Harassment in the fire service harms individuals as well as the entire emergency service organization. The need for fire department leadership to take action against discrimination and harassment is growing. Join Don Cox, education specialist with VFIS, for this free webinar to learn how to identify behaviors that “cross the line,” the importance of creating and enforcing up-to-date policies on discrimination and harassment, and how to increase awareness in fire departments through training to establish a welcoming and supportive environment for all.

Using data driven tactics to draw in and keep qualified candidates is essential to the future of the fire service. Join ESO for this free webinar to discuss current recruitment trends and how to change recruitment tactics using risk reduction impacts in the community and a data-driven development program. This session will provide tools and information that can be used in fire departments across the nation to recruit and retain qualified candidates.

As active shooter incidents become more prevalent, fire and EMS departments need to be ready so they can respond in the safest and most effective way. Join the National Volunteer Fire Council and International Association of Fire Chiefs for this free webinar on best practices to plan and prepare for an active shooter/hostile event response (ASHER) incident. Attendees will learn key principles from NFPA 3000 and the IAFC’s Active Shooter Toolkit, the steps to conduct a risk assessment, and resources and guidance available to develop a plan of action in your community.

20/20 vision is defined as normal visual acuity, seeing clearly what you should normally be able to see at 20 feet. How clear is your vision of current events? We are living through a time where diversity and inclusion is at the forefront of the national spotlight. Join David Denniston of McNeil and Company to learn why our fire and EMS organizations should not be exempt from these timely conversations. Attendees will learn why department response areas are often just a small subset of the diversity that we see nationwide and how the most successful departments learn to harness the diversity that their own members bring to the department. The goal of this presentation is to help bring diversity and inclusion into better focus for the fire and emergency services, so that we can benefit from it instead of being challenged by it.

Officers have an important role and immense responsibility in taking care of their organization. New volunteer fire officers face unique challenges on both the operations and administrative sides of the organization as they try to navigate their new position. Join Tom Merrill for this free webinar to understand how aspiring, newly promoted, and veteran officers alike can help bring members home safely, earn credibility and respect, and competently handle the numerous tasks and details needed to keep the department operationally ready and organizationally compliant. The presentation will also discuss leadership traits that all fire department members can use to create and maintain more unified and harmonious operations.

​An ally should not be looked at as a noun, but rather a verb. The path to becoming an ally is a lifelong process of fostering relationships that are built on trust, consistency, advocacy, and accountability. Inclusive leadership is an integrated set of skills that is required to channel the power and potential of a diverse workforce for the benefit of the organization and the communities we serve. It is key for fire service leaders to understand their role in fostering diversity and inclusion. This workshop will provide you with deeper insights to yourself and the benefits of inclusion at all levels of your department. ​

Fire department leaders have a long history of following practices handed down through generations, but when it comes to recruiting millennials, a data-driven approach may prove to be more successful. Join Scott Wilber of the Bronson (MI) Fire Department for this webinar that will offer suggestions for recruiting the next generation based on research about millennials and current practices in fire departments. Attendees will identify what motivates young adults, what they find most rewarding about serving in the fire service, and how this information can be used effectively to revitalize recruitment efforts.

We lose more firefighters each year to suicide than in the line of duty. Yet while every fire department’s calendar is full of training for safety on the fireground, how much time is focused on mental and emotional health? In this free webinar, Hersch Wilson, volunteer firefighter/EMT with the Hondo Fire Department in Santa Fe County, NM, will discuss the impact of the firefighter’s world on mental and emotional health and the risk of suicide among first responders. Attendees will be given ideas and advice to help build a more resilient culture within their department and learn why ignoring mental health is not an option.

Creative and strategic fundraising for volunteer fire and EMS organizations has never been more important. Having a clear plan, specific goals, and precise execution are keys to ensuring you make the most of those valuable hours donated by your members. Join David Denniston of McNeil & Co. for this webinar on how to achieve success with your fundraising efforts, especially in these unusual times. Whether you have been fundraising for decades or just started to feel the pinch, this webinar will explore how to determine your fundraising needs, what options are available, and how to maximize your results.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently released updates related to the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG), Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant, and Fire Prevention & Safety (FP&S) grant programs. In this webinar, David Lewis, the NVFC's Maryland Director and the NVFC representative to the AFG, SAFER, and FP&S criteria development process, will discuss these updates in detail. Attendees will also learn about FEMA's plan for rolling out the FY 2020 grant application periods, the second round of AFG-S funding for volunteer and combination fire departments, frequently asked questions related to the FEMA GO grants management system, and FEMA’s decision to extend the period of performance for FY 2018 AFG and other grants.