All Fireground Hands-on Training (H.O.T.) Classes Sponsored By

2966 W Oak Ridge Rd, Orlando, FL 32809

1st and 10 Engine
Location: Valencia College Fire Rescue Institute

This class will cover the 1st engine arriving at a fire scene and cover the tasks that need to be accomplished within the 1st 10 minutes on scene. It will cover every riding position on the engine and provide tips and tricks for anyone taking this course. The course will cover everything from the arrival report to the hose deployment, from advancing hose to nozzle techniques. This is a must have course for anyone assigned to an engine. The morning session will have rotations through the different objectives. The afternoon session will be scenario based into live fire putting it all together.

Lead Instructor: Steven Negedly, Orlando Fire Department

Fire Service Career: Been in the fire service since 1993, serving for Volusia County Fire Services, the city of Edgewater and finally Orlando Fire Dept. since 2003. Currently a Lieutenant assigned to Engine 16 in the Lake Nona District of the city. Education: Associates in General Studies and Fire Science, Bachelor’s Degree in Fire and Emergency Services from the University of Florida. Fire Service Instructor: Has been an instructor since 2004. Program Manager for Valencia College for the Driver Operator program which includes Pump Ops and Aerial Ops. Also, the Program Manager for the Driver Operator program at Seminole State College of Florida. Also teaches minimum standards for Seminole State College. Other: Director of the Orlando Fire Conference since 2016.

Active Shooter Hostile Event Response (ASHER)
Location: Orange County Convention Center

This interactive and dynamic course is designed to allow participants to engage in training that will equip them for an Active Shooter Hostile Event Response (A.S.H.E.R). This is one of the largest interactive participant focused MCI drill offered at any conference! The class will begin with an informative presentation on best practices and industry standards regarding an Active Shooter Hostile Event. The class will be conducted by a cross-section of industry professionals with backgrounds including all-hazard incident management team leaders, special operations technicians and commanders, task force team specialists, and members of the Orange County Fire Rescue Department Operations division and Training and EMS Sections. As an operator, the participant will have an opportunity to acquire skills necessary to successfully navigate the tactical components of an Active Shooter Hostile Event Response (A.S.H.E.R.). This course is designed to provide first responders with a wide range of proven tactics and techniques regarding response to an active threat while delivering patient care and patient movement during a hostile event. Participants will rotate through stations focusing on position-specific roles to include Rescue Task Force movements and functions, patient care, and patient packaging and movement. ASHER Operations (ASHER OPS) participants will have the opportunity to work side by side with local agencies while demonstrating their competency through a vigorous and intense scenario bringing elements of an ASHE into perspective. Participants will be able to observe a functioning patient collection point, as well as patient treatment triage and transport. Course concepts will include a focus on Rescue Task Force concept, Unified Command, ASHER, NFPA 3000, and integrated response.

Lead Instructor: Jamal Afrifa, Orange County Fire Rescue Department

LT Afrifa has served with Orange County Fire Rescue for 18 years and currently holds the rank of Training Lieutenant. He’s a member of Region 5 All Hazard Incident Management Team and also FL Task Force 4.

EMS Advanced Airway
Location: TBD

This class is intended for ALS providers. Topics will include management of the difficult airway, intubation in patients with copious secretions, and surgical airway management techniques. Students will perform hands-on practice of needle and surgical cricothyrotomies using pig tracheas.

Everything Saws!
Location: Valencia College Fire Rescue Institute

Our fireground has evolved to the point where many times, a saw is needed to help mitigate a scene. In order to do this, we need to understand the capabilities and best application for each of our saws. This class will cover the different saws encountered in the fire service, to include: chainsaws, rotary saws, recip saws, and band saws. Battery, electric, pneumatic and hydraulic as well as gas powered saws will be discussed as well as used. Maintenance and trouble shooting will be addressed as well as performed. Students will use different saws and blades on multiple materials, which helps students perform and evaluate saws for their departments. Lastly, saws will be used in different skills that are routinely performed on the fire ground scenes.

