Before 2,000 fire and emergency officials assemble together at the Washington Hilton for the Congressional Fire Services Institute’s 26th annual dinner tradition May 1st, many of them will be spending their time in Washington, DC meeting with their members of Congress and attending the CFSI seminars program. The 26th Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner and Seminars provides a unique opportunity for fire and emergency officials to engage in discussions with key decision makers – including members of Congress, administration officials and national fire service leaders – to learn and understand the inner workings of the federal government on public safety issues.
It’s an opportunity for fire officials to deliver important messages on behalf of their departments and local governments to our federal leaders about the need for continued federal support.
The seminars program is something you will not find at any other fire service event. CFSI will host ten seminars over the two-day period, featuring an impressive line-up of fire and emergency services experts who will cover many of the issues impacting the fire service at the federal level. Our panelists include over 30 association leaders, seven members of Congress, and six federal officials-all highly recognized for their knowledge and expertise in public safety issues.
To register for the 26th Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner and Seminars Program that takes place April 30th – May 1st, please click here.
And if you are wondering some of what you can gain from this experience, please read the following listing of their seminars program:
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2014
OPENING SESSION: CULTIVATING RELATIONSHIPS
11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.
Columbia Hall 1; Washington Hilton
At every level of government, fire service leaders need to develop and maintain close working relationships with elected officials. Relationships based on mutual respect and trust are essential to educating our elected officials about the challenges and needs of first responders. To continue making progress with our agenda, we must maintain relationships with veteran political leaders while reaching out to newly-elected leaders to help them understand how they can best serve and represent their local first responders.
Moderator:
Bill Webb, Congressional Fire Services Institute
Panelists:
Congressman David Reichert (WA-8), Chairman of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus
Steve Austin, International Association of Arson Investigators
Kevin O’Connor, International Association of Fire Fighters
PREPARING FOR AND RESPONDING TO ACTIVE SHOOTER AND MASS CASUALITY INCIDENTS
12 Noon – 12:50 p.m.
Columbia Hall 1; Washington Hilton
Active shooter and mass casualty incidents (AS/MCI) may take place in any community and have a significant impact on fire and emergency services. It is imperative that fire departments develop sufficient resources to handle these scenarios. This panel will discuss the steps local fire departments can take to prepare for, and respond to, AS/MCI.
Moderator:
Steve Edwards, North American Fire Training Directors
Panelists: Chief Ernest Mitchell, Jr., United States Fire Administrator
Rick Patrick, Department of Homeland Security
TAKING ACTION AGAINST CANCER IN THE FIRE SERVICE
12 Noon – 12:50 p.m.
Columbia Hall 9; Washington Hilton
The mission of the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN) is to provide timely assistance to all fire service members and their families in the event of a cancer diagnosis. FCSN provides fire department members and their families various specialized programs and education sessions to help them in dealing with cancer. This seminar will provide information on these programs and on the FCSN White Paper “Taking Action Against Cancer in the Fire Service” in addition to offering eleven action steps for reducing exposure to carcinogens.
Moderator:
Dan Crow, Firefighter Cancer Support Network
Panelist:
Trey Kelso, Firefighter Cancer Support Network
THE FCC AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS
1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.
Columbia Hall 1; Washington Hilton
This session will provide an overview of the Federal Communication Commission (FCC)’s role in public safety communications, current issues before the commission, and potential issues of interest to the fire service in 2014. In addition, the panelists will discuss licensing issues that fire departments should be aware of.
Moderator:
Chief Doug Aiken, International Municipal Signal Association
Panelists:
Russell H. Fox Esq., Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo PC
Ralph A. Haller, Public Safety Coordination Associates
AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION: The Importance of Fire Prevention and Education Programs in Your Community
1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.
Columbia Hall 9; Washington Hilton
Benjamin Franklin, the Father of the American Fire Service, once said “An ounce of prevention is a worth a pound of cure.” Robust and comprehensive fire prevention and education programs are a critical component of any fire department’s mission. Yet fire prevention programs continue to be under-funded and under-staffed throughout the country. This roundtable discussion will cover the importance of fire prevention and education programs to local communities, the impact that budget cuts can have on these programs and the communities they benefit, and strategies for securing funding to preserve these programs.
Moderator:
Chief Dennis Compton, International Fire Service Training Association
Panelists:
Lorraine Carli, National Fire Protection Association
Pat Morrison, International Association of Fire Fighters
Chief Adolf Zubia, International Association of Fire Chiefs
Chief Phil Stittleburg, National Volunteer Fire Council
FEDERAL FUNDING FOR FIRST RESPONDERS
2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.
