Is your chapter planning to host a training event?  Here are a few items to help get you on track.  Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list.  We will make updates as we hear from chapter that have had both good and maybe not so good results from their events so we can all learn to succeed.  See something we missed, drop us a note so we can add it to the list!

​

1. Pick a date (this may be contingent on #2)

2. Secure a venue.  Consider the anticipated number of attendees; lecture and/or HOT; parking & accessibility for out-of-towners; proximity to food, etc.

3. Construct a lesson plan and IAP.  In addition to the basics of how your day will flow, be sure to plan for injuries and other potential man-made or environmental emergencies.

4. Find instructors, props, vendors, and sponsors.  There's a lot of great people out there who can help make your event a success, you just need to get out there and ask!

5. Have a way for people to register and pay.  Google Forms is a great free tool for registration; coupled with something like PayPal or Square may make this a convenient option for your chapter.  If you have the budget, platforms like Eventbrite work really well and are a one-stop-shop for registration and payment.

6. Consider liability insurance for your event, particularly if it's a HOT event.  The International DOES NOT provide any sort of blanket insurance coverage for affiliate chapters.

7. Publicize the heck out of your event!  Utilize your website (if you have one), social media & send your flyer to the PIT so the International can help you get the word out.

8. The day of your event, yahoo!

9. Make sure you have a way to check attendees in.  This is super-helpful, particularly if you plan to issue any type of attendance certificate following the event.  Having at least one or two members who can staff a registration table at the beginning of your event will be crucial.

10. Consider taking this opportunity to sell some of your chapter's swag.  If you know other chapters will be attending, there may be an option to sell tables (or just let them set up, everything doesn't need to be about money).

11. Take a lot of photos and make a lot of notes about what went smooth and where you encountered bumps in the road.

12. Share your photos on social media - this is a great time to live stream portions of your event on FaceBook, Instagram, TikTok, or the platform of your choice.

13. Complete an After Action Report so the International can see what great progress we're making at impacting the fire service!