welcome.

About the faculty:
Angela Cook joined the Denver Fire Department 13 years ago and spent the majority of her career at busy Squirt 10 in inner-city Denver, where she was a member of the Hazardous Materials Decontamination Team. She promoted to lieutenant in 1998 and spent the next year at the training division. After three years as a roving officer in the Capitol Hill district, she is now once again assigned to her old company at Squirt 10. Extracurricular activities have included teaching Fire Science Classes at Red Rocks Community College, and two years as a Search Specialist for FEMA Colorado Urban Search and Rescue Task Force One. Angela has a strong commitment to recruitment and spearheaded the Recruitment Expo at the 2003 WFS conference in Denver, which drew more than 500 potential job candidates.

Katherine Ridenhour is a captain with the Aurora, Colorado, Fire Department, and has 17 years in the fire service. She spent the past year on the department's busiest truck company and now serves as station captain on an engine company. As a lieutenant, she spent more than two years in the training division. She has taught both inside and outside the department, including the AFD's Officer Development and Fire Officer I programs. She has taught several workshops for past WFS conferences, presents at the Fire Department Instructor's Conference, and sits on the FDIC's Educational Advisory Committee. Katherine is a longtime member of the Colorado Urban Search and Rescue Task Force One as a Rescue Specialist and Plans Officer. She also serves on the department's Human Relations Board and is President of the WFS Board of Trustees.