


County Fire Tactics’s Urban to Suburban Fire Conference is scheduled for August 22nd – 24th, 2023 at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Side Convention Center. Urban to Suburban is one of our newest conference themes moving forward.

The Urban to Suburban Fire Conference will focus on structural fire ground operations at the four most common types of buildings found in urban and suburban response areas.

These buildings include Private Dwellings, Multiple Dwellings and Apartments, Commercial Buildings, and Low Rise to High Rise/Standpipe Equipped Buildings.

Our instructors will highlight and examine the commonality of Engine and Ladder operational tasks that need to be accomplished at these occupancies.

They will convey how to determine the best operational guidelines across the spectrum of urban to suburban staffing, and how the uniqueness of staffing impacts your fire ground operations.

URBAN TO SUBURBAN CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
HROC is The Only Annual High Rise Operations Fire Conference. Firefighters, Fire Officers, and Fire Chiefs will receive the latest tactics, trends, and lessons learned for operating at fires in both high-rise and standpipe-equipped buildings through our lecture and hands-on training tracks.

The lecture events will take place Tuesday and Wednesday in-person at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Side Convention Center in the Royal Palm Ballroom. The H.O.T. Tracks and Workshops will take place Thursday at the Hilton and other nearby properties.

The speaker and instructor line up is filled with highly experienced and knowledgeable instructors from all across the country sharing national and regional methods.
They even bring their personal cadres from all over the country who love the job and share a passion for making our profession as safe as possible while being as aggressive as possible.

The training cadre’s at HROC have have years of credible, vetted, and trusted fire duty experience they will share with you over your three days and nights on Pensacola Beach.

This diverse group of fire service leaders will prepare you to accomplish fireground tactical priorities and deliver significant amounts of water on the fire in these challenging occupancies.
Nearly 50% of all high rises in existence today are not equipped with fire protection sprinklers systems and the other 50% experience documented incidents of suppression system failure, ineffectiveness, or both.

URBAN TO SUBURBAN CONFERENCE INSTRUCTORS
URBAN TO SUBURBAN FIRE CONFERENCE 2023
INSTRUCTORS, DESCRIPTIONS, OPTIONS FOR DAY 3 CLASS OR CLASS


Curt Isakson
Battalion Chief
Escambia County, FL

Ray McCormack
Lieutenant (Ret.)
F.D.N.Y.

JJ Cassetta
Lieutenant
Orlando, FL

Mo Davis
District Chief
Houston, TX

Todd Edwards
Captain (Ret.)
Atlanta Fire Rescue

Clyde Gordon
District Chief
Houston, TX

Dennis Reilly
Fire Chief (Ret.)
Pittsburg, KS

Kyle Romagus
Battalion Chief
East Montgomery Co. TX

Anthony Rowett
Captain
Mobile, AL

Keith Stakes
Fire Protection Engineer
UL FSRI

DJ Stone
Division Chief
South Walton Fire, FL

Eric Wheaton
Lieutenant
Winter Park, FL
URBAN TO SUBURBAN LECTURE PRESENTATIONS DAY ONE, DAY TWO

