Education & Networking: Fire Leadership Challenge 2026

Monday, October 19, 2026
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM	Colorado Fire Commission
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM	Pre-Conference Workshops CFTOA - Training Officer Workshop - (FREE)
11:30 AM - 5:00 PM	Pre-Conference Workshops Forged to Lead - Fire Chief Forum ($45) Jeremy Young, Frederick-Firestone Fire District Alec Oughton, Aurora Fire Rescue Randy Royal, Colorado Springs Fire Dept Jason Caughey, Laramie County Fire Authority
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM	Pre-Conference Workshops First-Arriving Company Officer Strategy & Tactics - How We Make Sound Decisions to Set Up the Scene for Success ($35) David Carpenter, Adams County Fire Lane Walter, Denver Fire Department
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM	CFTOA Membership Meeting
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM	Rocky Mountain Accreditation & Credentialing Meeting
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM	CSFC Wildland Fire Section Meeting			CSFC Health and Safety Section Meeting
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM	CSFC Volunteer & Combination Chiefs Section Meeting			Fire Marshals Association of Colorado (FMAC) Annual Meeting
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM	ALL LEAD + FMS Leading Through Crisis: FBI Lessons for Fire Service Leaders John Iannarelli, FBIJohn
3:15 PM - 4:30 PM	Colorado State Fire Chiefs Annual Membership Meeting
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM	Colorado Firefighter Heart, Cancer & Behavioral Health Benefits Trust Meeting
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM	Networking Events Fire Leadership Challenge Welcome Reception
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM	Networking Breakfast with Exhibitors
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM	Exhibit Hall Open
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM	Keynote Session Opening Welcome & Keynote: Cornerstones of Leadership for Real World Success – On and Off the Fireground Frank Leeb
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM	Networking Events Networking Break with Exhibitors
10:30 AM - 11:15 AM	LEAD Series - Company Officer Learning Without Burning, The Art of Vicarious Learning Clint Fey, West Metro Fire Rescue		LEAD Series - Chief Officer Executive Presence: Is That Really a Thing and Why Should I Care? Stephen Ingalls, Catalyzer		Fire Marshal Symposium Coming Soon
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM	LEAD Series - Company Officer Moral Resilience Workshop: Unpacking Moral Distress, Discussing Mitigation strategies, and Building Resilience Rachel Topazian, University of Colorado School of Medicine Gianna Morales, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus		LEAD Series - Chief Officer BUILT TO LAST: A Tactical Approach to Firefighter Performance, Purpose, and Longevity Kory Pearn, CRACKYL Media Inc		Fire Marshal Symposium Wildfire Prepared, the Next Step in a Wildfire Resilient Colorado Mark Novak, Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM	Networking Events Lunch in the Exhibit Hall
1:45 PM - 2:45 PM	Keynote Session FIRETalks Kasey Beal, Golden Fire Department Robert Weisbaum, Crested Butte Fire Protection District
3:00 PM - 3:45 PM	LEAD Series - Company Officer Scene Integrity: Preservation and Destruction Todd Hedglin, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control
3:00 PM - 4:30 PM	LEAD Series - Chief Officer Chiefs Against Everything and the Trap of a CAVE Mentality Brian Schaeffer, Columbia, MO Fire Department			Fire Marshal Symposium Emerging Trends Roundtable Sarah Carter, International Code Council Kara Gerczynski, Elizabeth Fire Protection District Alec Oughton, Aurora Fire Rescue Sandra Friedrichsen, Windsor Severance Fire Rescue Steven Parker, Arvada Fire Protection District
4:00 PM - 4:45 PM	LEAD Series - Company Officer Coming Soon
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM	Networking Events Exhibit Hall Reception & Drawing
Thursday, October 22, 2026
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM	Networking Breakfast with Exhibitors
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM	Keynote Session Keynote & Awards
10:30 AM - 11:15 AM	LEAD Series - Company Officer Common Occupancy, Uncommon Response: Preparing Firefighters for What's Not in the SOPs Frank Leeb	LEAD Series - Chief Officer Coming Soon		Fire Marshal Symposium Artificial Intelligence for the Fire Marshal's Office: Practical Applications, Real-World Solutions Dr. Ben Stone, EFO, CFO, CTO, CEMSO, MiFire-E., Center for Public Safety Excellence		DFPC Hosted Strengthening Colorado’s Fire Service: Understanding Needs, Finding Solutions Lisa Pine, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control Vaughn Jones, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control TJ Steck, Elizabeth Fire Rescue Jess Solze, Hugo Fire Protection District
11:30 AM - 12:15 PM	LEAD Series - Company Officer More Than Politics: Understanding the Decisions That Shape Your Department	LEAD Series - Chief Officer Correcting Course: Strategies for Navigating Firehouse Discipline Ken Watkins, Colorado State Fire Chiefs		Fire Marshal Symposium Code Adoption and Legal Aspects Emily Powell, Ireland Stapleton Pryor & Pascoe, PC		DFPC Hosted COTAK: A Free Real-time Location Service for Colorado First Responders Brad Schmidt, COTAK
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM	Lunch with Exhibitors
1:45 PM - 2:30 PM	LEAD Series - Chief Officer + Company Officer How We Respond to ASHER Events: Beyond Rescue Task Force Alec Oughton, Aurora Fire Rescue Travis Norton			DFPC Hosted Code Adoption in Colorado: Who Decides What Keeps Us Safe? Christopher Brunette, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control
1:45 PM - 3:30 PM	Fire Marshal Symposium The Right of Entry – Rights Risks, and Best Practice Sam Light, Cirsa
2:45 PM - 3:30 PM	DFPC Hosted Strengthening Colorado’s Fire Service: Understanding Needs, Finding Solutions (Clone) Lisa Pine, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control Vaughn Jones, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control TJ Steck, Elizabeth Fire Rescue Jess Solze, Hugo Fire Protection District
2:45 PM - 4:45 PM	LEAD Series - Chief Officer + Company Officer Operational Readiness Begins with Leadership: Building a Safe, Healthy, and Sustainable Fire Service powered by CRACKYL Magazine
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM	Networking Events Networking Reception at the Keystone Adventure Center
Friday, October 23, 2026
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM	Breakfast
8:30 AM - 9:15 AM	LEAD Series - Company Officer The Resilient Firefighter is Built, Not Treated Jeremy Young, Frederick-Firestone Fire District Sammy Freyta, Frederick Firestone Fire Protection District		LEAD Series - Chief Officer Preparing and Recruiting Executive Level Chief Staff Brycen Garrison, Brighton Fire Rescue District		Fire Marshal Symposium Budgeting Through the Lens of NFPA 1730: Using Data to Justify Resources Sandra Friedrichsen, Windsor Severance Fire Rescue
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM	Keynote Session Closing Keynote: It's Your Ship – Achieving Breakthrough Performance Mike Abrashoff

Check out the Agenda