Nine Cuba Fire volunteers attended the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) International in Indianapolis to take part in operations training, industry networking, and market education during the week of April 24th.
Chief Rick Romero, Assistant Chief Linda Morales, Captains Bobby Gutierrez, Daniel Gutierrez, and Ben Yeargin were joined by Recruitment & Retention Specialist Loretta Hidalgo and volunteers Anna Sepulveda-Romero, Justine Gutierrez, and Carey Beam.
Cuba Fire Chief Rick Romero and volunteer Anna Sepulveda-Romero at FDIC in Indianapolis
FDIC is North America’s largest fire event that hosted nearly 35,000 industry professionals from 75 countries and provided them with “new tools and techniques to take back to their hometown department, share with their peers and ultimately help keep their communities safe,” according to the conference website.
Cuba Fire personnel earned Continuing Education Units (CEUs) in training sessions to include Pump Operations, Rural Department Volunteer Recruitment, Empowered Leadership, GO/NO-GO, Heavy Vehicle Extrication, Public Information, Electrical Vehicle Fire Response, and Wildland Fire Data to name a few.
In addition to fire and rescue service, educational opportunities were provided for EMS such as the hands-on Cadaver Lab where participants had the opportunity to practice procedural skills such as basic airway management, direct and video laryngoscope intubation, intraosseous access, hemorrhage control, and various other prehospital emergency procedures.
Cuba Fire represented New Mexico at the memorial event that paid respects to Chief (Ret.) Bobby Halton, education director of FDIC and editor in chief of Fire Engineering, who passed unexpectedly on December 19, 2022. Chief Halton was a graduate of the University of New Mexico and began his career in structural firefighting with the Albuquerque Fire Department where he rose through the ranks to include chief of training. Chief Halton was chief of operations until his retirement from Albuquerque in 2004.
“It was an honor to stand with fire companies from around the world to celebrate the life and accomplishments of Chief Halton from our home state,” said Chief Romero. “FDIC provided us with the opportunity to represent New Mexico and the dedicated personnel who proudly serve with small rural departments like Cuba Fire.”
The New Mexico flag was included in the FDIC Honor Guard in honor of Chief Bobby Halton
The exhibition halls gave attendees the chance to get a first-hand look at the latest products, technologies and services on the market brought by over 850 exhibitors. Custom-built fire and rescue response apparatus were on display to include ladder trucks, pumpers, crew buggies, brush trucks, ambulances, ATVs, and hovercraft, as well as gear and equipment for critical operations such as extrication tools, radios, mapping and planning software, training simulators, and community notification apps.
Cuba Fire Captain Yeargin takes a moment to check the specs on a rescue hovercraft at FDIC
Cuba Fire Captains Daniel Gutierrez and Bobby Gutierrez visit the FDIC Exhibit Hall in Indianapolis
“I had a chance to talk with a number of businesses about tools that we could use at Cuba Fire to help us respond more quickly and better serve our community,” said Hidalgo who provides administrative support to Cuba Fire to include purchasing. “During the demos, I also met several chiefs from other small rural departments who told me more about their operations to give us ideas.”
Other special events at the conference attended by members of Cuba Fire included a vendor social with representatives from Albuquerque’s Artesia Fire, in addition to an open house at the Indianapolis Firefighters Museum. The American Red Cross hosted a blood drive on-site at Lucas Oil Stadium and the spirited Firefighters Pipe & Drum Brigade played throughout the week at various locations.
Antique horse drawn fire engine on display in Indianapolis for FDIC
Pumper No. 15 in Station No. 2 at the Indianapolis Firefighters Museum
The Firefighters Pipe & Drum Brigade brought the beat to FDIC
Also at the stadium, home to the Indianapolis Colts football team, attendees visited the ‘Fire Rescue Station of the Future,’ a full-scale fire station replica showing modern design concepts with advanced technologies to improve safety and efficiency to include electric apparatus, robots, drones, decontamination, command and dispatch, advanced training, well-being, and more.
FDIC exhibits and Fire Rescue Station of the Future on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium
A highlight for Cuba Fire was supporting the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb inside the 67,000-seat stadium. Captains Daniel Gutierrez and Ben Yeargin coursed through the stands to climb 110 stories, or 2,200 stairs, in honor of the 343 fallen firefighters who responded to the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. Over 500 people took part in the fundraiser that raises money for the National Fallen Firefighters Fund.
Cuba Fire Captains Daniel Gutierrez and Ben Yeargin complete the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Lucas Oil Stadium
“We need to do this again,” said Gutierrez. “This is a great way to bring our Cuba Fire team together and show what our little department can do.” Yeargin added, “FDIC events give us even more reason to train and maintain physical fitness throughout the year so we can participate in these firefighter challenges and compete with other departments from around the world.”
This was the first year that Cuba Fire attended the conference. Funding for the trip was provided by a grant for recruitment and retention, as well as a portion of the general fire department fund. Planning for 2024 attendance is under discussion and is open to all interested members of the department. As always, new volunteers are welcome to join so that they may have access to premier training opportunities and professional development such as this to help them reach their personal and career goals.