| Feeding the Beast: Media Relations on the Fire Ground |
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When a fire or medical emergency becomes what the press considers a newsworthy event, few people are prepared for the media onslaught that can follow. The media pack becomes a virtual beast, demanding to be "fed" every detail. The pressure of media interactions causes many firefighters to avoid the media altogether.
Declining media interviews, however, is a missed opportunity. Interviews usually present the chance to promote a positive image of the fire service, to explain firefighting to the people we serve, and to promote fire and life safety. This two-hour workshop is a hands-on introduction to the workings of the news media and to conducting media interviews at emergency scenes. Examples of do's and don't's will be offered by two fire service PIO's who are both former television journalists. Some participants will also have the chance to participate in a mock television interview and be critiqued on their performance. Limited to 24 attendees.
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Faculty: Andy Lyon is Public Affairs Director for South Metro Fire Rescue (Colorado). He was a broadcast journalist in radio and television for nearly 15 years, ending as news director of an NBC affiliate in Colorado Springs. He holds a master's degree in communication, and wrote his thesis on the causes of anxiety during television news interviews. Robin Adair is a Public Affairs Officer for South Metro Fire Rescue, where she has worked since 1995. She was previously a television news reporter and anchor for more than ten years at stations in Idaho and Colorado. She has done media training for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management at its training facility in Denver for senior government managers.
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| Fire Service Planning |
| Good planning not only pays off in the efficient use of resources, but is an essential ingredient for building consensus and managing change at all levels of the organization. This workshop will briefly cover the major forms of organizational planning used in the fire service, including strategic planning, long-range planning, and tactical or project planning. We will discuss the need for each of these types of planning, the basics and benefits of each type, and who should be involved. The workshop will include several planning models and processes. |
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Faculty: Ruth Obadal is Planning Chief for the Eugene, Oregon, Fire and EMS Department. She is a 25-year veteran of the fire service, beginning as a firefighter for Kansas City, Missouri, where she worked for 18 years, rising through the ranks to battalion chief. She holds an associate's degree in fire science technology and a bachelor's degree in public administration and fire service management, and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer program. (Note: This workshop is also offered at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday.)
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| Preparing to Take that First (or second, or third) Exam for Chief-Level Officer |
| This session will offer an overview of components that may be included in the examination process for chief-level officer, including written and assessment-based components (tactical, in-basket, interviewing), and how to prepare for each. In the area of written components, we will review study strategies and test-taking tactics. For in-basket exercises, we will discuss time management, personnel issues, inspections, research items, and delegation opportunities. For the interview process, we will identify possible questions, discuss various interview techniques, and possibly include a role-playing exercise. |
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Faculty: Sandra K. Schiess is Deputy Chief of Administration and Services for the Independence, Missouri, Fire Department. She has been in the fire service for 24 years, beginning as a firefighter in Columbia, Missouri. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees in teaching, and is currently enrolled in the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program. She is one of the founding members of WFS.
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| "I Just Have a Feeling": Teaching and Nurturing Intuition |
| Have you ever started an IV "just because," or transported emergency rather than non-emergency for an unidentifiable reason, or perhaps "just had a bad feeling" about a patient? Sometimes we do things or act in a specific way based solely on feelings. These feelings are called intuition. It is a valuable and critical asset to emergency care. It is not something we can be taught... or is it? Identifying the origins of intuition, assessing the degree of intuition present, and helping students develop intuition are vital components of any training program. This lecture will provide participants with valuable tools and skills to improve their training program and provide their students with the life-long skills of intuition. |
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Faculty: Marilyn Bourn, RN, MSN, NREMTP, is EMS Division Chief for South Metro (Colorado) Fire/Rescue, and Medical Command Officer for the Douglas County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team. She has worked in the fields of nursing and EMS since 1978, and served as EMS Educator for the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center from 1988-1998. She has lectured at numerous fire, EMS, and medical conferences throughout the U.S. She holds a bachelor's degree in nursing and a master's degree in education and emergency nursing.
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| Sexism is Alive and Well in the Fire Service |
| The attitudes, assumptions and behaviors that constitute sexism demean, oppress, and endanger women, and restrict and offend men. They also reduce the effectiveness of the entire fire service. This interactive workshop will look at the realities of sexism and the responsibilities we each have to dismantle it. |
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Faculty: jona olsson is the director of Cultural Bridges, a national justice-training consortium focusing on issues of racism, sexism, homophobia, and oppression based on disability. She is also Assistant Chief of the Latir Volunteer Fire Department in New Mexico. Her workshops -- at the 9th International Conference of Fire Service Women in Cobb County, Georgia, and at WFS' 2002 Leadership Training Seminar in San Diego -- have consistently been some of the most popular offerings on our program.
