Acts of violence against firefighters and EMS personnel are on the rise, and Tucson became the setting for such an attack on July 18, 2021. This presentation will examine acts of violence against first responders, take participants through an in-depth review of Tucson Fire's experience on July 18, 2021 and the in the days following, and we will examine lessons learned. The program will also share the perspectives of the Fire Chief having to navigate through the emotions and incident review with department personnel, family members, elected and appointed officials, the media, and the community as a whole.
Learning Objectives:
Provide awareness of the history of violence against firefighters and the trends in recent years.
A "lessons learned" review through impactful audio & video of the incident dynamics, to include elements of fire service leadership and tact that a chief may never expect to have to draw on.
Awareness of things that any chief can do to better prepare their department for an act of violence, so that when it occurs the personal and organizational response is as coherent and organized as it can be under the circumstances.