Join the IAFC Technology Council for four educational sessions designed to enhance your understanding and knowledge of technology. The sessions feature both fire and technology experts who will provide great insight into what technology is out there and how it can help you and your department.
The first session, WK O6, features a panel discussion on [...]

Attend FRI seminars related to safety, health & wellness issues—it may be the best decision you ever make

My name is Chris Gannon and I am honored to have been invited by the Institute of Fire Engineers and the IAFC  to speak at FRI 2009 in August.
Why? Some of you may have read the August 2008 article in Fire Chief magazine that described me as ‘Fires Mercenary’ or seen other media references to [...]

Every trade magazine I pick up these days addresses the economy’s negative effect on local government, small or large, and area fire departments. It doesn’t matter where you are or what discipline you work in—everyone’s talking about it.

Running a patient who has special needs is not a matter of “if” but “when.” Ignoring the problem creates anxiety for the responder, tension for the patient, and frustration for others on scene including family members and care givers. Ultimately, this could result in poor patient care or undesirable citizen service. A responder who is in this situation may have the best intentions but may not be aware that his or her actions are having an adverse impact on the community.

Generational differences are nothing new in the fire service, but unique challenges exist today. First, the pace of change has accelerated in just about every aspect of the job: strategy and tactics, leadership methods, legal mandates, equipment and technology, community demographics, scope of service, and the need to do more—often much more—with less.

Sports is used very often to draw analogies to everyday life situations. And in fact, there are a number of parallels between professional sports and the fire and emergency services industry.
Both are team activities that require everyone on the field and at the scene to know and execute their responsibility. The incident commander and the [...]