Join us for a specialized webinar on "Measuring Operational Performance", this webinar is designed to provide fire service professionals with the tools and techniques needed to evaluate and improve their operational performance. This session focuses on the unique challenges and requirements of the fire service, offering actionable insights to boost efficiency and effectiveness in emergency response and daily operations.

Key Topics Covered:

• Performance Metrics for Fire Services:  Learn how to identify and select performance indicators tailored to firefighting and emergency response.
• Data Collection and Analysis: Discover methods for gathering accurate performance data in a firefighting context and analyzing it effectively.
• Resource Allocation for Training: Explore strategies for optimizing resource use and deployment to enhance training efficiency.
• Training and Development: Learn how to measure the impact of training programs on operational performance.
• Communicating Results: Learn effective methods for reporting performance results to stakeholders, including the public, fire department personnel, and municipal leaders.

What You'll Gain:
• Practical tools and techniques specifically for measuring and analyzing operational performance in fire services.
• Insights from experts with real-world experience in firefighting and emergency management.
• Strategies to use performance data to drive improvements in resource allocation, and training programs.
• Enhanced ability to communicate performance results to diverse stakeholders, fostering transparency and accountability.

Who Should Attend:
This webinar is ideal for fire chiefs, operations managers, training officers, emergency response coordinators, and other fire service professionals looking to enhance their operational performance measurement and improvement efforts.

About the Speakers: 

• Tony Ambrosia: Tony began his career in firefighting in 1995. After working in Law Enforcement for 6 years Tony made the switch to the Fire Department.  Tony currently works for the City of Scottsdale Arizona Fire Department. Tony is currently assigned to the training division as a Training Captain. Tony is an active Terrorist Liaison Officer (TLO). Tony has been instructing for over 18 years. Tony Began his instructing with HazMat, teaching regionally for the Phoenix area Haz-Mat training crews. Tony has been a regional fire academy instructor and has taught numerous classes for Incumbent, recruits, and fire service partners. Tony has received his NFPA 1403 TTT certification and Training Officer Credentialing certificates from ISFSI and was chosen to teach the upcoming NFPA 1400 series classes. Tony was voted as Officer of the year for the City of Scottsdale Fire Department in 2023. Tony has his instructor 1&2 and Evaluator certificates.  Tony is an adjunct instructor for the Maricopa Community College system. He has been a Paramedic for 27 years and is an ACLS instructor. Tony has a BS in Fire Administration from Columbia Southern University and is the ISFSI Region 1 Director. 

• Brian Kazmierzak: Brian P. Kazmierzak, EFO, CTO is the Deputy Director of Fire Services for the Benton Harbor (MI) Department of Public Safety, where he has served since 2020.  Brian has a bachelor’s degree in fire service administration from Southern Illinois University and serves as the Director of Operations for www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com. Brian received the 2006 F.O.O.L.S. International Dana Hannon Instructor of the Year Award, the 2008 Indiana Fire Chiefs Training Officer of the Year Award, and the 2011 ISFSI/FDIC George D. Post Fire Instructor. In addition, Brian completed the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program in 2006 and is a certified Michigan Professional Emergency Manager. Brian was on the UL FSRI PPV Research Study Basement Fire Tactics Study Panels. Brian has been a student of the fire service since 1991 and has taught and consulted for small departments as well as metro-size departments. Brian serves as a Lead Instructor and Curriculum Developer for numerous ISFSI programs.

Overview:

This pre-recorded presentation is designed to help the new or seasoned fire service instructors. This session reviews common educational theories pertaining to adult learners and fire department instruction.

Instructor:

Erin McGruder has been a firefighter/EMT for more than 20 years. She also serves as a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue planning team manager (15 years) and a State Urban Search and Rescue canine search specialist (13 years). She specializes in curriculum and instructor development as a fire service state training agency staff member of the past nine years. She holds a master’s degree in public affairs and is currently studying educational psychology and adult learning. McGruder volunteers as a state advocate for the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation’s Everyone Goes Home program, as well as an Executive Board Member for the International Society for Fire Service Instructors.

As Training Officers, we all have to start somewhere. Sometimes, becoming heavily involved in your department’s training program or being promoted to a Training Officer can come early in a career, and we’ve only just completed Instructor 1. Sometimes it comes in later years, when we’re bringing time as Company Officers training others for have gone through more extensive instructor training like Instructor II and beyond.
 
