Training Workshops for First Responders
on-scene survivors
ABOUT bob
Dr. Bob Smith has served as a Fire Chaplain, Pastor, and College Instructor for over 45 years. Songwriting, humor, and many years of experience have given Bob a growing popularity as a requested conference and event speaker.
As a Keynote speaker Bob has fulfilled numerous requests for speaking in his areas of expertise including Chaplaincy, Critical Incident Stress, Addiction and Recovery, Suicide Awareness, Dealing with People at an Emergency Scene, and community focused Church Ministries. Working closely with funeral providers Bob has officiated for hundreds of memorial services and has taught and led numerous support groups for those dealing with death, loss, and grief.
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Born and raised in Spokane Bob has a passion for strong local communities. Asked to consider becoming a paid Chaplain he chose instead to remain a volunteer. Serving as the Spokane Fire Department Chaplain for over 45 years has deepened Bob's commitment to the truth that both career and volunteer emergency first responders are key people in making a community safe and strong.
Retired as a full time Church Pastor and College Instructor Bob has developed the curriculum and now teaches the ON-SCENE SURVIVORS WORKSHOP. Primarily teaching college in the areas of ethics and communication he has taught classes and spoken at conferences and events across the U.S. and abroad. Having received numerous service awards, Bob has written various articles for publication. He is currently in the process of writing a book on the topic of the Church and ministries designed for at-risks persons of different social/economic backgrounds. Bob also has had an extensive background in radio broadcasting over the years including hosting his own program.
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As a licensed and ordained minister Bob has been deeply involved in the training, licensing, and ordination of other young Pastors and Chaplains. Bob holds a B.A. in Philosophy, a B.S. in Biblical Studies, an M.A. in Religious Studies, and a Doctorate in Ministry. Serving on a number of leadership boards including President of the Greater Spokane Association of Evangelicals which represents over 400 churches, he has helped develop a number of Chaplaincy, Addiction Recovery, and Community Outreach programs. He has served as a member of Spokane County Sheriff Chaplain's Board, Spokane County Jail Ministries Board, College and School Boards, and as a ministry director for Celebrate Recovery.
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Bob and his wife Marci have been married for 46 years. They have two grown sons, Matthew and Mark, and have been blessed with five wonderful grandchildren.
why bob
Hello,
Thank you for visiting my Website. I am Dr. Bob Smith and one of the greatest blessings of my life has been to serve as Chaplain for the Spokane Fire Department.
A good friend, our Spokane Fire Chief, encouraged me to consider becoming a keynote speaker at conferences and events. He said I should address the topic of how to deal with people at an emergency scene. He stated a specialized Training Workshop was also needed to help first responders develop the skills to show genuine empathy and compassion safely not only to victims, but also to others present at a critical incident.
Social media has contributed to a toxic and growing environment of lawsuits. Paid and volunteer organizations - fire service, law enforcement, and medical response - have been sued for the words as well as actions used by responders at an emergency scene. Insufficient training is usually always addressed in any litigation. Training has proven to be the best strategic defense against lawsuits.
I developed and teach the ON-SCENE SURVIVORS WORKSHOP and it is available to local communities as a LIVE instructor led, on site, three hour multi-media training workshop for first responders. It is also available as an on-site VIDEO instructor led presentation. The purpose is not medical training, but rather how to develop and implement genuine empathy and compassion in a safe and helpful manner for those present at an emergency scene. It addresses the social challenges of helping others in today’s world.
Another challenging issue is the decreasing numbers of volunteers for emergency response. Experts note a key factor is a lack of available or convenient entry-level fire and EMS training opportunities. Marketing, community connection, and training have proven to be very rewarding for both recruiting and retaining volunteers.
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ON-SCENE SURVIVORS WORKSHOP is a three hour event that can be utilized by both large and small response departments. It can easily be sponsored jointly by local fire, law, and medical agencies. Held during the evening or weekend for smaller agencies, it can be a community event used for training of active responders as well as interacting with potential volunteers. It can be held for large departments as an onsite instructor led part of their regular training and/or by simply using the available VIDEO led workshop materials.
The workshop provides a general introduction to emergency response and can be an entry-level opportunity for agencies to invite people interested in serving their community. It also provides valuable training for individuals who are already serving as first responders in order to gain understanding of new skills for dealing with people at an emergency scene in these challenging times.
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Finally, the ON-SCENE SURVIVORS WORKSHOP covers a number of key issues relevant for today's world that can provide a powerful Keynote Address to help large conference or event organizers develop their theme. As the Senior Pastor of a large church I have had years of public speaking experience preparing and delivering messages before large crowds on a weekly basis. I typically use songwriting, singing, guitar and multi media in speaking for conferences or events. All is tailored for the organizers intended theme.
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Again thank you for visiting my Website. I hope to be able to assist you through one of my services.
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Dr. Bob Smith
On-Scene Survivors Workshop Preview
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Schedule Dr. Bob Smith as a Conference, Event, or Workshop speaker. Multi-media presentations including original first responder songs written by Bob. Presentations are tailored to organizers intended purposes. Contact through On-Scene Survivors website for scheduling and pricing.