Education

Education Sessions

The VCOS offers a variety of online and in-person conferences and training opportunities in support of the volunteer and combination fire and emergency service.

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Beyond Hoses & Helmets

Strategy and tactics of leading a volunteer or combination fire/rescue organization, designed by practicing chief officers that delivers real world expertise through interactive education.

VCOS logo - IAFC Volunteer and Combination Officers Section 

FROG: Organizational Guidance for Volunteer Leaders

This course is an intensive 2.5 day, hands-on workshop designed as graduate-level leadership training for leaders of volunteer and combination fire departments that picks up where VCOS's Beyond Hoses & Helmets course leaves off.

VCOS logo - IAFC Volunteer and Combination Officers Section 

Leading the Transition in Volunteer & Combination Departments

This course is to assist departments that are changing status, whether going from an all-volunteer to a combination department, from a combination to a volunteer department, or changing from a career department to a combination department. This course can be administered as a three-hour course with one instructor or a six-hour course with two instructors.

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Member and Leadership Collaboration (MLC)

Two-day, facilitated workshop leverages behavioral analysis to address organizational conflict and create effective department communication between firefighters, officers and chiefs.

VCOS logo - IAFC Volunteer and Combination Officers Section 

You and ISO

This course is presented around the country several times a year. This class teaches what every fire chief should know and understand about ISO in your community.

VCOS logo - IAFC Volunteer and Combination Officers Section

Search and Rescue Tactics in Single-Story Single-Family Homes

Learn how research isolation and exterior ventilation done properly can reduce the toxic/thermal exposure
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Recruitment and Retention Coordinator Certification Training

Join us for a RRC certification training course in Aztec, NM.
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Shaping the Future: Pioneering Technological Advancements and Strategies in Modern Fire Service and Public Safety

Join us as we give you an appetizer to the Technology Summit International (TSI)
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Decision Making as a First-Time Incident Commander

This webinar explores the fireground factors for residential structure fires
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Public Consulting Group

GEMT MythBusters

PCG will review the current state of GEMT landscapes and guidance from CMS and the potential future of supplemental payments.
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Recruitment and Retention Coordinator Certification Training

Join us for an RRC certification training session in Friedens, PA.
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Recruitment and Retention Coordinator Certification Training

Attend our free RRC Certification class in Concord, NH.
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The American Wood Council (AWC) and FLSS training

Batteries in the Fire Service, Tall Mass-Timber Buildings & Fire Department Concerns, and Codes that Safeguard Construction - Hayward, California

Training
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Developing Inclusive Teams Workshop

Gain knowledge and skills to support diversity, equity, and inclusion. Travel reimbursement available.
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Recruitment and Retention Coordinator Certification Training

Join us for a Recruitment & Retention Coordinator Certification class in New Haven, IN.
   Register
Symposium in the Sun

Symposium in the Sun 2023

The Symposium in the Sun addresses the unique needs of volunteer and combination departments including transitioning from a volunteer to a combination department, recruitment and retention, leadership and management, staffing and more.
   Register
The American Wood Council (AWC) and FLSS training

Batteries in the Fire Service, Tall Mass-Timber Buildings & Fire Department Concerns, and Codes that Safeguard Construction - Naples FL

Training
   Register
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Developing Inclusive Teams Workshop

Join us for a Developing Inclusive Teams class in Washington state.
   Register
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Helping Members Find Their Spark Through Mentoring: New Mentoring Course

Join us for our new IAFC mentoring course.
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Public Consulting Group

Sustainability Now! Looking at the Actions and Impacts into Sustainability for Fire & EMS Agencies

This webinar examines actions that agencies have taken to maintain sustainability.
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Technology Summit International

Technology Summit International aims to bring the tech of the future to today’s fire and emergency service professionals
   Register
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Helping Members Find Their Spark Through Mentoring

Join us for our new IAFC mentoring course.
   Register
Wildland Urban Interface Conference

Wildland-Urban Interface Conference 2024

Three essential tracks - Fire Adapted Communities, operations & suppression, and policy & tools - ensure you and your team get everything you need to minimize and manage threats in the WUI.
  
Community Risk Reduction Leadership Conference

Community Risk Reduction Leadership Conference 2024

The CRR Leadership Conference is all new. Sponsored by the IAFC's Fire and Life Safety Section, the CRR Leadership Conference tackles CRR from the leadership perspective, highlighting best practices from concept to implementation to outcomes. Presentations will highlight the latest and greatest in CRR research.
  
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Helping Members Find Their Spark Through Mentoring

Join us for our new IAFC mentoring course.
   Register
International Hazardous Materials Response Teams Conference

International Hazardous Materials Response Teams Conference 2024

The training offered at the Hazmat Conference provides immediate, practical and valuable information designed to ensure you successfully meet the demands of hazmat response in today's challenging environment.
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Fire-Rescue International - 2024

FRI, the IAFC's annual conference and expo, provides senior-level leadership training for chiefs and officer development education for chief and company officers, new ways to connect with vendors and colleagues, and the latest solutions to today's toughest challenges.
Learn More   
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Helping Members Find Their Spark Through Mentoring

Join us for our new IAFC mentoring course.
   Register
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Fire-Rescue International - 2025

FRI, the IAFC's annual conference and expo, provides senior-level leadership training for chiefs and officer development education for chief and company officers, new ways to connect with vendors and colleagues, and the latest solutions to today's toughest challenges.
Learn More