Fire-Rescue EAST returns to Ocean Center

An estimated 6,000 delegates will return to the Ocean Center for the Fire-Rescue EAST convention and trade show Wednesday through Saturday, Jan. 22 - 25. The event, sponsored by the Florida Fire and Emergency Services Foundation and managed by the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association (FFCA), includes continuing education classes for professional and volunteer firefighters, a trade show and competitions. 

Though Fire-Rescue EAST is an industry event, the public is invited to attend its free trade show from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. Thursday Jan. 23; 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24; and from 9 a.m. - noon Saturday, Jan. 25. The trade show is the largest fire/emergency trade show in the Southeast.  

Emergency services apparatus, vehicles, equipment, safety gear, and supplies will be displayed, and live demonstrations will be scheduled throughout the trade show. Also on display will be the pink cancer awareness fire trucks. This year, there will be a Rapid Intervention Team competition 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Friday and 9 - 11 a.m. on Saturday and the Basic and Advanced Life Support Competition will be 9 a.m. – noon on Friday.  To attend the show, members of the public must register at the FFCA registration booth in the arena, which can be accessed off Earl Street.

In addition, the Pipe and Drums will be performing at the Historic Bandshell at 7 p.m. Friday. 

According to its website, www.ffca.org, the FCCA is Florida's leading management education organization for fire and emergency services professionals and is the professional association that specializes in promoting and supporting excellence in fire and emergency services. 

Fire-Rescue EAST has been coming to the Ocean Center since 2009 and is booked through 2015. The group was the first convention of its size in the newly expanded Ocean Center in 2009. 

For more information about Fire-Rescue EAST, please call 386-676-2744 or visit www.ffca.org.