2009 Joint Conference – Athens, Georgia
Conference Theme:
‘The Georgia Fire Service: A Winning Team’
By Georgia Ann Smith
CONFERENCE DETAILS:
The Joint Conference of the Georgia State Firefighters Association and Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs will be held in Athens, Georgia, on August 4 – 8, 2009. The conference will be hosted by the Athens/Clarke County Fire Department. Meetings and exhibits will be held at the Classic Center. Several different hotels will be utilized for the conference , and you will find a listing of these in this issue. As you read this, all contracts will have been signed and you can make your reservations. The Hilton Garden Inn is directly across the street from the Classic Center and is the most convenient of the hotels, but actually none of them are more than a few blocks away from the Center. Wednesday will be registration day, with golf and bowling outings, and the conference will officially convene on Thursday morning with the Memorial Service and opening ceremonies, followed by the training classes interspersed with business sessions of both Associations, over the next two days. ALL meetings will be at the Classic Center. Also, Auxiliary functions will be held at the Center. Exhibits will be set up at the Center.
ADVANCE
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEES
Registration Deadline:
JUNE 15, 2009
Member: $165 per person
Spouse: $100 per person
Retired: $82.50 per person
Annual Banquet: $35 per person
Special Events :
Golf Event - $60.00 per person
Bowling Event - $30.00 per person
Firefighters Competition:
$50 per team
$5 Individual Event
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Lanier Swafford, and the Education and Training Committee have developed a very aggressive and impressive array of topics for the training venue of the conference. This year they are hoping to be able to offer a whopping thirty-two (that’s 32!) hours of recertification credit to attendees. Remember, recert credit is for both firefighters and fire chiefs. And this year, the Committee has scheduled pre-conference training classes for Tuesday and Wednesday. A small registration fee will be charged to attend these classes, and you will have to pre-register for them. The classes will include one two-day classroom session (ISO class) and two one-day ‘hands-on classes. They will be held off-site (not at the Classic Center). Also, with the cancellation of the Governor’s Emergency Management Conference, this year’s Joint Conference will offer CEU’s through GEMA.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
ADVANCE REGISTRATION DEADLINE:
JUNE 15, 2009
The Conference Registration Fee is $165 for a single registration and $100 for a spouse. Advance registration fee for a retiree is $82.50 (50% discount). The fee to attend the Banquet is $35 per person, and this is not included in the registration fee. There is no charge for children registered (age 12 and under) unless they attend the adult banquet. The fee for that is $35.00. LATE registration will be accepted until July 1st at an increased fee. After that date, you will have to register at the conference. An Advance Registration form is included in this issue of the magazine. You must be registered for the conference to attend and receive recertification credit for the training classes.
Conference fees can be paid by check, purchase order (due by August 1st), or credit card. For purchase order payments, if fees are being taken from 2010 budget, send in the registration before the June 15th deadline and send money before August 1st. By doing this, departments can take advantage of the pre-registration prices even though monies are taken from the next year’s budget.
Registration will open on Wednesday at 8:00 AM for golfers and bowlers ONLY, as their events start early (tentative). As the event time has not yet been set, this may change but will be announced when finalized. Registration for everyone else will begin at NOON and last until 5:00 PM. The welcoming reception will follow registration. Advance registration is required for special events (golf, bowling, firefighters competition).
Please note that the annual banquet is $35 extra and is not included in the conference registration fee. Having this separate from the registration fee has helped greatly in our guaranteed figures for this function that must be given well in advance of the actual event.
After June 15th deadline, retirees will not receive a discount on conference registration. Their 50% discount applies only to advance registration.
No refunds will be given after July 25th. No administration fee will be deducted on any refunds for cancellation prior to that date.
Children ages 12 and under can be registered at no charge; however, a $35 fee will apply if they attend the adult banquet. A dinner (with child care) will be provided for children 12 and under the night of the banquet.
When attendees pick up their registration packages at the pre-registration desk, they will be directed to proceed to the photographer area to have a photo ID badge made. Photo ID badges will be made for all members and designated exhibitors. Spouses will receive an ID badge, no photo. The photographer will have a database of all registrations for the conference. If you are not in that database, you will be referred back to the registration desk for verification.
Children under age 12 who are registered will receive a name badge prepared by the GSFA Office. One company exhibitor representative will receive a photo ID badge. All others in the company booth will receive a name badge prepared by the GSFA Office (if you were included on the exhibit request form submitted).
