WFS: News & Events » Events & Conferences » Event Details: Overview & Schedule

The 11th International Conference of Fire Service Women

This is your invitation to attend one of the most exciting fire service conferences of the year!

For six days this spring. you can further your fire service education in a positive learning environment. In Montgomery County, you'll meet with other women who share your commitment to the fire and rescue service, and who've "been there" -- and succeeded -- when it comes to working in a non-traditional field.

It's a great chance to recharge your batteries and re-energize yourself about your job. We hope to see you there!

WFS has been organizing conferences for almost 20 years, and has consistently created events that are well-run, interesting, educational, and downright fun. This year, we will meet near the nation's capital.

Hosted by the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Department, "Courage and Commitment: A Capital Experience" promises to be another great event in this long series of successful gatherings. Women and men from many area fire agencies are involved in the conference planning process, working hard to bring you an opportunity for education, networking, and battery-recharging that you won't want to miss! We expect 450 to 500 women and men from all aspects of the urban, rural, and wildland fire service to join us in Maryland, and we hope you'll be among them.

Our workshops and seminars provide leadership development, classroom education on fire and EMS topics, valuable hands-on training to improve your job skills, tips on the promotional process, and valuable information and guidance on gender and diversity issues. Perhaps most importantly, we offer you the chance to meet, network, and make friends with fire and rescue service personnel from across the country and around the world.

Conference Schedule

Tuesday, March 29
7:30-8:30 am	Registration
8:30 am	Departure, pre-conference trip to the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
5-7 pm	Registration
7-10 pm	Early-bird reception
Wednesday, March 30
7-8:30 am	Registration
8 am-5:30 pm	Workshops and seminars
1-5 pm	Wildland issues session, Dept. of Interior headquarters
5-9 pm	Registration
7-10 pm	Welcome reception   sponsored by Sutphen Corporation
Thursday, March 31
6:30-7:30 am	Fitness activities
7:30-8:30 am	Registration; continental breakfast
8 am-3:30 pm	Exhibit area open
9-11 am	Opening ceremony
11 am	Group photo
1:30-4:30 pm	Workshops
5:30-7:00 pm	Capitol Hill reception
8-9 pm	Buffs' Night
Friday, April 1
6:30-7:30 am	Fitness activities
7-8:30 am	Registration; continental breakfast
8 am-3:30 pm	Exhibit area open
8:00-11:30 am	Workshops
11:30 am-1 pm	Luncheon
1-5:30 pm	Workshops
5:30-6:30 pm	Silent auction
7:00-11:00 pm	Dinner and live auction
Saturday, April 2
6:30-7:30 am	Fitness activities
7-8:30 am	Registration; continental breakfast
8 am-12:30 pm	Workshops (Note: Some hands-on sessions run until 2 pm)
9 am-2 pm	Recruitment Expo
1-5 pm	Off-site activities
7-11 pm	Reception and dance
Sunday, April 3
7:30-8:30 am	Continental breakfast
8:30-10:30 am	Workshops
10:45- 11:30 am	Closing session
12:30-1:30 pm	Meeting, post-conference trip participants

Conference Package Options

	Advance discount (by March 18)	Regular/on-site rate (after March 18)
Package A: Thursday, March 31 - Sunday, April 3	WFS members: $350 Non-members: $380	WFS members: $420 Non-members: $455
Package B: Wedesday, March 30 - Sunday, April 3	WFS members: $520 Non-members: $550	WFS members: $625 Non-members: $660
Package C: Tuesday, March 29 - Sunday, April 3	WFS members: $575 Non-members: $610	WFS members: $690 Non-members: $730
Add-on Options
Capitol Hill Reception - Thursday, 3/31	$15	$15
Friday Luncheon - Friday, 4/1	$30	$30
Reception/Dance - Saturday, 4/2	$35	$35

We offer a group discount for six or more participants registering together. To qualify for this discount, attendees must register at the same time and fees must be paid by the same check, purchase order, or VISA/MasterCard.

Important: All attendees who register on-site, or whose registrations are received after March 18, will be charged the on-site fee. If you send your registration and do not receive a confirmation letter or e-mail, we encourage you to call 608/233-4768 to confirm that you are registered. We can not be responsible for registrations we did not receive.

Accommodations

Rooms at the Marriott Bethesda North Hotel and Conference Center (5701 Marinelli Road, North Bethesda, MD 20852; 301/822-9200) for conference attendees are $129/night plus 12% tax. Call Marriott Reservations at 800/859-8003 or 800/228-9290; make sure mention the Women in the Fire Service conference to obtain space at these special rates. A first-night room deposit or major credit card is required to hold reservations. The reservation cut-off date is Wednesday, March 9; however, we strongly encourage you to book as early as possible, particularly if you want a double room, as we anticipate the hotel will be filled well in advance of the conference.

Transportation

The area is served by three airports: D.C. National (Reagan), Dulles, and Baltimore. The conference airline is American Airlines, which offers 5% discounts off all non-Internet fares to all three airports. To take advantage of these discounts, call American's Meeting Services Desk at 800/433-1790 and refer to Starfile authorization number S5635AV. [Outside the U.S. and Canada, call your local reservations number and refer to the same Starfile number.] Discounts are good for travel between March 25 and April 7.

Ground transportation from all three airports to the hotel is provided by SuperShuttle; discount coupons for conference attendees are available on their website using online discount code F42XZ at www.supershuttle.com/Coupons/DCA/ICFSW.pdf One-way SuperShuttle rates are $22 (National), $25 (Dulles), and $30 (Baltimore). You do not need to make a reservation for travel from the airport to the hotel, though you may prepay for the service online and book your return trip. Return reservations (to the airport) are required, and must be made at least 24 hours in advance by calling 800-BLUEVAN, or visiting www.supershuttle.com. You may also use the D.C. Metro (subway) system for ground transportation from National Airport. From Dulles, a shuttle will take you to the nearest Metro stop.

If you are flying to the conference and do not specifically need a car, we recommend you not rent one, as parking at the hotel is $8/day, and the Metro line offers easy and inexpensive access to the D.C. metropolitan area. [The Metro also serves National Airport, and a shuttle to Dulles is available from the end of the orange Metro line.]

NETWORKING THE WOMEN OF TODAY'S FIREFIGHTING WORLD, AND PROVIDING RESOURCES TO HELP BUILD THE FIRE SERVICE OF THE FUTURE

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