IAFC Volunteer Chief Officers Section In partnership with
Pierce Manufacturing, Inc. presents the course
"21st Century Leadership & Administration in a Volunteer or Combination Department"

The Mission of the Volunteer Chief Officers Section is to provide Chief Officers who manage volunteers within the Fire/Rescue/EMS delivery system with information, education, services, and representation to enhance their professionalism and capabilities.

Read Comments From Officers Who Have Attended The VCOS Course

Overview
The IAFC Volunteer Chief Officers Section has presented this course nationwide. It has received an excellent reception wherever it has been presented. If you are an officer or intend to be one, this course is a must. It is for you if you are concerned about being a leader that can move your department forward into the 21st century. The course covers a variety of subjects listed below in different formats, all at the choice of the host department.

There are 4 core modules and 7 elective modules in the Leadership I course and based upon student feedback during the opening session of the class the instructors make a determination of the modules that will be taught. EXAMPLE: There have been times when the students in the class stated that they did not have funding issues. In that case that module will not be covered and more time is spent in other modules. Another method of custom course design may be for the host organization to choose the presentations.

NOTE: This is a dynamic course presentation using the PowerPoint format and all modules have individual or group activities as an integral part of the module.

Core Modules

General Content Description - Approximate Time Allocation
Recruiting Volunteer Firefighters - 3 hours

Who is the potential volunteer? · Importance of writing a job description Developing a recruitment plan · Legal Issues in accepting volunteer members Why do people volunteer?

Retaining Volunteer Firefighters - 3 hours

What do you have to offer members? · C.O.A.C.H. to win
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs · Positive discipline
Categories of motivation · Providing a motivational climate

Leadership Issues in the Emergency Service - 2 hours

Selecting a chief officer · Body language of command
10 commandments of highly successful leaders · Dealing with difficult people
Building trust · Leadership by example vs. leadership by force

Marketing Your Fire Department - 3 hours

Marketing and Imaging. Targeting your audience
Importance of marketing · Dealing with the media
How to plan a marketing program · Examples of marketing tools used by other departments

Elective Modules
General Content Description - Approximate Time Allocation
Problem Solving -1 hour

Effective problem solving techniques · S.W.O.T.
Solving a problem using a problem solving system

Team Building - 1 1/2 hours

Team definition · Role of team leader
Importance of objectives and goals · Motivational techniques
Setting the right attitude

Speaking and Persuading for the Emergency Services Officer - 3 hours

Goals of communication · Organizing a presentation
Audience analysis · Listening skills
Delivering an oral presentation effectively · The art of persuasion

Customer Service - 2 hours

Definition of customer service · Common errors in customer relations
Importance of customer service · Developing a customer service strategy
Essentials of Fire Department customer service · How to have win-win situations with your customers

Alternative Funding for Department Operations - 2 hours

Tax-exempt lease purchase financing · EMS fee structure alternatives
Community development block grants · Environmental impact fees
EPA funds · Other alternative funding methods
Selling services

Budgeting for the Emergency Manager - 3 hours

Benefits of using a budget effectively · Budget trending
Developing a budget plan · Budgeting categories and codes
Presenting a budget · Determining the cost of operation

Incident Command System - 3 hours

Purpose of incident command · Divisions, groups, and sectors
Span of control · Incident command nomenclature
Incident command components · Functions of the command post

Presentation Format
The local sponsor can determine the class schedule and hours. The following are three ways the class can be presented:

• Friday evening (with or without dinner) and Saturday all day with an hour for lunch.
• Saturday all day with and hour for lunch and Sunday till 3 p.m. with an hour for lunch
• A one day Saturday class with an hour for lunch.

The local sponsor determines daily starting and ending times. The instructors will give breaks at appropriate times. VCOS needs to know what the expected audience makeup will be. The following information would be extremely helpful to the instructors:

• Are the participants from the same department or various departments?
• Are all the participants going to be chiefs or are there going to be participants who hold various ranks?
• Is the class going to be open to all that wish to attend?

