FireFusion: Advancing Fire Services Through Technology

FireFusion, scheduled to take place in Charleston, South Carolina this fall, has a limited number of places to attend this new conference. It is technology-driven and plays a vital role in the fire service. The training and product offerings are designed to examine how technology is used today by fire departments across the country, with a glimpse into what awaits fire departments in the future.

Keynote announced
FireFusion's main presenter is Fire Chief (retired) Jason Moore, author of Firehouse's Fire Technology column. In “Fusing Tradition and Tech,” Moore will challenge FireFusion participants to break down the barriers implied by the old adage “200 years of tradition with no barrier to progress,” while highlighting the many opportunities firefighters have to implement technology.

Moore will examine how all aspects of life today, from household structures and products to vehicles and travel, have adopted technology and how some of this adoption poses additional challenges for fire services. Moore, who is a founding member of the Indiana University Crisis Technology Innovation Lab, will help participants balance the technology equation while adding new tools to the fire service's toolbox. Moore will explain why technology should not be considered a substitute for what is done today and explain why fire departments, which have been in service for nearly 300 years, must embrace technological advances to improve training and operations .

Understanding the data
One of the big lessons from implementing new technology in the fire service is data, but how do you get insight from it? Join John Oates for an in-depth session on what data means for fire departments and how you and your department can leverage diverse data sets to prepare your organization and understand trends that may affect training, responses and the equipment cycles of your department.

Leadership Walking Tour
Limited spaces are available for the interactive leadership walking tour through the city of Charleston. The session, which will be led by members of the Charleston Fire Department, will combine leadership, the city's rich history and tasks specific to fire departments.

The program promises to instill leadership practices as well as promote engaging discussions on leadership principles applied over the decades. Current and future fire service leaders will benefit from this unique opportunity to talk about leadership while walking through the historic city, with its long fire service history, combined with a strong military history in the area. The program includes stops at key points throughout the city and at some of Charleston's most historic fire stations, where Charleston-specific leadership lessons will be discussed.

FireFusion Marketplace
FireFusion will feature a marketplace area where select vendors will be available that provide the latest technology and innovation to fire departments. With multiple opportunities throughout the event to visit with market sponsors, firefighters can speak directly to manufacturers about the technologies they currently provide to fire departments and will offer in the future. This gives participants the opportunity to know and plan their future purchases, whether for training, equipment, personnel management or various other tools.