The Art of War, Curt Isakson

The Art of War is really about the Top Priority!!! People Before Water 💦 is about conducting an effective oriented search 🔦 that will produce the best results.

We now have DATA that helps us focus on what Tactics will produce the Best Results for our staffing and locale. I have been to, too many fires 🔥 where literally SECONDS MATTER ON LIFE AND DEATH 💀.

I personally have not had a Private Dwelling Fire where not catching a hydrant by one of the first two apparatus cost anyone’s life. I have been to a bunch where the first two going straight in saved Lives and Property. Remember it’s 3 minutes and 40 seconds today till FLASHOVER and not 30 Minutes like our Father’s and Grandfather’s Fires. People Before Water 💦 WILL SAVE MORE LIVES!! You can count on it.

More abut Curt Isakson

Curt “Ike” Isakson is a 30+ year veteran of the fire service, with experience working in volunteer, career, and combination departments in urban, suburban, rural, and countywide settings. He is currently a Battalion Chief for Escambia County Fire Rescue in Florida where he has worked for the last 21 years.

Curt is the founder of County Fire Tactics, a platform for teaching firefighter accross the country from urban, suburban, and rural settings, because it's all in the county.

Before his time with Escambia, Curt was a Company Officer with the Pensacola Fire Department assigned to Heavy Rescue 31 for 9 years. His fire service experience started at a young age as a Junior Firefighter with the Midway Fire Protection District and rose through the ranks to Captain.

Hydrants to Nozzles, Dennis LeGear

Hydrants to Nozzles takes a comprehensive look at engine layout, equipment spec (pumps/hose/nozzles) hydraulics, and its direct impact on strategies and tactics on the fire ground.

Hydrants to Nozzles takes a comprehensive look at engine layout, equipment spec (pumps/hose/nozzles) hydraulics, and its direct impact on strategies and tactics on the fire ground.

Students of all ranks will build a strong foundation for success and be better prepared to make strategic and tactical decisions on the fire ground with a realistic working look at gold standard movement of water from the Hydrant to the Nozzle.

More about Dennis LeGear

Dennis is a retired Captain of the Oakland, CA Fire Department. During his career Dennis was an integral part of the team that implemented a new engine configuration for Oakland Fire Department as the water supply officer.

After his retirement he continued to pursue this role but as a consultant for other fire departments. Dennis has provided technical advice to some of the largest fire agencies in the nation including, Portland, Seattle, Boston and the City of New York. Dennis consulted with water municipalities assisting in the development of emergency response plans for a variety of water infrastructure problems related to seismic events and other disasters.

Dennis also has played a key role for the fire service on a national level participating in UL studies on fire streams, providing technical knowledge for Pennwell publications and NFPA standards.

HOT | ULFSRI Hallway | Stakes & Alt

In this class we will take a practical look at where our water goes, and how our choice of stream and advancement pattern affect our environment.  Where does our water go?  It’s rare that we actually get to see what our water does when it hits a surface during a fire.  Conditions are typically too obstructed by smoke or other things to get a good picture of what our water is doing when it leaves our nozzle. 

Does it create a sprinkler and fan out in hundreds of little droplets?  A lot of us were taught that if we find ourselves in a bad spot, to put our heads down with the nozzle pointing straight up at the ceiling and keep it open until the situation gets better.  Is that really the best way? 
In this class we will help answer those questions and more.  The next piece in your fire attack is your advance.  We have all heard many different debates on whether or not you can push fire…can you? 

Can you as a nozzle operator push heat and smoke with your nozzle?  If you could, are there times when you shouldn’t?  In this class we will go over if and how you can move air with your nozzle, also talking about times it can be beneficial, and when it might not be.  The purpose of this class is to give you the practical knowledge gained by research, to help you be more effective with the nozzle and have a better awareness of your actions at your next fire.  This class truly takes science to the streets.

HOT Session, Forcing Doors

More about Mike Ciampo

LT. Michael Ciampo joined the fire service in 1979 as a volunteer and began his professional career in 1985, he is a lieutenant in the Fire Department of New York. Previously, he served with the District of Columbia Fire Department and Wyckoff, NJ VFD. He has a bachelor’s degree in fire science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, NY.

He is the lead instructor for the FDIC Truck Essentials H.O.T. program and teaches at numerous seminars around the country.. He wrote the Ladder chapter and co-authored the Ventilation chapter for Fire Engineering’s Handbook for Firefighter I and II (Fire Engineering, 2009) and is featured in “Training Minutes” truck company videos on http://www.FireEngineering.com. His video Bread & Butter Portable Ladders DVD is available from Pennwell. His monthly column ON FIRE is on the back page of FIRE ENGINEERING.

