Officer Development Program
Chief Officer II Virtual Training Series
The Montana State Fire Chiefs Association has partnered with Columbia Southern University and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) to offer the Leadership Development Certification Series Chief Officer II as a virtual module of the IAFC’s Officer Development Program (ODP).
Participants meet for six 90-minute virtual training session, then complete two additional online training sessions, followed by a multiple choice exam. Those who complete the full series earn Chief Officer II certification. The cost is $225 for IAFC members and $275 for IAFC non-members.
Courses are led by seasoned instructors and incorporate interactive discussions, real-world case studies, and hands-on exercises designed around the unique demands facing today’s chief officers.
Beyond sharpening leadership skills, decision-making, and strategic thinking, participants earn continuing education units (CEUs) that reflect their dedication to professional growth. Students who pass the certification exam with a score of 70% or higher receive an IAFC certification upon completing LDCS-Chief Officer II. Graduates are also eligible for 1.3 CEUs or one undergraduate college credit hour, applicable toward any degree program at CSU.
Our first training in the series will be held on April 15. There is no cost to attend the individual sessions, however, if you wish to receive the certification you will need to register using this link.
Upcoming Training
In today’s fire service, the incident doesn’t end when we leave the emergency scene. Social media followers, community engagement, public education, and relationships are built before and after the emergency. The question is: are you controlling your narrative… or is the narrative controlling you?
This 60-minute session will focus on the fast-paced world of fire department public relations and gaining trust from those you serve. From breaking down incidents to telling your fire department story. Attendees will learn what information to share, the best channels to drive engagement, and how to reach the right audiences to build trust through transparency and connection. Following the session a 30 minute open forum will be offered to answer any questions you may have or provide guidance on your specific communication challenges.
We will explore strategies for managing high-pressure communications and for turning our routine moments into meaningful engagement opportunities. Whether you are a PIO, command staff or emerging leader, this session will give you tools to take control of your message and make it hit.
Public Relations and Community Engagement:
- Identify strategic public relations campaigns to enhance community support.
- Choose techniques for engaging actively with the community to foster trust and collaboration.
- Select community engagement strategies to respond to diverse needs.
- Indicate methods for evaluating community relations efforts to adjust for maximum impact.
Instructor
Jenny Macallair
This session examines firefighter wellness beyond standard fitness programs and considers the wider factors that influence long-term health, readiness, and career span. It emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility in areas like sleep, nutrition, physical training, and recovery, and how these habits impact performance and disease risk over time.
The presentation also covers how departments can go beyond informal encouragement and put practical systems in place that support healthy behaviors. Attendees will learn how individual habits and departmental culture work together to influence firefighter health and operational readiness.
Instructor
Annette Zapp, MA, CISSN, CSCS*D
Annette Zapp retired in 2024 after a 20-year career in the fire service, where she served as a Lieutenant. She is the founder of Fire Rescue Wellness, a coaching business dedicated to advancing the mental and physical health of firefighters worldwide. A recognized leader in firefighter wellness, AZ co-authored the ISSN Position Stand on Tactical Athlete Fueling and a recent review on creatine use in the firefighting population. She also shares evidence-based resources with the fire service each week through the FRW Podcast.
Zapp holds a master’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of South Dakota School of Medicine. She is a National Strength and Conditioning Association CSCS*D and TSAC-F*D and is certified as a Sports Nutritionist through the ISSN. She previously served as adjunct faculty in the University of Denver’s graduate program in Sport Coaching. In August 2024, she began her PhD studies in Health and Human Performance at Oklahoma State University.
In this hour-and-a-half course, the fire service professional will learn how fire investigations are an integral part of fire prevention and community risk reduction, and overall service to not only the community but also firefighter safety. The intent of this course is to demonstrate the tangible benefits of fire investigation beyond simply origin, cause, and responsibility. Upon completion of this course, the fire service professional will be able to look beyond those concepts to determine not only the WHY, but the HOW, and how we can direct our efforts towards progressive sustainability to mitigate further injuries, fatalities, and property damage proactively. The course aims to offer insight into the benefits of fire investigations, as a proactive fire prevention initiative, through the assessment of data and how it can be used quantitatively and qualitatively if we allow our efforts to capitalize on it. The concept of fire prevention as part of fire investigation should not just start after the fire event; we can be proactive in our approach, and that starts with all interactions with our public. As trends of near misses occur, we need to break the mishap chain and use our information effectively to stop fires before they occur.