PPE Required: Turn Out Gear, Helmet, Gloves, Eye Protection (SCBA if live fire component approved)

8hr Emergency Airway Management Course, based on the FL F.A.I.R Airway Study
Location: Orange County Convention Center

Hosted by Florida Health

Emergency Airway Management- full day hands on skills lab. FREE.
FL Dept. of Health Grant. Based on the FL F.Å.I.R. Airway study needs.

This program has been presented at conferences and facilities around the country and is designed for those familiar with the basic concept of airway and ventilation management. Through the use of video, photos, case reviews and hands-on skills labs, participants will review the anatomy of the airway and physiology of adequate ventilation followed by hands-on practice using various devices and techniques. Finally, a review of pharmacology, surgical procedures, unique equipment and video laryngoscopy will leave participants with many “tricks of the trade.” This program will provide 8 hours of EMS license renewal credits through CE Broker.

Lead Instructor: Shaun Fix, Boca Raton Fire Rescue (Ret.)/Emergency Medical Consultatnts

Shaun Fix PMD, NRP is the President of Emergency Medical Consultants in South Florida. He has been practicing and teaching in the hospital and pre hospital field since 1983. He holds a degree in Emergency Medical Service Management and has held faculty positions at several colleges. After 35 years of service, Shaun retired as a shift officer in charge of EMS for Boca Raton Fire Rescue Services in Palm Beach County, Florida. Shaun has presented programs at State, National and International Conferences and has appeared on FETN, Pulse, 24-7 EMS, Medic Monthly, and Emergency Medical Update Videos. A frequent lecturer, author and consultant, Shaun is best known for keeping his programs upbeat and relevant while bringing “the reality of emergency medicine” to the classroom setting. Shaun is the author of the Brady text, Success in ACLS and recently completed writing the book Safety and Survival in Emergency Medicine.

Fireground RIT: Basics & Command
Location: Orange County Convention Center

The purpose of this course is to allow attendees to understand and learn the skills needed for a rapid intervention of a downed firefighter. The skills applied are the same that are used on fire ground across the country. This course is designed to go back to the “BASIC SKILLS” of the individual firefighter along with the “BASIC TOOLS” needed to rescue one of our own. From basic skills, such as SCBA confidence and search, to advanced skills, including assessing the downed firefighter and removal of a downed firefighter. This course is comprised of 2-3 hours of classroom history and instruction, and four (4) hours of hands on training using the same obstacles on the prop that will be used for the Preliminary Skills Competition. This is a great opportunity to train and practice with some of the best instructors in Florida.

Lead Instructor: Jeff Alter, Florida RIT Operations Group

The Heavy
Location: Valencia College Fire Rescue Institute

Learn the techniques for responding and rescuing victims heavily entrapped using advanced lifting techniques, torches, stabilization, and the latest E-draulic tools. Participants will have the opportunity to lift a school bus and participate in mitigating an underride as some of the examples of skills performed in the class.

Lead Instructor: Kevin Nazario, Orange County Fire Rescue Department

High-Rise Operations
Location: Valencia College Fire Rescue Institute

Old buildings, old, physically impaired residents with pre-existing medical conditions, poorly inspected and maintained standpipe systems and inadequate water supplies combine with lack of sprinklers to make mid and high rise condominium buildings permitted in the State Of Florida the potential for multiple-fatality fires. Bill Gustin will examine these and other factors that make these buildings so dangerous for residents and firefighters in this state and requirements for partial sprinkler protection and other improvements as parts of engineered life-safety systems. The class will examine measures that fire departments in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties are taking to improve tactics and enhance inter-operability in their high rise building fire responses.

This eight hour training will examine the problems associated with fires in commercial and residential high rise buildings and the strategies and tactics to mitigate them. Topics to be covered include: The differences between residential & commercial high rise construction; Becoming familiar with all aspects of building systems; Analysis of case studies; Up to date tactics for high rise fires, and ICS for high rise fires. The class ends with a full scale evolution.