Regardless of when a firefighter enters a training role, the task of taking on a department’s training program or training division can be daunting. Often, that new Training Officer gets the role and then asks themselves, “OK, now what?”.
The ISFSI has gathered three of the North American fire service’s foremost thought leaders on training to address, through conversation and a moderated Q & A, how that new T.O. can manage and navigate their initial steps with their department’s training program. The audience will also be encouraged to come with questions or comments.

This is a topic near to all of us in the fire service – a training driven profession – so whether you’re in training now, are in senior management at your department, or plan to eventually step into training shoes in the future, this enlightening and informative webinar will speak to you about the challenges of the new Training Officer.

About the Speakers: 

• Anthony Avillo, M.S.: Anthony Avillo began his fire service career in 1984 and retired in March, 2015 as Deputy Chief in North Hudson (NJ) Regional Fire & Rescue, as well as Retired Director of Monmouth County (NJ) Fire Academy. As an urban fireground commander, Avillo commanded fire and emergency operations in the most congested cities in the United States. Avillo has his BS degree in Fire Science from New Jersey City University and is an Adjunct Professor at New Jersey City University. Avillo also serves as Region 3 Director of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI).

• Brian Kazmierzak: Brian P. Kazmierzak, EFO, CTO is the Deputy Director of Fire Services for the Benton Harbor (MI) Department of Public Safety, where he has served since 2020.  Brian has a bachelor’s degree in fire service administration from Southern Illinois University and serves as the Director of Operations for www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com. Brian received the 2006 F.O.O.L.S. International Dana Hannon Instructor of the Year Award, the 2008 Indiana Fire Chiefs Training Officer of the Year Award, and the 2011 ISFSI/FDIC George D. Post Fire Instructor. In addition, Brian completed the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program in 2006 and is a certified Michigan Professional Emergency Manager. Brian was on the UL FSRI PPV Research Study Basement Fire Tactics Study Panels. Brian has been a student of the fire service since 1991 and has taught and consulted for small departments as well as metro-size departments. Brian serves as a Lead Instructor and Curriculum Developer for numerous ISFSI programs.

• Devin Flannery: Battalion Chief Devin Flannery has served the City of South San Francisco Fire Department for the last 20 years. He has experience as a Firefighter/Paramedic, Field Training Officer (FTO), Acting Engineer, Fire Captain, and Training Chief. Chief Flannery is an adjunct faculty professor at Sierra College, where he teaches hazardous materials first responder/decon for the fire academy. He has an Associate’s degree in fire technology from Sierra College, a Bachelor's degree in education from Sacramento State, a Master's degree in public safety leadership from Arizona State, and a current doctoral student in organizational change and leadership from the University of Southern California. Chief Flannery is a certified Fire Officer from State Fire Training (SFT) and credentialed from the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE). Also, he is a graduate of the Managing Officer program at the National Fire Academy. Devin’s passion is teaching all levels of instructor courses to fire agencies nationwide.

About the Moderator:

Chief Dave Robertson has 25 years in the fire service across 5 different departments: from busy urban systems to wildland as the core mission, tto rural/semi-rural. He has instructed within those departments, in fire academies, paramedic schools, private fire institutions, and as a Chief of Training. He is fueled by a sincere passion to make the fire service better and would like his legacy to be one that has him known as an eager and joyful participant in initiatives that help make firefighters smarter, safer, and in the end, better at their jobs.

The creation of an inclusive environment is one of the most important factors for recruitment and retention. This presentation will help educators and leaders to adjust learning activities and recruitment strategies to attract and retain our next generation of Fire/EMS responders. Learn from instructors, students and program administrators who have successfully implemented a Dual Enrollment Academy providing Fire and EMS education to high school students across Southeast Wisconsin. The Waukesha County Technical College Fire/EMS DEA program is in its 6th year and has grown to 42 students. If you are an educator, preceptor or leader in your service, this presentation is sure to leave you with tangible strategies that can be implemented to attract and retain your next generation responders.

Learning Objectives:
• Examine the general characteristics of Generation Z.
• Discuss practical teaching and learning strategies to Gen Z learners.
• Compare motivation factors of Gen Z to previous generations.
• Identify effective methods for communication and engagement of Gen Z students and recruits.

About the Presenter: 
Courtney Hull serves as the Associate Dean of Fire/EMS Training at Waukesha County Technical College. She served in the field as a career Firefighter/AEMT prior to transitioning to a full-time role in Fire/EMS Education in 2010. Courtney has taught as a part-time Fire and EMS instructor since 2007. She has a Master’s Degree in Training and Development and is passionate about developing instructors to provide high quality education in inclusive environments. Courtney’s strengths in the classroom include strategies to build relationships with students, adapting lessons to increase engagement and providing holistic student support to increase student success.

