Palm Beach State to host Great Florida Fire School
One of the state’s premier firefighter training events, The Great Florida Fire School, will be hosted for the first time by Palm Beach State College, Oct. 20-23, at the Public Safety Training Center on the Lake Worth campus, 4200 Congress Ave.
This training event is geared to Florida state firefighters with certification. Advanced registration is underway, and attendees pay a flat rate of $135 per person, whether signing up for one class or four full days. There are more than 35 courses to choose from, including live fire classes that focus on best practices in various situations, such as forcible entry, search and rescue, and hazardous materials. Verification of Florida state firefighter certification is done prior to acceptance into live fire classes, and participants must bring their own NFPA 1971 compliant turn-out gear. Firefighters are encouraged to visit the College’s GFFS website for more information and to register.
The Great Florida Fire School is a cooperative outreach effort of the Florida State Fire College and local emergency services and educators. This year’s event features a special track of leadership classes, and the keynote presentation and workshop on Oct. 20 by Billy D. Hayes and Ron Dennis will address the “Privilege of Leadership.” Through a look at case studies, participants will come away with a deeper understanding of the balance between leadership, followership, and the life and death circumstances that influence decision making.
PBSC’s 143,000-square-foot Public Safety Training Center provides an ideal setting for the event as the largest facility of its kind in Palm Beach County. Students enrolled in the College’s degree and certificate programs in Fire Science, as well as Criminal Justice, Emergency Management and Emergency Medical Services, prepare for their careers in this state-of-the-art complex, which is also a top training venue for professionals. Since its opening in 2013, the center has been the setting for FEMA disaster rescue exercises, EMS competitions and training for firefighters from Central and South America.
“The Great Florida Fire School is an opportunity for our faculty, staff and students to meet firefighters from around the state and learn from our collective expertise,” says Barbara Cipriano, associate dean for PBSC’s public safety programs.