Lead Instructor: Bill Gustin, Miami-Dade Fire/Rescue

“Keys to the City”
Location: Valencia College Fire Rescue Institute

This class will give you the confidence as if you have the “keys to the city” when faced with any forcible entry challenge. Students will start with the basics and progress towards real world forcible entry challenges. Participants will have a great understanding on the “whys” of forcible entry. This class is 100% conventional techniques and will focus on repetition to build a good forcible entry foundation. Our through-the-lock and passive entry rotation will be hands-on and detailed, insuring participants have a sound understanding of pulling and manipulating locks. Students will end the day with a live smoke forcible entry scenario, forcing several doors in tight quarters with limited to zero visibility. This class is for any firefighter or fire officer wanting to know the details in forcible entry and will give them the skill to tackle any challenge. Some of the Skills Covered: Tool Orientation, Door Construction and Swing, Conventional forcible entry, single and double person techniques, Through-the-lock, Passive Entry, Padlocks, Security Window Bars, carriage bolts, padlocks, Limited Hallway Space and Limited Visibility and much more!

Lead Instructor: Jimmy Berry, Orange County Fire Rescue Department

Jimmy Berry is a Lieutenant/Paramedic with the Orange County Fire Department in Orlando, Florida. He has been a member of the department for 22 years and has been assigned to Truck Company 30 in the Pine Hills/Orlo Vista area of Orlando since 2003. He is a member of the Orange County Fire Department’s SCUBA/Dive and High Angle Rescue Teams which responds to all emergencies at the Orlando Eye in the I-Drive corridor. Jimmy is also an instructor at Valencia College’s Fire Rescue Institute in Orlando (FL). He has instructed at several conferences including Orlando fire conference, Mile high fire conference (Denver Colorado), Ft. Lauderdale fire expo, Metro Atlanta fire conference, Ancient City fire expo (St. Augustine).

Managing the RIT
Location: Valencia College Fire Rescue Institute

This course aims to provide you with the necessary skills to effectively handle one of the most challenging emergency situations. By leveraging technology, we will explore strategies to optimize resource management and enhance overall effectiveness. In times of crisis, it is common to deploy numerous resources in an attempt to swiftly resolve the emergency. However, this class will focus on the operational and leadership aspects of managing such low frequency high risk incidents. Additionally, we will showcase the latest state-of-the-art equipment and demonstrate how it can significantly contribute to our success.

Resuscitation Florida by Florida Department of Health
Location: Orange County Convention Center

Hosted by Florida Health

Swiftwater Tactics – Making the Save
Location: Valencia College Fire Rescue Institute

