This month, we are heading to Portland for our monthly meeting, and we invite members to join Chief Thurz and me for a round of golf beforehand. We have reserved two tee times at Portland Golf Course around 13:00 hours, giving us plenty of time to enjoy the game and still attend the evening’s meeting. The first six members to respond via text to Chief Thurz at (860) 250-3578 or Chief Meyers at (860) 234-2195 by Tuesday July 15, 2025, will secure a spot to join us on the course.

Our guest speakers this month are Chief Oates and Chief Merwede, who will be highlighting the FEMA Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Recruitment and Retention grant awarded to the International Public Safety Data Institute (IPSDI).

IPSDI is at the forefront of using data science to improve public safety outcomes. Their work involves partnering with local public safety agencies to gather and analyze data that supports smarter risk evaluation, more effective resource deployment, and enhanced emergency response capabilities.

The educational portion of our meeting will focus on how IPSDI’s data-driven initiatives are being used to support recruitment and retention efforts in the fire service—an increasingly critical challenge for departments of all sizes. We’ll learn about the innovative tools and resources available through this grant and how they can be applied to improve staffing sustainability across Connecticut’s fire and EMS agencies.

As always, the meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. with social time, and our guest speakers will start promptly at 6:30 p.m.

Date: Tuesday July 22, 2025

Time: Meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. with social time, and our guest speakers will start promptly at 6:30 p.m.

Location: Portland Company #2 Picnic Grounds
84 Indian Hill Avenue, Portland, CT