Workshops By Category

This workshop explores Duty of Fair Representation (DFR) under Canadian law, covering DFR complaint handling in civil courts and Labour Board tribunals, along with recent DFR rulings.

Presented by Local 1753 & IAFF-FC Board Member, Joe Baker, alongside our partners at TD Insurance & TD Wealth; this workshop will focus on enhancing your financial literacy and securing & protecting your financial future, while also highlighting some exciting changes coming for IAFF Canadian members.

This workshop offers insights into the IAFF's legislative initiatives amid Canada's federal minority government and discusses the implications of the political landscape for the upcoming 2025 election.

This workshop analyzes the landmark staffing arbitration decision in Sudbury, Ontario, emphasizing the expert evidence needed to advocate for fire fighter health and safety in staffing disputes.

In this class, students will learn how to engage in deliberate strategic planning to tackle challenges systematically and collaboratively, rather than just reacting to crises.

This class introduces digital media, geo-targeting, and digital ads, exploring strategies for ad buying and content placement to benefit your Local.

This class teaches participants to develop a strategic communications plan and calendar to effectively engage members, elected officials, and the community through tailored messaging and audience analysis.

This session explores how effective internal and external communication strengthens unions, offering strategies, best practices, and feedback on existing communication plans.

This workshop equips fire fighters and labor leaders with essential tools and strategies to effectively respond to crises, protecting both their members and the reputation of their unions.

This class offers five tips for fire fighters on effectively working with local media to enhance their union's brand and control the narrative.

This workshop teaches participants how to establish effective community outreach programs to strengthen relationships with the public, enhance the image of fire fighters, and benefit both the community and the Local.

This class teaches how to create persuasive messaging to influence policy and decision-making, empowering participants to drive meaningful change for their members and communities.

This interactive session teaches public speaking techniques to help you confidently deliver compelling messages, enhance leadership skills, and effectively advocate for your members.

This class provides Local leaders with an introduction to social media platforms, highlighting their importance for member engagement and community outreach while teaching how to craft tailored messages and safely enhance the Local's brand.

This advanced class teaches Local leaders advanced techniques for managing and growing their social media presence, requiring prior knowledge of platforms, and includes tools and Q&A for specific member needs.

This session explores the pros and cons of how AI transforms communication by enhancing content generation and audience engagement strategies.

This workshop equips IAFF leaders with strategies to negotiate pre-65 healthcare options for retirees through collective bargaining, aiming to reduce post-employment costs and support dignified early retirements.

This class covers essential financial and contractual topics, including RFPs, 401(a) plans, self-directed brokerage (SBDOs), consultant insights, navigating city management, contract language, and incorporating Financial Corporation initiatives into CBAs.

This session covers the essentials of creating and managing a Health Trust and provides insights into IAFF support for Locals considering this option.

This workshop equips affiliate leaders with essential financial strategies for mid-career and senior members, covering wealth building, investment management, family protection, retirement planning, and tax-efficient income distribution.

This class equips affiliate leaders to guide new members in making sound financial decisions, covering topics like budgeting, debt management, emergency funds, mortgages, and the IAFF 15 x 5 Principle.

This class explores the IAFF Medical Expense Reimbursement Plan (MERP) benefits and guides affiliate leaders on how to implement it in their Local.

This class will analyze the recent election, its impact on IAFF policy priorities, and facilitate discussions on political trends affecting fire fighters at all levels.

This workshop empowers participants to leverage politics to enhance members' pay, benefits, and working conditions by building political power and engaging in the legislative and electoral processes.

This session focuses on strategies for Locals to recruit and retain members, enhancing their influence despite challenges, especially in states lacking collective bargaining rights.

This session teaches members how to drive impactful policy changes at the state level, highlighting successful advocacy efforts and emerging trends affecting their rights and safety.

IAFF leaders will share case studies on how Local-level collective bargaining efforts can successfully secure fire fighters' and emergency medical workers' rights by engaging their home communities.

This 4-hour SAFER/AFG workshop offers an overview of grant legislation, funding opportunities, application processes, and effective writing tips, concluding with a roundtable discussion featuring Locals that have successfully secured funding.

This course examines vital health research in the fire service, covering topics like cancer, PFAS, sleep fatigue, and cardiovascular diseases to support fire fighters' well-being and successful careers.

This session equips IAFF leaders with strategies to balance union duties and personal life, manage burnout, and strengthen self-care, led by experienced leaders and a mental health expert.

This class teaches fire fighters and company officers the basics of radio systems, focusing on reliable communication and disciplined use during fireground operations.

This workshop examines the pros and cons of fitness testing for fire fighters, exploring alternative strategies to support wellness and physical capability within fire departments.

This class covers essential safety considerations, tools, and collaboration strategies with non-fire service responders for successful elevator rescues.

This presentation offers an overview of the first two phases of FSRI's independent analysis of the devastating August 2023 Lahaina wildfires, commissioned by the Attorney General.

FSRI's Dan Madrzykowski reviews the latest fire service research and rescue techniques, water stream application, and other key projects shaping fire fighter safety.

