FIRE SERVICE VISION:
After nearly 30 years in the fire service I believe that I have finally developed a clear vision of what it means to be a firefighter and a civil servant. I have found that the happiest of men and women that I have seen in my career are those that give unselfishly to the people that pay our wages. They also understand that it is important to leave the fire service better than they found it!
I have been fortunate enough to have traveled all over the country during the last decade and have networked with some of the best and brightest fire service leaders and it has only solidified my opinion even more that we need to tell it like it is and provide the tools to our future fire service leaders to understand what the true fire service identity is that will survive in good times and bad.
The fire service is changing right before our eyes. We have experienced the worse economic situation since the great depression. Fires have dramatically declined over the last few decades and yet we still continue to struggle with proper risk assessment on the fire ground. 80 million baby boomers are starting to exit the workplace and this will have a tremendous impact in the fire service. Very experienced firefighters will be gone and it is imperative that the knowledge of those experienced leaders be passed on to the next generation. Developing dynamic fire service leaders on and off the fire ground is absolutely critical. Good training is needed more today than ever. My vision is to continue to tell it like it is, provide the necessary tools through dynamic, challenging and interactive training sessions and give back to the fire service and leave it better than I found it. It is my sincere desire to continue with the development of the next generation of fire service leaders.
BIO:
Mike Alder is a retired Division Chief/Training Officer and 29 year veteran of the San Bernardino City Fire Department. He has been an instructor at the local level as well as throughout the country for several years on fire related subjects such as Command & Control on the Fire Ground, Risk Assessment on the Fire Ground, Preparing for Your Promotion, Truck Company and High-Rise Operations, Building Construction, and Leadership & Communication Issues in the Fire Service. He holds a B.S. Degree in Business Administration. He also holds a California General Building Contractors license. Mike is married to his wife Carla and they reside in Redlands, CA.
TRAINING SEMINAR EXPERIENCE:
Rancho Cucamonga Fire Department, CA
Fireshows Reno Conference - Nevada State Fire Chief Association
"Inside the Command Post - The Seat of Command" - Las Vegas, NV
Bremerton/Caymas Fire Department/Snohomish County Fire Department - Washington
Cal Chief's Fall Training Symposium - Fresno, CA
Firehouse World - San Diego, CA
Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC)
Fire Rescue International (FRI)
CFED West, CA
Alan Brunacini’s Hazard Zone Management Conference - Notre Dame, IN
Northwest Fire Protection District, AZ
Tualatin Valley Fire Protection District, OR
Boise Fire Department, ID
State Fire Instructors Association, MT
State Fire Chief’s Association, IL
State Fire Instructors Conference, WA
Training Officers Conference. Roanoke, VA
Norwich Fire Protection District, OH
West Covina Fire Department, CA
Santa Fe Springs Fire Department, CA
Cathedral City Fire Department, CA
Newport Beach, Fire Department
Upland Fire Department, CA
Training Officers Conference, Bakersfield, CA
Rancho Santa Fe Springs Fire Department, CA
Carlsbad Fire Department, CA
Murrieta Fire Department, CA
Colton Fire Department, CA
Coronado Fire Department, CA
Marine Corp. Logistics Base, CA
Redlands Fire Department, CA
Tulare Fire Department, CA
Rialto Fire Department, CA
Loma Linda Fire Department, CA
Riverside City Fire Department, CA
Fire Officer Development Academy, (FODA) Coeur D' Alene, Idaho
Santa Monica Fire Department, CA
Medford Fire Department, OR
Northwest Fire Protection District, IL
Cal Fire San Bernardino Unit - Chief Officers Seminar