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| An Examination of New NFPA Standards with an Impact on the Fire Service |
| In this workshop, we will review two recently issued NFPA standards: NFPA 1951 Urban Search and Rescue, and NFPA 1851 Cleaning, Care and Maintenance. We will examine the 1951 standard and discuss how it affects fire departments at urban search and rescue operations, and will review how and why the 1851 standard was issued, and its impact on firefighter safety and longevity. |
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Faculty: Mary Grilliot is the Chief Operating Officer of Total Fire Group, and has been with Morning Pride/Total Fire Group for 22 years. She co-holds more than 90 patents in the protective clothing field, and is the immediate past president of the Fire and Emergency Manufacturers and Services Association (FEMSA).
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| Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center |
| This workshop will present information about this new resource that is designed to improve safe work performance and organizational learning in wildland fire by promoting a program of "Train as you work, and work as you train." The Center collects and analyzes information from After Incident Reports, maintains a library of wildland fire information, and shares this knowledge through publications and its website. It shares "lessons learned," which are defined as innovative approaches that can serve as models for behaviors elsewhere as well as adverse experiences that are shared to avoid recurrence; and "best practices," which are processes and techniques with proven records of success in improving an organization. |
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Faculty: Paula A. Nasiatka is the manager of the Lessons Learned Center, National Park Service, National Interagency Fire Center. In her 23 years with the NPS, Paula has 18 years of experience in wildland fire and emergency management. She has been a Supervisory Park Ranger at Grand Canyon National Park, and Chief Ranger at Saguaro National Park, and served for nine years on Type I and Type 2 incident management teams in California and Arizona. She began managing the new Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center in January of 2002.
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| "Choose Your Weapon!" -- Selecting the Appropriate Attack Line |
| When we are confronted with a fire, one of our first important decisions is what weapon we use to attack it. Will an inch-and-three-quarter hoseline be enough? When do we use the deck gun? How much water will we need to put the fire out? These questions and more will be answered in this presentation. Through scenarios and interactive discussion, we will identify the best ways to make the fires go out. |
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Faculty: Michael G. Stanley and Kris Anderson
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| Meeting Future Challenges to the Fire Service |
| This presentation will take a broad-spectrum look at the future of the fire service, including personal accountability, firefighter safety, leadership, training, diversity and recruitment, the role of EMS, regionalization (both functional and operational), and other challenges, changes and opportunities firefighters face in their ever-changing environment. The workshop will discuss ways proactive fire service personnel can maximize their strengths to meet and overcome these challenges. |
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Faculty: Garry L. Briese, CAE, has been the Executive Director of the International Association of Fire Chiefs since 1985. He has more than 30 years' experience in the fire service, both as a volunteer and as a paid firefighter. He is a well-known author and lecturer in the fire and emergency services community, and has co-authored two EMS textbooks for first responders. He holds a bachelor's degree in international relations and a master's degree in public administration, and is an adjunct associate professor at both the University of Maryland and George Washington University.
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| Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) |
| Most calls are routine in nature. Many calls are exciting. Then there are also the occasional calls that leave the firefighter with some lasting reactions. This workshop will address the kinds of calls that are more likely to produce critical incident stress reactions in the emergency professional. We will also talk about the stress response itself and some potential interventions, as well as recent controversies in the literature about CISM. |
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Faculty: Nancy Rich, M.A., is the Clinical Coordinator of the Mayflower CISM team in Denver. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Certified Trauma Specialist.
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| Special double session: 1:00 - 5:30 p.m. |
| Clandestine Lab Awareness Training |
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Methamphetamine drug labs are a multi-faceted problem. Clandestine meth production damages both the environment and public health. The laboratories produce poisonous gases and some six pounds of hazardous waste for every pound of finished methamphetamine. Most lab operators dispose of this waste by dumping it down household drains, in trash cans or dumpsters, along roadsides, and in yards. Every meth lab is a hazardous waste dump site that requires proper protective clothing and decontamination procedures for those responding to the scene and removing people or items from the lab.
The production process is a serious concern to firefighters because of the variety of incompatible chemicals used, in conjunction with heat sources. Many fires and explosions have occurred in these labs: the State of California reports that one of every six labs is discovered when it explodes or burns. Colorado's University Hospital reports that one of every seven patients in its burn unit is suffering from burns received during the meth manufacturing process. Yet many times, firefighters and EMT's respond to these calls without being aware of the hazards. This class will teach you how to recognize a meth lab, and will explain the hazards these labs present.
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Faculty: Lt. Lori Moriarty began her career in law enforcement with the Thornton Police Department in 1987. She was promoted to sergeant in 1994, and to lieutenant in 1995. In June of 2000, she was assigned as commander of the North Metro Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional undercover drug unit. She has been instrumental in implementing protocols for the safe investigation of meth labs and undercover drug operations, and has done numerous media presentations to educate the community on the hazards of meth labs. Lt. Moriarty's efforts for safety and public awareness won her national attention when the president's Office of National Drug Control Policy recognized her as 2001 Drug Commander of the Year. (Note: This workshop is repeated on Friday morning.)
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Click here for the second session of Thursday afternoon workshops
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