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2024 Annual ConferenceLeading Into the FutureMarch 19-22, 2024 | Waco Convention Center, Waco, TXKeynote Speakers12 Strong: An Extraordinary Mission of Commitment, Purpose, Heroism and HopeMark Nutsch - Maj. Mark Nutsch, US Army Special Forces, Ret.
Leadership: What Matters MostThurl Baily - Professional Speaker, Broadcast Analyst, Actor, and Award Winning Singer/Song Writer
Preventing Targeted ViolenceIsaac Alvarado - Lieutenant, San Antonio Fire DepartmentJosh Thomas - TFO/Detective, FBI San Antonio/SAPD BTAGCoordinator for San Antonio Police Dept. Behavioral Threat Assessment Group and Task Force Officer with FBI JTTF Sam Ukeiley - Special Agent, FBISpecial Agent and Threat Management Coordinator assigned to the FBI San Antonio Joint Terrorism Task Force Abstract - Download Presentation 1 | Download Presentation 2Preventing Targeted Violence through the Threat Assessment and Management Process. Lithium Ion Panel DiscussionDavid Coatney - Agency Director/CEO, Texas A&M Engineering Extension ServiceDavid Coatney has nearly forty years of experience in public safety and currently serves as the Agency Director/CEO of the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX). Chris Greene - Captain (Ret), Seatle Fire DepartmentGordon Lohmeyer - Division Director, Texas A&M Engineering Extension ServiceDalan Zartman - COO, Energy Security AgencyAbstract - Download Presentation 1 | Download Presentation 2 | Download Presentation 3The Future of the Fire and Emergency ServicesDenis Onieal, Dr. - Principal, Onieal and AssociatesAs the Deputy United States Fire Administrator, Dr. Denis Onieal was the senior career federal fire official responsible for the day-to-day operation of the United States Fire Administration (USFA) — the annual training of over 140,000 first responders at and through the National Fire Academy; the National Fire Incident Reporting System, which documents and analyzes 28 million fire department emergency responses a year; the USFA’s fire prevention, public information and public education programs; and the 26 campus buildings and the grounds of the historic National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland. AbstractThe future of the fire and emergency services is here! And the leaders and organizations best prepared are the ones who will survive and flourish. Breakout Session SpeakersCultural Attitudes and How it Affects UsDaniel DeYear - Deputy Chief, Dallas Fire-Rescue DepartmentDaniel DeYear is originally from the Bronx in New York City. As 45-year veteran of the fire service beginning in the northeast, he served the past 32 years with the Dallas Fire Department, where he recently retired as a Deputy Chief. Daniel had been a paramedic for more than 20 years, a Driver-Engineer, Engine Company Lieutenant, Fire Academy Commander, Truck Company Captain, Battalion Chief, and Section Chief before being appointed as a Deputy Chief. As a Deputy Chief he served in the following capacities: Division Chief of Training, Fire Marshal, Emergency Response Field Deputy, and eventually the Chief of the EMS Division. Speaking to your City Council/BoardMackenzie Kelly - City Council Member, City of AustinCouncil Member Mackenzie Kelly was elected to serve the people of Austin City Council District 6. An Austin native, volunteer firefighter, police advocate, and health care worker, Council Member Mackenzie Kelly has embraced a lifetime of public service. She is grateful to the voters of District 6 for allowing her to work to represent them well in this pivotal moment in Austin’s history. Data Driven DecisionsJoe Beauchamp - The Brigade Management Inc.Filling the Gap: Using Community Health Paramedics to Reduce Repetitive CallersRob Luckritz - Chief, Austin-Travis County EMSRobert Luckritz has been in EMS for more than 25 years, serving many roles including Paramedic, instructor, field supervisor, EMS Chief, and hospital leader. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Transformative Healthcare, a multi-state EMS, Medical Transportation, and Public Health organization in New England. Robert previously served as the Chief and Executive Director of Jersey City Medical Center EMS, the exclusive EMS provider for Jersey City and Medical-911 and paramedic provider for Hudson County, which responds to more than 100,000 911 requests annually and serves 700,000 residents. Through his tenure as EMS Chief, Robert led the organization and its 500+ providers through significant growth despite organizational and political upheaval. