Understanding & Fighting Basement Fires Webinar

This webinar will examine dynamics of below-grade fires and the influence of coordinated fire attack from the results of a joint effort from ISFSI and UL FSRI. We will discuss the Fundamentals of Fire Dynamics and how this has effects on Basement Fires.  Topics will include: Types of Basements, Flow Paths, Supporting Research, Fireground Experience, and Tactical Considerations.

If you want to explore the free on-line course before or after the webinar it can be found here.

About the Speakers

Seth Barker

Seth Barker is the Deputy Chief of Operations for the Big Sky Fire Department in Big Sky, MT.  Chief Barker is a Logistical Coordinator for FireFighterCloseCalls.com and has contributed to the 13 Life Safety Initiatives for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.  He sits as the Vice-Chair for the Volunteer Combination Officer Section for the International Association of Fire Chiefs Cancer Alliance Committee. 

Barker is one of the contributing authors for the Lavender Report issuing the 10 Best Practices of Cancer Prevention in the Fire Service.  He is a featured author in Fire Rescue Magazine over the past 4 years and delivers multiple courses on preplanning your community in an all hazard discipline environment.  

Barker holds the Liver Fire Instructor certification and the Training Officer Credential through the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI).  He is part of the curriculum development team that produced projects funded by the American Fire Grants with partnerships with Underwriters Laboratories and ISFSI that included Principals of Modern Fire Attack, Safe Law Enforcement Fire Ground Operations, and recently Understanding and Fighting Basement Fires. 

Barker is a Blue Card Instructor, has served as an instructor for the Montana State Fire Service Training School, and is a Modern Fire Behavior Instructor.  He serves as the 1st Vice President for the International Society of Fire Service Instructors.  Chief Barker holds the Fire Officer and Chief Training Officer Designation from the Center of Public Safety and Excellence. He recently received the Jim Blankenship Award from the Montana State Fire Chiefs Association for excellence in Fire Training.

Adam Thiel

Adam K. Thiel became the 20th commissioner of the Philadelphia Fire Department in May 2016, and is responsible for leading its 3,000+ members in every facet of protecting the city from fires and emergencies arising from all hazards. Thiel also serves as Director of the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management. His 28 years of field experience spans five states; before coming to Philadelphia, he held posts including Deputy Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security for the Commonwealth of Virginia and Chief of the Fire Department in Alexandria, Virginia. Thiel earned a master’s degree in public administration from George Mason University, and has completed doctoral coursework in both public administration and public policy. He is a 2018 Eisenhower USA Fellow and a 2017 Leadership Philadelphia Fellow.

Dan Madrzykowski

UL FSRI’s mission is improving firefighter effectiveness and safety.  Dan has been conducting research in the areas of fire suppression, large fire measurements, fire investigation, firefighter LODD analysis, and firefighter safety for more than 30 years.  His focus is on the  transfer of research results into practice. 

Dan is a fellow of the SFPE and a member of NFPA where he serves on technical committees which develop standards and guides for fire service training, structural firefighting, and fire investigation. 

Dan is also a member of the ISFSI and he was named their Instructor of the Year in 2009.  Dan holds the rank of Honorary Battalion Chief with the FDNY and received the IFSTA Granito Award for Excellence in Fire Leadership in 2012.  In 2013 Dan was invited to the White House in honor of receiving a Service to America Medal.  He received a President’s Award from the IAFC for his firefighting research in 2014 and the SFPE Bud Nelson Service Award in 2017.