All attendees must be registered to attend the conference, having paid the full registration fee. Extra tickets for others in your party can be purchased once you are registered. ID badges will not be given to attendees with event tickets only. The photo ID badge will serve two purposes: It will admit registered member to all conference activities in lieu of an event ticket (other than the banquet, which is extra); and a bar code on the back of the badge will be scanned for entry and exit at each training session. This will be the accountability process used to maintain the integrity of the accreditation system. This system has been in place since 2006, and is working well.
EXHIBITOR INFORMATION
Exhibitors will be set up at the Classic Center. This will house both the exhibit booths and apparatus. Set up will begin at noon on Wednesday, August 5th. Exhibitors should proceed directly to the exhibit hall, which is located downstairs (down the escalator). An official will be there to assist you with your set up and booth/assignment location. For further information on exhibit set up or to request an exhibit form, call the GSFA Office at 770-914-7774. Exhibitors have to be pre-registered and pay the conference exhibit fee. NO EXCEPTIONS.
This year, unfortunately, we will not be able to accommodate other agencies and organizations by providing them with a table in the exhibit all at no charge. The Center is charging us a ‘per table’ fee. We apologize for this inconvenience, but we have no ‘leeway’ on these charges this year. If an agency wants to set up and pay this charge to us for the table, you can do that.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Members who do not want to pay the conference registration fee may still attend the business sessions of each Association – but not the training sessions. There is absolutely no admittance to training sessions without payment of the registration fee. Again this year, although it has not been confirmed, certificates should be provided to attendees.
We have tried to give as much advance information about the conference as we possibly can for your convenience in adding costs to budgets, but it is still early-on in the planning stages at this point (February) so most things are still pending. As planning progresses over the next few months we will provide more information on training classes, host-sponsored functions and other conference details.
As information is confirmed, an agenda will be included in future publications, and on our website. Once this publication reaches you, our website should be secure for accepting credit cards for registration.
JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT WE ARE GOING TO THE ‘CONFERENCE CITY’…..ATHENS!You don’t want to miss it.
PRE-CONFERENCE CLASS REGISTRATION/INFORMATION
Pre-Conference classes are being held on Tuesday and Wednesday, and there is a registration fee for that as well (separate from the regular conference registration fee) and a registration form to attend those classes. There is a $35 fee per class per day ($70 if you attend both days). The registration form is included in this issue and can be found at our website. You do not have to be registered for the conference to attend the pre-conference classes.
The Training & Education Committee has scheduled two “HOT’Topic classes for the Pre-Conference days, on Tuesday and Wednesday. One will be a two-day hazardous materials class, and one will be a two-day ISO Grading Process Class. Details:
TWO-DAY HAZARDOUS MATERIALS CLASS
Location: Athens/Clarke Co Training Center, 155 Paradise Blvd, Athens
Class Description:
Day One- Norfolk Southern will have rail car and locomotive simulators brought to Athens-Clarke County Fire Department Training Center. The first day will be classroom training about rails, locomotives, railway fires, locomotive fires, and the pitfalls of these. The day will conclude with some hands-on fondling of the rail cars, valves, tanks, etc. This is entirely by Norfolk Southern.
Registration Fee – Day One - $35
Day Two – This will be focused more toward extrication into rail. We will not get to cut/pry locomotives, etc., but will be able to use what we learned and apply some of that to extrication principles. This will conducted by Municipal Emergency Services (MES).
Registration Fee – Day Two - $35
PRE-CONFERENCE CLASS # 2:
TWO-DAY ISO GRADING PROCESS CLASS
Location: Athens/Clarke County Government Center, 120 Dougherty Street, Athens.
Class Description:
In this important course you will learn about ISO’s fire protection rating process. It includes a historical perspective of previous grading schedules and an overview of the current Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS). All grading items and the individual weighting assignments in Fire Alarm, Fire Department and Water Supply will be covered. The establishment of Needed Fire Flows and their importance throughout the grading process will be emphasized. Public Protection Class (PPC) 9 and Individual Property Suppression Evaluations as well as Alternative Water Supplies will be explained. Also discussed will be the new PPC classification Class 8B. Participants will also receive a copy of the FSRS and be shown the tools ISO can provide in preparation for an evaluation. Ample time will be reserved for questions and answers.
