"The day you stop learning is the day that you stagnate," said Lafourche Fire District 1 President Gary Foret.
Foret was one of about 500 firefighters from all over the state who gathered at the Houma Civic Center Thursday to kick off the 112th Annual Louisiana State Firemen's Association Conference.
"This is a wonderful event," Foret said. "It travels from city to city year after year. Firemen from all over the state of Louisiana come to this event."
Hosted by the Chackbay Volunteer Fire Department, the long-running conference features workshops, presentations, networking and training opportunities and comradery for the men and women who dedicate their lives to battling fires and serving the community, said Chris Boudreaux, president of the Louisiana State Firemen's Association and Chackbay Volunteer Fire Department chief.
"We're not only offering firefighting courses but classes on stress management," Boudreaux said. "There are always things changing that we deal with on a day-to-day basis like building codes being upgraded. This event presents an opportunity to stay up to date with those changes."
Montegut Fire Department Chief Toby Henry said his department participates in the conference every year.
"There are classes that provide new techniques and vendors showing off new technology," Henry said. "It's all about education. It puts everyone in the state on the same page because we're all having the same conversations."
Houma Fire Department training officer Mark Stevenson said the conference offered invaluable networking opportunities.
"This is an event where we get together and share ideas," he said. "From small departments to big departments, they come in with topics that fit any sized department. This also brings experts from around the country. Techniques and things change, so it's good to get outside of Shreveport or Lafayette to learn the different techniques."
The conference also benefits smaller fire departments that don't have the funds necessary to travel to other states, Stevenson said.
"Vendors are able to show off their displays, which contain things that some departments wouldn't be able to see," Stevenson said. "Smaller departments can't make a trip to Alabama to go look at equipment, so the vendors bring that equipment down here."
The money vendors pay to rent booth space helps offset the cost of the conference, Foret said.
Bayou Cane Fire Protection District Chief Ken Himel, who served as the conference's keynote speaker Thursday, reminded attendees to have fun at the event but not forget why they were there.
"Attend the classes, visit the hospitality rooms and meet with the vendors," he said. "But remember why you're here. Use the time to network with your colleagues across the state. Being a volunteer firefighter is more than just volunteering your time. It's a passion. It's a calling. Whether you're career or volunteer, it's the same calling."
According to its website, the Louisiana State Firemen's Association works to promote the best interest of all firemen across the state by championing new legislative measures concerning firefighters, advocating for better training, acquiring new memberships, exchanging ideas and keeping abreast with new training techniques.
The organization consists of about 350 fire departments and more than 12,000 members across the state.
--Staff Writer Dan Copp can be reached at 857-2202 or at dan.copp@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter@DanVCopp.
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