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Robert served as Vice President of Hospital Operations for a major metro-NYC academic medical center. Abstract - Download PresentationWith exponentially increasing Call Volume, the impact of Repetitive Callers is having a worsening impact on Ambulance Availability and Provider Burn Out. Learn how Austin’s Community Health Program is using a focused approach to addressing Social Determinates of Health. Explore how assigning EMS providers to proactively address Homelessness, Mental Health and Substance Abuse can reduce call volume and break the cycle of Repetitive Callers. See first hand how Austin’s unique program has reduced the use of Law Enforcement on Mental Health calls by 95% and navigated more than 50% of Opiate overdoses into long-term care. Fire Chief and Fire Marshal Shared ResponsibilitiesKelly Kistner - Fire Marshal, City of FriscoLes Stephens, CPM, CFO, EFO, CFE, and FSCEO - Fire Chief, City of San MarcosLes Stephens, a 34+ year veteran of the fire service, is the chief of the San Marcos Fire Department, where he has proudly served for over twelve years. Previously, he worked for the Garland Fire Department for 18 years, rising through the ranks to battalion chief, before leaving to become the chief in San Marcos. Managing Personnel Risks and Litigation Prevention: Never More Difficult Than TodayMike McCall - President, MJ ConsultingMike McCall has provided employment practices risk management training and consultation to over 700 separate emergency services organizations in Texas and around the country. Mike specializes in helping organizations best prevent, identify and properly respond to personnel exposures like harassment, discrimination, retaliation and wrongful termination. Mike was recognized as Phi Beta Kappa at the University of Oklahoma, where he also earned his Juris Doctor degree. AbstractIt has never been harder for emergency services professionals to manage human relations risks and litigation exposures, such as workplace harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination. Leaders must navigate varying opinions, positions and approaches on issues like diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and critical race theory (CRT). The Fire Service Culture Change DilemmaDaniel (Danny) T. Kistner, Dr. - Doctor of Liberal Studies, Fire Chief (ret.), DTK Consulting, LLCDanny Kistner was conferred a Doctor of Liberal Studies degree from Southern Methodist University, Dallas TX. He earned his Master’s degree from Oklahoma State University and undergraduate from Western Oregon University. He received a fellowship to Harvard’s Kennedy School, Senior Executives in State and Local Government program, Cambridge MA in 2011. He is a Fellow with the Institute of Fire Engineers, a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer program at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg MD, and held the Chief Fire Officer designation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence since 2006. He was a Board member for the IAFC’s Safety Health and Survival Section for 10 years and was a past president of the Texas Fire Chief’s Association. Daniel served on the Community Relations Council for the North Texas Job Corps, Advisory Committee for the non-profit One Heart McKinney charitable foundation, and was past president and 3-time Paul Harris Fellow with the McKinney Rotary Club. Danny Kistner is the Lead Coordinator for Fire Programs Outreach and Education with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, an Adjunct Instructor for Executive Programs with TEEX, Associate Vice President of Recruitment Services for Clear Career Professionals, and the owner of DTK Consulting, LLC. AbstractCalls for culture change in the fire service are decades old. Line of duty deaths and injuries were on the decline but now seem to be increasing when cancer, suicide and COVID are included in the determining criteria. High risk behaviors and self-sacrificing attitudes may be contributing factors. Additional factors that contribute to the overall health and wellness of firefighters are discussed. Introduced in this session is the fire service culture change dilemma, a quandary faced by adaptive leaders when choosing to make adaptive changes within their organization and the potential consequences from no action. This is a timely and relevant discussion of critical issues for fire service leaders now and into the future. Attendee participation in the discussion is encouraged. A Fire Chief and a Medical Director Walk into a BarTaylor Ratcliff, Dr. - Medical Director, Williamson County Emergency Medical Services (EMS)Dr. Ratcliff is an emergency medicine physician at Baylor Scott and White Medical Center - Temple. He attended medical school at Texas Tech University Health Science Center and completed his residency in emergency medicine through the Texas A&M emergency medicine residency program in Temple. He is board certified in emergency medicine and emergency medical services by the American Board of Emergency Medicine Services. Dr. Ratcliff serves as medical director for other local agencies. He began his career in medicine as a paramedic in Lubbock. Abstract - Download PresentationThis hour will be an interactive discussion between participants hosted by the presenter regarding emergency medical services issues affecting the fire service. The presenter will have some pre-prepared topics but encourages all participants to think about EMS related issues they have within their agencies that might promote robust discussion. TFCA Best PracticesPaul Henley - Fire Chief, City of Flower MoundNeil Howard - Fire Chief, Rowlett Fire DepartmentFire Service Budgeting and Finance - Part I & IILes Stephens, CPM, CFO, EFO, CFE, and FSCEO - Fire