Registration Fee – Day One - $35 Registration Fee – Day Two - $35
CONFERENCE TRAINING CLASSES
Conference scheduled training classes will be held Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and will be held at the Classic Center. Although the ‘final touches’ have not yet been put on these classes, Lanier Swafford has given a brief overview of some of the topics you can expect to be on the training and education agenda:
Conference sessions will address our ‘team players’ who make our team a success
and individual drills that help us succeed as well. Topics will include teamwork involving education, investigation, fitness, building construction (in a new and exciting way you may
have never considered),working together – doing more with less, firefighting in the
airport setting, air management, an introduction to the FLAMES program, rapid intervention,
safety and survival and much, much more!”
As these training classes are developed and confirmed, they will be announced in future publications and on our website.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
A Nomination for office form is available for download click here. Members who wish to run for office must submit their name/candidacy by May 15th to the GSFA Office. A credentials form is also available at the website.
TENTATIVE CONFERENCE AGENDA
AUGUST 4 – 8, 2009
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TUESDAY
8/4
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WEDNESDAY
8/5
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THURSDAY
8/6
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FRIDAY
8/7
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SATURDAY
8/8
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7 TO 8 AM
CLASS REGISTRATION
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7 TO 8 AM
CLASS REGISTRATION
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7 TO 8 AM
REGISTRATION CONTINUED
BREAKFAST
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7 TO 8 AM
BREAKFAST
8 TO 9 AM
GSFA BUSINESS SESSION
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7 TO 8 AM
BREAKFAST
8 TO 9 AM
GAFC BUSINESS SESSION
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8 TO 12
PRE-CONFERENCE CLASSES
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8 TO 12
PRE-CONFERENCE CLASSES
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8 TO 9 AM
MEMORIAL SERVICE
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EXHIBIT HALL VIEWING
9:15 TO 10:15 AM
MAIN TRAINING SESSION
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8 TO 12:00
EXHIBIT HALL VIEWING
9 TO 10:30 AM
GSFA BUSINESS SESSION
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12 TO 1
LUNCH ON OWN
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GOLF & BOWLING REGISTRATION/EVENTS
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9 TO 9:30 AM
COFFEE BREAK
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10:15 TO 10:30 AM
COFFEE BREAK
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10:30 TO 10:45 AM
COFFEE BREAK
10:45 TO 11:45 AM
TRAINING SESSION
TRACK 1 AND 2
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1 TO 5
PRE-CONFERENCE CLASSES CONTINUED
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CONFERENCE REGISTRATION
EXHIBIT SET-UP
AUXILIARY SET-UP
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9:30 – 11:30 AM
OFFICIAL OPENING OF JOINT CONFERENCE
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
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10:30 TO 11:30 AM
TRAINING SESSION
TRACK 1 AND 2
11:30 TO 12:30 PM
WORKING LUNCHEON
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12:00 TO 1:00 PM
WORKING LUNCHEON
1:00 TO 2 PM
TRAINING SESSION
TRACK 1 AND 2
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1 TO 5
PRE-CONFERENCE CLASSES CONTINUED
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11:45 – 12:45 PM
WORKING LUNCHEON
(SPEAKER)
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12:30 TO 1:30 PM
TRAINING SESSION
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2:15 TO 2:30 PM
AFTERNOON BREAK
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6 TO 7 PM
WELCOME RECEPTION
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12:45 – 1:45 PM
GAFC BUSINESS SESSION
EXHIBIT HALL VIEWING
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1:30 TO 2:30 PM
GAFC BUSINESS SESSION
2:30 TO 3:30 PM
TRAINING SESSION
TRACK 1 AND 2
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2:30 TO 3:30 PM
TRAINING SESSION
3:30 TO 4:00 PM
AFTERNOON BREAK
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2:00 TO 3:30 PM
GSFA BUSINESS SESSION
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3:30 TO 3:45 PM
AFTERNOON BREAK
3:45-5:15 PM
TRAINING SESSION
TRACK 1 AND 2
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4:15 TO 5:00 PM
CLOSING SESSION/SPEAKER
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3:30 TO 3:45 PM
AFTERNOON BREAK
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5:15 PM
ADJOURN
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5:00 PM
ADJOURN
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3:45 TO 5:15 PM
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6:30 PM
CHILD CARE/DINNER
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TRAINING CLASSES –TRACK 1 AND 2
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7 PM
ANNUAL BANQUET
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5:15 PM
ADJOURN
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TOTAL TRAINING:
8 HOURS
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TOTAL TRAINING:
8 HOURS
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TOTAL TRAINING:
4.5 HOURS
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TOTAL TRAINING:
6.5 HOURS
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TOTAL TRAINING:
4.5 HOURS
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