Participants will learn progressive, safe and effective rescue strategies from simple to complex, utilizing equipment provided on front line fire apparatus. Participants will learn importance of rescuer positioning and innovative rescue techniques. Attendees will rotate through multiple skill stations that include deploying throw bags for immediate rescue and to provide victims with personal flotation devices, set-up down-stream safety rescues and rescue trapped victims. In addition, attendees will learn several innovative techniques to quickly establish a primary rescue and/or downstream safety utilizing ropes for tension diagonal with rope curtain, fire hoses and ground and aerial ladders. Additional skill stations include, shallow water crossings, Moveable Control Point, 2- & 4-point tethers and “Go” Rescue rope attendant skills. The hands-on evolutions during this course will provide progressive and innovative swift water rescue skills for the first due fire and rescue crews. Learning Objectives: 1. Students will learn to develop a safe and effective rescue plan and allocation of resources. 2. The student will learn progressive and proactive rescue techniques. 3. The student will learn proper size-up of a swift water rescue incident, enroute, on-scene and continuous. 4. Participants will understand hydrology and it impacts victims, rescuers & the rescue. 5. Students will learn rescue priorities and how to utilize these priorities for rescue selection. Why Submitting: Swift water rescue is one of the most dynamic and challenging rescues a first fire apparatus due may face. All water rescue incidents are dynamic and require rapid and effective decision making to perform a successful and safe rescue. Situational awareness is critical during water rescue incidents to ensure safety for the victim(s) and for the rescuers. Swift water rescue is a specialized rescue discipline, which has principles and techniques that involve a difficult and dangerous environment. Any time a swift water rescue incident occurs, it is considered to be a dangerous operation and there is extreme risk to all involved. The actions of the first arriving units form the foundation on which the incident will be built. A risk/benefit analysis should be conducted before initiating rescue operations. The risk to not only the victim(s) should be evaluated, but the risk to the rescuers as well. The risk to rescuers must include a true an honest assessment of the personnel on scene and their capabilities, along with the equipment immediately available and the training level of the responders. Where Taught Before: Oklahoma State Fire School – 2016 & 2017 High Water Conference – 2016 Houston Fire Department – 2020, 2021 & 2022 Rescue Agencies Throughout US – 2016-2022 Course Purpose: To increase the safety and capabilities of first responders at all swift water rescue incidents. This course provides attendees the knowledge to utilize several techniques beyond simply a throw bag to a victim. Students will enhance their ability to not only provide for immediate rescue in the safest and most efficient manner, the course will also allow them to be part of a more technical rescue if the situation dictates. Participants will learn to use equipment that they have on their own apparatus and how to share the lessons learned with their entire crew and department to allow for more rescue possibilities. With the gained knowledge from this course, students will be much safer and will provide more quality service to their citizens of the towns and communities that they serve. Target Audience: The target audience for this course is all first responders with an emphasis on Fire Department response. Swift Water Rescue is one of the most dynamic and common rescues a first responder may face. This course is designed for Fire Department, Technical Rescue Teams, Urban Search & Rescue Teams and EMS personnel. This course is designed to provide safe and successful water rescue techniques and tactics for members of all experience levels. This course will allow new members to the swift water world the basic foundation to be part of the rescue and assist more experienced water rescue teams. With this course, even the most experienced of water rescue technicians will learn new, progressive and innovative techniques that will improve their response capabilities as well as improve the safety of themselves, their teams and the victim(s). With the commonality of water rescue incidents that occur in all communities, first responders must be prepared to act. With the need to act, we need to respond; quickly, safely and meet the need of our victims. Safety is of the utmost priority. This course will allow first responders despite previous training level in water rescue to respond with proper and safe techniques that can assist in a safe and successful rescue. Not only will attendees learn rescue techniques and how to assist in a rescue, they will learn scene management and how to allocate resources for a rapid rescue. Making the Save is a course that will demonstrate techniques that can be used on initial response of limited personnel to a largescale response with a swift water technical rescue team. More than just performing the rescue, this course will demonstrate when, where and how to perform the rescue techniques learned to ensure the most conducive and effective rescue choice and location.