About the Co-Presenter: 
Jeremy Blair has led high school students to achieve state certifications and gain employment since 2006 as a Fire/EMS Instructor at WCTC. With 28 years of experience in Fire/EMS, currently a Career Battalion Chief for the City of Wauwatosa Fire Department, Jeremy imparts his passion for leadership, continuous improvement and community service among students of all ages.

This course will present an overview of NFPA Standards that relate to the duties and responsibilities of a fire service instructor.

The NFPA role in instructor duties are present in almost everything you do:

• Certifications
• Training Standards
• Health & Safety
• Investigations and After-Action Reporting
• Operations
• Code compliance and enforcement

Course objectives and learning outcomes:

• Understand NFPA’s role in establishing instructional best practices
• Identify the key NFPA standards that impact instructors roles
• Describe how failure to attempt to meet the standards can impact our profession and individual departments
• Learn the method NFPA is using for its consolidation project
• Explore specific standards for program development information

Forest Reeder began his fire service career in 1978 and retired as Fire Chief of the Tinley Park (IL) Fire Department in 2021.  He has worked extensively in the areas of instruction, firefighter safety and officer development and earned his Master of Science Degree in Public Safety Administration in 2004.  He is the co-author of Fire Service Instructor Principles and Practices now in its 3^rd edition.  Forest presents nationally on fire service leadership, safety and instructor development.  He was inducted into the Moraine Valley Community College Alumni Hall of Fame in 2020 and awarded the Distinguished Alumnus award in 2021.  In 2008, he received the ISFSI George D. Post Instructor of the Year, considered to be the highest recognition for fire service instructors in the nation.

Join ISFSI as we interview Maritime Specialist Sal Mercogliano and enlighten our viewers on the vital points of Shipboard Firefighting. We will be discussing the major differences between shipboard fires as they compare to structural fires and how to prepare our members. He will also be go in depth with recent ship fires such as the 2020 Hoegh Xiamen fire in Jacksonville, Fla, the 2022 Felicity Ace fire off the coast of Portugal, and several other recent major marine incidents within the last several years.

About the Speaker: Salvatore Mercogliano, Ph.D.

Sal Mercogliano is a former merchant mariner who sailed with the US Navy's Military Sealift Command for seven years.  He is a maritime historian at Campbell University and an adjunct professor at the US Merchant Marine Academy. He has been a career and volunteer fire fighter since 1999. He has been a Captain on the Northwest Harnett Volunteer Fire Department for 17 years and writes. He is the host of the YouTube Channel What's Going on With Shipping. 

About the Moderator: Nicholas Palumbo

Nicholas Palumbo is a third generation Italian American Firefighter and grew up in the firehouse. He first entered to fire service in 1999 as a fire explorer and has continues to volunteer. He has been a career firefighter for the past 16 years.
⠀
Mr. Palumbo is trained and experienced in all areas of firefighting included Structural, Wildland, Aircraft, and Shipboard. He is also extensively trained in HazMat, Technical Rescue, and Incident Command and Control. Nick also works as a Fire and Explosion Origin and Cause expert consultant. He has be an instructor for over a decade, he enjoys sharing his knowledge and helping others master the craft.
⠀
Nick is an active member of many fire service professional organizations and sits on several committees. He is currently a part of the ISFSI Online Training Committee. He is also part of the IFSTA Validation Committee working on the Fire Department Support Member 1st edition.

During training, every minute counts. In this webinar, ISFSI certified instructors, Jake Barnes and Gilbert Pedroza, show you how to get the most out of every minute when training in towers. From maximizing variable spacing to creating challenging scenarios, towers offer first-class training opportunities. Learn how special props can help leverage these experiences, how cross training with other specialties can “kick it up a notch” for your team, and how to really maximize every facet of training in and outside of a tower.  

About the Speaker: Jake Barnes

Jake Barnes’ career started in the U.S. Air Force, where he served for five years as a fire protection specialist. Since leaving the military, Barnes worked as a firefighter in Lexington, Kentucky, for eight years and in New Albany, Indiana, for 18 years, where he currently serves as Battalion Chief of Training. Barnes is an instructor for the International Society of Fire Service Instructors, teaching NFPA 1403, Fixed Facility, Basement Fire, and Training Officer Credential classes, and serves as the host of 3 Point Firefighter, a podcast focused on pride, training and physical fitness. 