Instructors
The instructors are all active chiefs. They experience many of the same challenges that many of the students do and all of them have presented at premiere conferences throughout North America. The instructors are chosen based on the particular expertise that is required by the nature of the class. The local sponsor also has the option to request specific instructors for the course.

Qualified instructors at this time are:

John Buckman
Chief of the German Township Volunteer Fire Department in Evansville, Indiana - 2nd Vice President of the International Association of Fire Chiefs - Past Chairman of the IAFC Volunteer Chief Officers Section -Author - Assistant Editor of Responder Magazine - Adjunct professor at the National Fire Academy.

Michael Chiaramonte
Past Chief of Department and current Chief Fire Inspector of the Lynbrook Volunteer Fire Department in Lynbrook , Long Island, New York - New York State EMT Critical Care Certified - Board member at large of the IAFC Volunteer Chief Officers Section - New York State Director to the IAFC Eastern Division - Assistant Editor of Responder Magazine - Instructor at the Nassau County, New York EMS Academy - Adjunct professor at the National Fire Academy.

Ken Farmer
Ken Farmer is the State Director of Fire and Rescue Training for the NC Community College System for the last 16 years. He is an adjunct instructor for the National Fire Academy. Ken has served as the Chief of a Volunteer Fire Department and is currently the Safety Officer for the Fuquay Varina Fire Department and President of their VFO.?

Peter McMahon
Deputy Chief of the Grand Island Fire Company in Grand Island, New York - Chairman of the IAFC Volunteer Chief
Officers Section - Town Supervisor, Town of Grand Island and Police Chief of Grand Island, New York - Chairman of
NFPA Technical Committee on Volunteer Fire Service Deployment.

Gary Scott
Chief of the Campbell County Volunteer/Combination Fire Department in Gillette, Wyoming - Board member at large of
the Volunteer Chief Officers Section - Chairman of the VCOS Fair Labor Standards Act Committee - Active in the Wyoming
State Fire Chiefs Association.

Tim Wall
Assistant Chief of the North Farms Fire District in Wallingford Connecticut - Vice Chairman of the IAFC Volunteer Chief
Officers Section - President of the Connecticut State Fire Chiefs Association.

Fred Windisch 
Chief of the Ponderosa Volunteer Fire Department in Houston, Texas - Volunteer Chief Officers Section's Director to the 
International Association of Fire Chiefs Board - Author of many articles in nationally recognized fire and emergency
 publications.

Reservations
If you are interested in hosting this course please contact:
Chief John Buckman
8400 St. Wendel Road
Evansville, Indiana 47720
Voice - 812-963-9077
FAX - 812-963-5622
E-mail - GermanFD@aol.com

Leadership & Administration Course Agreement

Choose one:

• Saturday and Sunday Program
• Friday and Saturday Program
• Saturday Program Only

The Volunteer Chief Officers Section Will Supply

• Instructors (2) (may have a third instructor for training purposes)
• Student Manual (VCOS will provide one (1) master copy for duplicating purposes)
• Instructional Material & Exercises
• Contact to enable host to receive 4 pertinent books provided by the United States Fire Administration

Site Location Requirements

• Video Projector with IBM computer compatibility
• Video Player with Television (minimum of 1 - 19" for each 20 students)
• Lavaliere Microphone with Sound System
• Overhead Projector
• Tables and Chairs for Students
• Podium
• 4 Flip Charts with Markers of Assorted Colors
• Breakout rooms (optional, if possible)

The Host's Responsibilities

• Marketing the course
• Any mailing costs they may be involved with the course
• Registration of participants
• Providing refreshments at breaks
• All course fees and instructor expenses will be paid by Pierce Manufacturing, Inc.
• All correspondence regarding final scheduling of courses and requirements and conditions must be in writing.
• No one shall infer or promise under any conditions that will hold the VCOS responsible without those promises being in writing.
• There will be a nonrefundable course reservation fee of $250 that will be returned to the host within 45 days after the course