More about J.J. Casetta

Has been a career firefighter for over 22 years and is a Lieutenant with the City of Orlando (FL) Fire Department. There he has served for the past 15 years and is currently assigned to Tower 10. He previously served as a firefighter with the City of Cincinnati (OH) Fire Department.

JJ earned a BS degree in Fire Protection Administration from Eastern Kentucky University. He is Florida state certified instructor and has taught classes at local and national conferences on Truck Company Tactics.

HOT Session, Can Confidence, Wheaton

A look into gaining can confidence for fire ground success. The 2 1⁄2 gallon water extinguisher, the can, allows the search team to quickly place water between the fire and potential victims.

Unfortunately, due to lack of confidence, it is arguably the most underutilized tool in the fire service found on nearly every fire apparatus. Let’s start the life-saving extinguishment process by applying what could be, the fire’s first interaction with water.

More about Eric Wheaton

Eric Wheaton is the Owner of VentEnterSearch, LLC. He is a second-generation fireman for Winter Park (FL) Fire Department and is currently assigned as a Lieutenant on Truck 61. Eric has spent a majority of his career on the Truck Company. Eric is an instructor for the Truck Company Operations and Special Operations programs at Valencia College's Central Florida Fire Institute.

He holds an associate degree in Fire Science and is an advisory board member on the UL-FSRI Size-up and search & rescue study. Eric has taught at many fire conferences across the country, including FDIC, Portland Firemanship Conference, Orlando Fire Conference, Fort Lauderdale Fire Expo, Metro Atlanta Firefighter Conference and Water on the Fire Conference.

HOT Session, Bluk Bed Stretches

More about Daryl Liggins

Daryl Liggins is a 29 year veteran of the fire service. He is currently assigned as the Captain of Training for the Oakland, CA fire department. He previously served as a firefighter/engineer with the Redwood City, CA Fire Department.

He instructs engine company operations for the Oakland fire departments fire academies and is the chair of Oakland fire departments hose and nozzle committee.

He currently sits on the board of directors for Fire Nuggets which is a non-profit group run by firefighter to bring affordable training across the US. He has served as an adjunct HOT instructor for FDIC, Firehouse world and several other conferences.

More about Brian Brush

Brian is a 20-year veteran of the fire service, is a Training Division Chief at Midwest City (OK) Fire Department.

He has a bachelor’s degree in fire and emergency services administration and a Fire Officer designation from the CPSE. He instructs on a national level and writes for Fire Engineering.

HOT Session, Hoseline Choices

More about Shannon Stone

Shannon Stone is a twenty-nine year fire service veteran. After eleven years as a Battalion Chief in Fort Walton Beach, FL, Chief Stone is now inthe Deputy Chief of Operations position at nearby Midway Fire District.

Shannon teaches often with County Fire Tactics, is a founder of 850 Fireman, and has presented around the country. Along with with brother, DJ, he’s unveiling an exciting new class called Anatomy of a Rescue at FDIC 2020.

More about Todd Edwards

Todd Edwards has over 36 years of experience in the fire services. Starting his career at 16 years old with a small combination department in Ohio, Todd then moved to Georgia where he spent more than 30 years with Atlanta Fire Rescue. During his career with Atlanta, he held a variety of positions including Captain, Battalion Chief and Assistant Fire Chief.

While with Atlanta, Todd developed and taught the majority of the city training curriculum, and co-developed the city Standard Operating Guidelines. After retiring in 2018, he served the city as a consultant and the lead instructor / coordinator for Atlanta’s Officer Development Program. While working with Atlanta, Todd was also the Lead Instructor for Walton County Fire Rescue in northeast Georgia.

For the past 20 years, Todd has also been an adjunct instructor for the Georgia Fire Academy. Todd has also developed countless training programs currently being utilized by numerous departments, specializing in department-based curriculums for training and fire ground operations.

HOT Session XD Nation Nozzle Operations 

Facilitated by McCormack, Plofkin and Robertson 

This half day class is all about improving your nozzle technique for a variety of fire attack situations based on the latest experiential research-based fire attack theory. The class builds off the Brass Tacks Hard Facts video series and will cover new tools and equipment along with best practices for residential and commercial water placement for rural, suburban and urban fire operations. The class is a mix of lecture, demonstration and hands-on training.

How to examine the serviceability of your nozzles under both wet and dry conditions.

