Below are tips gathered from past Fire Ops 101 events.

• Start on time and end on time. Many of the decision-makers who participate have other engagements later in the day.
• Make no major changes on game day, such as adding or changing scenarios.  When finalizing your objectives and the events that correspond, do not change the plan once it has been communicated to your team.  It is very difficult to keep everyone on the same page with late-breaking or significant changes.
• Make sure your base camp tent contains essentials for the day, such as sunscreen, extra supplies, a place for participants to change clothes and a location to keep their belongings.
• Providing a meal is important—it's a chance for everyone to come together at the end and talk about the day. It can be a cookout or a meal cooked in nearby firehouse. Consider putting on a morning event and ending it with a lunch.
• Even with a fairly lean set of focused objectives, you will run late.  This is due to the nature of a first-time event and the large number of participants. So remember, the more you try to accomplish, the more difficult the day will be.
• Emphasize participation over demonstration as you plan your event -- this will ensure that your participants have the maximum experience. Limit demonstrations to lunch, a skill station or after all the scenarios are completed.
• Be prepared with a plan B. Some of the challenges you might face include crew shortages, equipment shortages, apparatus shortage and weather. Anticipate these challenges with extra hands and extra equipment.
• Set an alternate day for Fire Ops 101 in the event you must cancel it due to extreme weather conditions. Set up a cancellation policy for Fire Ops 101 (e.g., the department will call the participants).

Safety Tips

• Make safety your first priority for the event.
• Participants must be checked by EMS the morning of Fire Ops 101 (see morning medical check.
• Participants must wear protective gear at all times.
• Although you want to encourage participation, a participant may need to sit out one or more of the events due to their physical abilities.
• Make sure EMS is onsite to help if an injury or emergency arises.
• Aside from the natural fear associated with going into a burning building, the second concern for participants is claustrophobia. They will be wearing PPE and SCBA for the first time. Your instructors and support staff will need to watch participants closely for signs of abnormal stress related to either the donning of PPE or the entering a confined environment. Participants who exhibit discomfort or are hesitant should be encouraged to either observe or go only as far as they are comfortable and no further.
• Slips, trips and falls are also a major concern. Participants will not be familiar with the chaotic nature of an emergency scene and are at greater risk for this type of injury. This applies to interior operations and climbing ground or aerial ladders. Some participants (and some activities) may require one-on-one supervision.

Tips for Working With the Media

• A Fire Ops 101 event could be one of the best opportunities for the IAFF local and fire department to generate media coverage. Consider inviting reporters to participate in the scenarios, in addition to covering them.
• Have your local or department's public relations liaison work with the media and choose locations for them to film.
• Consider creating press passes to limit the number of people around the scenarios.
• Make sure your media liaison is familiar with all of the talking points.
• Consider getting the names of the participants sewn on the back of their turnout gear to identify them in photographs.
• Don't photograph participants in compromising positions.