OLD 2023 Ohio Fire & Rescue Officer Development Conference

2023 Ohio Fire & Rescue Officer Development Conference

July 17-21, 2023, at the Hilton Columbus at Easton

Our ceo + visionary, David Arends will be on hand to discuss with you any and all your facility and training needs. David is an expert at Training by Design, CR’s proprietary design feature that actually implements training props directly into the build or renovation of a Fire Station. The program takes full advantage of every inch of available space and enables your station the ability to train 24 / 7 if desired.

The addition of these teaching tools supports more knowledgeable fire fighters, more diversified trained professionals, and often enhances performance. Another bonus of including the training features into the design is the opportunity to save money, by not having to go offsite to train, not having to schedule some other facility, and avoiding having to double hours by backfilling your service schedule.

Keynote Speakers

FULLY INVOLVED Leadership

Mark VonAppen has been a member of the Palo Alto, California Fire Department since 1998, and is assigned to the suppression division where he holds the rank of captain. He is a committee member for California State Fire Training and has contributed to the development of Firefighter Survival and Rapid Intervention curriculums. Mark has been published in Fire Engineering Magazine, Fire Service Warrior, and is the creator of the fire service leadership blog FULLY INVOLVED. He is an instructor for the Santa Clara County Joint Fire Academy, a recruit Instructor for Palo Alto Fire, an academy instructor at Evergreen Community College, and a member of the “Nobody Gets Left Behind” training group.

Captain VonAppen will be presenting “FULLY INVOLVED Leadership” at the 2023 Ohio Fire & Rescue Officer Development Conference. Fully Involved is geared toward professionals who wish to expand their abilities in leadership. This presentation is aimed at anyone who wishes to lead at any level.

FULLY INVOLVED is rooted in improving team performance and has application in both public and private sectors. FULLY INVOLVED has worked for over 40 years in professional football, the fire service, and applies to the business world as well. Thousands of fire service professionals have attended the FULLY INVOLVED Leadership Seminars and are now among the involved.

“Getting team members to pull towards a common goal is a key component in successful operations. FULLY INVOLVED gives students the tools to create a pact that is applicable to all levels of the organization.”

Engine Company Tactical Traps

Lieutenant Steve Robertson has been in the fire service for 33 years, the last 30 of which have been with the Columbus Division of Fire. Steve currently serves as the Lieutenant on Engine Company 18 in the South Linden neighborhood of Columbus. Steve has been a classroom instructor at FDIC for the past several years teaching engine company operations. Additionally, Lieutenant Robertson was the lead instructor of the FDIC HOT program Stretching for Success. Steve is an instructor for County Fire Tactics and has taught engine company tactics nationally. He has also instructed at the High Rise Operations Conference and Command Officers

Bootcamp, Water on the Fire Conference all in Pensacola Beach Florida. For the past 27 years, Steve has also been a state-certified Fire Safety Instructor. He is also a past member of the State of Ohio Fire Training Committee.Lieutenant Steve Robertson will be presenting “Engine Company Tactical Traps” at the 2023 Ohio Fire & Rescue Officer Development Conference. We have all been there, the fire that goes sideways; we struggle to get it back on track. When tactical mistakes happen early in a fire, things tend to continue down that path. These fires happen all too often, yet we fail to address the real issue, bad tactical decisions. Tactical traps are all over the place on fire scenes and are often overlooked.

This class will discuss several common ones, discount auto part stores, dollar stores, and all type 2 construction buildings. These types of structures offer several of the same tactical traps. We will discuss fortified rear doors, partition walls, and heavy fire loads. Also covered will be access to balloon frame void fires, cockloft, and attic fires. Basement fires to electric cars, hoarders’ conditions to vertical stretches. Your initial tactical considerations will dictate the outcome of the fire. None of us are perfect. We all make mistakes on every fire; it’s not that we make mistakes, it’s how we recover from those mistakes. Unfortunately, no one on the fire ground is coming behind you to fix your problem.

The class is 33 years of experience riding an engine company and 21 from the right front seat. Experience matters! We only get one chance to set the tone for the entire fire.