Examine the differences between bleeding the nozzle for residential and standpipe fire attack.

Examine several different standpipe valves and PRD you may encounter and how to utilize them for fire attack.

Examine static, residual and operational attack pressure utilizing standpipe pressure gauges.

Examine the impact of various exterior fire control methods such as open space stream entry, from break over to lentil hits from various distances and attack angles.

Demonstrate when and how to sweep the floor with the nozzle and when to use the Bounce technique.

Examine how exterior nozzle usage and interior attack differ. 

Examine the impact of the door behind you for fire attack.

Flow through a range of SB and fog nozzle patterns to determine flow coverage, distance and air entrainment levels and how that impacts operations. 

Analyze the differences between “stop and flow” and “flow and move” nozzle advancement.

Demonstrate how 65 #’s NR should be the new standard for flow and move support.

Demonstrate the difference between water mapping and stream placement.

Build awareness of water flow against drop ceilings and its impact on fire attack.

Examine the benefits of base fire extinguishment.

Examine an upper height nozzle technique that avoids hitting the ceiling tiles

Examine adding 2.5” gate valves to standpipe operations, deck guns and hydrant barrels. 

Examine both the O, lower case n and side to side nozzle technique on coverage area.

Cycling the nozzle, half bale operations, following the fire with water and fog tip applications.

Demonstrate specialty equipment Bresnan Distributor, High Rise nozzle, Cockloft and Bent tips.

HOT Session Preconnects

More about Jon Hall

Jon has more than 19 years of fire service experience. He currently is a captain with the St. Paul, MN, Fire Department assigned to Engine Company 14. Hall also serves as a lead instructor in the department's Training Division; he teaches hands-on skills to members of all ranks.

Hall is the co-owner of Make The Move Training LLC and teaches engine company operations throughout the country.

More about Jay Blake

Jay is currently assigned as a Battalion Chief and back up PIO for Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service in Maryland.

HOT Session, Brass Tacks, Hard-ER Facts

Brass Tacks and Hard-ER Facts: Behind and Beyond the Series This 4-hour course will take you behind the scenes of the making of the Brass Tacks & Hard Facts engine company training video series and beyond the facts presented.

It will be a deep dive in to the gamut that is the engine company discipline, specifically, heightening awareness to the various types of equipment that create fire streams and developing a basic understanding of the different types of nozzles in use today. It exposes the following critical factors contributing to success of the firefighter interaction with this equipment: Flow, function, relationship of pressure to GPM and limitations due to nozzle reaction.

Specific manufacturer data will be presented to make a case for selections citing industry trends. Initiating change, committee development, and trial benchmarks will be discussed in detail. Lecture and hands on format will be combined to ensure each student has the comfort level to go back to their own department and evaluate and test their own fire flow system.

More about Chris Martin

Chris has been in the fire service for 20 years and is a certified Indiana State Fire Instructor II/III. He worked as a student firefighter at the University of Notre Dame, where he earned his Bachelor of Business Administration Degree, majoring in Marketing. He holds the rank as Engineer and serves as a Field Training Officer with the Clay Fire Territory in South Bend, Indiana where he has worked positions from firefighter up to Captain.

Chris has worked for Elkhart Brass since 2000, functioning in Regional Sales Manager positions both domestically and internationally. Currently he is the Municipal Product Manager. In this role he focuses exclusively on new product development, technical training, and extensive interaction with end users and distribution to ensure that the voice of the customer is heard and understood.

More about Jerry Herbst

Jerry is a 37 year veteran of the Fire Service and is a New York State certified Training Officer. With over 25 years on the line Jerry has served in all rank positions including 6 years as Chief of Department in his local volunteer FD and ten years as a paid Deputy Chief Coordinator at the County Level.

He is still an active Firefighter and Apparatus Operator. He has been with Elkhart Brass since 2006 serving as a Regional Manager, National Account Manager and Strategic Development Manager for Municipal Markets.

HOT Session Hose Packs

More about Kyle Romagus

Kyle Romagus is a 17 year veteran with East Montgomery County Fire Department, has held the rank of captain for the last 11 years and is in love with engine work. Kyle owns and operates smoothbore cartel, teaches hot classes and lectures over engine operations for FD tactics nationwide, Oathkeepers engine cadre and is also the admin of engine company resurrection. His main goal is to spread knowledge about Engine work to anyone that will listen and to leave the job better than he found it.

More about Matt Scallan

Matt is a Lieutenant with Escambia County Fire Rescue.