Redmond Health and Safety Symposium /
Barbera EMS Conference

New York City • Aug. 21-24, 2023

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Our motto this year – Excellence in Action – reflects who we are. When we attend our Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial in Colorado Springs, we honor our brothers and sisters that lost their lives in the line of duty. At our Health and Safety Symposium and EMS Conference, we honor those same members by putting evidence, science, and lessons learned into action.

Redmond/Barbera is where we gather to prevent future line-of-duty deaths – whether by fire, cancer, workplace violence, or suicide. The job is dangerous, and your IAFF is committed to making sure you are as safe as possible – every day, on every call.

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The event also highlights the opportunities and advancements in emergency medical response in the U.S. and Canada. We will learn from the success of our peers how to best serve our communities while protecting our brothers and sisters on the ground.

We encourage you to join us in putting our Excellence into Action at Redmond/Barbera in New York City.

Agenda

Sunday, Aug. 20

3-5 p.m.Registration Open: Badge Pick-Up/Onsite Registration for Pre-Conference and Workshops

Monday, Aug. 21

7 a.m.-5 p.m.Registration Open: Badge Pick-Up & Onsite Registration for Pre-Conferences and Workshops
8 a.m.-12 p.m.Exhibit Set-Up/Install
Pre-Conference Workshops
1-5 p.m.Exhibit Hall Open

Tuesday, Aug. 22

6:30 a.m.IAFF Recovery Meeting*
7-9 a.m.Breakfast
7 a.m.-5 p.m.Registration Open: Badge Pick-Up/Onsite Registration for Workshops
7 a.m.-5 p.m.Exhibit Hall Open
9 a.m.-12 p.m.General Session
12-1 p.m.Lunch
1-3 p.m.Workshop Session 1 Breakouts
5 p.m.IAFF Behavioral Health Support Group
5 p.m.IAFF Recovery Meeting
5 p.m.IAFF Family/Spouse Support Group
6-7:30 p.m.Welcome Reception

Wednesday, Aug. 23

6:30 a.m.IAFF Recovery Meeting*
7-8 a.m.Breakfast
8-10 a.m.Workshop Session 2 Breakouts
8 a.m.-2 p.m.Exhibit Hall Open/Followed by Breakdown
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.Workshop Session 3 Breakouts
12:30-2 p.m.Lunch
2-4 p.m.Workshop Session 4 Breakouts
5 p.m.IAFF Behavioral Health Support Group*
5 p.m.IAFF Recovery Meeting*
5 p.m.IAFF Family/Spouse Support Group*

Thursday, Aug. 24

6:30 a.m.IAFF Recovery Meeting*
7-8 a.m.Breakfast
8-10 a.m.Workshop Session 5 Breakouts
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.Workshop Session 6 Breakouts

*IAFF Recovery Meeting
The IAFF Recovery Meeting is for any IAFF member coping with or in recovery from an alcohol or substance abuse problem. Formerly known as Friends of Bill, this peer-led meeting is intended to provide a supportive space for individuals to share their experience with other brothers and sisters interested in recovery.

*IAFF Behavioral Health Support Group
The IAFF Behavioral Health Support Group is for any IAFF member who may be coping with or in recovery from behavioral health challenges, including post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, sleep problems, or challenging life stressors. This is NOT an information session on IAFF behavioral health programming, but is a safe space designed for members who would like to share their personal experience or give support to others. The group will be cofacilitated by a licensed mental health clinician and a seasoned trained peer. Discussion may explore signs and symptoms of emotional distress, how to cope with stigma, how to build resilience through self-care, and options for receiving help.

*IAFF Spouse and Family Support Group
The IAFF Spouse and Family Support Group meeting is intended for spouses and family members of IAFF members who are seeking emotional and social support. Having a loved one in the fire service is stressful and places strain on the emotional and mental well-being of family members. This group is a safe and confidential space to explore these challenges and get support from others who understand. This group will be cofacilitated by a licensed mental health clinician.

Pre-Conferences

Monday, Aug. 21

All pre-conference workshops are from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

Advanced Burn Life Support (ABLS)

ABLS is a course designed to provide first responders (fire fighters, paramedics, EMTs) with the ability to assess and stabilize patients with burn injuries during the first critical hours following injury and to identify patients requiring transfer to a burn center. ABLS programs support emergency preparedness needs for disaster management. The quality of care during the first hours after a burn injury has a major impact on long-term outcome; however, most initial burn care is provided outside of the burn center environment.

Advanced HazMat Life Support (8 a.m. – 12 p.m.)

Become an Advanced HazMat Life Support (AHLS) provider, ready to face the medical challenges of hazmat incidents, such as chemical spills and toxic terrorism. This specialized course teaches healthcare professionals to medically manage chemical burns and toxic inhalation injuries, including carbon monoxide and cyanide poisoning.

Building a Fit To Thrive (F2T) Program That Lasts

Regular exercise can help and is recommended as one of the first options for treating and preventing the chronic conditions afflicting too many fire fighters. However, education and mandated fitness programs are not the answer. Emerging evidence highlights the need for behavioral solutions to improve the physical activity habits of fire fighters. The IAFF is leading an innovative charge to improve fire fighter health and wellness with the FIT TO THRIVE program. This interactive, full-day workshop includes a series of complementary modules that address the unique implementation needs of the fire service (creating a comprehensive plan, becoming an influential leader, assessment considerations, self-care, etc.). Attendees will be provided with a series of practical resources to assist with their own F2T program implementation (8 F2T CECs).

