NYSAFC Fall 2012 Seminar Series Announced

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NYSAFC is pleased to announce the Fall 2012 Seminar Series, "Modern House Fires: Strategic and Tactical Considerations for Success," with Lieutenant Chris Flatley, FDNY and Training Officer Jerry Knapp, West Haverstraw Fire Department.

Three Americans will die each day in residential fires. It’s our most important and dangerous alarm, yet one that we’re too often unprepared for. Modern house fires present more of a challenge to both large and small fire departments. If you apply standard, time tested residential strategy and tactics learned and used years ago, you may well be setting yourself and your members up for disaster. This program will provide what you need to know to be aggressive, effective, and keep you and your members safe at your next house fire. Through interactive fireground simulations, on scene videos, case histories, and current research, you’ll learn the hazards of the modern house fire and strategic and tactical solutions to consider to make your department safe and efficient at these fires. Topics will include: strategy and tactics for private dwellings converted to multiple dwellings, new search and rescue strategies and techniques, rapid and unique fire spread in modular construction, ventilation strategy for all house fires, the critical importance of aggressive interior fire attack by delivering decisive amounts of water, and natural gas emergencies involving homes.

Stay tuned for locations and a schedule, which will be announced this summer!

Lieutenant Christopher Flatley is a 24-year veteran of the FDNY assigned Ladder Co. 21 in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan. Prior to promotion he worked in Ladder Co. 2 in midtown Manhattan. Flatley is currently detailed to the Center for Terrorism and Disaster Preparedness as a master exercise practitioner on the Exercise Design Team and an information analyst for the Intel Section. He is also a member of the Incident Management Team and Family Assistance Unit. Flatley has twice served as chief of the Blauvelt Volunteer Fire Company. He is a nationally certified fire instructor I and is an instructor at the Rockland County Fire Training Center. Flatley holds a degree in fire protection technology. He has presented seminars and lectured nationally on various topics and has written articles for leading fire service publications including SIZE UP, WNYF, Firehouse, and Fire Engineering.

Training Officer Jerry Knapp is a 37-year veteran firefighter/EMT with the West Haverstraw Fire Department and is employed as a training officer at the Rockland County Fire Training Center. He is a battalion chief with the Rockland County Haz-Mat Task Force, a former nationally certified paramedic, and holds a degree in fire protection. Knapp is the author of the fire attack chapter in Fire Engineering’s Handbook for Firefighter I & II and numerous articles in state, national, and international fire service trade journals. He recently retired from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point where he was the plans and operations specialist at the Directorate of Emergency Services. Knapp has presented training programs on a variety of topics, including: modern house fires, fire attack operations, foam operations for engine companies, helicopter emergencies, decontamination procedures by engine companies, fast food restaurant fires, and terrorism/bomb awareness.