Searchable vs. Survivable: Educated Decision Making

This lecture will cover many topics related to search. It will keep the focus on our primary mission of the fire service....LIFE! With our modern fire environment time is not a luxury we have and it is imperative that we have a system in place designed for quick decision making. We will discuss the importance of sizing up the search upon our 360 and utilizing the manpower we have wisely to occupy the spaces where our victims are most likely to be found. We should be locating and removing victims in the most efficient manner and using the data we have collected from research, coupled with real world experiences to choose the proper tactics for us to succeed in our efforts of putting THEM first. This class is about being intelligently aggressive and focusing our efforts on where we can do the greatest good at the moment. Searching is about predictable behavior patterns as well as prioritizing spaces that our victims are most likely to be found, when we are able to do so. There is no singular mode, rather multiple methods to enhance the survivability for the unprotected occupant. We must break free from the standard approach of this is how we have always done it and concentrate our efforts on what is best for our civilians trapped by fire.

Build Your Culture: Professionalism or Minimalism?

In this class we urge students to put emphasis on the importance of adopting a mindset that will motivate you to keep pushing forward. This course puts the focus on experiences and lessons learned in regards to the impact culture has within our organizations. It is a raw and uninhibited approach to a discussion designed for audience participation where everyone has value and input. During these four hours we will touch on many topics that we are facing in today’s fire service and strongly encourage the students to share their experiences they have faced or are currently facing in regards to culture and its impacts that support actions of professionalism or minimalism. Remember, culture can be advantageous or destructive, it is up to us to decide!