DrugIQ: Synthetic Opioid Risk-Based Response

This preconference session is a comprehensive course that includes three lab sessions focused on safe response to opioids, particularly fentanyl. Attendees will be able to identify the substance, reduce the risk of exposure and negative consequences, and safely manage the patient and the scene when fentanyl is present. This course includes lab sessions that discuss decontamination, detection, how pills are made, and what causes large-batch overdoses.

FDNY Fire Training Academy Tours (offered 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 – 5 p.m.)

Staff-led tours of the famous FDNY Training Academy, aka “The Rock,” will be conducted in shifts with multiple stations.

IAFF Resiliency Training: How to Bend, Not Break

IAFF Resiliency Training is a one-day classroom program delivered by IAFF master peer support instructors. This training experience is intended to foster individual and organizational resiliency through personal assessment, practical skill building, break out exercises, and action planning. Affiliate leaders will gain an essential foundation for personal resiliency on and off the job.

Introduction to Tactical Medicine Interventions

This class will give EMS responders a didactic and practical introduction to the following: history and evolution of civilian tactical medicine, the need to advance and place EMS responders in harms’ way, law enforcement’s duties and responsibilities as an EMS protective element, tactical maneuvering as a team while in constant 360-degree situational awareness, and basic life-saving interventions skills to be deployed in a hostile environment.

Motivational Interviewing: Essential Skills for Trained Peers

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidence-based therapy approach that empowers an individual to examine their own reasons, capacity, and willingness to change a problem behavior that is interfering with their quality of life. While MI is traditionally used in clinical settings, peers in the fire service can also be trained to use this approach with their brothers or sisters in distress. This training will provide an introduction to the motivational interviewing approach, while building on foundational skills taught in IAFF Peer Support Training (a prerequisite to this course).

Workplace Violence Prevention

During this session, you will participate in evaluative exercises including analyses of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT), and focus group discussions on the policies and practices recommended in the course. You will leave with tips and strategies to assist with implementation of the course and its recommendations in your department. Come share your experience and perspectives in this forum while you contribute to violence prevention training for the fire and rescue service.

Workshops

Tuesday, Aug. 22

Session 1 • 1-3 p.m.

Active Shooter/Assailant/Terrorism Threat Assessments

This session will discuss the similarities and differences in response to active shooter/assailant incidents. This will also include intel, prevention, and response activities to terrorist threats and incidents.
Advanced EtCO2 Interpretation Workshop

This session will focus on application and understanding EtCO2, and how it should be used to guide patient care.

Behavioral Health Considerations for Women in the Fire Service

This session is intended to increase awareness behavioral health issues prevalent to female fire fighters through a combination of shared lived experience and available research data. Tangible tools that can be implemented by departments to provide recruitment potential, inclusivity, retainment, and supportive behavioral health for women in the fire service will be discussed.

Consultants, New Spins on Old Tricks

Frequently, elected and appointed decision makers rely on third party consultants to determine plans of action for public safety because they don’t understand what fire fighters and EMS personnel do. This workshop is designed to inform affiliate leaders how they can use their data, science, industry standards, and best practices to refute their findings.

Elevator Rescues

In many departments, training on a response to individuals trapped in elevators is a challenging incident. Many of our departments receive very little or no training in developing response procedures and tools required. What are the safety considerations, tools, and resources needed? Elevator rescues involve the engagement of non-fire service responders, including elevator repair or building engineers. How does the fire service engage these disciplines to bring an incident to a successful conclusion?

Exterior Wall Fire Propagation: Commercial and Residential

In 2021, the IAFF partnered with UL to conduct research on residential exterior walls under a working agreement for the U.S. Department of Energy. With efforts in many areas of the U.S. and Canada focusing on renovations to existing homes to improve energy performance designers and engineers focused on the insulation performances – what they did not consider was the fire performance. In a series of tests, UL and the IAFF utilized previous work by UL FSRI and current standards to design a potential test standard that would evaluate new wall systems for fire propagation. This session will also cover these same philosophies brought to the high-rise built environment. Internationally, there have been a series of fires on the exterior of buildings that have raised the awareness of proper testing and inspection to ensure our high-rise exteriors will not contribute to a tragic event.

Incumbent Fitness Test Considerations

The use of fitness assessments and physical ability tests (PATs) for incumbent fire fighters is a widely debated topic. However, the need to be physically capable and the implementation of a fitness test and/or PAT are not mutually exclusive. It is possible to have a physically capable department without an annual fitness test (or PAT), and conversely a less capable department who administers a fitness assessment (or PAT) semi-annually. For this reason, it is critical to appreciate the implications of instituting or not instituting fitness-related assessments within the broader culture of the department, in addition to alternative options that may be able to accomplish the same objectives (fire fighters who are healthy, active, safe, and effective). This session will explore the potential implications of and alternatives to fitness testing.

PFAS in the Fire Service

Attendees will learn about how fire fighters are exposed to PFAS, and what the latest research is telling us. They will learn about the health effects from PFAS exposure, related pathologies known to be high in fire fighters, and the studies showing fire fighters are at increased risk.

Recruitment and Retention Through Diversity

Having the tough discussions about social inequities, diversifying the workforce to match the community served, and how to overcome these challenges.

