NVFC Live Online Trainings

The NVFC offers the following live, virtual training opportunities, all of which are presented on Zoom:

Below are upcoming events. This page is updated as more trainings are added. If you miss a live webinar or Roundtable Talk, you can watch the recording in the NVFC Virtual Classroom. R&R Coffee Talks and Volunteer Voices Live events are not recorded.

To watch a recorded event, you will need to login to the NVFC Virtual Classroom. Don’t have an account? Click here and select “Set up an account.” It’s free to set up an account and gives you access to all the training you take through the NVFC. View a tutorial here.

Webinar – Start Strong: Effective Onboarding for Volunteer Firefighters and EMS
April 23 @ 2pm ET
Presenter: Pam Rogers
Onboarding volunteer firefighters and EMS providers comes with unique challenges, including limited time, staffing, and resources. Without a structured process in place, departments risk losing new volunteers before they ever have the chance to make an impact. This webinar will cover practical strategies for building an effective onboarding program that welcomes new members, sets clear expectations, and connects them to the mission of their department from day one. Whether your department is building an onboarding process from scratch or looking to improve what you already have, you’ll walk away with actionable tools and ideas you can put to work right away.

Roundtable Talk – Training Under Pressure — Addressing Volunteer Firefighter Training Challenges
May 7 @ 2pm ET
Presenters: David Bullard (Moderator), Jeff Cash, Brian Focht, Robbi King, and Matt Shronts
Volunteer fire departments face increasing challenges delivering effective training amid limited time, budgets, and growing operational demands. This Roundtable Talk will explore common training barriers, including balancing requirements with personal and professional commitments, securing resources, and ensuring training supports firefighter safety and operational readiness. Panelists will share practical strategies for improving training efficiency, using training as a retention tool, and maintaining quality without overburdening volunteers. This discussion is designed for volunteer fire service leaders and training officers seeking actionable ideas to strengthen their training programs.

This Roundtable Talk is sponsored by  .

Roundtable Talk – Crisis at the Crossroads: Addressing EMS Recruitment and Retention in Volunteer Departments
May 12 @ 2pm ET
Presenters: Walter Campbell, Joe Mistovich (Moderator), Pam Rogers, and Jules Scadden
Volunteer fire and EMS departments are facing a growing crisis. Many departments struggle to recruit and retain members while call volumes – especially for medical emergencies – continue to increase. This NVFC Roundtable Talk will bring together fire and EMS leaders to explore the key challenges driving EMS recruitment and retention struggles in volunteer departments, including the time and financial demands of training and recertification, work-life balance, economic pressures, leadership gaps, and the disconnect between community expectations and the realities of volunteering. Participants will also discuss practical strategies and best practices to help departments attract new members and retain experienced ones for the long term.

Webinar – NFIRS to NERIS: What Volunteer Departments Need to Know Now
May 13 @ 2pm ET
Presenter: Tyler Gibbs of Alpine Software
The National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) sunset on January 31, and the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS) is now the nation’s primary system for collecting fire incident data. This webinar, presented by Tyler Gibbs of Alpine Software, will provide volunteer fire service leaders with a practical overview of the transition from NFIRS to NERIS and what it means for department reporting. We’ll cover why the change is happening, key differences in structure and validation requirements, and the increased emphasis on accurate timelines, actions taken, and personnel documentation. The webinar will also address common misconceptions and outline practical steps chiefs can take to prepare their departments for a smooth and compliant transition.

This webinar is sponsored by

Roundtable Talk – Shifting the Homeowner Mindset: Shared Responsibility in Wildfire Mitigation
May 19 @ 2pm ET
Presenters: Mark Howell, Mike Johnson, Charlie Kludt (Moderator), and Josh Nigro
Many homeowners rely solely on the fire department to protect their property during a wildfire – but that expectation does not reflect the reality of wildfire preparedness and response. Join the NVFC for this panel discussion that will explore the shared responsibility between fire departments and the communities they serve when it comes to wildfire mitigation. Attendees will gain a better understanding of common misconceptions around wildfire response and learn practical steps they can take to help residents protect their properties using available mitigation tools and resources.

Roundtable Talk – Safety Stand Down 2026: Fit to Serve, Fit for Life
June 2 @ 2pm ET
Presenters: Quentin Cash, Shelby Hall, Dan Kerrigan, Eric Valliere, and Darin Wallentine (Moderator)
Are you fit for the fight? Safety Stand Down is coming up on June 14-20, a time when firefighters and EMS providers focus on critical health and safety issues so they can perform at their best, reduce injuries, and prevent line-of-duty deaths. This year’s theme is Firefighter FITNESS: Fit to Serve, Fit for Life. Join the NVFC and a panel of experts for this Roundtable Talk to help you get ready. Learn more about this year’s theme and the FITNESS daily topics, why fitness is an important part of responder readiness, and how you and your department can take part in Safety Stand Down. You’ll also learn about resources available to help you and your crew become Fit to Serve, Fit for Life.

Webinar – Right Gear, Right Response: The Case for Alternative PPE in the Volunteer Fire Service
June 16 @ 2pm ET
Presenter: David Eskew
Firefighters are trained to use the right tool for every job, but that principle doesn’t always carry over to PPE. Structural turnout gear is routinely used for EMS calls, MVAs, and technical rescues, leading to increased health risks, unnecessary wear on expensive equipment, and higher long-term costs. This webinar explores why alternative PPE – including wildland, technical rescue, and EMS-specific gear – is a critical strategy for today’s volunteer fire service, and how matching the right gear to the right response can improve safety, reduce PFAS exposure, and lower costs for your department.

This webinar is sponsored by 

Check out additional on-demand courses in the NVFC Virtual Classroom.