GETTING THE MOST FROM A TRAINING CONFERENCE
TRAINING NOTEBOOK
Many national and regional fire service training conferences are offered every year. They represent the best and brightest sources of information for emergency workers. However, they can be expensive. This article explains how to get the most bang for your conference buck.
WHAT OCCURS AT A CONFERENCE?
A national conference, like the Fire Department Instructor’s Conference (FDIC, sponsored by the Alliance for Fire and Emergency Management) or Fire-Rescue International (sponsored by the International Association of Fire Chiefs), is a combination of many activities jam-packed into one location: a main program, vendors/exhibits, training seminars, extra-cost seminars, and meetings.
Main program. This is the focus of the conference. You will hear a wide variety of speakers covering topics or problems of interest to the fire service. Major events, such as the Los Angeles Earthquake and the Edison (NJ) Pipeline Rupture, also are presented by the officers involved in the incident. Some programs have a theme that runs throughout the conference.
Vendors and exhibitors. The vendors rent exhibit hall space to promote their goods or services. The rent paid by the vendors covers most of the conference expenses incurred by the sponsoring organization.’ Each conference provides a different “draw” for the vendors. The vendors bring their engineers, designers, and authors to the booths. Many product specifications are developed or revised on the exhibit floor.
Some vendors may use one conference to work the specifications out with fire department representatives and another conference to close the sale. Regardless of the “flavor” of the conference, you can have an impact on the fire service by talking to the vendors.
Do you have a suggestion for the XYZ Universal Claw? There is a great chance that at a conference you can discuss your suggestion with the person who designed the claw. Are you unhappy with the local office of a national vendor? You may meet the president of the company on the exhibit floor. Have you always wanted to meet Battalion Chief Ray Downey of the City of New York (NY) Fire Department? Go to the Fire Engineering booth.
Training seminars. In addition to the main program, many smaller 90to 180-minute training seminars are offered throughout the conference. They are presented at the crack of dawn, in the afternoons, and in some evenings.
Some of these sessions provide additional and more detailed information than a main conference presentation. Other sessions provide information over a wide range of topics that allow question-and-answer periods. More technical subjects are covered in these smaller training sessions.
Extra-cost seminars. A new trend is the extra-cost seminar held before or during the main conference. At the 1994 Fire-Rescue International, a three-day “Apparatus Maintenance Workshop” was offered before the start of the conference. The 1995 FDIC offers 44-hour “boot camps” for fire officers, safety officers, educators, and hazardous-materials technicians.
There are also one-day special-cost seminars. Fire-Rescue International offered four “Super Saturday” seminars in 1994. They included a Total Quality Management presentation by the Baldridge Award-winning Motorola Corporation, Progressive Labor/ Management Relations, New Chiefs Orientation, Volunteer Recruitment and Retention. and a Spanish-language seminar. The FDIC is offering four specialized classes in 1995: “Rope Rescue and Rappelling,” “Underwater Rescue,” “Class A Foam Bums,” and “Flashover Training.”
Meetings. The sponsoring organization holds its membership meetings during the conference.2 There is also a booth at which you can learn about the sponsoring organization’s mission, activities, services, and products.
All of the IAFC sections and committees meet during Fire-Rescue International, the Alliance organizations meet during the FDIC, and some NFPA committees may meet during one of the above conferences. Attending these meetings will let you know where the organization is going and which issues are red-hot.
WHAT IS IN IT FOR YOU?
You have the opportunity to meet and greet the “names” in the emergency service field. You will hear up-to-the-minute status reports on legislation or standards that will affect your operations back home. You will learn how other fire departments handled an incident or crisis and benefit from their “lessons learned.” You will see the trends in fire service delivery, training, equipment, and procedures. You can preview new videos and training aids. You can talk to the inventors and writers shaping the future of emergency services.
PREPLANNING
The sooner you plan for an educational excursion, the better the benefits. Early planning on your part will save time, money, and hassles.
LODGING
The conference-organizing committee reserves a block of rooms in hotels that are near the convention center. Generally, these rates are better than those you can get with a travel club discount. If you are a member of the American Automobile Club, you may want to get a ®TourBook to see if alternative housing is available.
You should reserve your hotel room as soon as possible—before you send in the conference registration. Pick a hotel within walking distance of the conference center. Hotels that require a shuttle service will eat up your time, reduce your flexibility, and cost you more if you need to get a cab when the shuttle is not running.
TRANSPORTATION
Both I he FDIC and the IAFC have selected mid-America conference sites to allow easier access by car and eliminate the need for cross-country flying. Arrangements are made with a major airline carrier to offer a reduced rate for flying. The airline industry is so volatile that you may find better deals working with a travel agent or using the Official Airline Guide. Start the process the day you send your hotel reservation in, and remember the advance booking discount requirements. Some departments pool their travel to get better discounts on buying a group of tickets.