Chief, City of San MarcosLes Stephens, a 34+ year veteran of the fire service, is the chief of the San Marcos Fire Department, where he has proudly served for over twelve years. Previously, he worked for the Garland Fire Department for 18 years, rising through the ranks to battalion chief, before leaving to become the chief in San Marcos. Abstract - Download PresentationLeadership - Building New ProgramsJason Tharp, FSCEO, CFE, ECO - Division Chief, Community Risk ReductionJason Tharp started his career in the fire service in 2006. He is a certified TCFP Master Structural Firefighter, Instructor III, Fire Officer IV, Incident Safety Officer, Wildland Firefighter, Advanced Fire Investigator, Driver Operator – Pumper, Driver Operator – Aerial, and Fire and Life Safety Educator II as well as an EMT Basic. Abstract - Download PresentationAre you feeling overwhelmed by the concept of Community Risk Reduction? Do you find yourself unsure of where to even begin, let alone how to fund it? Perhaps you've even encountered resistance from your crew. You're not alone. In this session, I will provide you with the motivation and tools you need to lead your department towards a more innovative and proactive future. Remember, leadership is not defined by the color of your helmet, but by your ability to inspire change at every level. EMS ComplienceKevin Fairlie, JD,MHA - Attorney, EMS Compliance, LLC/Fairlie Law, LLCKevin is a national healthcare attorney who has specialized in representing Fire and EMS organizations across the country for more than 20 years. His expertise is in complex federal investigations led by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the DHHS. He also has significant experience representing Fire/EMS organizations with Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigations; state licensing board investigations; Medicare/Medicaid cost report audits; and the full spectrum of legal matters facing EMS and Fire entities. Kevin has served as CEO and Chief Compliance Office to national and regional EMS organizations and is outside counsel to numerous Fire, EMS and Air Ambulance operators. He has spoken to thousands of Fire Chiefs and EMS leaders over the years, is a frequent guest lecturer at national conferences and his articles on legal matters are published regularly in national Fire and EMS publications. Kevin earned his law degree and Master of Healthcare Administration degree from the University of Missouri. He is Counsel and Executive Advisor to EMS Compliance, LLC and is the Founding Member of Fairlie Law, LLC. He can be contacted through www.emscompliance.com or www.fairliellc.com. Anthony W. Minge, Ed.D. - Senior Partner, Fitch & AssociatesDr. Anthony Minge is a Senior Partner with Fitch & Associates where he coordinates the firm’s educational offerings and is responsible for the firm’s reimbursement, compliance and membership consulting services. Dr. Minge serves as the program co-chair for the Pinnacle Leadership Forum and as the partner responsible for the Ambulance Service Manager and Communications Center Managers certification programs. Anthony has an extensive background in healthcare finance specializing in managing billing and collections functions in multiple areas including hospital and ground and air medical transport. Prior to joining the firm, he was the business manager for one of the largest air medical programs in the Pacific Northwest and one of the nation’s busiest pediatric specialty transport services. He has been directly involved in the development and management of ground and air services for hospital based and stand-alone ambulance services. Dr. Minge’s involvement in EMS industry education is extensive and he has authored multiple articles for EMS periodicals and is a nationally recognized speaker. Anthony earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, Texas, an MBA in Strategic Leadership from Amberton University in Garland, Texas, and a Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership from Argosy University, Dallas, Texas. Abstract - Download PresentationDuring this seminar, Fitch & Associates' Senior Partner, Anthony Minge, Ed. D., along with EMS attorney and compliance expert, Kevin Fairlie, JD, MHA, will discuss the increasing and significant legal risks facing Fire-based EMS and the concrete steps you should take now to minimize your potential liability. |
As portrayed by actor Chris Hemsworth in the major motion picture, 12 Strong, Mark Nutsch (aka Mitch Nelson in the film) shares lessons learned in the now-declassified saga of a U.S. Special Forces team that overcame seemingly insurmountable odds to help achieve a historic military victory. 
Thurl Bailey attended North Carolina State University and was a key player in the 'Wolfpacks' miracle run to the 1983 NCAA Championship. That same year, Thurl led NC State in both scoring and rebounds. The Utah Jazz drafted Thurl in 1983 as the 7th pick of the draft. Jazz management reported that he was selected for the quality of his character, as well as, the quality of his game. This was the beginning of 16 years of his playing professional basketball, 12 of those years were with the NBA.