Suicide and Suicide Prevention in the Fire Service

This presentation will explore what is known and unknown about fire fighter suicide. Participants will learn about suicide prevention, suicide postvention, how to mitigate negative effects of exposure to suicide, and how to prevent suicide among people who are at elevated risk after exposure to suicide. Content will include effective suicide prevention strategies, evidence-based treatments for suicide, resources for suicide loss, and new IAFF efforts to understand and address suicide.

Tiered Response: Did We Come Full Circle?

The City of Detroit uses a tiered response system. This session will discuss the pros and cons of using both BLS and ALS transport units, and EMS first response from the EMR through the ALS level.

Training Fuels: Exposure Hazards - Implications for NFPA 1403 (OFFERED IN TWO SESSIONS)

This session will be an overview of recent research conducted on training fire fuels and potential exposures. We can also include an overview on decontamination techniques. The session will also cover recent efforts at limiting the use of specific fuels when conducting training fires to limit the exposure of members to carcinogens.
Women in the Fire Service and the Female PPE Study (OFFERED IN TWO SESSIONS)

Despite the growing number of women in firefighting, structural turnout suits are predominately designed and manufactured to fit the male body type. This workshop will explore the relationship between gender specific anthropometrics, turnout suit fit, and turnout ensemble range of motion. For women, the risks related to exposures, shift work, and physiologic strain has the potential to negatively impact maternal and child health in addition to the overall health of female fire fighters. This workshop is not just for women, but also for local leaders to understand the occupational health concerns of the female firefighting population.

Wednesday, Aug. 23

Session 2 • 8-10 a.m.

Building Your Peer Support Program

Join four seasoned peer support team leaders to explore a 10-step model for developing and sustaining an inclusive peer support program in 2023. Topics will include how to obtain program buy-in, select peer team members, utilize mental health clinicians, conduct outreach, demonstrate your impact to stakeholders, and much more. Special emphasis will be given to the critical role of affiliate leaders in creating a culture of peer support and help seeking. Attendees will gain best practices, practical strategies, and new resources to enhance their local, regional, or a state peer team.
Cardiovascular Health in the Fire Service (OFFERED IN TWO SESSIONS)

This class will focus on the cardiovascular risk to fire fighters, the contributing factors to cardiovascular illness, and injury in fire fighters and what some of the modifiable factors and interventions are to address this issue in the fire service.

Caught on Camera? Now What? Cultural Humility: R-E-S-P-E-C-T, Giving It and Getting It (OFFERED IN TWO SESSIONS)

Dash cams, body cams, surveillance cameras, and cell phones are recording EMS practitioners while treating patients. This session will focus on the disciplinary process, provider mental health, crisis communication, and developing a responsible approach for union leaders to consider. Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad “-Isms”? As our communities become more diverse, the “-ism” and “-phobia” landmines we all fear will increase. In this session, you will have the opportunity to gain cultural humility in a safe environment.

Energy Storage Systems (ESS) and Lithium-ion Batteries

A review of the Arizona ESS explosion resulting in serious injuries to four fire fighters and subsequent research in containers. This session will also cover the IAFF/UL DOE Project on ESS in residential structures. Researches conducted the container and garage tests with an eye on the responding fire service. Are there visual indicators or can the use of fire fighters equipment provide early indications of battery involvement in the event of a fire?

Evidence-Based Behavioral Health Treatment: What Works and Emerging Trends

CBT, DBT, EMDR, CPT. What does the “alphabet soup” all mean? Join us for a straight-forward talk that will demystify today’s best treatment options to address common challenging behavioral health conditions among fire fighters. In addition to exploring evidence-based psychotherapies, telehealth, and medication, the session will also examine emerging trends of tomorrow, including the use of stellate ganglion block, ketamine, and cannabis-assisted therapy. This workshop is ideal for trained peers, department behavioral health champions, and any fire fighter that has considered seeking help.

IAFF Disaster Preparedness

There is an adage, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In disaster preparedness, this adage has been demonstrated to be extremely accurate. Through multiple disaster deployments, IAFF members have shown when they and their families are prepared they experience a better outcome. This session will focus on the recently reissued IAFF Disaster Preparedness Guide, with a focus on how individual members can prepare themselves, their families, and their homes for a natural or human-made disaster. The class will also discuss how local officers can prepare the local office and operations for disaster and ensure the business continuity of addressing member needs.

IAFF Legislative Priorities With Emphasis on Health and Safety

The IAFF pursues a robust legislative agenda to enhance and protect members’ health and safety, jobs, and benefits, as well as provide them with the resources they need on the job. 2022 mid-term elections ushered in a new Congress and established new majorities on Capitol Hill. This class will provide affiliate leaders with comprehensive education and updates on key IAFF legislative priorities with emphasis on health and safety. Instructors will discuss PFAS And PSOB legislation on both the federal and state level, IAFF initiatives, and future opportunities and challenges. Instructors will also lead a discussion on how affiliate leaders and IAFF members can participate in the department’s work.

Near-Miss Investigation Overviews

FSRI released three near-miss reports from LaGrange and Cobb County, Georgia and Chula Vista, CA. One incident involved a small single-family home that almost resulted in multiple fire fighter fatalities. The second incident occurred in a fire located in a small bedroom of a garden apartment. The presenters will provide an overview of the incidents, the investigation, and lessons learned. The third incident involved four fire fighters sustaining burn injuries when a wind-driven fire swept through an Action Footware store. Manchester Fire Captain Steve DesRuisseaux was injured while battling a fire at 10 Dutton Street in Manchester that killed one person, and sent two others to the hospital, including DesRuisseaux, who suffered burns to approximately 40% of his body.

