The conference, hosted by the International Association of Fire Chiefs, also recognized the Ohio Fire Academy with an award for excellence. Marshal Rielage has been a member of Ohio s fire service for over 29 years. He holds a Master s Degree in Public Administration from Norwich University and is a contract instructor at the National Fire Academy. Rielage is a frequent contributing author to fire service journals and magazines and is a nationally recognized lecturer on customer service and change management. This innovative program was designed to orient local, county and state officials to the rigors of the fire service.
Officials complete a day-long program, which combines classroom instruction and realistic training.
They don firefighter protective clothing and self-contained breathing apparatus to conduct search and rescue operations in a darkened maze. They also use fire extinguishers and a variety of hoses to put out small fires in an outdoor training area. Additionally, participants view an auto extrication exercise, take part in a ladder truck demonstration and receive hands-on training and exposure to other firefighting operations. Two Ohio fire departments were also recognized at the conference. For more information about the specifics of each award, please contact the respective department.