Lead Instructor: Greg Merrell, Oklahoma City Fire Department & OK-TF 1 US&R

Greg Merrell, Battalion Chief with Oklahoma City Fire Department. Task Force Leader for OK-TF 1 Urban Search & Rescue Task Force, responding to incidents throughout Oklahoma and Nationwide on hurricane, flood and disaster deployments. Served as Company Officer at the OKC Fire Department Technical Rescue Fire Station, specializing in Swiftwater Rescue and Public Safety Diver Operations. I have also served as the Station Officer at the Hazardous Materials response station, responding to all HazMat Incidents in Oklahoma City Metro Area. I am a certified Technician in the following rescue disciplines: Rope Rescue, Confined Space Rescue, Trench Rescue, Structural Collapse Rescue, Swift Water Rescue, Boat Operations, Public Safety Rescue Diver, Vehicle Extrication and HazMat. I am IFSAC Certified as Fire Officer I & II and Instructor I. I instruct rescue teams throughout the United States, training Firefighters, Technical Rescue Teams, EMS personnel, Law Enforcement, US&R teams and Military personnel in swift water rescue, boat operations and disaster response.  I consult with Oklahoma Department of Homeland Security on the development of water rescue response team Training and Requirements for the state of Oklahoma.  My current job responsibilities include responding to and establishing Command of structure and wildland fires, active shooter events, large motor vehicle accidents, technical rescue and HazMat incidents, working closely with local, state, and federal agencies to mitigate the hazards and affect a safe and successful rescue and/or situational outcome. Duties are to ensure not only mission accomplishment but ensure safety of all responding crews and the citizens involved. I have also previously served on Active Duty with the U.S. Army as an UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter Pilot-in-Command, Unit Trainer and Aviation Safety Officer. National Publications: Journal of Emergency Medical Services; Swift Water Emergencies – June 2017 Fire Engineering Magazine, Disaster Wide Area Search – September 2018 Fire Engineering Magazine, PRIDE in LEADership – July 2020 Fire Engineering Magazine, Swift Water Rescue – Are we Ready? – September 2020 Fire Engineering Magazine, Swiftwater Rescue – Dirty Dozen – September 2022 Firefighter Nation, Leadership: Never Leave Anyone Behind – January 2023

Thermal Imaging: “The Operational Environment” – Segment One: “The Intricacies”
Location: Valencia College Fire Rescue Institute

FCDICE Course ID# ATPC18046 Lecture w/ Demonstration & H.O.T. Evolutions Training Program Documents Submitted: Course Introduction – Plan of Instruction – Course Outline – Training Resource Requirements Lesson Summary: The objective of, “The Intricacies” (Segment One), is to enrich firefighters’ knowledge of the TI by providing enhanced training and education on the scientific principles, technical operations, use, limitations, functions, modes, and image interpretation/misinterpretations. A Practical Demonstration will allow the involved to evaluate various manufacturer TI for identification of intricacies, categorization for its intended use, recognition of image misinterpretations, and measure the applicability of each device’s functionality for hostile firefighting situations. Practical Evolutions will provide insight into techniques for recognizing fire dynamics within enclosures, proper usage of the device for initial/ongoing exterior and interior size-up, and suitable Crew Resource Management procedures and communication. Participants will be divided and will demonstrate skills during three separate training sections. A. “Enclosure Fire Dynamics” (***LIVE FIRE***) B. “Reconstructing the Size-Up” C. Evolving the Fundamentals” (***HOT/COLD SMOKE***).