The Evolution of Fire Service Leadership Through Community Risk Reduction Culture

James Hempstead, Battalion Chief Richland Fire & Emergency Services. With 39 years of experience in both fire and EMS industries, his passion to serve is stronger today than any other time in his career. He enjoys developing leaders throughout all levels of our organization from fire fighter to chief officer. Battalion Chief Hempstead’s role as a chief officer focuses on the importance of being a servant leader and developing a community risk reduction culture of excellence in our workforce. His current body of work includes growing political\ equity, integrating our organization into the community, building partnerships, enhancing professional business practices, oversight of our development/training initiatives and evolving our delivery model to produce great community outcomes. A majority of his adult life included roles and responsibilities of being a community leader as a city council member, planning commissioner, facilitating community initiatives, and serving on an array of boards/commissions.

Battalion Chief Hempstead will be presenting “The Evolution of Fire Service Leadership Through Community Risk Reduction Culture” at the 2023 Ohio Fire & Rescue Officer Development Conference. The Community Risk Reduction concept has evolved into the new “all hazards” version of fire prevention projects and programs. However, when used as an organizational culture framework, it provides a path for effective leadership development, recruitment, retention, community engagement, disaster preparedness, emergency response and overall enhanced organizational value to your community. This mindset shift is critical to preparing current and future leaders to embrace the evolving challenges facing our communities; this session will offer a fresh perspective on how to leverage CRR as an approach to becoming a leadership development powerhouse, while consistently enhancing the value that twenty-first century Fire and EMS services deliver to the community.

Courage Under Fire Leadership

Steve Prziborowski has over 30 years of fire service experience, recently retiring as a Deputy Chief with the Santa Clara County (CA) Fire Department. He is an adjunct instructor for the Chabot College (CA) Fire Technology Program, a Contract Instructor for the National Fire Academy (MD) and is still actively involved in the fire service through speaking, writing, coaching, and mentoring personnel aspiring to either get hired or get promoted. Steve recently completed a five-year stint as an Executive Board Member for the California Fire Chiefs’ Association, is a Former President of the Northern California Training Officers Association and is a current member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs Fire Rescue International Conference Program Planning Committee.

He is a state-certified Chief Officer and Master Instructor, has earned a Master's degree in Emergency Services Administration, has completed the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy, and has received Chief Fire Officer and Chief Training Officer Designation through the Commission on Professional Credentialing. Steve is a regular speaker and presenter at fire departments and conferences across the country, having presented or scheduled over 400 sessions, courses, and webinars in 38 states, moving closer to reaching his goal of all 50 states. He has authored and contributed to over 200 articles, podcasts, videos, bios, and books in the leading fire service publications, and has published four career development books: "Reach for the Firefighter Badge," "The Future Firefighter's Preparation Guide," "How to Excel at Fire Department Promotional Exams," and most recently, "101 Tips to Ace Your Promotional Exam," published by Fire Engineering Books & Videos.

Steve Prziborowski will be presenting “Courage Under Fire Leadership” at the 2023 Ohio Fire & Rescue Officer Development Conference. As a fire service leader of any rank in today's fire service (firefighter up to fire chief; and yes - firefighters are expected to demonstrate leadership traits, not just officers), we must possess "Courage Under Fire." We must continuously aspire to be the best we can be while also being the best leader and follower we can be for those we are fortunate to lead, follow and/or serve alongside. Do you have what it takes to be a great fire service professional in the year 2023 and more importantly beyond? Situations a fire service professional of any rank and from any type of fire department across the country may face today can have severe consequences to not just the positive image of the fire service, but to the families, the careers, the positions, or the status of those they lead, follow, or serve alongside. Current topics affecting the fire service, events that have occurred to the fire service (good and not-so-good), as well as personal lessons learned (some the hard way), will be shared and discussed in a positive and productive manner. Regardless of rank, attendees will be exposed to and can leave with numerous tips for leadership success.

At CR architecture + design we have revolutionized the implementation of these training essentials as a statement of art and design, making the utmost use of your facility. Ask how we can make it work for you!

If you want to schedule ahead, some time at the show, please contact Monica Mancera via email m.mancera@cr-architects.com or mobile 206.351.9427 and let’s discuss your facility of the future.