About the Speaker: Gilbert Pedroza

Gil Pedroza is a Fire Captain with the Glendale (CA) Fire Department, where he has served the last 17 years of his 25 years in the fire service. Captain Pedroza also serves as a paramedic and a hazmat specialist. He is a California State certified instructor and teaches various topics inlcuding Fire Control, Rapid Intervention, Firefighter Survival, and Driver Operator. He has also taught at local college fire academies throughout the state. Captain Pedroza currently teaches for the International Society of Fire Service Instructors, where he teaches the Live Fire Instructor credentialing program, Understanding and Fighting Basement Fires (H.O.T.) course, and NFPA 1700.

This webinar will provide instructors with knowledge and information to develop, refine, and deliver thermal imaging training. This program’s original intent was to be an instructor’s development/improvement course for ISFSI – Understanding and Fighting Basement Fires Hands-On Training Program. However, all participants will takeaway information to improve their thermal imaging training programs and ultimately, the use and effective application of the thermal imager during fire ground operations.

Objectives:

• Familiarize and review NFPA 1801– Standard on Thermal Imagers for the Fire Service, NFPA 1408 - Standard for Training Fire Service Personnel in the Operation, Care, Use, and Maintenance of Thermal Imagers, NFPA 1700 – Guide for Structural Firefighting

• Explain working operations of a thermal imager

• Identify the limitations of a thermal imager

• Explain the tactical applications of the thermal imager for operations on the fire ground; including, but not limited to; SIZE-UP, fire location, victim location, and flow path identification.

• Identify core elements of effective thermal imaging training 

• Share resources, drills, concepts with participants to enhance thermal imaging training 

About the Speaker: Michael J. McCarthy

Mike McCarthy has been a member of the fire service for the last 14 years. He is currently the Captain of TOW3R for the Boston Fire Department in Boston, MA.  He has been a proud member of the ISFSI since 2019. He is an instructor for the several of the ISFSI HOT Programs, including Understanding and Fighting Basement Fires, Live Fire Instructor Credential: Fixed Facility, and NFPA 1700. Mike has also been HOT instructor with UL-Fire Safety Research Institute for the Fire Dynamics Bootcamp.  

Have you ever been asked to develop a training course and weren’t sure where to begin? Don’t worry, you are not alone! This webinar is the third of a five-part series where we will explore the “Development” component of the ADDIE course development model (Analysis/Design/Development/Implementation/Evaluation). Together in a live “working” interactive workshop, we will work through some examples of the “Development” process that you can use in your own training design. Join us for a fun, interactive webinar that will give you a great overview of the process in an easy-to-understand format!

In this webinar focused on the “Development” phase, we will:

• • Discover different ways to present your course
• • Create a prototype
• • Develop your course

About the Speaker

Jim Gordon is a retired captain from Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office in Central California, with 25 years of service. Jim served as a field training officer and as the FTO program administrator. After promoting to lieutenant, Jim served as the regional academy director where he spearheaded the design into one of California's first fully integrated, scenario based training program. 

Jim is a graduate of the California POST Master Instructor Program. He holds an Associate Degree in Administration of Justice, a Bachelor's Degree in Vocational Education, and a Master's Degree in Adult Education. Jim also worked with the CA POST Instructor Development Team teaching instructional technology and instructor development all over California. Jim now resides in Wyoming with his family. 

EMS providers respond to potentially volatile situations on a daily basis. However, most providers have never been taught the potential warning signs of a violent encounter or how to handle this type of situation. According to a study by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, the number 1 injury to EMS providers is assault, with 52% of those surveyed saying they had been attacked on the job. In addition, according to the University of Maryland “the risk of an assault for EMS workers is about 30 times higher than the national average.” This webinar provides an overview of the threat and provides responders with effective techniques they can use to mitigate their risks.

About the Speaker

PHILIP DUCZYMINSKI is a 25-year veteran of the fire service and a Captain/Training Officer for the City of Novi (MI) Fire Department. He has served with the Western Wayne County Haz-Mat Team, and Michigan Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 1 (MI-TF-1). A graduate of the School of Fire Staff and Command at Eastern Michigan University, Duczyminski is a certified Michigan fire instructor, Water/Ice Rescue Instructor, EMS Instructor Coordinator, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Fire Science, Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Public Administration and is currently pursuing a Doctorate. In addition, he holds multiple black belts in various forms of martial arts with the highest-ranking being 8th degree black belt.