2nd Annual Lake George Training Symposium

Private dwelling fires are the most common structure fire in The United States and New York About 75% of fire deaths occur in residential dwellings, about twenty-four hundred civilians die in home fires each and every year as well as a significant number of firefighter injuries and deaths. We lost 2,090 civilians in 2024 and 124 in New York. 1,835 Home fire fatalities were reported January 1–December 1, 2025 including 107 in New York. If your fire department is anything like mine, odds are most of your structure fires are in private dwellings. Just because it’s the most common fire you go to, it doesn’t mean that you let your guard down. It should be no surprise that that our work environment has changed, structural members are being made lighter and cheaper, homes are more energy efficient, and most importantly fuels have higher heat release rates. These are only some of the reasons I am obsessed with private dwelling fires. This highly interactive and challenging class will explore Safety, Command, Fire-attack, Ventilation, and Search in private dwelling fires, coordinating all fireground tactics with your staffing. We will also briefly cover decision making skills and current scientific studies and how it may or may not relate to your tactics. Lessons learned here can also be applied to other types of structure fires. Hopefully we will have a little bit of fun at the same time!

I firmly believe that the number of residential fire-related deaths and firefighter injuries can be reduced with good sound fireground tactics and an understanding of a few things I think are important at every fire: fire behavior, building construction, size-up, command, search, fire attack, and ventilation. My goal in teaching this class is to share some of things I’ve learned both from positive results and from mistakes I’ve made in forty plus years in the fire service and to better arm students when they go back home to their departments.

This is an essential course designed to prepare fire service personnel for the critical decisions and actions required during the initial moments of a fire incident. Focused on the operations of the first-arriving unit, this course provides students with the tactical knowledge and practical skills needed to establish effective command, ensure crew safety, and initiate impactful fireground operations. Participants will explore size-up procedures, tactical priorities, resource deployment, and task assignments based on occupancy type, fire conditions, and available manpower. Emphasis is placed on rapid decision-making, effective communication, and mission-focused leadership that directly influence the outcome of the incident. Whether arriving on a single engine or as part of a larger response, students will gain confidence in executing sound tactics that lay the foundation for successful incident mitigation.

The hallmark of every fire department is the effective extinguishment of fire. This is highlighted through efficient and disciplined engine company tactics. Low manpower, limited resources, and the need for efficient tactics are some of the challenges faced by the engine company officer. During this workshop, the student will discuss the modern fire environment and the challenges it presents. The student will see the familiarities and differences between fire hose/nozzle sizes and their effectiveness in extinguishment.

The transition to company officer can be challenging. Reassignment to a different response zone or shift can set back years of relational chemistry and trust due to unfamiliarity. The challenges that need to be overcome in order to build a high-functioning cohesive unit can’t be overstated when the incoming officer is “the newbie” in the unit. With the understanding that trust is built more on action than words, new officers have their work cut out for them. Actions in the station speak volumes about the character of the company officer, and to lead a crew successfully on the fireground there must be trust. 

In this session, Moses Jefferies will share the personal story of his leadership journey as a young company and chief officer, relative to his peers of the same rank, and the challenges associated with leading senior members of the organization. The attendees will gain insights that will influence their development as leaders in their department at their current rank and moving forward. Additionally, attendees will be encouraged to use the core objectives in this class to intentionally build a foundation of trustworthiness both personally and professionally, in their organizations and beyond.

This class will introduce officers and aspiring fire service leaders to some of the most important skills they will need for them to become a more effective leader in today’s fire service. Those skills include Goal Setting, Mentoring and Influencing, Critiquing Others, Delegating, Preventing Freelancing, Tackling Administrative Tasks, Dealing with Subordinate Issues, Conducting a Post Incident Analysis, Building Morale, and the reasons why it’s important to Step Up and Lead and be a problem solver in today’s world, which is full of problem finders. The class will end with a discussion on creating the right culture within your organization with emphasis on the importance of customer service.

This course will focus on those issues that firefighters must be aware of to operate more safely in the buildings we are entering. Some are buildings we operate in all the time and some are high risk / low frequency incidents. Discussed will be focused on the concept of “one-size-does-not-fit-all” firefighting and how different types of construction and occupancies change the rules of the game and how personnel on scene must adjust the strategy and tactics to meet that challenge. Examples of LODD’s in each type building will be discussed. Renovations, lightweight and large area structures and vacant buildings and the structural carcass dangers will also be covered. Strategic and tactical considerations regarding these buildings and their idiosyncrasies will be a further focus point, offering solutions to address the concerns discussed. Additionally, command and tactical considerations of each situation or occupancy is included to guide those running the operation in ongoing requirements to ensure everyone comes home safely.

As an Officer or Director of your Fire Company Board, your job entails more than staffing the next firehouse fundraiser. Join FASNY Treasurer Sean Kerwin and FASNY Attorney Tim Hannigan for an interactive overview of the legal and financial considerations for proper corporate operation of a volunteer fire company.