PRESENTATION NOTES FROM THE INSTRUCTORS
AGGRESSIVE COMMAND
Chief Mo Davis, District Chief 68, City of Houston Texas Fire Department.
The rapidly changing environment on a fire scene requires strong, proactive, and aggressive decision makers. This is true for the Incident Commander as well. The incident commander sets the pace and leads to successful outcomes. Aggressive firefighters deserve to have an equally aggressive incident commander.
The incident commander needs to be well trained, actively involved in the incident and a strong since of situational awareness. Good incident commanders know their crews, trains their crews to a specific level, and supports their assignments by not micromanaging them. Aggressive commanders read the current situation, rapidly develops an incident action plan, and makes critical assignments to fix whatever problem persists.
This class discusses situation awareness, letting crews complete necessary assignments without being micromanaged and having the training and nerves to give dangerous assignments with built in back up procedures. The class is good for all levels of training from firefighter, company officer, and the incident commander.
MANAGING THE MAYDAY
Chief Mo Davis, District Chief 68, City of Houston Texas Fire Department.
The lost, trapped, or injured firefighter situation is very difficult and very stressful to manage. Like anything else on the fireground, the mayday requires strong leadership, immediate decision making and the ability to adapt to the changing events. The “naturalist leader” is a must.
How does one become a naturalist leader during a mayday? Constant preparation, and training. This class discusses the importance of proper training, strong leadership, and the ability to adapt.
PREVENTING THE MAYDAY ON THE AGGRESSIVE FIREGROUND: STAYING OUT OF TROUBLE WHEN WE’RE DOING IT RIGHT.
Chief Clyde Gordon, District Chief 8, City of Houston Texas Fire Department.
This class is an in-depth look at tactics and mindset that allow firefighters to work aggressively on the fire ground without getting into trouble. It teaches the clues that allow the firefighter to make good decisions and recognize conditions and warning signs that could lead to a mayday situation and provides tactics that work in the urban and suburban areas to maximize the manpower available and place the fire victim first.
Today’s fireground requires tactics that take modern fire behavior, building construction, and response models into consideration. We must use the UL studies, Firefighter Rescue Survey results, and civilian fire fatalities data to better deploy our local fire resources to meet life safety and property loss priorities. When smoke detectors fail, the fire service cannot fail, because we are the last line of defense. This class will provide approaches to getting the annual civilian fire fatality numbers consistently below 2,000 a year by showing you how to use data to assist us in adjusting our fireground assignments in the first five to seven minutes to remove trapped occupants sooner while still using decades of proven fireground tactics that work.
Chief Curt Isakson will open up at 8:00a on Tuesday August 22nd with The Foundation of Success, How Failure Brings the Ultimate Success that Lasts.
Nozzlemanship: Interior Nozzle Operations
This class will pass on some of the most critical skills and lessons needed to be an effective nozzle firefighter. Topics include:
- The nozzle mindset.
- Flowing and moving.
- Base fire extinguishment.
- Proper nozzle grip.
- Dealing with fire behind you.
- Large area nozzle movement.
- Moving in.
- Stream reach vs. nozzle reach.
- Sweeping the floor.
- Multiroom attack.
- Void control.
After taking this class, you will have a 360-degree view of what a well-developed nozzle firefighter needs to know and do on today’s fireground.
DOWN & DIRTY DECISION MAKING Chief Corley Moore, Battalion Chief, City of Moore Oklahoma Fire Department. This class is designed to turn people into “awe-inspiring, command-presence-having, cool-as-a cucumber, fireground decision makers.” Of course, no class can turn someone into the ultimate fireground commander. Provided are the tools and a framework to begin the journey to be that kind of commander. It starts on the premise that making decisions is simple when you understand your priorities. Just remember that simple does not mean easy!
In this class, you will learn all about stretching hose and drilling techniques essential to Engine Companies’ success in urban and suburban environments. The program covers topics such as the line choice of the first due engine, leader lines, hose bundles, flat load deployment off the transverse, and 2 1/2 deployment for blitzing. After completing the class, you will have a better and more detailed understanding of these crucial concepts.
THE RESIDENTIAL PLAYBOOK
Keith Stakes, Research Engineer, UL Fire Safety Research Institute & Battalion Chief, Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad.
As questions continue to arise into how fire department interventions affect fire dynamics, firefighter safety and victim survivability in structure fires, UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) is working to address these knowledge gaps through firefighting tactics research. FSRI has now completed a suite of projects covering suppression, ventilation and search & rescue operations on the residential fireground. This presentation will be a summary of the ideal execution of suppression methods and how to coordinate these efforts with both ventilation and search tactics to maximize firefighter safety and victim survivability.
This culmination of research studies into the residential fireground has led to the gold standard of how these fire department interventions should be implemented on your fireground. The results from these studies will be shared in the form of tactical considerations for you to take back to your department and adapt and adopt as you see fit based on your response model, your staffing, and specifics of your local area.
The GRAB ANALYSIS program highlights four civilian rescues captured on video, including the tactics and strategies used in each rescue. “MAKING THE GRAB” success depends on the firehouse culture, purpose, preparation, and execution. This class further dives into first-hand accounts of civilian rescues for you to apply lessons learned in urban, suburban, and rural environments. The instructor, Battalion Chief DJ Stone was directly involved in two of the rescues featured in the program.
CAN CONFIDENCE
A look into gaining can confidence for fire ground success. The 2 ½ gallon water extinguisher, the can, allows the search team to quickly place water between the fire and potential victims.
The water can is arguably the most underutilized tool in the fire service found on nearly every fire apparatus. Let’s start the lifesaving extinguishment process by applying what could be; the fire’s first interaction with water.
This class is designed to build confidence on one of the most often neglected tools found on nearly every fire apparatus: the 2 1/2-gallon water extinguisher. The “Can” can be an extremely effective life saving tool by allowing a well-trained firefighter to quickly apply water between fire and victims. Attendees will learn proper filling and pressurization steps, how to build homemade carrying straps and other useful “Can” modifications. The class will also cover valuable skills on carrying and searching with the “Can,” and confining fire with it. Students will cycle through a “force an interior door off its hinges” prop and use this door to simulate holding back fire and smoke.
The target audience for this class is firefighters and fire officers at any level with a desire to increase their confidence and learn how to properly utilize the water can.
Objectives:
- Tactics utilized when searching with the water can
- Cover various types of water can modifications and carrying straps
- Proper filling and pressurization steps
- Force the interior door off the hinges prop
- Proper search techniques with a water can and other tools
- Understanding the importance of quickly placing water between the fire and victims ahead of the hose line
- Understanding fire behavior to yield better outcomes with 2.5 gallons of water
- When and how to split interior search crews to increase victim survival
- Communicating with and coordinating the first due Engine Company
- Confining fire with the water can and an interior hollow core door
URBAN TO SUBURBAN DAY THREE ALL DAY CLASS OR HOT OPTIONS
URBAN TO SUBURBAN
LEADERSHIP & TACTICS CLASSES