Columbia Hall 1; Washington Hilton
So how does the Administration develop its budget figures each year for the various grant programs that benefit public safety? This is a good question and the answers will help fire and emergency services officials to understand what they need to do to ensure the continued support of the Administration for these programs. This seminar will look into the budget process within Department of Homeland Security and the types of key factors taken into account when Congress sets funding levels for programs such as AFG and SAFER.
Moderator: Jim Dalton, CFSI National Advisory Committee Vice-Chair
Panelists:
Cathie Patterson, Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
NATIONAL COHESIVE WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.
Columbia Hall 9; Washington Hilton
The escalating cost of wildland fires in this country continues to be a significant problem. Spiraling costs associated with suppression and damages to both natural resources and community infrastructures are exacting heavy tolls on local, state, and federal budgets. With structural development continuing to penetrate deeper into the Wildland Urban Interface, action is needed to address this growing challenge. The National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy addresses the impact of wildland fire across our national landscape and on government budgets, and recommends strategies to reduce the negative impact of fire on people, property, and natural resources.
Moderator:
Joe Stutler, Deschutes County (OR) Senior Advisor
Panelists:
Victoria Christiansen, United States Forest Service
Robert Cope, National Association of Counties
Chief Bob Roper, IAFC Wildland Fire Policy Committee
Brad Simpkins, New Hampshire State Forester
IMPACT OF THE PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT ON THE DELIVERY OF FIRE SERVICE-BASED EMS
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Columbia Hall 1; Washington Hilton
On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The law is one of the largest overhauls of the nation’s healthcare industry in a generation and will have a far-reaching impact on how fire service-based EMS systems operate. Over the next few years, many of these provisions will become effective. Leading experts on fire-service based EMS will discuss potential impacts of the law on your departments.
Moderator:
Chief Dennis Compton, International Fire Service Training Association
Panelists:
Lori Moore-Merrell, International Association of Fire Fighters
Ken Willette, National Fire Protection Association
Chief Bruce Moeller, International Association of Fire Chiefs
Chief Ken Knipper, National Volunteer Fire Council
THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014
CFSI/BUILDSTRONG COALITION FORUM: STRONG BUILDING CODES – OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE
8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
SVC 203-02; Capitol Visitor Center
Model building codes govern all aspects of construction and help to protect homes and office buildings from hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, fire, ice storms, and other natural catastrophes. With billions of dollars paid by the federal government and the private sector for disaster relief and rebuilding communities, legislation to encourage the widespread adoption of model building codes would enhance the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) goal of making sure our cities and towns are better equipped to prepare for, prevent, respond to and recover from disasters. This forum will feature a discussion of efforts by CFSI and the BuildStrong Coalition to incentivize states to adopt and enforce state-wide building codes. Additionally, key Congressional leaders will discuss the need enhance existing mitigation programs with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Keynote Speakers: Congressman Randy Neugebauer (TX-19) & Senator Mark Begich (AK)
Congressional Panel:
Jimi Grande, BuildStrong Coalition (Moderator)
Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
Congressman Dennis Ross (FL-15)
Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (CT-5)
Congressman Ed Perlmutter (CO-7)
Industry Roundtable:
Julie Rochman, Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (Moderator)
Dr. William Jenaway, Congressional Fire Services Institute
Bill Windsor, BuildStrong Coalition Executive Committee
Dominic Sims, International Code Council
Leslie Chapman-Henderson, Federal Alliance for Safe Homes
David Heyman, Department of Homeland Security
Michael Lingerfelt, American Institute of Architects
CFSI/NFFF TOWNHALL MEETING: “EVERYONE GOES HOME”
2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Columbia Hall 9; Washington Hilton
2014 marks the 10-year anniversary of the Firefighter Life Safety Summit in Tampa, FL. Through this meeting, fire service leaders developed 16 Life Safety Initiatives to reduce the number of firefighter deaths and ensure that “Everyone Goes Home.” The town hall meeting will discuss the findings from the Tampa 2 Summit scheduled for March 11-12. 2014. In addition, the session will include a discussion of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s Vulnerability Assessment Program and an overview of the Department of Justice’s Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program.
Moderator: Vickie Pritchett, Common Voices
Panelists:
Ron Siarnicki, National Fallen Firefighters Foundation
Hope Janke, Department of Justice