Webinar: SHSS Virtual Training by International Association of Fire Chiefs

About this Series

Welcome to the Safety, Health, and Survival Section’s virtual 2022-2023 training. The trainings included in this offer cover a wide range of topics, including assembling a peer support team, cardiac health awareness and the benefits of early detection, the impacts of bullying on your members’ health and wellness, and how to choose the right occupational healthcare provider for your department. Watch one training that particularly stands out to you or watch them all – the training format allows you to choose the trainings that will make the biggest impact in your department’s health, safety, and wellness programs. We invite your feedback on the trainings you have watched as well as any ideas for future trainings. We hope you enjoy the presentations!

Meet The Presenters

David Emanuel

Durham Fire Department, Chief

Dave is a career Fire Chief in Durham, New Hampshire on the campus of the University of New Hampshire, has served on the SHSS Board since 2021, and is a lifetime member of the Stratham Volunteer Fire Department. Dave has contributed to the SHSS with his work on the IAFC Bullying Behavior Prevention Taskforce since 2017 and chaired the Taskforce since 2019. Dave is credentialed as a Chief Fire Officer by the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE), a graduate of the NFA Executive Fire Officer Program, an Incident Safety Officer, and holds bachelor’s degrees in business administration and Civil Engineering and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of New Hampshire. He is an instructor for the NH Fire Academy and a nationally recognized leadership speaker. https://www.ci.durham.nh.us/fire
Kepra Jack

HeartFit For Duty, RN, BSN

Kepra Jack was an Emergency Room Nurse and Paramedic Educator for 15 years. Kepra has become an expert in the health and wellness of Public Safety providers and has spent the last 7 years helping build HeartFit testing and education programs. Kepra works with various fire departments and law enforcement agencies across Arizona and Massachusetts to educate members on relevant health risks specific to their jobs. Kepra works continuously to expand the scope of the HeartFit program to identify key partners in the healthcare community to help develop early detection programs that focus on Cancer and Cardiac risk. Sitting on the multiple NFPA committees gives Kepra the insight of changes to help direct the programs to keep our First Responders healthy.
Chief Todd LeDuc

Life Scan Wellness Centers and IAFC SHS Section Board Member

Chief LeDuc earned a master’s degree in Executive Fire Service Leadership, Fellow status in the Institute of Fire Engineers and has been designated as a Chief Fire Officer since 2001. Chief LeDuc served as a Lieutenant, Captain, District Chief, Assistant, Deputy Chief and Executive assistant chief before retiring in June of 2019 after 29 ½ years of service with Broward County Fire Rescue. He has long served as a peer reviewer for the Center for Public Safety Excellence for both agency accreditation and professional credentialing. He has also served as an associate consultant with ESCI, participating in numerous fire department master and strategic plans, department evaluations and consolidation feasibility studies. He has represented the IAFC as a FEMA AFG, R & D and SAFER grant peer reviewer as well as serving on the advisory board of the First Responder Center of Excellence. In June of 2019, Chief LeDuc joined Life Scan Wellness Centers as their Chief Strategy Officer. Life Scan Wellness Centers is the Nation’s largest provider of comprehensive annual public safety physicals.

https://lifescanwellness.com/
Chief Gary Ludwig

Champaign Fire Department and IAFC Past President

Gary Ludwig is recognized as a respected national fire and EMS leader, author, public speaker, and expert who has managed two award-winning metropolitan EMS systems (Memphis and St. Louis) and an ISO Class 1 fire department. He has pioneered many concepts which are now standard practice in fire and EMS systems today. Chief Ludwig has over 45 years of fire, rescue and EMS experience - and over 43 years’ experience as a paramedic. He currently serves as the fire chief of Champaign, Illinois and was President and Chairman of the Board of the International Association of Fire Chiefs during the 2019-20 term. In 2022, he was appointed by FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell to the National Advisory Council for FEMA.

http://garyludwig.com/about-gary-ludwig.html
Tad Parks

Washington Township Fire Department, Lieutenant

Lieutenant Tad Parks grew up in the fire service with a family of fire officers and started as an explorer with Washington Township Fire Department (Montgomery County) in 2009. He was hired as a part-paid volunteer in 2010 then progressed through part-time and full-time firefighter ranks, while concurrently working three years for Sugarcreek Township Fire Department (Greene County). He currently serves as a lieutenant on the department’s rescue engine, Region 3 Strike Team member and the peer support coordinator for Washington Township. In 2021, he published an article, "Success and Pitfall of Peer Support Groups", for the OFCA In Command Magazine.

Learn more at https://www.washingtontwp.org/services/fire_ems
Katherine Ridenhour

Aurora Fire Department, Battalion Chief (Ret.)

Katherine T. Ridenhour is a 30-year member of the fire service, retiring as a Battalion Chief from the Aurora (CO) Fire Rescue, CO as well as 5 years with her hometown fire department. Katherine has an extensive teaching background including national conferences, metro and volunteer departments and the DoD. She is long time member of the IAFC Bullying Prevention Task Force. Katherine is a passionate advocate for consistent, competent and confident leadership on and off the fireground.
Eric Valliere

Scottsdale Fire Department, Assistant Fire Chief, and Fire Department Safety Officers Association, Chairman

Eric Valliere has been an active member of the Fire Service for the past 30 years. He started as a Firefighter with the Mesa Fire Department (AZ) in 1991 and came to the Scottsdale Fire Department (AZ) (SFD) as a Battalion Chief in 2005. During his career, he has worked in and managed all areas of the Fire Department, and currently holds the rank of Assistant Fire Chief over Emergency Services, managing Operations, EMS, and Safety. Assistant Fire Chief Valliere has been serving on the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) Board since 2013 and currently serves as the Chair. He is very engaged in the Phoenix regional automatic-aid committees and Fire Department Labor-Management Teams. Currently, Chief Valliere is the Co-Chair of the regional Valley Safety Officers (VSO) committee, the Co-Chair of the Regional Operations Consistency Committee (ROCC), the Lead AZ State Advocate for the NFFF’s EGH program, and a member of the IAFC Safety Health & Survival Section.

https://fdsoa.org/
IAFC Webinars

This Series Has 6 Sections

Introducing a Peer Support Team

Tuesday, February 14, 2023 · 11:00 AM EST

Start this section
Surviving Cancer, Cardiac and Behavioral Stressors with Prevention & Early Detection

Tuesday, February 14, 2023 · 11:30 AM EST

Start this section
If You Don’t Feel Well, Don’t Make It Your Farewell Cardiac Awareness

Tuesday, February 14, 2023 · 11:30 AM EST

Start this section
Bullying’s Impact on Health and Wellness

Tuesday, February 14, 2023 · 2:00 PM EST

Start this section
ISOs and Safety Program

Tuesday, February 14, 2023 · 2:30 PM EST

Start this section
What to Look For In An Occupational Health Provider

Tuesday, February 14, 2023 · 2:30 PM EST

Start this section

START SERIES