PFAS Remediation: Apparatus, Stations, Fire Fighters (OFFERED IN TWO SESSIONS)

This presentation covers the “how to” guide for fire apparatus and fire station PFAS remediation, Australian studies on PFAS in the fire service, and medical interventions that can effectively lower PFAS concentrations within fire fighters.

Pump Failure (CHF)

This session will refresh the EMS practitioner in patient assessment and treatment of congestive heart failure including the use of pharmacology, CPAP/BiPAP, and transport.

Respect Your Elders!

This session will focus on common geriatric ailments and how to identify and overcome potential barriers to care.

Smoke Inhalation and Toxicity

This session will focus on patient assessment and treatment for smoke inhalation, including cyanide and carbon monoxide poisoning as well as other toxicities (e.g., what are the pros and cons to carrying Cyanokits on ambulances or fire department first response vehicles?).

Training Fuels: Exposure Hazards - Implications for NFPA 1403 (OFFERED IN TWO SESSIONS)

This session will be an overview of recent research conducted on training fire fuels and potential exposures. We can also include an overview on decontamination techniques. The session will also cover recent efforts at limiting the use of specific fuels when conducting training fires to limit the exposure of members to carcinogens.

Tunnel Response Operations

Covering response considerations for incidents in tunnels and confined locations can include fire incidents, MVAs, etc. The workshop will focus on the development of standard operating procedures and the identification of equipment and resources for effective and efficient response to incidents. Presenters would also cover the concerns, precautions, and operations of tunnel responses.
Women in the Fire Service and the Female PPE Study (OFFERED IN TWO SESSIONS)

Despite the growing number of women in firefighting, structural turnout suits are predominately designed and manufactured to fit the male body type. This workshop will explore the relationship between gender specific anthropometrics, turnout suit fit, and turnout ensemble range of motion. For women, the risks related to exposures, shift work, and physiologic strain has the potential to negatively impact maternal and child health in addition to the overall health of female fire fighters. This workshop is not just for women, but also for local leaders to understand the occupational health concerns of the female firefighting population.

Session 3 • 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Better Sleep for Better Health

The effects of sleep deprivation can range from simply feeling aggravated to chronic diseases and mental health disorders. This workshop provides an interactive format to explore why sleep cycles are important and how sleep disorders impact fitness for duty and quality of life. In addition to learning powerful yet simple sleep hygiene practices, fire fighters will gain an introduction to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), which is proven to remarkably improve sleep in six weeks. Lessons learned from the leading medical authority on sleep in the U.S. armed forces will also be explored.
Caught on Camera? Now What? Cultural Humility: R-E-S-P-E-C-T, Giving It and Getting It (OFFERED IN TWO SESSIONS)

Dash cams, body cams, surveillance cameras, and cell phones are recording EMS practitioners while treating patients. This session will focus on the disciplinary process, provider mental health, crisis communication, and developing a responsible approach for union leaders to consider. Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad “-Isms”? As our communities become more diverse, the “-ism” and “-phobia” land mines we all fear will increase. In this session, you will have the opportunity to gain cultural humility in a safe environment.

FDNY Truck Company Operations (OFFERED IN TWO SESSIONS)

This workshop will cover FDNY tactics for truck companies. When do they vertically ventilate? How do they effectively coordinate ventilation, forcible entry tactics, and overhead obstructions/wires awareness?

FirstNet for Fire and Emergency Operations

In this class, we will provide an overview of how members can utilize the National Public Safety Broadband Network, also known as FirstNet, to communicate and enhance situational awareness during disaster response and recover efforts. Our goal with this class is to create an understanding of the tools that exist today on FirstNet that members can leverage to help them with their mission. Some of those tools covered include Mission Critical Push to Talk, Mission Critical Video, and Mission Critical Location sharing. We will also cover FirstNet deployable asset requests along with some new satellite capabilities available with FirstNet.

IAFF Behavioral Health Resources You Need to Know

Join this dynamic panel to learn about the behavioral health resources you need today to create a resilient foundation for your department tomorrow. This session will deliver a comprehensive overview of the behavioral health resources available to IAFF members, including what‘s new in behavioral health training, clinician education, addiction recovery, disaster deployments, behavioral health presumption laws, treatment partnerships, and more. Be the first to hear the official findings of the 2022 IAFF behavioral health survey (COMBUST) and get the pulse on what challenges are most impacting your region. Lastly, hear lessons learned and best practices from the FDNY behavioral health program, as the emotional impact of 9/11 still reverberates throughout the fire service 22 years later.

IAFF Partnerships and Collaborations in the Fight Against Cancer

This presentation reviews how the IAFF is working with the American Cancer Society and the Firefighter Cancer Support Network to address cancer in the fire service. The presenters will cover a wide array of supports and resources currently available, as well outline future endeavors which will benefit the wider membership in the realm of cancer research, education, support, and elimination, including the National Firefighter Registry.

MARCHES Trauma Care

A systematic approach to trauma care on the field. This acronym is widely accepted practice in Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) that has been adopted into the everyday practice for EMS when assessing and treating trauma patients.

