National Professional Development Summit V Thursday breakout sessions

Developing an ethics curriculum

Participants who attended the 2017 National Professional Development Summit approved the addition of Fire Service Ethics to the bachelor’s degree core curriculum. This workshop is intended to assist fire education and training program leaders, as well as faculty, in the development of the ethics curriculum. Presentation outcomes: Workshop attendees will be introduced to suggested ethics course content, resources and proposal timelines. Course justifications and new course approval requirements shall also be reviewed. Attendee activities: Workshop attendees will have the opportunity to develop a first draft outline for the course.

Encountering hoarding disorder: What to do with what you see

This presentation combines an understanding of hoarding, a mental health issue, with the pragmatic issues of the ”hoarded“ environment. Participants will learn to recognize potential signs for hoarding situations and mental health criteria for diagnosing hoarding disorder. Assessment tools will be presented to aid participants in determining standards for defining hoarding. By differentiating between hoarding and clutter, participants will be able to identify which interventions may be more effective when interacting with the individual and the environment. Discussion will include the opportunities that participants may have for engaging with hoarding situations as well as the limitations they may encounter.

Firefighting 2020: A team sport or individual effort?

This workshop walks students through the many different organizational characteristics of the fire service using the analogy of an NFL (all-paid), college (combination), and high school (all-volunteer) football team. The presentation will focus on the variable generational values entering the fire service and will lead the students on a journey through “team building” in an era when more emphasis has been put on participation instead of performance.

Generation Z: What’s next?

Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials ... What’s next? Gen Z? Fire departments across the country are learning to support the growing phenomena of the multigenerational work crew. Each generation comes with its own values, customs and ethos. This interactive session will take a critical look at the progression of generation-based expectations and how leaders must evolve to support this culture to assure mission success. Attendees will come away with teaching strategies for the classroom, the training center, and succession and retention programs.

Leading a multigenerational workforce

Kip’s qualitative case study for his dissertation determined how multigenerational workplace tensions existed and disrupted the operational continuity of a fire department. The research participants consisted of seven chief fire officers overseeing various fire department operations. Themes emerged describing the nature of the tensions that occurred between generations of firefighters.

Learning outcomes include the following: identifying differences in generational beliefs, exploring opportunities for professional growth, as well as understanding that multigenerational differences exist, and continued collaboration between generations is essential to creating effective solutions in emergency and non-emergency situations. Course activities: presentation of study findings and presenter-led discussions on these topics.

This session is also offered on Friday.

Perspectives on effective organizational leadership in American fire and emergency services

This workshop will describe 10 different perspectives on effective organizational leadership within the fire service as revealed in a 2017 study. It will include opportunities for participants to discuss the implications of so many varied perspectives, including:

• The potential for tension and conflict within the organizational leadership team and the costs and benefits of it.
• Mismatches and misunderstandings between the organization’s leaders and members related to organizational leadership resulting in the potential for negative impact on organizational performance.
• Leadership competencies shared among all the perspectives and how these might form the foundation for establishing fire service organizational leadership job performance requirements.

Reducing PTSD and stress by training for resiliency

This is an experiential training program that educates first responders on coping with stress. Horses are used as diagnostic tools for participants to see and adjust emotionally and physically to unpredictable situations. Tasks are designed to create stress, frustration, adrenaline overload and self-preservation. The long-term goal of this program is to reduce the mental and physical issues that plague first responders throughout their career. How responders deal with stress that happens in the arena with the horses transfers to what responders will do at work and home. This is an active learning program, using horses to train the responders’ brain for resiliency.

Saving those who save others

This presentation involves a careful examination of firefighter suicides, PTSD, addictions and other behavioral health issues within the fire and EMS services. Emphasis is placed on the educational role the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance plays nationally through collected data and statistics. Workshop goals include:

• Research on suicide data.
• Developing communication skills.
• The ability to describe how internal and external resources are developed.
• Introduce attendees to various warning signs and symptoms.

Strategy and tactics for engaging students in online learning

This presentation involves a careful examination of firefighter suicides, PTSD, addictions and other behavioral health issues within the fire and EMS services. Emphasis is placed on the educational role the Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance plays nationally through collected data and statistics. Workshop goals include:

• Research on suicide data.
• Developing communication skills.
• The ability to describe how internal and external resources are developed.
• Introduce attendees to various warning signs and symptoms.