Fire and Life Safety Educators Assemble for 41st Annual Public Fire Safety Educators' Conference

Nearly 200 students from throughout New York state, the Northeast, and Canada participated in the 41st Annual Public Fire Safety Educators’ Conference from May 2-4, 2014, at the New York State Academy of Fire Science in Montour Falls, N.Y.

"Don't Gamble With Public Safety" was the theme for this year’s event, which is co-hosted each year by the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs (NYSAFC) and the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control (OFPC).

The goal of the conference is to bring together fire and life safety educators so they can share program ideas and learn about new methods for delivering programs to educate the citizens they protect concerning fire and other hazards. The weekend program includes lectures, interactive classes, inspiring speakers, and networking opportunities. It’s a great learning experience for all public safety educators, including those who are just thinking of starting an education program within their departments, or those who are looking for new ideas for an established program.

This year’s conference kicked-off on Friday with two "pre-program sessions." "Rail Safety for Emergency Responders (RSER)" was presented by Evan Eisenhandler of New York State Operation Lifesaver and "NYS OFPC and OPWDD Group Home Fire Safety Awareness" was conducted Brian Monacelli of OFPC. The latter program included a visit to a local group home, which provided students with great insight. The night concluded with an icebreaker reception that allowed students, instructors, and staff to network.

Saturday began with the opening session, where NYSAFC Past President Al Varlaro welcomed attendees. Highlights of the ceremony included the presentation of the 2014 "James W. Wright Public Education Award" to the Whitesboro Fire Department Fire Prevention and Life Safety Team. Team members Brittany Pohoreskey, Jeffrey Szemeczko, and Matthew Gallimo were on hand to accept the award on behalf of the department.

The opening session also included the inspiring Keynote Address, "Get Off Your Knees: A Story of Faith, Courage, and Determination" by John Robinson.

The day continued with these diverse workshops: "Crafting Age Appropriate Messages" with Becki White (Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division), "What’s New with the NFPA Public Education Division" with Kim O’Malley (NFPA regional advisor), "Enough is Enough with Residential Fire Fatalities: The Fastest Growing Trend in Smoke Alarms" with Neal Zipser (Kidde), "Flashover – A 3-D Video Game" with Andre Clifton (Vaughan Fire & Rescue – Ontario, Canada), "NYSAFC 2013 Public Education Award Winner: A Showcase of a Local Education Program" with Bill Johnson (Cobleskill Fire Department), "Fire and Life Safety Education for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing" with Steve Yaciuk, "Railway Safety – An Overview" with Evan Eisenhandler (NYS Operation Lifesaver), "NYS Citizen’s Preparedness Corps" with Richard French (NYS OEM), "Child Passenger Safety and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee" with Mary Montimurro (NYS Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee), and "Communicating with Your Community" with J.D. Jenkins (Virginia Fire Marshal Academy).

A New York wine tasting and barbecue social event was held on Saturday evening. Special thanks to Fulkerson Winery, Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards, Lakewood Vineyards, and Miles Wine Cellars, all local wineries from the Finger Lakes region, for their participation at this reception.

The conference concluded on Sunday morning with additional classroom presentations and closing remarks.

Thank you to all participants! Click here to view pictures from the event.