Featured Speakers
Attend the following Featured Workshops in person or as a webcast!
Dave Dodson
Featured Workshop: The Art of Reading Smoke
Often, smoke issuing from a building is the only clue available to predict fire behavior and the likelihood of a flashover or rapid fire spread. First-arriving officers must read smoke before choosing attack tactical priorities! Incident Commanders and Safety Officers must know how to rapidly read smoke in order to keep firefighters within an acceptable risk-profile.
Dave Dodson is a 25-year fire service veteran – starting his Fire Service Career with the U.S. Air Force. After the USAF, Dave spent almost seven years as a Fire Officer and Training/Safety Officer for the Parker Fire District in Parker, Colorado. He became the first Career Training Officer for Loveland Fire & Rescue (CO) and rose through the ranks including time as an Engine Officer, HazMat Technician, Duty Safety Officer, and Emergency Manager for the City. He accepted a Shift Battalion Chief position for the Eagle River Fire District in Colorado before starting his current company, Response Solutions, which is dedicated to teaching firefighter safety and practical incident handling. Dave is the author of Delmar's Fire Department Incident Safety Officer and co-author of Delmar's Firefighter's Handbook. He is also the author of Fire Engineering's Training DVD series The Art of Reading Smoke. He continues to write and deliver classes on firefighter safety & survival issues and first-due officer procedures. Chief Dodson has served as the Chairman of the NFPA 1521 Task Group (Fire Department Safety Officer) and served on the Fire Service Occupational Safety and Health Technical Committee for NFPA. Dave is also a past president of the Fire Department Safety Officer's Association. In 1997, Dave was chosen as the ISFSI "George D. Post Fire Instructor of the Year."
Richard "Smokey" Dyer
Featured Workshop: Fireground Operations: Show-Me-Style
This workshop is directed toward incident commanders and company officers. The course will discuss risk management, offensive and defensive operations, coordinated offensive attacks, fire fighter safety, and other strategic and tactical considerations.
Smokey Dyer has been a Missouri firefighter for almost four decades. For 13 years, he served as the Chief of Lee's Summit FD and in October 2000, became Chief of Kansas City FD. Chief Dyer holds an Associate's Degree in Fire Science from Penn Valley Community College, a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a Master's Degree in Public Service Administration from Central Missouri State University. He has been an adjunct faculty member for the National Fire Academy and MU FRTI for many years. From 1998 to 1999, he served as the president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
Michael Wilbur
Featured Workshop: Operations and Placement of Aerial Apparatus
This dynamic workshop is a must for firefighters, fire officers, company chief officers, drivers and engineers. Each rank will derive benefits from this course. Topics covered will be the characteristics and operating features of rear mount platforms and quint apparatus. Special emphasis will be made on truck company placement for various types of occupancies, rescue and life safety strategies and tactical work of quint apparatus. Finally, strategies and tactics will be discussed in the operation of and proper position of aerial and tower ladders and how to successfully deploy both at the scene of a fire.
Michael Wilbur has been a career firefighter with the New York City Fire Department for 27 years, and is also a volunteer firefighter. In the FDNY, Mike was assigned to Ladder Company 56 for
15 years, 8 as an Apparatus Operator, and in 1995 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. He is presently assigned to Ladder Company 27 in the Bronx. Lieutenant Wilbur also serves on the FDNY apparatus purchasing committee, and has given state certification to the FDNY chauffeurs school. Mike is also a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine and Fire Apparatus Journal. He has served on the IFSTA validation committees for the Apparatus Operator and Aerial Operator Manuals.