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the fire professional will understand how fire investigation plays an integral role in proactive prevention.
Upon completion of this course, the fire professional will be able to identify fire prevention strategies to implement within the community based on data and trend analysis.
Upon completion of the course, the fire professional will better understand the tangible benefits beyond simply origin and cause determination within fire investigation.
Upon completion of the course, the fire professional will understand how effective fire investigation programs drive code and standard production and promulgation.
Instructor
Brittany Brown is the Division Chief of Fire Prevention at the Leawood Fire Department in Leawood, Kansas. Brown has previously served as a Division Chief for the South Adams County Fire Department and has worked as a Deputy State Fire Marshal for both New Mexico and Texas, and served as a fire marshal and firefighter in New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, and Kentucky. Brown has previously also worked as a Professor at Eastern Kentucky University and currently teaches for the National Fire Academy and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Brown is currently pursuing a PhD in Forensics from Oklahoma State University and holds a Masters Degree in Systems Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Brown also serves as a SME/committee member for NFPA, ICC, NICET, OSAC, and IFSTA.
Trust is the currency of leadership. Every decision, conversation, and action either deposits into or withdraws from a leader’s trust account. Most leaders have a superficial understanding of Leadership Equity or Leadership Capital.
But what do those terms really mean? Trust is the greatest shaper of culture, accountability, and performance because a leader’s effectiveness comes down to one thing: Trust. This session reframes trust not as a soft concept, but as a measurable leadership asset that directly impacts their effectiveness.
Participants will explore a practical Leadership Model. Reframing Trust as the actual currency system in which leadership operates. Including the 4 Levels of Trust and the 7 C’s of building and garnering Trust accounts that leaders must consistently demonstrate to earn, develop, and sustain trust across their organization. Drawing on concepts from professional sports and team building in the fire service, attendees will examine how leadership behavior influences trust in high-pressure environments, including during change, conflict, and adversity. Grounded in the RGB Mindset and Rule #5, Trust the Process, this session equips fire service leaders with actionable strategies to view trust as a currency, intentionally rebuild credibility, and lead with consistency and clarity. Chiefs and command staff will leave with tools they can immediately apply to strengthen relationships, reinforce accountability, and build resilient, high-performing cultures rooted in trust.
Learning Objectives
- Participants will be able to:Define trust as a form of leadership currency.
- Explain the 4 Levels of Trust and their impact on culture.
- Define the 7 C’s for garnering, developing, and earning Trust.
- Identify behaviors that either create trust (interest) or debt (resentment).
- Identify strategies to mentor personnel for skill advancement and career progression.
- Recognize approaches for inspiring professional growth and fostering a culture of continuous
learning. - Indicate tactics for evaluating personnel development programs and ensuring effectiveness.
- Select methods to advocate mentorship by cultivating future leaders within a department.
Instructor
Matthew S. Caward – Division Chief (RET) Founder, RGB Firehouse Leadership
Matt Caward has extensive experience building successful organizational cultures in the Fire Service, Professional Sports, Full-time Ministry, and Business. Matt is a certified smoke diver, a published author, and a nearly 3-decade veteran of the Fire Service. Having served with the Bernalillo County Fire Department in Albuquerque, NM, for 20 years, and most recently as the Division Chief of Operations and Training at the Grand Island Fire Department.
Matt is an ordained pastor with more than 2 decades of experience and a certified Fire Department Chaplain. He holds multiple credentials from the Center of Public Safety Excellence (CPSE), where He serves as a peer reviewer and mentor and was this year’s recipient of the Ray Picard Award for Leadership Excellence. Matt is a graduate of the NFA’s managing officer program, a current EFO student, and a graduate of the Fire Service Chief Executive Officer program at Texas A&M University. Matt is currently a doctoral student in Organizational Leadership with both an MBA and a master’s degree in theology. He is an instructor at the National Fire Academy, the New Mexico State Fire Academy, and Central New Mexico Community College.
Matt is currently the General Manager of the professional indoor football franchise, the Nebraska Siege, and the founder and former owner of the back-to-back world champion Duke City Gladiators (Albuquerque, NM). He is the Founder and CEO of RGB Firehouse Leadership consulting agency, a volunteer firefighter with the Grand Island Rural Fire Department, a volunteer associate pastor at Abundant Life Christian Church in Grand Island, and a US Army Veteran. He is married to his beautiful wife, Crystal, celebrating their 30th year of marriage this year, and is a proud father to 3 amazing daughters.