FDIC International and the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) will “Reducing Cancer Risks for the Fire Service” on April 27, 2017 at 10:30 AM in the 500 Ballroom at the Indiana Convention Center. Presented by Gavin Horn, director of research at the Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI), the presentation will review the results from a recent project between IFSI Resarch, UL FSRI, and NIOSH as they relate to cancer prevention. Through the project, the group developed a deeper understanding of the cardiovascular and chemical exposure risks associated with firefighting activities. This presentation will review the critical results from those efforts with a focus on the impact of personal protective equipment (PPE) and equipment used by firefighters operating in different roles on the fireground, including interior firefighting as well as how offgassing PPE and equipment can cross contaminate the interior of a fire apparatus cab. Horn will discuss policy implication from this study as well as means to reduce exposures to these risks, including decon.

Attendees will be entered for a chance to win a Fire-Dex H41 Interceptor™. Attendance is necessary to be eligible to win.

Gavin Horn has served as the IFSI director of research since 2004, immediately after receiving is PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). He is a volunteer firefighter/engineer with the Savoy (IL) Fire Department, where he was named the 2011 Firefighter of the Year. He teaches traditional engineering at the University of Illinois, where he was awarded an M&IE Alumni board Teaching Fellowship and was named to the UIUC “List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by Their Students” five times. He has a senior research scientist position at Illinois. He is a member of the National Fire Protection Association’s Technical Committee on Special Operations Clothing & Equipment and the advisory board for UL’s Firefighter Safety Research Institute.

Reducing Cancer Risks for the Fire Service

Thursday, April 27th

10:30 AM

500 Ballroom

Left inset: Deputy Chief Shawn Hanson and Bob Norton. Center: Bob Norton, Lieutenant Michael Cruz, Deputy Chief Shawn Hanson, and Battalion Chief Matt Trent. Right inset: Chief Kingman Schuldt and Bob Norton.

Tenzinga awarded its first Excellence in Leadership Award to leaders of the Greater Naples (FL) Fire Rescue District on Feb. 24, 2017, at the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District Awards Banquet. The awards were given to Battalion Chief Andy Krajewski, Battalion Chief Matt Trent, Lieutenant Mike Cruz, and Deputy Chief Shawn Hanson. Deputy Chief Shawn Hanson received the Tenzinga Excellence in Leadership for overall leadership.

The awards were determined based on a number of factors, including an online survey from all employees who nominated the top leader, a Tenzinga audit of all leaders using the Tenzinga Employee Performance Management system, and input from Fire Chief Kingman Schuldt. 

Tenzinga Excellence in Leadership Award criteria includes:

• Leaders who empower employees most effectively this year 
• Utilization of Tenzinga 
• Individual departmental impact
• Special circumstances of demonstrated leadership

Deputy Chief Hanson was recognized as the overall top leader for the Tenzinga Excellence in Leadership Award because of her department’s recognition of the ways she empowers employees. Feedback on Deputy Chief Hanson included:

• “Deputy Chief Hanson has a great cohesive team. She has earned the respect of her team members and she has been named Fire Marshal of the Year on 3 separate occasions for her excellent leadership abilities.”
• “Deputy Chief Hanson consistently utilized the platform to coach, mentor and lead members of her team. She has utilized Tenzinga to significantly enhance communications, transparency and teamwork within her Section.”
• “Deputy Chief Hanson provided me the guidance, leadership, time, and most of all patience in teaching me the importance on the Tenzinga program. She has shown me how important the Tenzinga program and how it could be a vital tool. Also, she is leading by example by using the program herself for her division by setting goals and entering logs. Deputy Chief Hanson encourages us on a weekly basis to provide feedback on the program and performing tasks in the program itself.”

The Greater Naples Fire Rescue District was also recognized as the Organization of the Year for the Tenzinga Excellence in Leadership Award.

“Chief Kingman Schuldt has exemplified what great leadership looks like in his commitment to consistency, communication and continuous improvement. The leaders of Greater Naples Fire Rescue District consistently work with their employees to be the best in their various positions and roles within the department,” said Bob Norton, Tenzinga CEO/Founder. “The accountability and follow up of the leaders in relationship to their teams has been outstanding. Tenzinga is honored to have given their first Tenzinga Excellence in Leadership Award to the leaders of Greater Naples Fire Rescue District.”

More: tenzinga.com