An eye-opening, hands-on experience provided Poplar Bluff firefighters an opportunity to see innovations and ideas for the future when they joined thousands at the annual Fire Department Instructor Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana.
This year, Poplar Bluff Fire Chief Mike Moffitt and three members of his crew were among more than 30,000 service professionals, 800-plus exhibitors and 250-plus speakers attending the event.
“I try to attend every year and take a few other fire department members with me,” he said.
There are vendors from all over the world in attendance, Moffitt said. Every fire truck manufacturer in the U.S. had trucks on display.
“It allows us to seek out new equipment and training aids and physically put our hands on them, instead of just getting a sales pitch or viewing on the internet,” Moffitt said. “Anything that has to do with the fire service will be under one roof.”
This year, Moffitt said, “We spent most of our time researching the fire truck and the organization of the equipment on the trucks. Since storage space is always an issue we are always looking for ideas on how to maximize it on our trucks.”
Moffitt was accompanied by Toby Tuggle, Kevin Edgar and Steve Burkhead, who are captains with the local department.
Tuggle said, “Being able to attend FDIC was a great opportunity to see tools and equipment innovations and ideas for the future of our department’s firefighters.”
“Attending the FDIC was eye opening,” Edgar explained. “Beginning my career in the fire service over 24 years ago, I could not have imagined so many advancements in the technology and equipment used in the fire service and on display at the FDIC. This was my first time attending and it was an awesome was experience.”
Local firefighters agree, FDIC International offers thousands of fire and rescue professionals from around the world, quality world-class instructors, classrooms, workshops, H.O.T. Evolutions and the most innovative products and services available to the industry displayed by over 800 exhibiting companies.
They agree, the FDIC experience is more than the traditional trade show it’s about the learning and sharing with peers formally and informally through hallway conversations, developing life-long friendships, and recharging passion for the industry.