Many people drive out to the conference. It is cheaper than flying, provides them with a car during the conference, and allows maximum flexibility. Parking the car at the conference site or hotel can be expensive and time-consuming, but it is cheaper than renting a car at the conference. Check to see if your hotel will charge for parking.
ESTABLISHING CONFERENCE GOALS
Make a list of the questions you want answered, the people and vendors you want to meet, and the activities you want to do. Take the conference registration package and look at the seminars that will answer your questions or feature the people you want to meet. Look at the exhibit hall map and identify the vendors you want to see. If you have a question, call the conference information line. The registration packages are made up months in advance and, by nature, are vague in terms of who is teaching or when some activities will occur.
Note whether any of the activities or classes in which you are interested specify that enrollment is limited. Register for those activities as soon as possible. Some of the FDIC hands-on seminars require a letter from your chief/training officer and proof of certification. If you are taking classes to meet a certification or continuing education need, check with your local accrediting agency to make sure you will get the credit you need.
Contact the local Chamber of Commerce to get a booklet on what to do in the city. You may want to plan some of your entertainment as well. Ten thousand people may be competing with you to have dinner at the same quaint restaurant.
NETWORKING
One of the key components of conference networking is a business card. You will need a hundred or more cards when attending a conference. If it does not violate department policy, you can have fire department business cards made with your name, address, and phone number.
Simple, personal cards with your name, title, organization, mailing address, and phone number are just as effective. Do not waste money on fancy card stock, artwork, or multiple-color cards. Most of the 24-hour copy shops can make business cards inexpensively. Avery offers a labeling software program that will allow you to create your own cards and print them on a laser printer using a special paper (Avery laser form 5371)—check this out at any large office supply store.
Learning how to network is not difficult. Susan RoAne’s book The Secrets of Savvy Networking provides many excellent strategies and techniques to maximize your activities.
WORKING THE CONFERENCE
Use your preplanned lists of questions you want answered and people and vendersyou want to meet as guides for your activities at the conference. If this is your first conference, it is okay to feel overwhelmed at the choices and the activities. You may want to prepare a threeby five-inch index card listing the time, activity, and location of the “must-do” events the night before, to help you stay on track. To help you stay focused, plan to write a trip report.
TRIP REPORT
Some organizations require a report when they fund the trip. The report will include what you learned at the conference, whom you contacted, and what issues you discussed. A “good” report will leave the sponsoring organization satisfied that the conference money was well spent. A “great” trip report will provide the sponsoring organization with important, need-to-know information and a suggested action plan for handling the issues addressed at the conference. A “fantastic” report will guarantee you approval for a fully funded conference trip next year.
ATTENDING SEMINARS
Take notes during the seminars, and don’t forget to pick up the handouts. Many presenters provide handouts that outline their presentations, provide a copy of their slides, or give a detailed report on their topics. Focus your note taking on the preplanned questions you wanted answered or other issues vital to your organization.
VISITING VENDORS
The FDIC and Fire-Rescue International close the exhibit hall during the educational sessions. That means thousands of conference attendees will be in the exhibit hall with you. With your preplanned map, start meeting the vendors you want to see. You can use your business card to request more information, get in a vendor’s database, or participate in a contest.
This is the time for you to meet the inventors of the XYZ Universal Claw. They want to meet the firefighters who use the product and appreciate all feedback. This is also the time to find out about new and improved products and services.
After you have met all of the vendors on your preplanned list, stroll through the entire exhibit space. Marvel at the new products and the great-looking rigs. Some people videotape or take pictures of new products. Highlight important discussions and discoveries in your trip report.
ENTERTAINMENT
No kidding! Working the conference is hard work. Before you step out for the evening, make up your index card for tomorrow’s activities. RoAne offers some good tips on entertainment at a conference.
Conferences operate on many levels. The main program, seminar, and preconference programs provide the most concentrated continuing education program offerings ayailable. Conferences provide one of the best networking opportunities. Many of the national decisions that affect the fire service are made at a conference. If you are not there, you will miss out.
References
- Gross, W.H. “Conventions and Meetings,” Principles of Association Management, H. Emstthal, ed. (The American Society of Association Executives. Washington. DC. 1988), 79-95.
- Seekings, D. How to Organize Effective Conferences and Meetings. (Kogan Page, London, 1992).
- RoAne, S. The Secrets of Savvy Networking: How to Make the Best Connections for Business and Personal Success. (Warner Books, New York, 1993).
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
