Instructor: LJay Geist
Class: Tailboard Leadership

This class was created after dealing with both good and bad leadership in the fire service. What started out as a discussion with a good friend quickly turned into an opportunity to present a lecture at the Mid-America FOOLS Conference in Oklahoma City in October of 2021. Since then, I have had the opportunity to present this lecture in six different states.

This lecture discusses the importance of informal leadership at the firefighter level, all the way to formal leadership through Company Officers and Chiefs. It’s a great lecture to open the eyes of many departments to the importance of informal leadership, training, and equipping the future of the fire service with great leaders.

It’s up to every one of us to lead the way. Whether around the firehouse or on the battleground, our mission matters. That starts with good leadership at every level within your organization. Every person of every rank is sure to take something valuable away from this class.

Instructor: Logan Watts
Class: Built, Not Bought: Fire Service Leadership

Leadership in the fire service isn’t complicated, but we sure make it complicated. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. Career, volunteer, and combination departments live in different operational realities, and leadership must fit their department, members, and the community they serve.

This class introduces “Who’s First Leadership”, a simple, fire-service-driven philosophy built on three pillars: Mindset, Vision, and Composure. “Who’s First Leadership” cuts through the noise and focuses on clear, accountable leadership that drives the firehouse to become one that aligns with what your community expects and deserves.

You’ll learn how to identify and implement training based on probabilities, not possibilities, so your department prepares for the emergencies you are most likely to face — not the ones that just look good on paper or are fun to train on. The goal is simple: Understand the WHY.

This isn’t theory, buzzwords, or recycled leadership quotes. It’s built on real failures, real wins, real people, and hard lessons learned on both the volunteer and career side of the fire service, focused on building crews that are ready when it counts.

Fair City Fire Conference

Hosted By Huron Fire and South Dakota Firefighter Association