Quarterly Training & Business Meeting

Schedule

5:00 PM: Dinner
5:45 PM: Brief Business Meeting 
6:30 PM: Training  featuring Chief Richard Ray 

Richard Ray

 Richard Ray is a 33-year fire service veteran, a firefighter with the Creedmoor (NC) Volunteer Fire Department, and a battalion chief with the Durham (NC) Fire Department. He instructs on a national level, contributes to Fire Engineering Magazine, and is a member of the FDIC International Advisory Board & Tech Panels for FSRI.

First Due Command & Control: The Volunteer Fireground

The first five minutes of a fire can determine the outcome of the entire incident, yet volunteer & combination fire departments often face unique challenges during those critical moments. Delayed response times, unpredictable staffing, limited personnel, varying levels of experience, and the absence of a command-level officer can place significant responsibility on the first-arriving firefighter or officer. This program is designed specifically around the realities of the volunteer fire service and provides practical strategies for taking control of the fireground when resources are limited.

Participants will learn how to establish a strong and scalable command presence from the first arriving unit, even when that unit consists of only one or two firefighters. The program combines incident command and control with first-due tactical decision-making, helping firefighters determine what must happen first, how to prioritize competing fireground functions, and how to effectively use the personnel and resources available.

The program will address establishing command, conducting a rapid size-up, setting tactical priorities, initiating fire attack and search operations, coordinating ventilation and water supply, establishing accountability, and maintaining situational awareness as the incident develops. Particular emphasis will be placed on communicating expectations, delegating responsibilities, and adapting the command structure as additional volunteer personnel arrive.

Rather than relying on the assumption that a full assignment will arrive within minutes, this program challenges volunteer firefighters and officers to develop a command mindset that works with the resources they actually have. Students will explore practical, adaptable solutions for maintaining control and accomplishing critical fireground benchmarks when staffing is limited or arrives in an unpredictable order.

Through real-world fireground experiences, photographs, videos, simulations, and nationally recognized fireground principles, participants will develop a repeatable framework for making decisions and leading under pressure. The emphasis is on simple, effective practices that can be trained within the volunteer fire department and immediately applied on the fireground.

The goal is to empower volunteer firefighters and officers to take control of the fireground from the first arriving unit, establish clear priorities, effectively use the personnel available, and create the conditions for a coordinated, aggressive, and safe fireground operation.