The International Association of Fire Chiefs has announced the schedule and opened registration for Fire-Rescue International 2004, its 131st conference and exhibition for the fire industry. More than 16,000 fire service officials from around the globe are expected to attend this year's conference Aug. 12-15 at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.

IAFC made changes to the conference schedule this year. In years past, the conference began Friday and ended Monday with the Presidential Celebration banquet. This year, the conference will begin Thursday and end Sunday at noon, with pre-conference workshops scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 10-11. The Presidential Celebration will be Saturday, Aug. 14.

General sessions will feature presentations by Scott O'Grady, a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot who was shot down over Bosnia while helping to enforce the NATO no-fly zone, and author C.W. Metcalf, who will talk about developing crisis survival skills. O'Grady will share the problem-solving ingenuity that kept him alive in enemy territory for six days. Metcalf will discuss the hallmark traits of crisis survivors who remain creative, healthy and productive in periods of uncertainty.

The show will offer educational sessions for all facets of fire service leadership, management and operations, including leading combination departments, CISM, officer development, staffing, diversity and more. New pre-conference sessions also have been added.

The exhibit hall, which will have more than 625 exhibitors displaying the latest innovations, also will have new hours, classes and vendor demonstrations. Exhibits will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Aug. 13-14. The hall will not be open Sunday.

Registration information is available at the IAFC Web site at www.iafc.org. Registrations are being taken online at http://reg.jspargo.com/iafc04/.

IAFC members need their membership numbers. If you do not know your membership number, call IAFC Member Services at 703-273-0911.

FIRECHIEF.COM

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