Firehouse World to Highlight Impact of Fires, Hiring Practices

Jeff Case has spent a lot of his life of helping people, but researching better ways to help firefighters and the public is where his passion lies. And that is the focus of several programs  coming up at Firehouse World.

Case, a 29-year-veteran of the Phoenix Fire Department, will lead programs on the finanical impact of fires and how to be sure that your department hires the right people from the start.

Firehouse World takes place at the San Diego Convention Center, from Jan. 25-29.

He will present "Recruiting, Selecting and Developing Your Future Firefighters" on Jan. 28 at 2 p.m.

The idea for the 90-minute session was born from his time at the training academy.

"I got to see, at every level, the people we were bringing in to the organization and it was very frustrating and challenging that we were bringing people in who were not right."

He stressed that ideal candidates don't just have superior physical abilities, but they must posses good medical skills and the ability to have compassion for the public.

"Sometimes we think we can change people...that's the misconception."

His hope is that attendees to the class will better understand personality traits and characteristics that'll serve your community for a long time.

"If you bring in the right person they are going to be an asset for 30 years. Or, if you bring the wrong person in, they'll be a thorn in your side for the next 30 years."

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On Jan. 29 at 2 p.m., Case and Captain Tim Kreis will present "The Economic Impact of Firefighting."

Case said they started digging around to find out the true cost of a fire he commanded in commercial building. Despite an aggressive attack, the fire still caused significant damage. 

So the Phoenix Fire Department teamed up with Arizona State University's Seidman Research Institute to better understand the real impact on not only the business, but the community.

"When we saw the study numbers...we didn't anticpate the numbers being as big as they were."

The overall impact was $980 million, including revenue, taxes and other expenses. Case added that the average time it takes a company to rebound from a fire is a year.

"When we come under attack, it's great that we save lives and it's great that we do all those things...on top of that, we save the communities millions and millions of dollars."

Case urged fire chiefs to bring their city managers and others who examine fire department budgets. 

"I think it's important for every rank to understand and to be comfortable to understand the value they have to the community."

Case will also be presenting "Strategic, Tactical and Task-level Considerations for Attic Fires" on Jan. 27.

You can find out more about Case's progams and others at FirehouseWorld.com.