Mobile Integrated Health: Responding to the Community's Needs

This session will describe how to use important resources to better serve your community outside of emergency response through prevention, outreach, and post-hospital care.

Overcoming Obstacles to Wellness Fitness Initiative (WFI) Implementation

Understanding the obstacles (things that impede) and facilitators (things that help) to implementing a wellness-fitness program is a critical step to ensure long-term success. Commonly categorized as factors related to the involvement of LEADERSHIP, existence of Systems, engagement from MEMBERS, and organizational CULTURE, strategies and tactics should be chosen to suit the department’s current needs. There is no one size fits all solution. This workshop will share a series of practical tools that can be used to gather this information so that specific actions can be taken to address the unique needs of any department.

PFAS Remediation: Apparatus, Stations, Fire Fighters (OFFERED IN TWO SESSIONS)

This presentation covers the “how to” guide for fire apparatus and fire station PFAS remediation, Australian studies on PFAS in the fire service, and medical interventions that can effectively lower PFAS concentrations within fire fighters.

Post-Fire Preliminary Exposure Reduction

This class will touch on past research, current practices, and the new studies around preliminary exposure reduction, which will influence how the fire service should adapt to reduce exposures to carcinogens. This class will also highlight take-home efforts to best protect the membership from the hazards associated with fireground exposures.

Science-Based Recommendations to Help Reduce Occupational Exposures and Risk

In the course of their duties, fire fighters are exposed to a complex suite of hazardous, toxic, and carcinogenic materials that are inhaled and deposited on the skin and personal protective equipment (PPE) of fire fighters. Advances in decontamination procedures and exposure protections in structure fire fighters began as early as the 1970s. However, a long-term myth that firefighting in the wildland was less dangerous—because the smoke was made up primarily of plant materials and not building or artificial materials—has suppressed the urgency to develop better safety practices for wildland fire fighters. Moreover, today’s wildland urban interface (WUI) fires are impacting communities throughout the U.S. and Canada at an unprecedented scale. These incidents now have structures, vehicles, infrastructure, and vegetation all burning simultaneously, with responding agencies that can come with a diversity of vehicles, PPE, experience, and training. There is a critical need to inform best practices and policies regarding dermal, PPE, and vehicular, decontamination. The goal of this effort was to evaluate the following factors and provide science-based recommendations to help significantly reduce occupational exposures and risk:
1) Evaluate current practices and policies on dermal and PPE decontamination
2) Evaluate potential “clean cab” protocols for vehicles responding to wildland/WUI fires
3) Understand and evaluate institutional and individual barriers to adopting and implementing advanced protocols for dermal, PPE, and vehicle decontamination

The Importance of EMD in the U.S. and Canada

Emergency Medical Dispatch is the first, first responder. An EMD system should effectively, efficiently, and safely identify the necessary resources for EMS incidents.

Toronto EMS Experience

Description of how to begin EMS response in Canada. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to successfully implement EMS response in the fire service. Engage your politicians and garner public support.
Ventilation: Do Not Let Ventilation Get Ahead of Suppression

Too many incidents have occurred where fire fighters have unknowingly initiated ventilation ahead of suppression with the mistaken belief that ventilating the structure is releasing heat and smoke. Uncoordinated ventilation allows the replacement of these gases with fresh oxygenated air to a ventilation-limited scenario, in many case with tragic results. This session will utilize large-scale research conducted by FSRI in partnership with the fire service to demonstrate the impact of ventilation on fire behavior.

Session 4 • 2-4 p.m.

5 Tips to Build a Successful Fit To Thrive (F2T) Program

The IAFF’s Fit To Thrive (F2T) program aims to be accessible, inclusive, comprehensive, and behavior focused for the purpose of helping more fire fighters be more active. This is accomplished by leveraging the benefits of education, training, mentorship, and support directed towards members, program ambassadors, and organizational leadership. This workshop will showcase real examples to highlight five practical tips that will assist with the creation and implementation a successful F2T program. Several F2T-specific strategies, tools, and resources will be shared while discussing each stage of the implementation process.
Ask the Medical Directors

A group of Medical Directors give an overview of best practices, interventions, and emerging trends in EMS patient care. Also in this session, attendees will be able to engage with the docs with questions in patient care and operations.

Cancer Research: From the Fireground to the Fire House

This class will focus on the latest research looking at fireground exposures to carcinogens such as PAH, VOC, metals, and EDCs that contribute to the risk of cancer within our membership. It will also have a focus on physical and chemical exposures fire fighters face when not responding to fire events and how improvements can be made to reduce risk and improve the health of members.

EMS Workload Analysis: Do You Have Enough EMS Resources?

The provision of EMS response is an essential service that government must provide. However, for this service to be effective and efficient, it must be staffed and positioned appropriately to address emergencies in an equitable manner. When creating a staffing and deployment plan, it is important to understand how many units need to be in service and where they should be positioned.

FDNY Truck Company Operations (OFFERED IN TWO SESSIONS)

This workshop will cover FDNY tactics for truck companies. When do they vertically ventilate? How do they effectively coordinate ventilation, forcible entry tactics, and overhead obstructions/wires awareness?

Fire Behavior Research Update: The Fundamentals of Fire Suppression

Always a crowd favorite. This will be an overview of the research conducted at UL FSRI and how our understanding of fire and ventilation impacts fireground operations. The more things change, the more it requires the fire service to focus on the basics, the knowledge of fire behavior, ventilation, and building construction. The session will discuss hose stream applications and understanding where your water goes.

