Quarterly Training & Business Meeting
We held our annual Quarterly Training and Business Meeting on October 25, 2023 at Trident Technical College in North Charleston. Thanks to our guest speakers, Dr. McDonald, Rebecca Harned, and Chief Tom Jenkins for joining us, and to all the fire service professionals who took the time out of their day to learn with us.
Igniting Firefighter Recruitment & Retention Efforts
Incident Data Innovation with NERIS
Speakers
Dr. Candice McDonald

Rebecca Harned

Ms. Harned previously served for over 10 years at the National Alliance for Public Safety GIS (NAPSG) Foundation, where she was as the Principal Investigator over numerous projects at the forefront of science, technology, & policy for preparedness and resilience. In this capacity she led the 5-year Innovative Mutual Aid Policy and Technology program, resulting in real-time data exchange among Federal agencies, National fire organizations, and local mutual aid organizations. While at NAPSG, she also oversaw the implementation of Regional Flood Preparedness Pilots and co-authored the National Guidance on Risk, Resilience, and Vulnerability Indices – all co-sponsored by DHS Science & Technology (DHS S&T) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Rebecca also served for over 3 years as the Senior Advisor to the National Integration Center at FEMA where she co-led the implementation of Presidential Policy Directive 8: National Preparedness across the Federal interagency and Whole Community. Prior to her work at NAPSG and FEMA, she managed the Communications Interoperability program and supported the Safe Energy & Transportation programs for the National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM) and has held numerous positions domestically and internationally in the converging fields of sustainability, preparedness, and disaster management.
She resides in New Hampshire with her family where she serves as an Adjunct Professor at Colby-Sawyer College. Additionally, Ms. Harned holds a master’s degree from the United Nations-mandated University for Peace, a bachelor’s degree from Colby-Sawyer College, and a Certificate in Executive Leadership from the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).
Chief Tom Jenkins

Chief Jenkins was asked to serve by Governors Beebe and Hutchison to serve on several state commissions and groups, including the Trauma Advisory Council, Firefighter Cancer Benefit Review Panel and the Safe Schools Commission. He has served as a professor for Drury University, Northwest Arkansas Community College, Tulsa Community College, and Oklahoma State University. In 2015, Chief Jenkins was elected to serve on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Fire Chiefs as the Second Vice President. In 2017 and 2018, he served as President and Chairman of the Board for the IAFC.
In addition to public service, Tom is recognizable face at nearly all fire and emergency medical conferences where he speaks and presents regularly. Chief Jenkins completed his Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma and obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Fire Protection and Safety Engineering from Oklahoma State University. He has completed the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy and is a designated Chief Fire Officer and Chief Emergency Medical Services Officer from the Commission on Public Credentialing. He currently serves on multiple boards and committees, including the: NFPA Standard on Organization and Deployment of Career Fire Departments Standard 1710, International Fire Service Training Association Board of Directors, PulsePoint Advisory Board, and National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Advisory Board.