3rd Annual START Fest a Success

3rd Annual S.T.A.R.T. Fest 2011

The 3rd Annual START Fest 2011 was a success!!!!

The Calcasieu Emergency Response Training Center presented the 3rd Annual Special Techniques and Response Training Fest (S.T.A.R.T.) on July 29-31, 2011 at the Sulphur,La Ninth Grade Campus located at 600 Willow St., Sulphur, La. 70663

The event was a success with 222 emergency responders from throughout Louisiana and Texas attending the classes that were presented during the training conference.

This event has grown and in its 3rd year S.T.A.R.T. FEST is the largest annual training conference for emergency responders in Southwest Louisiana.

S.T.A.R.T. FEST 2011 provided excellent training classes geared toward Emergency Responders and it consisted of classes that provided training to make the attendees next emergency response scene run more efficiently and safely. CERTC is proud to be the presenter of this event and we invite emergency responders from all over the Gulf Coast to attend next year.

The Equipment show in it 2nd year was a success and we look forward to making it larger next year.

S.T.A.R.T. FEST HAD AN EXCELLENT LINEUP OF CLASSES

20 Hour Basic Rope Rescue - Instructor, David Hooks, Triangle Rescue

12 Hour Introduction to Vehicle Extrication - Instructor, Chief Dean Lappe, Houston River Fire Dept.

3 hour Sessions

Managing the Mayday - Instructor, Scott Young, Beaumont, Tx. Fire Dept.

Emergency Response Safety for the Driver - Instructor, Capt. Jonathan Duff, Westlake Fire Dept.

1st Due Engine Responsibilities - Instructors, John Zepeda Jr. and Brad Hawthorne, HEAT Training

Incident Command - Instructor, Lt. Joshua Couch, Houston River Fire Dept.

Highway Cargo Tank Emergencies - Instructor, Bill Hand, Harris County Tx. Haz-Mat Training Officer.

Pipeline Emergency Response for Firefighters - Instructor, Al Condello III, University of Houston Downtown.

Clandestine Drug Lab Response for the Firefighter - Instructor, Asst. Chief Richard Lawhorn, Pasadena Tx. Fire Dept.

Overcoming the Hazards of Suspended Ceilings - Instructor, Chief Tim Gilland, Ward 6 Fire Prot. Dist. #1

Situational Awareness at Residential Fires - Instructor, Todd Parker, CERTC

Wildland / Urban Interface Fires - Instructor, Darrell Eaves, La. Dept. of Agriculture and Forestry

Mass Casualty Incidents - Instructors, Dale Dancy and Steven Simon, Acadian Ambulance, Tammy Bellard, Sulphur Fire Dept.

Rehab: Beyond the Water Cooler - Instructor, Chief Jerry Merchant, Vinton Fire Dept.

Thanks to the instructors above for their time to present the classes that will help the responders attending when they respond to their next emergency

CERTC looks forward to next year's event and would like for you to comment on this event so that we can plan for START Fest 2012 to make it even better than this year. Please comment below and if you would like to be on the planning committee for the 2012 conference or you can contact, Todd Parker at 337-527-5554.

A special thank you to Sulphur Ninth Grade campus for the use of the facilities to host this event.

Thank you to the START Fest Planning committee, Dist. Chief Tim Gilland, Dist Capt. Teri Gilland, FF Pamela Parker - Ward 6 Fire Prot. Dist. #1, Chief Dean Lappe, Lt. Cody Oliver, Cynthia Lappe, Jimmy and Diane Cormier - Houston River Fire Dept., Gloria Woods - Ward 1 FD, Capt. Jonathan Duff, Westlake Fire Dept.

Thank you to Carlyss fire department for your assistance with setting things up at the school. Charlotte Stanley, Thank you for volunteering with committee members at the registration desk.