Conference Sessions

Choose Your Conference Adventure

When purchasing your conference ticket, you will also build your own schedule for Friday and Saturday.

Friday: Select 2 sessions to attend.

Saturday: Select up to 4 sessions to attend.

Several courses are offered more than once at different times, giving you the flexibility to mix and match sessions and take advantage of more training opportunities throughout the day.

Please pay close attention to the course length when making your selections.

The NFFF Taking Care of Our Own® Train-the-Trainer course is a 6-hour session, and Flashover Simulator Training: Understanding Fire Behavior is a 3-hour session. Choosing one of these longer courses will limit the number of additional sessions you can attend during that time block.

 

Build the schedule that works best for you, choose the topics that matter most, and make the most of your INSTRUCTORMANIA weekend.

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Milwaukee School Fire After Action Review

Milwaukee Fire Chief Aaron Lipski will present an after-action review of the June 30, 2026 fire that destroyed Lincoln Avenue School. The five-alarm incident involved a rapidly spreading fire in a century-old school building, challenging crews with heavy fire conditions, structural concerns, and a transition from interior to defensive operations.

Chief Lipski will walk attendees through the incident, the factors that contributed to fire growth and spread, the operational decisions made on scene, and the lessons identified afterward. The discussion will focus on what worked, what challenged responders, and what other departments and instructors can take away from the incident and apply to their own training and operations.

 

8th Street Mayday RIT Discussion

This presentation examines the April 14, 2024 South 8th Street fire in Milwaukee, where a firefighter became trapped in extreme heat and zero-visibility conditions during attic operations and transmitted a MAYDAY.

McMenamin will walk attendees through the incident, the conditions crews faced, the RIT response, decision-making under pressure, and the actions that ultimately led to the rescue. The discussion will focus on what worked, what challenged the response, and the lessons departments can apply to MAYDAY operations, RIT deployment, communication, crew accountability, and firefighter survival.

This is a real-world look at how training, preparation, and rapid decision-making come together when everything on the fireground goes wrong.

 

Instructor's approach to recruit class - J. Omelina

 

Beyond Firefighter 1: Developing the Modern Firefighter -Chief Lynch

Firefighter I certification establishes the minimum standard for entering the fire service. Unfortunately, many instructors unintentionally allow that certification to become the finish line instead of the starting point.

The responsibility of the instructor does not end when a recruit earns a certification. In many ways, it begins there. While Firefighter I provides the technical foundation, it cannot fully develop the decision making,professionalism, accountability, communication, and critical thinking required to become an exceptional firefighter.

This session challenges instructors to rethink what happens after Firefighter I. Participants will learn practical strategies for developing firefighters beyond the minimum standard through purposeful instruction, meaningful mentoring, realistic training, and a culture of continuous improvement.

The goal is simple: stop teaching firefighters how to pass Firefighter I and start developing firefighters your crewcan trust when it matters most.

 

Destroying Mediocrity: Building Firefighters Through Better Instruction -Chief Lynch

Every fire department says training is a priority. The real question is whether that training is actually building firefighters who can perform when the pressure is on. Too often, we check boxes instead of building competence. This course gives instructors practical methods to build firefighters who are prepared for the next alarm.

 

The Instructors Legacy: What Firefighters Remember Long After the Class Ends-Chief Lynch

Every instructor leaves a legacy. The only question is whether that legacy builds stronger firefighters or produces generations that simply meet the minimum standard.

Firefighters rarely remember every slide, policy, or learning objective. They remember the instructor who challenged them, inspired them, and prepared them for the realities of the job. This course examines how instructors influence culture, professionalism, accountability, and operationalperformance long after class is over.

Participants will learn practical methods to build memorable training, create meaningful learning experiences, mentor future instructors, and intentionally develop firefighters who continue growing throughout their careers.

 

Beyond the TIC: Thermal Imaging for Today’s Fires D. Yakowenko

Thermal imaging has become a standard fireground tool, but simply carrying a TIC does not mean we are using it effectively. This presentation looks at how thermal imaging should be applied on today’s fireground, from search and size-up to fire attack, overhaul, and firefighter safety.