Fire Fighter Burn Injuries, Importance of Burn Care, Relationships With Burn Centers Advancements, and the Importance of Proper Care

This course will highlight data regarding fire fighter burn injuries and include discussion on why fire fighters should be seen by or treated in a burn center. Fire fighters are a unique population that require special consideration with decision making when treating a burn injury and returning to work. Relationships if you have a Burn Center in/near your area. The importance of proper medical care and follow-up care for burn-injured fire fighters.

Fire Fighter Mental Wealth: Making the Connection Between Your Money and Your Mind

Despite a solid income, many fire service members live paycheck to paycheck and lack a long-term approach to wealth management. In the same way that reducing hazardous exposure on the fireground can prevent illness and injury, a solid financial plan can help fire service members avoid financial and personal crisis later in life. This session will explore unique personal and professional stressors at each stage of a firefighter’s career (0-5 years, 6-20 years, and 21 +years) and the direct intersection between financial wellness and behavioral health. Common financial pitfalls, as well as opportunities, that can profoundly impact a firefighter’s wellbeing will be discussed. Attendees will learn about practical resources available through the IAFF and IAFF Financial Corporation to reduce stress, empower their financial life, and embrace overall wellness.

IARC Reclassification of Firefighting: What We Know, What We Are Learning, and Where We Still Need Research

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reclassified firefighting at a group 1 known carcinogen. This presentation will cover the epidemiological studies, mechanistic studies, and exposure research that contributed to the reclassification of firefighting at IARC. The presenters will also discuss the areas of science that require further research to strengthen the site-specific cancer determinations within the Monograph.

Improving our Work Environment: Fire Station Design, Codes, and Standards Efforts

Driving how the building and fire codes impact the fire fighter’s work environment and how members can become involved. Also, discussion on addressing fire stations as an occupancy for fire codes purposes and contamination controls concepts for fire stations. This session will also explore recent trends and topical issues our members are experiencing in the Canadian Code process.

Last Alarm: Charleston 9

The Charleston 9 is a heart-wrenching story of how nine brave fire fighters died battling the 2007 Sofa Super Store fire in Charleston, South Carolina. Life-endangering conditions combined together to create a “perfect firestorm” a fuel-laden furniture store that was a time bomb and death trap, and a fire department at the time that was understaffed, ill-equipped, and far below national fire service standards. Thorough investigations and well-documented reports issued by federal agencies and a review team of outside experts, plus fire fighter interviews and media articles, enabled the author to accumulate a wealth of material to shed insights on one of the deadliest fires in recent memory.

Lowering the Heat on Violent Calls: Build Your De-escalation Skills

Every time you arrive on scene, there are a multitude of factors that will contribute to whether a calm or heated environment will prevail. During this session you will learn about the six-phase Aggression Continuum. The Continuum describes the varying degrees to which patients or bystanders may be verbally or physically hostile and how to appropriately respond to reduce the chances of experiencing violence. You will learn strategies to keep patients and bystanders calm and cooperative and to keep your own behavior professional to avoid sparking a verbally or physically hostile scene. You will try on de-escalation techniques and approaches that will be featured in two new IAFF workplace violence (WPV) prevention courses and view live demonstrations.

Opioid Response

This session will focus on a community outreach program to assist opioid patients with receiving addiction and treatment assistance by partnering with social workers, public health, and law enforcement.

Presenting Your Data and Standards to Stakeholders

A Standards of Cover coupled with Workload Analysis and Community Risk will enhance your ability to use your data to influence stakeholders in your community. Join us to see the resources the IAFF has to provide fire department operations insight.
Robots to the Rescue: Confined Spaces Applications With Many Degrees of Freedom

Snake Robots, as their name suggests, are mechanisms that look like snakes, except they are made of metal and have on-board sensors and computers to extend the reach of rescue workers so they can locate survivors in a collapsed building, after a disaster. These robots also have the potential to reach victims in a collapse without disturbing their surrounding areas, thereby decreasing risk to the survivors and the rescue workers. In this talk, I will cover other works of robots that have many joints, sometimes called degrees of freedom, to perform tasks in confined space. This work led to other projects, again those with many degrees of freedom, to direct aerial and ground vehicles to locate signs of life after a disaster over a large region.

Thursday, Aug. 24

Session 5 • 8-10 a.m.

Building a Robust EMS System

Providing a timely response to emergencies is crucial for a fire department. This will discuss how to adequately position and staff EMS resources to best serve your community.
Building Construction: Understanding Your Topography - Mass Timber, Lightweight

In previous generations, many fire fighters came to the fire service through the building trades and possessed a solid background and knowledge of building construction. This is not as true today with fire fighters coming from a diverse and academic background. The built environment is the fire fighters topography and a solid understanding of how buildings are designed, built, and maintained is critical to understanding how they will perform under fire conditions. This session will cover the basics of building construction with a focus on the evolving Mass Timber market and the constantly changing lightweight-construction performances.

Cardiovascular Health in the Fire Service (OFFERED IN TWO SESSIONS)

This class will focus on the cardiovascular risk to fire fighters, the contributing factors to cardiovascular illness, and injury in fire fighters and what some of the modifiable factors and interventions are to address this issue in the fire service.

