(via Nicole Swanson, CARLI)
The CARLI Preservation Committee is pleased to invite you to join a Professional Development Alliance (PDA) webinar “Working with Fire Professionals”, presented by Chief John High of the Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI) on Tuesday, January 25, from 2:00 to 3:00 PM CDT. This program, described fully below, will look at identifying fire hazards, how to prevent them, and how the fire department will respond to the call. This program supports the CARLI Preservation Committee’s efforts to share information throughout 2021-2022 regarding preparing for and responding to Disasters & Emergencies.
“Working with Fire Professionals” is an introduction to what fire departments do with a special look at Fire Prevention activities. The first step in fighting a fire is to prevent the fire from ever occurring. Firefighters face a variety of hazards as they battle a burning building besides the heat and smoke. There are collapses of ceilings and walls, holes burned through the floors and live electrical and gas lines.
When a fire occurs, the results are often devastating to a family or business. Many items are not replaceable and for a business to be closed due to a fire can be a permanent closure.
People do not always understand how everyday items can help start a fire and how fast a fire can develop. This program will look at identifying fire hazards, how to prevent them, and how the fire department will respond to the call. The fire service goal is to protect life and property.
Chief John High, Sr., serves as the Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI) Fire Investigation and Fire Prevention Training program manager. John is responsible for scheduling classes, cultivating new instructors and assuring the program continues to meet all state and national training standards. Chief High also oversees an expansion of the prevention component as part of IFSI outreach.
Chief High joined IFSI field staff in 2003. He has been affiliated since 1994 with the Lynch Fire Protection District and currently serves as a Trustee. He retired from that department as Assistant Chief. Concurrently, Chief High served on the Danville Fire Department beginning in 1978 and retiring in 2012 as Assistant Chief.
Chief High is a member of the International Association of Arson Investigators and the National Fire Protection Association. He attended Parkland College and earned an Associate’s Degree in Fire Science. Chief High holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Fire Management from the Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
The Illinois Fire Service Institute is the statutory State Fire Academy for Illinois. In addition to training provided at its Champaign campus, the Institute offers one-day hands-on classes for fire departments at Regional Training Centers and local fire stations across the State. The mission of the Illinois Fire Service Institute is to help firefighters do their work through training, education, information and research.
Please register for the event here. Send any questions to CARLI Support, at support@carli.illinois.edu.