Corley Moore

Curt Isakson

Dennis Reilly
URBAN TO SUBURBAN ENGINE COMPANY OPERATIONS HOT

URBAN TO SUBURBAN TRUCK COMPANY OPERATIONS HOT

URBAN TO SUBURBAN HIGH RISE OPERATION CLASS (HROC) HOT

BOOK YOUR HOTEL TODAY

Hilton Pensacola Beach is the venue and host hotel for the CFT’s Urban to Suburban Fire Conference 2023. The neighboring Hampton Inn Pensacola Beach shares the Hilton property, and the Holiday Inn Resort is next door.

The Fairfield Inn & Suites is a brand new hotel (Opens July 2023) next to the Holiday Inn Resort, a very short walk away. All of these locations offer discounted rooms and no cost for parking.

Hotel Group Reservations Codes / Links are all listed below.

Front desk staff at our partner hotels will confirm conference check-in during your stay to maintain your reduced rate.
Front desk staff at our partner hotels will confirm conference check-in during your stay to maintain your reduced rate.
NIGHTLY SOCIALS, DISCOUNT DEALS, NETWORKING, & MORE

- Nightly social activities to connect with instructors, and like-minded people.
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner discounts.
- Beverage discounts with the CFT Tumbler
- Reduced room rates at two Hilton brand properties.
- Experience the passion of Chief Isakson and his team of CFT Presenters.
- Receive up to date information on tactics, strategy, and leadership.
- Learn from instructors who are shaping the future of our profession.
- Learning for all ranks from Firefighter, to Line Boss, to the Chief.
- Location … Location… Location…
- The ability to network with brothers and sisters from across the country.
- Investment of time in yourself and your department.
- Interaction with instructors where you can ask questions you need answered.
- Our events are organized and students treated like family, not dollar signs.
- Family friendly, so they know why you have your passion.

- Nightly social activities to connect with instructors, and like-minded people.
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner discounts.
- Beverage discounts with the CFT Tumbler
- Reduced room rates at two Hilton brand properties.
- Experience the passion of Chief Isakson and his team of CFT Presenters.
- Receive up to date information on tactics, strategy, and leadership.
- Learn from instructors who are shaping the future of our profession.
- Learning for all ranks from Firefighter, to Line Boss, to the Chief.
- Location … Location… Location…
- The ability to network with brothers and sisters from across the country.
- Investment of time in yourself and your department.
- Interaction with instructors where you can ask questions you need answered.
- Our events are organized and students treated like family, not dollar signs.
- Family friendly, so they know why you have your passion.
FREE PNS AIRPORT SHUTTLE
County Fire Tactics sponsored airport shuttles will get attendees to and from the Pensacola Airport (PNS) on Monday, and Friday only.

- Monday, 8/21/2023, arrivals will locate a Dream Catcher Shuttle outside Baggage Claim 3 at Pensacola International Airport.
- Friday, 8/25/2023, departures will locate a Dream Catcher Shuttle outside the Hilton Hotel lobby.
- Shuttle registration will open approximately one week before the conference, registration required.

'23 - '24 CONFERENCES
'23 -'24 SEMINARS NEAR YOU
CFT CONFERENCE VIDEO
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CONTACT CF TACTICS
View a list of CF Tactics programs Chief Isakson can deliver at your next conference, seminar, symposium, or in house event. Utilize the links provided to reach Curt and Jessica for more information about booking Chief Isakson or our Pensacola Beach conference series.
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