Rich Gasaway to Present Two Powerful Fire Service Training Programs in St. Mary's County

The Southern Maryland Volunteer Firemen's Association (SMVFA) is proud to host nationally recognized fire service instructor and human factors expert Dr. Richard (Rich) Gasaway for two exceptional training programs focused on firefighter safety, decision-making, and situational awareness. These programs are designed for firefighters, company officers, chief officers, EMS personnel, and anyone involved in emergency incident management.

Training Schedule

Friday, August 21

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Firefighter Safety: Mistakes & Best Practices

This interactive program examines the lessons learned from more than 500 near-miss reports and line-of-duty death investigations. Participants will explore the ten most common mistakes made on the fireground, along with ten proven best practices that improve firefighter safety, command effectiveness, communications, staffing, strategic decision-making, and overall operational performance.

Saturday, August 22

8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Flawed Situational Awareness: The Stealth Killer of First Responders

This full-day program examines one of the leading contributors to firefighter injuries and fatalities—flawed situational awareness. Drawing from extensive research into hundreds of emergency incidents, Dr. Gasaway explains why responders sometimes fail to recognize critical warning signs, even when they are present.

Attendees will learn how factors such as complacency, task fixation, communication breakdowns, cognitive biases, mission myopia, staffing challenges, organizational culture, and other human factors can impair decision-making during high-risk, high-stress incidents. The course provides practical strategies for recognizing and overcoming these barriers to improve operational safety and incident outcomes.

About the Instructor

Dr. Richard B. Gasaway is internationally recognized as a leading authority on human factors, situational awareness, and high-risk decision-making. During his 33-year fire service career, he served as a firefighter, EMT, paramedic, company officer, training officer, fire chief, and incident commander. His research and training have reached more than 100,000 emergency responders worldwide, helping organizations improve emergency scene safety and decision-making under pressure.

Registration

Don't miss this opportunity to learn from one of the fire service's most respected instructors. Whether you are a new firefighter or an experienced chief officer, these programs provide valuable insights that can enhance your decision-making, strengthen your situational awareness, and help keep you and your crews safe.

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