Fire chiefs hold conference at Wrightsville Beach
February 5, 2010By Jessica Seaman
More than 200 fire chiefs from across the state have come to Wrightsville Beach for the North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs’ Mid-Winter conference this weekend.
The Wrightsville Beach Fire Department and the New Hanover County Firefighters Association are hosting the conference at the Holiday Inn Resort.
Many fire chiefs are staying in town for the conference, said David Hines, the public information officer for the Wilmington Fire Department.
The conference began yesterday with pre-conference workshops and a golf tournament and will end Sunday with a devotional service.
The opening ceremonies began at 9 a.m. today. During the ceremonies the Wilmington Fire Department Honor Guard posted the colors and Wrightsville Beach Fire Chief Frank Smith and Alderman Bill Sisson made welcoming comments. The keynote speaker was Curt Weldon, the Republican U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania.
Tomorrow will consist of seven workshops that will cover topics such as, fire officer certification, informing the public, and managing stress.
“One [workshop] deals with a program about teaching children about fire safety.” Hines said.
The president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Jeffery Johnson, will be a quest speaker at the conference.
The Mid Winter conference is one of two conferences held each year. The other conference is held in August.
