The Mind of Fire will guide you through Col John Boyd’s O.O.D.A (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) loop and give you a mental model for decision-making. Drawing from social sciences and military strategy, this class will lead you to make quick, rational decisions based on incomplete information and come away successful. Students will learn how to make rapid decisions while creating novelty and reveling explicitly and implicitly in ambiguity.

The Mayday Mindset presentation is entirely backed by decades of real-world experience and the most up-to-date firefighter survival and proactive RIT training models. This one-of-a-kind training program focuses entirely on providing today’s firefighters with the necessary tools to teach, learn, develop, and excel at any fire ground skill. Through the study of learning science, predictable human behavior patterns, fire service data, and scientific research, this class will provide the attendees with an unprecedented blueprint for success under stress. This dynamic presentation will also optimize every firefighter’s individual ability and utilize their prior experience to avoid predictable fire service training failures and overcome commonly encountered learning obstacles. Through the application of his fully vetted, gradual, high-performance training approach to adult education, Rob will make sure that attendees of any experience level, tenure, or rank leave the Mayday Mindset presentation equipped with the most relevant, data-driven solutions available to become better learners, trainers, and firefighters. This presentation will be delivered in the rawest and most emotive manner possible and focuses on the premise that progress of any kind requires unlearning!

In this presentation from Frank Viscuso, the focus is on the highest-rated fire service leadership traits. Among them are loyalty, adaptability, determination, enthusiasm, empathy, courage, and honor. This class is a collection of stories and lessons followed by action steps that will help students elevate their ability to lead themselves and others. The class is for fire service leaders and aspiring leaders at all levels.

This curriculum is based on our nationwide best-selling Fire Engineering video series by the same name, and a new textbook from Fire Engineering was just launched in April 2024 at FDIC International in Indianapolis. This text is Fire and Emergency Services Higher Education (FESHE), NIMS/ICS, and NFPA compliant. Command and tactical training is critical to modern officer development. Today's officers must be excellent leaders and exceptional tacticians. With changes in building construction, tactics, and the latest UL studies regarding fire behavior, modern fireground operations are more complex than ever.

This class is designed to build confidence in 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 lifesaving 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 hold back live fire and smoke. Finally, attendees will perform live fire attacks with nothing more than a “Can” and witness the effect of the “Can” on pre-flashover conditions.

Students are instructed on methods they can use to disentangle victims from a variety of situations. Basic techniques for removing rings are addressed. Evolutions progress in complexity to include auger entrapments, impalements (fencing/inside vehicles), persons trapped under vehicles, torch operations, as well as other “tips & tricks” learned from real-world experiences. The Classroom and Practical Skills portion of the program focuses on finding the least complicated method of performing such rescues rather than “overthinking” the given situation.

This course is a Firefighter Rescue Course not a RIT class, often firefighters that experience a MAYDAY are rescued by someone other than a Rapid Intervention Team. We will take a dive into the data that “Project Mayday” has compiled supporting this. It is highly likely that a firefighter working on the interior will start, and hopefully complete, the rescue of a downed firefighter. We will go over a systematic approach to some conventional (and not-so-conventional) techniques to increase the chances of a quick and successful rescue. These will include techniques for: - How to do a rapid assessment - Various drags and carries - Movements up and down stairs, and much more These techniques will set up the transition of rescue by an interior crew member to the interception point where a “Hasty Rescue Device” can facilitate final removal of a victim and Firefighter CPR can be initiated.

Students will choose an Engine or Truck Track.

ENGINE TRACK

Day 1 will be the Fundamentals of the First Due Engine. Students will cover: hose stretches, flowing and moving, water mapping, grips, corner management, & flowing upstairs. Day 2 of the Engine Track will have real world scenarios using skills learned on Day 1 with live fire and work in conjunction with the Truck Track to bring together “Multi Company Scenarios.”

TRUCK TRACK

Day 1 will cover vertical ventilation, ground ladders, search/VES, & forcible entry . Day 2 of the Truck Track will have real world scenarios using skills learned on Day 1 with live fire and work in conjunction with the Engine Track to bring together “Multi Company Scenarios.”

Welcome to Search First Academy, where we blend evidence-based firefighting principles with hands-on training to elevate your skills to new heights. Our intensive two-day course is designed for firefighters who are committed to mastering the art of being intelligently aggressive while prioritizing victim safety in fire situations. At Search First Academy, we draw on data from Firefighter Rescue Survey and adhere to the principles of evidence-based firefighting. Our curriculum follows a Crawl, Walk, run; approach, ensuring you build a solid foundation before advancing to more complex scenarios. Through structured sets and repetitions, our experienced cadre guides you in honing your techniques and decision-making abilities. This isn’t just another class—it’s a transformative experience aimed at making you faster, better, and more proficient in every firefighting situation. The public relies on your expertise, and our academy is dedicated to equipping you with the knowledge and skills to meet those expectations head-on. Join us at Search First Academy and discover how to effectively integrate aggressive tactics with victim-first strategies. Take the leap into our two-day program and emerge not only more skilled but also more confident in your ability to handle any firefighting challenge.

This advanced course is designed to equip firefighters and rescue personnel with the specialized skills and knowledge necessary for complex vehicle extrication and stabilization scenarios. Participants will learn to handle challenging incidents involving vehicles, heavy machinery, and various environmental hazards. The course covers advanced techniques in stabilization, disentanglement, patient access, and safe removal using the latest tools and equipment.

Key topics include:

• Advanced vehicle stabilization techniques for multi-vehicle and rollover incidents.

• Safe and efficient use of hydraulic and battery tools.

• Heavy machinery and large vehicle extrication.

• Scene safety, hazard assessment, and incident command roles.

• Cutting-edge stabilization methods for unstable terrains and structures.

Through hands-on scenarios and real-world simulations, participants will practice extrication and stabilization in high-stress environments, gaining confidence to handle both common and rare extrication challenges. This course is ideal for experienced firefighters, rescue technicians, and first responders seeking to expand their capabilities in complex rescue operations.