Lead Instructor: Christopher Corso, Fire Dynamics Training Programs

Chris Corso is the Owner/Operator of Fire Dynamics Training Programs. Chris has been a member of the Florida Fire Service since 2003. In 2004 he became a member of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue and the IAFF Local 2294. For his tour of duty, he is assigned as the Driver Engineer/Paramedic for Station 19 Battalion 7 on C-Shift and when called upon frequently acts in the role of Company Officer. In 2014 Chris obtained his Florida Fire Service Instructor certification and shortly thereafter acquired the certification for Live Fire Training Instructor. His passion for assisting with the professional development of firefighters initially started within his own department as an adjunct instructor assisting with various firefighting in-service courses. In December of 2016, he was bestowed with what felt like the greatest honor for a fire service instructor. Chris received the opportunity to provide professional development training to members of fire service institutions throughout the United States and on occasions internationally as a Sub-Contracted Train-the-Trainer Instructor for Dräger Fire Training Systems and facilitated the establishment of Fire Dynamics Training Programs. Traveling to fire service agencies in South Korea, Japan, and Canada, along with many notable departments in the US and even in his home state of Florida he provides instruction to training cadre members on simulator familiarization & operations for Manufacturer Fabricated Conex Fire Training Simulator Systems ranging from multi-story structures to Fire Behavior Labs (aka “Flashover Simulator). In January of 2018 after his apprenticeship, he received the designation of Dräger Safety Lead Instructor for the region of Southeastern United States. In 2018 Chris circled back to the place in which his firefighting foundation was first constructed. He was offered a position at Hillsborough Community College Fire Sciences Programs as an instructor for minimum standards fire service training. In 2019 he became an advisory board member for the University of South Florida College of Nursing Research involving firefighter cancer education and research. Throughout this time his professional development continued and was directed toward two diverse regions of fire service training. The first area of involvement was with the Florida Bureau of Fire Standards and Training as an advisory board member, designated as a subject matter expert concerning reconstruction and updating current Live Fire Instructor Training & Standards. The second area revealed itself after acquiring the certification for Level 1 Thermographer. In 2020, Chris began to develop a Fire Service Thermal Imaging training program currently titled, Thermal Imaging: “The Operational Environment” – Awareness Course which would come to feature two segments, “The Intricacies” & “The Necessities”. During its development, Chris assisted with training and education for fire service thermal imagers at several fire conferences within the southeast, Orlando Fire Conference 2020/2021, North Florida Burner 2020/2021, Bearers of the Oath Conference, and Caddo Cooker, LA 2021. In 2021, Chris’s greatest achievement to date was when he received designation by the Florida Bureau of Fire Standards & Training as an authorized Training Provider. Shortly thereafter, both courses were approved for instruction to firefighters across the state of Florida, conceivably making it the only fire service thermal imaging training program in the nation that meets and exceeds the requirements of NFPA 1408 (2020) approved by a state authority having jurisdiction over Fire Standards & Training. In 2022, the Fire Dynamics Training Cadre provided a “refined” version of the above-mentioned course at the Orlando Fire Conference which featured Live Fire Training Evolutions within a Mobile Fire Behavior Lab he fully designed, making it the only simulator of its kind within the southeast. The education continued as the training program traveled to Pennsylvania for the Butler County Fire Chief’s Association – Fire School Weekend and traveled back to Florida where Coral Springs Regional Institute of Public Safety hosted the Southwest FL Fire Chief’s Association “Training Session” late 2022. Chris will be forever indebted to the members of the Fire Dynamics Training Cadre who have been of great assistance with his dream becoming a reality and would not be possible without them and of course the support of his family. Special recognition goes out to several Southwest Florida Fire Service Training Officers and Chiefs that supported his endeavors and believing in his mission mentoring him through all the processes. Future accomplishments are already in the works to bring about online training resources along with several other courses being developed such as an Operations Course and a Train-the-Trainer Course. Additional efforts are aimed at the implementation of a refined version of the course for implementation into the Florida Bureau of Fire Standards Live Fire Instructor 40HR Training Program in addition to the development and presentation of a Department of Defense Firefighter – Live Fire Training Instructor Program hosted on a US Military Base located near Tokyo, Japan. Over the years there has been one quote that he has sought guidance and incorporated into his principles. “Knowledge without experience is equally limiting as experience without knowledge.” – Unknown

Vent, Enter, Search
Location: Valencia College Fire Rescue Institute

This class builds confidence on the misunderstood tactic of VES. VES is often labeled as being unsafe or too aggressive. When in fact, it is one of the safest forms of search. It places trained firefighters in rooms where victims are often found, isolating them from fire. Students will rotate through training stations of ladders, window entry and egress, single firefighter searches and end the class with multiple fast-paced scenarios.

Lead Instructor: Jimmy Berry, Orange County Fire Rescue Department

Jimmy Berry is a Lieutenant/Paramedic with the Orange County Fire Department in Orlando, Florida. He has been a member of the department for 22 years and has been assigned to Truck Company 30 in the Pine Hills/Orlo Vista area of Orlando since 2003. He is a member of the Orange County Fire Department’s SCUBA/Dive and High Angle Rescue Teams which responds to all emergencies at the Orlando Eye in the I-Drive corridor. Jimmy is also an instructor at Valencia College’s Fire Rescue Institute in Orlando (FL). He has instructed at several conferences including Orlando fire conference, Mile high fire conference (Denver Colorado), Ft. Lauderdale fire expo, Metro Atlanta fire conference, Ancient City fire expo (St. Augustine).