Wisconsin Society of
Emergency Services Instructors
Emergency Services Instructors
Wisconsin Society of
Emergency Services Instructors
The Wisconsin Society of Fire Service Instructors (WSFSI) was formed in 1962 to serve the needs of fire instructors in our State. Now renamed Wisconsin Society of Emergency Services Instructors (WSESI),
the Society assists local instructors through the exchange of ideas, dissemination of information, and the presentation of seminars and conferences. All of this is geared toward helping fire and emergency services instructors in their personal development and assisting them in bringing quality education and programs to their own agencies.
Please tour our site and learn more about how WSESI can serve all of your instructional needs. Your questions and comments are always welcome.
W S E S I NEWS BRIEFS – March 28, 2020
2020 CONFERENCE WRAP-UP (Part 2!)
The WSESI Annual Instructors Conference, held at Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) February 21-23 2020, featured three program tracks; last month’s news reported on Track A (Instructor Development) and Track C (National Fire Academy Course). If you missed Part 1, a copy of the Conference Wrap-up is posted on our Conference webpage.
This month’s portion of the wrap-up is dedicated to describing our Program Track B – NFPA 1403 Live Burn / Fixed Facility.
The Live Burn track was an intensive, immersive training experience, combining pre-course reading, classroom presentations, hands-on training scenarios, and a final exam, all culminating in a three-year certification in Live Fire Training / Fixed Facility for the participating students. Thirteen students from agencies around the state convened Friday morning for the training.
National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA)® Standard 1403 on Live Fire Training is the foundational document for the content of the course. The standard provides for the practices and conditions that optimize the safety of all participants in a live fire training operation. Many fire service trainers are quick to assume that the standard was intended for use in an acquired-structure training burn, but one of the first points covered in the course is that nearly all of the standard applies equally to fixed-facility (burn towers and buildings) operations. In addition to the NFPA standard, Friday’s eight-hour classroom session covered material outlined in the course text, Jones & Bartlett’s Live Fire Training, 2nd Edition.
With Friday’s classroom learning under their belts, the thirteen students, two lead instructors, and three assistant instructors took to the training grounds at WCTC, where they were joined by three additional WCTC support instructors who provided the pumping apparatus and other logistical assistance required for the hands-on scenarios. Because the format of the course focused on instructor training, six WCTC Fire Science students assumed the roles of the ‘firefighter recruit’ participants in the live fire scenarios.
The emphasis on participant health and safety was carried through all the activities for the hands-on phase of the course, including inspections and operational checks of all personal protective equipment (PPE), multiple daily vital signs / hydration breaks for all personnel on the grounds, Incident Command System (ICS), a dedicated Safety Officer position, and support considerations such as secure water supply, etc.
Sunday’s session continued with hands-on scenarios throughout the morning; after cleanup and lunch, the class began a review of all the course materials, concluding with their final exam.
Our sincere appreciation goes out to WSESI Training & Programs Chair Dave Yakowenko for bringing this unprecedented opportunity to our Conference, and to Paul Enhelder for ramping up the intensity and relevance of the course content. Many thanks also go to WCTC Fire / EMS Coordinator Courtney Hull for making it all come together for us in Pewaukee, WCTC Admininstrative Assistant Laura Kozlowski for excellent logistical support, and the WCTC Adjunct Faculty and Fire Science students for their hard work and contributions to the weekend. Photos of our Conference can be viewed in our Photo Gallery.
Please save the dates for our Conference to return to Pewaukee, February 19-21, 2021 – plans are already underway!
COVID-19 and NETWORKING EVENTS – Before pandemic precautions were implemented, WSESI intended to be represented at conferences of Wisconsin’s Fire / Emergency Services organizations throughout the coming months... Those plans will, of course, be subject to the overriding safety considerations, including possible cancellations, of such events. As of press time, the Wisconsin State Fire Chiefs Association Annual Conference is still on the schedule for June. Watch future issues of News Briefs for those details as they become available.
WISCONSIN FIRE EMS LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP COALITION (WFELLC) meets monthly (in-person and/or by phone), discussing current efforts in the state legislature. Notes on activities of concern can be viewed on our Links page: www.wsesi.org/links -- in the first column, Wisconsin Links.
Any member wishing to become active in our advocacy of public policy issues should contact President Jim Austad, or WFELLC delegates Jim Flanagan or Kevin Gerarden.
2020 MEMBERSHIP: RENEW-O-METER… As of press time, the following have been received:
119 Paid active members
47 New and returning members (including complimentary)
35 Members of 7 Partner Agencies
7 Life members
4 Members pending payment
66 -- ????
PAST DUE notices have been sent (most of them by e-mail) by about March 16, 2020. Don’t delay – Renew TODAY!
The following piece is produced by ISFSI and provided courtesy of our Wisconsin Ambassador, Norm Arendt:
Members wishing to contribute articles of interest may submit them to Kevin Gerarden via email: kgerarden@wsesi.org
Having trouble downloading documents? Call 920-235-5494 to request a paper copy of any Society forms or documents, or email your request to kgerarden@wsesi.org .
NEXT BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING: Tuesday, April 21, 2020 – Appleton, WI (unless otherwise announced).
Contact your Board members with any agenda items.