December 17, 2021 – The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) announced today that it will present a FREE Leadership for Emergency Responders conference on Tuesday, January 25, 2022 as the organization’s year-long 125th Anniversary Conference Series continues into the first quarter of the year.
The complimentary online transformational leadership program will feature a total of nine educational sessions for emergency response officers, aspiring leaders, and those on the frontline intent on being the best teammate and community partner. The day’s educational content will center around personal, technical, and community leadership and cover critical topics including diversity, equity, and inclusion; mental health and resilience; data-driven accountability; fire prevention; community risk reduction; and codes and standards emerging issues.
“The role that our first responders play in our communities is constantly evolving. Today, fire, police, and EMS provide all-hazards response which requires them to skill up on new tactics and technology and develop the leadership acumen that will allow them to meet the changing needs of their community – both in their stations and in the neighborhoods that they serve,” NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley said. “We are offering this NFPA Emergency Responders Leadership program for FREE because NFPA believes it is essential for emergency response leaders and future officers to further their personal, professional, and performance capabilities in order to meet contemporary challenges.”
The strength of the program is largely due to the forward-thinking subject matter experts who will conduct the following sessions and offer both practical and academic experience during the learning event:
- Everyone’s a Leader: Driving Change Every Day — Reginald Freeman, MS, CFO, FIFireE, Fire Chief, City of Oakland, California
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion— Jennifer A. Taylor, PhD, MPH, CPPS Director, Center for Firefighter Injury Research and Safety Trends (FIRST), Arthur L. and Joanne B. Frank Professor of Environmental & Occupational Health Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University
- Emergency Responders and Suicide: Helping the People Who Help the People— Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas, Professional Speaker, Podcaster & Impact Entrepreneur
- Data-Driven Decision Making— John Oates, BS, MS, EFO, Fire Chief, Town of East Hartford, Connecticut
- Fires and the Fire Service: What’s Changed? — Marty Ahrens, NFPA Fire Analysis Research Manager (retired effective 12/31/21) and Ben Evarts, NFPA Data Collection and Research Manager
- NFPA 1700: Fire Research with The Fire Service — Curt Floyd, Deputy Chief ret., EFO, CFPS, NFPA Technical Lead-First Responders and Steve Kerber, UL Vice President and Executive Director of UL's Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI)
- NFPA 1585: Combining Research and Experience for Common Sense Contamination Control Best Practices — Bob Fash, CFPS, NFPA Specialist and Frank Leeb, Deputy Assistant Chief, FDNY
- Demonstrating Leadership in Fire & Life Safety Education: Skills Needed for Today’s (and Tomorrow’s) Issues— Andrea G. Vastis, MPH, CHES, Sr. Director, NFPA Public Education
- Community Risk Reduction (CRR): A Leadership Win — Karen Berard-Reed, NFPA Senior Strategist & CRR Lead, Meredith Hawes, NFPA Regional Director (North Central Region), Chelsea Rubadou, Engineer, NFPA 1300, Standard on Community Risk Assessment and Community Risk Reduction Plan Development Staff Liaison
This FREE virtual conference will offer tools and tips needed to lead the way and strengthen the emergency response sector. Registrants for The Leadership for Emergency Responders program can access the nine educational sessions on the scheduled date or via on-demand anytime for up to a year and can earn up to 10 credit hours upon completion of all content offerings.
For this release and other announcements about NFPA initiatives, research, and resources, please visit the NFPA press room.
NFPA: 125 Years of Protecting People and Property
The National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) is a global self-funded nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property, and economic loss due to fire, electrical, and related hazards. The association began its work to solve the fire problem in a young, industrialized nation in 1896 and has since become a global force known for advancing safety worldwide. NFPA delivers information and knowledge through more than 325 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach, and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission. In celebration of its 125th Anniversary, NFPA is hosting a Conference Series and other initiatives that reflect the association’s steadfast commitment to advancing fire and life safety for the next 125 years and beyond. For more information or to view NFPA codes and standards for free, visit www.nfpa.org.
Contact: Lorraine Carli, Public Affairs Office: +1 617 984-7275