Disaster Medicine

This session will discuss medical support for evacuation centers and expanded EMS primary care protocols for medical force protection during prolonged USAR or wildfire operations. 

Don't Discipline: Educate!

This session will guide you through the importance of a comprehensive EMS Continuous Quality Improvement plan, best practices in approaching medical mishaps, and how we can achieve success through education and training versus discipline. Additionally, we will look at an overall approach to mentoring new members in the practice of EMS and making the best provider and patient centered decisions as an emergency prehospital care team. Many of these concepts are easily implemented in firefighting and other unintentional errors that occur in our profession.

Female Fire Fighter Health

Female fire fighters health has been studied more over the last couple years and it is clear their health risks vary from the male population. This class will cover what we know and don’t know about health risks shared within sub-groups of the fire service, and those which are specific to females. This includes cancer, physical injury, and reproductive health.

Global Alliance Roundtable

A moderated roundtable discussion with representatives of fellow trade union representatives discussing issues impacting memberships internationally.

HazMat Response Considerations

HazMat responses can cover a wide range of incidents. With the recent focus on incidents involving train derailments, this workshop will highlight pre-incident planning and the importance of identifying the local department’s response capabilities, the need to identify external resources, and when to activate the mutual response. The workshop will also review hazards involving confined space rescue and the use of multi-gas meters.

High-Rise Fire Incidents

One of the most challenging fires for any fire department is a working fire in a high-rise building. These fires require large amounts of resources, these resources include fire fighters, equipment, air cyclinders and hoselines, not to mention appropriate water supplies. Fire fighters need to allocate these resources vertically in these structures adding additional time and stress to the incident. Our presenters will discuss FDNY experiences in tackling these challenging fires and sharing their experiences and the lessons learned.

Marijuana as Medicine

In recent years, a growing number of States have approved the use of (cannabis) medical marijuana as an approved treatment for various illnesses and conditions. This is contrary to the Federal (Statuture) Statutes which still classify(‘s) cannabis as a Schedule I drug. This has created situations where members are using a prescribed course of action but they may be in conflict with departmental and (or) federal policy. Some Locals have proactively addressed the issue in contractual language. This may solve local issues related to discipline but does not (resilve) resolve potential conflict with federal (policies) policies such as the Public Safety Officer Benefits Program. This session will discuss (cannabis) medical marijuana treatments, Locals’ attempts to address the issue in contractual terms and the potential PSOB considerations. The session will also discuss the importance of proper behavioral health assessment and considerations when utilizing medical marijuana (cannabis) treatments.

NIOSH LODD Investigations

This session will cover the NIOSH LODD Program, when to request assistance, and the steps involved in the investigation. The session will outline the roles of the investigators, the department, and the local during the investigation period and introduce the IAFF’s role, per recent Convention action, and an introduction to the project to potentially develop training on conducting an incident investigation.

Predicting Your Incidents: Best Practices for Community Risk Assessment

Risk assessment is a fundamental part of a fire department organization and deployment of resources as well as a key component of the accreditation process. Understanding the risk in a community means determining the likelihood of incidents, the consequences that incidents can have on the community, and the impact on the responding agency.

Understanding Your PPE: Performance and Limitations

This class will give a background on why we have the PPE we have and how it has changed over time. It will focus on performance attributes and limitations, contamination and laundering as well as the applicable NFPA standards which govern the design, certification, and care of our gear.
Workplace Violence Panel: Stories and Solutions

This panel presentation will feature testimony from assaulted fire fighters, share best practices for event reporting, and share policy solutions to work place violence (WPV). We’ll take a look at national and local data on physical and verbal assaults, perpetrator characteristics, and risk factors. Back by popular demand, Ben Vernon and Kelly Adams will share their assault stories and how they recovered physically and mentally. You will hear from FDNY about how they are tracking violent events and from IAFF Local 854 about their protocols for worker-on-worker violence. You’ll learn about the SAVER Model Policies, designed to shift the onus of safety and health off of the individual first responder back onto the organization for whom they work by focusing on actions that department and union leadership can institute through training and policy. They are ready for implementation by your fire departments and unions TODAY. Frustrated? Think this problem will always be? We will finish with the “reveal” of new IAFF curricula to train first responders on how to protect themselves from violence.

Session 6 • 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Canadian EMS Overview

This workshop will highlight the opportunities and advancements of fire emergency medical response in Canada to include Emergency Medical Dispatch, Tiered Response Agreements, and Medical Direction.
EV Research/Consumer Batteries

This session will focus on recent incidents involving consumer lithium-ion battery incidents and FDNY response. The session will also cover research into consumer batteries and an overview of the IAFF EV Project with the USFA and the efforts with FSRI on an upcoming EV Research Project.

FDNY and Boston Engine Company Operations

This workshop will cover FDNY tactics for Engine Company operations. Presenters will cover initial size-up considerations, apparatus placement, initial attack lines, and the crews roles and responsibilities.

FDNY Rescue Operations

Various responsibilities and rescue procedures of the rescues in FDNY. This workshop would focus on the role of the rescue in fireground operations, extrication incidents, and technical rescue.

