Hazmat

Tech Talk Tuesday – Buying smart, capturing ROI and working with multiple stakeholders

Leave a Comment / Communications & Technology, CRR, EMS, Fire Prevention, Hazmat, Health & Safety, Leadership & Personnel, Research, Wildland /

In this engaging Tech Talk Tuesday session, the hosts discuss practical approaches to purchasing and implementing technology for fire departments. They emphasize the importance of conducting a thorough needs assessment rather than simply acquiring the latest gadgets. The conversation includes introductions of the guests, each sharing their backgrounds and expertise, setting the stage for a […]

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Recap of the Interschutz, The World’s Largest Fire Conference – Kristopher Blume

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Chief Kristopher Blume joins Peter Matthews to reflect on what products and innovations he saw while attending the largest firefighter conference in the world, Interschutz, earlier this month in Germany. From robots and apparatus to PPE and training equipment, Blume explains the difference between Interschutz and shows in the U.S.

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Special Events Planning Toolkit

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The Special Events Planning Toolkit was developed to make event planning more practical for fire service leaders. Large events can create many of the same planning problems regardless of venue or jurisdiction. Those problems usually involve fire and life safety, hospital coordination, EMS movement, communications, responder support, public messaging, and the final transition out of

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Why Mental Fitness Training is the Next Evolution of the Fire Service – Or Needs to Be

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It’s time to treat mental fitness as a trainable, job‑critical skill so firefighters are prepared for the psychological demands of the job. A beautiful thing about the fire service is that there are many mentors and role models that we meet along the way.

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Register for MVD Annual Conference

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Please join us in Lincoln, Nebraska for the 2026 Missouri Valley Division (MVD) of the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ (IAFC) annual conference. There will be exciting speakers, networking with colleagues, and you’ll hear from the Missouri Valley Division board about their efforts to support you. Every year the MVD of the IAFC comes together

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IAFC Legislative Update- Register Now

Leave a Comment / Communications & Technology, CRR, Fire Prevention, Hazmat, Health & Safety, Leadership & Personnel, Research, Wildland /

March 5, 2026 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. This is an annual update on what is happening here in Washington, DC. The IAFC Government Relations and Policy department will discuss major issues being considered on Capitol Hill, including funding for the USFA, AFG, and SAFER programs.

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I Became a Firefighter at 18. I Wish Someone Told Me This…

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I became a firefighter at 18, and after 12 years on the job, this is what I wish someone had told me. If I could sit down with my 18-year-old self, these are the truths about trauma, sacrifice, growth, and meaning the fire service never teaches you—but every firefighter eventually learns. 

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More Than Words: The Fire Service and Foreign Language Learning

Leave a Comment / Communications & Technology, CRR, EMS, Fire Prevention, Hazmat, Health & Safety, Leadership & Personnel, Wildland /

Learning a new language helps save lives, close communication gaps, and strengthen both professional readiness and personal well-being. For first responders, that means a potential 26 million individuals they could encounter who have a language barrier. A language barrier could make calling dispatch, answering an EMT’s medical questions, or receiving orders from firefighters during urgent

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