800+ emergency responders gather for Leadership Symposium

The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service is presenting the 2013 Leadership Development Symposium Jan. 14 – 16 in Frisco, Texas. A cadre of top-notch speakers will provide up-to-date information on leadership, management, safety, budgeting and other relevant topics. The theme for the symposium, which is conducted by TEEX Emergency Services Training Institute (ESTI), is “Take Charge.”

The symposium is part of the TEEX Leadership Development Program and funded by Texas general revenue. There is no admission charge for Texas resident firefighters, and sessions are geared to meet continuing education requirements for Texas fire officers and EMS personnel. Last year, the conference drew a record attendance from Texas as well as 14 other states and two countries. The conference is popular with Texas fire chiefs as well as administrators from a wide spectrum of emergency services.

Presenters at the Symposium this year include former Dallas Cowboy Drew Pearson; Captain (Ret.) James Chinn from Fairfax County (VA) Fire & Rescue and Los Angeles Fire Department Battalion Chief Joseph Castro; Chief Bruce Woods with the Texas A&M Forest Service; Chief Steve Bass of the Grapevine Fire Department; Chief Kevin Richardson with the Coppell Fire Department; Dr. Michael Kinney with Texas A&M University; Commandant of Corps of Cadets, Texas A&M University Brig. Gen. Joe E. Ramirez, Jr.; Chief Nim Kidd, Texas Division of Emergency Management and Colonel (Ret.) John Antal, U.S. Army among others.

Media Opportunity: Tuesday Jan. 15 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Interested media have the opportunity to experience driving a variety of emergency vehicles responding to a call with the MPRI FireSim™. The MPRI FireSim™ is just like sitting in the driver’s seat of a fire truck, special operations vehicle, or command vehicle. It has forward and side views, an instrument panel and various controls including all the operations of a fire truck. Even the rear view mirrors are adjustable, and the steering wheel has vibrations and resistance feedback when a curb is hit or a flat tire occurs. The simulation can also be customized to make it rain, snow, produce darkness and fog. Practically any kind of driving condition can be simulated and changed as a student traverses the city, suburbs, highways, and rural areas.