Students will review what a TIC can and cannot tell them, how to interpret heat patterns, recognize changing fire conditions, and avoid common mistakes caused by overreliance on the camera. The class will also address practical uses during interior operations, victim searches, hidden fire, and post-fire investigation of heat signatures.

The focus is not on brand-specific features or technical jargon. It is on helping firefighters and instructors better understand what they are seeing, make faster decisions, and use thermal imaging as one more tool in the decision-making process rather than a substitute for experience, training, and sound fireground fundamentals.

 

Live Fire Instructor (LFI)

This 40-hour, hands-on program combines the Live Fire Instructor Certification requirements with NFPA 1403 acquired structure preparation and compliance training. Participants will gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to plan, prepare, and deliver safe, effective live fire training evolutions in both fixed and acquired structures.

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Need to be Instructor 1, bring your own PPE & SCBA

 

Jones & Bartlett Instructor Technology

Stop fighting the platform and start using it to your advantage.

This practical course takes instructors inside the Jones & Bartlett Learning environment to explore the tools, apps, course shells, navigation features, and instructor resources available for fire and emergency services education.

Participants will learn how to better organize and manage courses, troubleshoot common student and instructor issues, identify frequent quality-assurance problems, and navigate the technical challenges that can slow a course down.

The focus is on real-world use, not theory. Instructors will leave with a better understanding of how to use the technology more efficiently, solve common problems faster, and create a smoother learning experience for both students and instructors.

 

SPS 330 Updates for Fire Departments

Wisconsin fire departments continue to operate under the requirements of SPS 330, making it important for chiefs, officers, instructors, and training personnel to understand what has changed, what remains required, and where departments may be exposed to compliance issues.

Gary Peck & April Hammond will review current SPS 330 requirements affecting fire department operations, training, safety, documentation, instructor responsibilities, and departmental policies. The session will focus on practical updates, common problem areas, and what departments should be doing now to remain compliant.

Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how SPS 330 applies to day-to-day fire department operations and what changes may require attention within their own organization.

 

NFFF Taking Care of Our Own (6 hours)

This six-hour National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Train-the-Trainer course prepares instructors to deliver Taking Care of Our Own®, a program focused on helping fire service members and organizations respond to the behavioral health impacts of line-of-duty incidents and operational stress.

The course addresses stress reactions, coping strategies, behavioral health considerations, and ways departments can better support members following critical incidents. Participants will also learn how to present the program effectively within their own departments and organizations.

The goal is to give instructors practical tools to help crews understand stress, recognize when support may be needed, and build healthier responses before, during, and after difficult events.

 

Flashover Simulator Training: Understanding Fire Behavior

This hands-on training gives participants the opportunity to observe fire behavior, heat development, smoke conditions, and the warning signs that can lead to flashover in a controlled training environment.

Using a flashover simulator, students will examine how conditions change as a fire develops, how ventilation and fuel affect the environment, and what firefighters should recognize before conditions become untenable. The course reinforces practical fireground decision-making, situational awareness, and the importance of reading smoke, heat, and changing interior conditions.

For instructors, the session also provides ideas for safely teaching fire behavior and helping students connect classroom concepts to what they may encounter on the fireground.

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Emergency Services Instructor I

This 40-hour course prepares students to perform fire and emergency services instruction duties at a nationally recognized level. Students will learn to develop learning objectives and lesson plans, deliver classroom presentations, use instructional aids, develop examinations and evaluation tools, and manage the learning environment.

This offering will be delivered in a hybrid format, combining online coursework with required in-person instruction and presentations. The course prepares candidates to meet the applicable Fire and Emergency Services Instructor I job performance requirements and Wisconsin certification requirements.

Prerequisite: Firefighter II certification or approved equivalent.

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Emergency Services Instructor II

This 40-hour, in-person course builds on the skills developed in Emergency Services Instructor I and prepares experienced instructors for increased responsibilities in course development, training coordination, evaluation, and supervision of other instructors.

Students will develop and modify lesson plans, create learning objectives and evaluation instruments, schedule and coordinate training, manage instructional resources, and strengthen their ability to evaluate both students and instructional programs. The course prepares candidates to meet the applicable Fire and Emergency Services Instructor II job performance requirements and Wisconsin certification requirements.

Prerequisite: Current Wisconsin Emergency Services Instructor I certification.