This presentation covers effective high-rise fire operations, including command and control, engine and truck company strategies, and tactics for smoke control and wind-impacted fires tailored to departmental resources.

This class offers an overview of the IAFF’s Wildfire/Urban Interface programs and RTI training, focusing on strategy, tactics, and safety in the urban-interface firefighting environment.

This course educates IAFF members and first responders on managing Multiple Casualty Incidents (MCIs), emphasizing scene management, triage, and alignment with national standards for effective response across jurisdictions.

This session offers IAFF leaders strategies for planning and responding to line-of-duty deaths, focusing on relationship-building, immediate support for affected members, and fostering positive change amidst adversity.

This in-person class offers fire fighters a framework for size-up during residential structure fires, providing tactical considerations based on building era, materials, and occupancy, suitable for all ranks and experience levels.

This course offers fire fighters an overview of alternative fuel vehicles, covering their evolution, tactical considerations for incidents, emergency management strategies, and areas for improvement in training and resources.

This session reviews research on lithium-ion battery Energy Storage Systems (ESS) and discusses tactical considerations for fire fighters responding to thermal runaway incidents, developed by the UL Fire Safety Research Institute and the IAFF.

This class explores the impact of sleep fatigue on fire fighters' health and safety, identifying contributing factors and strategies for advocacy, habit change, and prevention to optimize departmental wellness.

This presentation offers an updated perspective on fire fighter suicide in 2025, covering prevention strategies, postvention, and resources for those affected, along with new IAFF initiatives to address the issue.

This session provides practical strategies for fire fighters and emergency medical workers to support their partners and strengthen their relationships while managing the demands of the fire service.

This workshop explores the dynamics of four generations working in fire departments, addressing their values, conflicts, and effective communication styles.

This workshop guides affiliate leaders in establishing a human relations committee to address diversity challenges, resolve conflicts, and develop proactive strategies for positive change within their Locals.

This class examines emerging research on reproductive health for fire fighters and their families, focusing on advocacy and improvements in departmental policies to support individuals facing pregnancy, infertility, loss, and related health issues.

This workshop guides Local leadership in supporting parent members by ensuring compliance with family leave laws and advocating for family-friendly policies.

This interactive 4-hour workshop focuses on identifying recruitment and retention challenges, collaboratively developing plans to gain support from administration and the community, and educating current members on successful practices.

This workshop explores fostering a culture of teamwork, respect, and diversity in the firehouse, emphasizing individual behavior changes and community standards for fairness and transparency.

This workshop emphasizes the ethical responsibilities of IAFF leaders as public employees, covering principles of ethics, public employee requirements, and decision-making strategies through scenario analysis and case studies.

This workshop teaches Local union officers effective IAFF meeting protocols and etiquette, focusing on planning productive meetings, enhancing member attendance, and managing conflict.

This workshop teaches how to model union values, foster solidarity, and build coalitions to achieve political and legislative goals.

This workshop equips affiliate leaders with tools for enhancing union effectiveness through resource assessment, prioritization, and strategic planning to tackle 21st-century challenges.

This workshop helps IAFF affiliate leaders identify their leadership styles and provides tools to enhance their effectiveness and impact on their members.

This workshop offers strategies to boost member participation and strengthen unions through active involvement in meetings, campaigns, and public relations efforts.

This 4-hour workshop provides current Local leadership with strategies to recruit and mentor new leaders, emphasizing the importance of core values, generational outreach, and understanding labor history to strengthen the union's future.

This class is to help local leaders with the parliamentary procedure for holding meetings including explanation of the typical order of business, how to process motions at meetings, a summary of common motions, how to keep good meeting minutes, and other best practices for local meetings.

This workshop covers the responsibilities of union officers, advocacy strategies, and methods for organizing members to enhance participation and strengthen the Local union.

This session examines overtime rules for fire fighters under the FLSA, including exemptions, classification issues, and common FLSA violations, with a Q&A for members.

This workshop guides union leaders on their rights and responsibilities during disciplinary processes, focusing on member representation under contract, civil service laws, and key legal decisions.

This workshop teaches affiliate leaders about duty of fair representation (DFR), covering case law, court applications, consequences of violations, and best practices to avoid DFR lawsuits.

This session examines the Constitutional rights of government employees, including 1st, 5th, and 14th Amendment protections, state sovereign immunity, and labor rights.

This module teaches the essential aspects of your Local's constitution and by-laws, highlighting their role in governing members and guiding union leaders effectively.

This workshop educates members on their First Amendment rights, covering protections for union officials, implications for internet and social media use, and laws regarding recording communications.

This class examines legal compliance and effective operation of Local unions, covering member rights, officer obligations, best practices, and modern governance issues like virtual meetings and electronic elections.

This 4-hour workshop features insights from a seasoned labor arbitrator on preparing and presenting effective cases, covering witness preparation, evidentiary issues, opening statements, cross-examination techniques, and interactive role-play scenarios with feedback.