Fire Fighter Health and Wellness Standards Update

Consensus-based standards have a direct impact on programs impacting the health and wellness of IAFF members. Local fire departments and municipalities base health and wellness programs on NFPA 1582, while on-scene protocols are developed by following the guidelines within NFPA 1584. This workshop will provide an overview of the extensive changes to NFPA 1582. These changes will impact health and wellness programs for local departments and harmonize medical requirements for incumbent fire fighters and firefighting candidates. NFPA 1584 has incorporated several modifications based on current research into best practices that can be employed on-scene to reduce the exposures our members realize during operational duties.

Fire Research Update: Search and Rescue Research Project

This study builds on the experience of the fire service by investigating common components of size-up, such as reading smoke and fire conditions upon arrival, search tactics such as window and/or door-initiated search, isolation measures, and rescue tactics such as removal elevation, removal timing relative to suppression, and removal pathways. It is paramount to determine the scientific based elements of size-up, search, and rescue that the fire service can use to best understand the fire dynamics to make critical tactical choices such as initial hoseline placement, search pathways, and occupant removal considerations.

Healthy-ish Eating for Fire Fighters

Healthy-ish Eating for Fire Fighters will dispel the illusion that there is a “perfect diet” for all fire fighters. Fire fighters face a variety of challenges when it comes to eating well. Many dietitians will talk at an ideal level that unfortunately does not resonate with this population. This fire fighter-specific approach will zone in on challenges and common gaps in nutrition discovered after six years of experience and hundreds of station visits. Understand the tangible and realistic nutrition interventions for structural fire fighters. Discover tips and tricks for eating well on a 24-hour shift. Learn how to make healthier choices when packaged food or fast food are the only options available. The key to eating well in this career is understanding that there is a range of healthy eating, and consistently making a best effort is what counts.

High-Rise Command and Command Center Operations

Separate from the incidents and lessons learned many fire fighters have not operated in a Fire Command Center. This class will focus on the use of the Command Center and the tools and systems available to the fireground Commander.

How PFAS Got in Our Gear and What We Are Doing About It

How did this forever chemical get into our gear? This class will look at the history of our gear, how to turn the Joint Statement into action, and what are the next steps to best protect our members. Focus will be placed on implementing the Joint Statement to everyday situations and answering our members questions on the subject reevaluating the risk posed by our PPE in its present form.

Sick Kids Are Scary, Really?

This session will focus on pediatric conditions that make EMS practitioners heart skip a beat but will refresh the EMS practitioner on pediatric assessment and care for the most common ailments. It will also introduce you to how your agency should be preparing to participate in the Pediatric Prehospital Readiness Program (PPRP).

The Missing Building Block: Fire and Injury Data Reporting Systems

It is no secret we are in a society driven by data. The fire service relies on data to drive innovation in fire operation strategies, building code development, training needs, grant programs, and deployment strategies. The challenge is that the fire service has not done a very good job of collecting accurate and reliable data. The same is true in regards to injuries and illnesses. The effect of inaccurate data related to injuries impacts fire fighters in presumptive language and adoption, workers’ compensation coverage, and effective prevention programs. This session will focus on the current state of data in the fire service and will demonstrate the importance of accurate and complete data and methods of collecting data that are available.

Total Wellness Approach: Implementing a Wellness Program in Your Department

Fire fighters must balance physical health, mental wellness, and relationships to be successful on the job and post-career. Aligning daily behaviors both on and off the job to support these priorities in life is essential for long-term wellness success. This class will evaluate how wellness programs such as the IAFF WFI assist departments with adopting a total wellness approach within their departments.
What to Do When an LODD Occurs

How do you plan and prepare for the most horrible event imaginable? How do affiliate leaders act when faced with what can often be a crippling organizational event? Listen to IAFF leaders and staff as they provide suggestions to affiliate leaders about relationships and networks to establish before tragedy strikes, guidance on immediate steps to support surviving members and families, the ceremony, the incident review, and championing positive change in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. Self-care and follow-up efforts are also discussed.

Travel & Lodging

Host Hotel

Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel
811 7th  Avenue 53rd Street
New York, NY 10019
(212) 581-1000
Rate: $319/night + taxes
Cutoff date: Friday, July 28

Airlines

United – ZMRK254340We are pleased to partner with United Airlines for air travel to our upcoming event. To make flight reservations online, please click the discount code: ZMRK254340. Or you may call the United Reservations Meetings Desk (Monday-Friday) at 800.426.1122 for booking assistance.

Delta – NY257Delta Air Lines is pleased to offer special discounts for IAFF events. Please click here to book your flights. You may also call Delta Meeting Network® at 1.800.328.1111* Monday–Friday, 7 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. (CT) and refer to meeting event code NY257. *Please note, there is no service fee for reservations booked and ticketed via our reservation 800 number.

Air Canada – FC7B8X31
To book a flight using this promotion code, access aircanada.com and enter your promotion code in the search panel. Valid for arrivals at all New York airports

Car Rental

Hertz – CV# 022Q9339
When booking at Hertz.com, click “add a discount code” and under Convention, add the CV code above.

Exhibitors & Sponsors

To apply to sponsor and/or exhibit at Redmond/Barbera, review the sponsorship opportunities, then fill out the application and rules/regulations PDFs below and email them to [email protected].

Exhibits will be housed in Central Park East/West in the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel.

Monday, Aug. 21

    • Set-up: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
    • Hours: 1 – 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 22

    • 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 23

    • 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. (followed by breakdown)

Speakers

If you are presenting at this event, visit the speaker page for important information, including travel details and other instructions.