This workshop addresses legal, regulatory, and legislative updates on fire fighter retirement plans, focusing on their impact on public pensions and the ongoing shift from defined benefit to defined contribution plans.

Join this class to explore effective pension funding tools beyond benefit cuts and increased contributions, with insights on options like pension and revenue bonds.

This workshop provides tools to analyze your pension system's status, funding levels, assumptions, and history, helping you assess your Local's pension outlook.

This session explores how Social Security benefits are calculated, discusses the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset, and addresses the program's sustainability for future generations.

This session explores the financial and political implications of Deferred Retirement Option Plans (D.R.O.P.), discussing their benefits, drawbacks, and the rules governing their adoption for members and employers.

This workshop track enhances negotiation skills, explores tactics, and offers practice exercises, with potential college credit from Purdue Global.

This workshop trains IAFF affiliate leaders in effective contract negotiation through ground rule creation, mock sessions, and the application of bargaining techniques to enhance fire fighter-employer relations.

This workshop track covers negotiation preparation and practice, culminating in a simulated session, with potential college credit from Purdue Global.

This workshop explores how fiscal crises affect negotiations, offering strategies to address wages, benefits, and staffing during economic downturns for locals with collective bargaining agreements.

This workshop teaches strategies for achieving wage and benefit improvements for members in jurisdictions without collective bargaining by leveraging membership strength to influence decision-makers.

This workshop teaches participants how to research, strategize, and set realistic goals for successful collective bargaining on wages, benefits, and employment conditions.

This workshop teaches participants how to develop a strategic plan for their fire department using community risk assessments, data, industry standards, and best practices to enhance service delivery to their communities.

This session teaches how to expose corporate subsidy deals that undermine public safety budgets, using tools like Subsidy Tracker and strategies to fight back against unnecessary tax breaks.

This class explores the IAFF's support for fire department accreditation to ensure quality and safety while addressing potential concerns and challenges affiliates may face during the accreditation process.

This course explains the IAFF’s vertical ascent response model, which calculates real response times to high-rise fires, helping to educate stakeholders about the risks of inadequate staffing.

This session will focus on preparing for a major crisis response, from active shooter/hostile event to catastrophic failures. Attendees will return to their departments ready and motivated to prepare for such an incident.

This session explores prevention and response strategies for mass school shootings, focusing on identifying warning signs, effective lockdown procedures, and integrating first responders into active shooter response models.

This class clarifies the differences between NFPA 1710 and 1720 standards, equipping attendees with the tools to advocate for increased staffing and resources while effectively communicating the importance of 1710.

This class highlights the transition from the outdated NFIRS to the new NERIS, discussing their differences and the need for improved data collection in the fire service.

This workshop teaches Local leaders to leverage GIS and workload analyses for data-driven decision-making, community risk assessment, and effective communication in fire service administration.

This advanced class offers in-depth guidance on taxes, budgeting, auditing, fraud protection, and investment strategies, while providing a forum for sharing successful tactics among treasurers.

This session simplifies municipal financial statements by guiding participants on locating key data and summarizing it into essential economic indicators through a Municipal Financial Analysis (MFA).

This 4-hour workshop guides Local leaders through essential financial responsibilities, best practices, and tools to strengthen transparency and trust in their Local's finances.

This session helps affiliate leaders accurately assess the value of healthcare and prescription plans, with guidance on analyzing financial and plan documents and examples of effective contract language.

This course explores the impact of emerging technologies like AR, AI, and robotics on fire service labor and operations, covering IAFF's tech capabilities, immersive training solutions, and AI-related communication issues

This session provides an overview of the FMLA and ADA, focusing on how these complex laws interact.

This workshop covers skills for enforcing contract provisions, handling grievances, discipline issues, and engaging union members in active participation.

This class offers hands-on training in QuickBooks Online for secretary-treasurers, with expert guidance and optional one-on-one sessions to maximize its benefits for locals.

This workshop teaches union officers and committee members how to effectively handle grievances, enforce contracts, and avoid costly arbitration, with strategies to improve grievance processing.

This workshop teaches Local union officers and grievance committee members how to navigate the grievance process, assess its merit, and assist members effectively, particularly in non-collective bargaining environments.

This course equips affiliate leaders with essential skills for union officer roles, covering responsibilities, executive board duties, and available IAFF services.

This workshop equips Local union officers and grievance committee members with essential knowledge of arbitration procedures, arbitrator selection, and cost-saving strategies for effective grievance resolution.

This workshop equips union leaders with arbitration process knowledge, strategies for selecting arbitrators, and cost-saving tips for handling unresolved grievances.

This workshop explains how arbitrators interpret ambiguous contract language in collective bargaining agreements between unions and management, focusing on determining mutual intent and resolving disputes.

This session discusses the financial impact of corporate tax breaks on public safety budgets, detailing how to expose costly "megadeals" using the Subsidy Tracker database and the GASB Statement 77 for transparency.

The Union Administration Track provides essential skills for union officers in advocacy, member organization, contract enforcement, and worker representation, with potential college credit from Purdue Global.