2025 CPSE Excellence Conference
Call for Presentations Now Open
We’re Looking for Excellence!
The Center for Public Safety Excellence® (CPSE®) is inviting dynamic innovators and dedicated leaders to present during our 2025 Excellence Conference. This is an incredible opportunity to share your expertise while influencing the future of the Fire and Emergency Service. The Excellence Conference is the leading event for Fire and Emergency Service Accreditation, Credentialing, and Innovation.
Dates and Location
April 1-4, 2025 – Caribe Royale Orlando, Florida
Complete the abstract application no later than 5:00 pm Eastern, August 30, 2024.
Call for Presentations Deadline
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Proposal Guidelines
Presentations should address one of the following subject areas:
- Accreditation 101 – Presentations should align with the basic building blocks outlined in the 10th Edition CFAI Accreditation Model. We seek content that answers fundamental questions and offers practical guidance on the following topics: the application process, developing and implementing a strategic plan, creating a Community Risk Assessment/Standards of Cover (CRA/SOC), preparing the self-assessment manual (SAM), developing and conducting annual program appraisals, and preparing for a site visit.
- Advanced Accreditation – This track is designed for those who have already achieved accreditation and are looking to delve deeper into advanced concepts and cutting-edge practices. Presentations should be tailored to advanced departments and showcase innovative programs and best practices. They should align with the 10th Edition CFAI Accreditation Model and cover advanced topics such as: preparing and submitting the annual compliance report, maintaining the core accreditation documents (strategic plan, CRA/SOC, SAM), developing performance measures, developing strategies for data analysis, creating critical task analyses, gaining stakeholder buy-in, and succession planning for the accreditation program.
- Credentialing – Are you a leader in your field with insights into the credentialing process? Presentations should focus on the various components of the designation application including, but not limited to, the new electronic application process, successful strategies for documentation of education and experience, writing to Designee Development Goals and Technical Competencies, obtaining leadership/labor/management buy-in, and/or sessions covering specific technical competency categories.
- Leadership and Management – Share your expertise and influence the future of the Fire and Emergency Services through knowledge sharing and professional development. Presentations should focus on leadership and management. Content can vary, consisting of real-world situations, anecdotal or hypothetical problems, case studies, or presentations of an author’s work.
- Health and Safety – The wellness of our organizations’ members is paramount to the future of the fire service. We are seeking presentations related to mental wellness programs, personal protective equipment innovations, emerging safety advances, firefighter fitness programs, peer support of health and fitness, occupational health and safety standards, near miss reporting and tracking, health and wellness sustainability, cardiac health innovations, cancer screening best practices, and external agency collaboration for health and safety.
- Innovation Through Technology – Presentations should focus on the innovation, integration, and application of data analysis & visualization tools, GIS, and/or AI and how it relates to operational function and training innovation to identify and solve challenges. Presentations may cover the data lifecycle within their departments including the data acquisition, cleaning, management, and analysis processes. Presentations should be tailored to a chosen level of beginner, intermediate, and advanced innovation to address the needs of various department sizes and resources.
- Community Risk Reduction (CRR)– Are you at the forefront of community safety? Presentations should cover a range of impactful topics, including identifying outcomes and their impacts within the community, innovative public education and code enforcement programs, EMS risk reduction methods, CRR strategy development and implementation, the influence of fire investigation on CRR, building relationships with external agencies, and best practices for community engagement.
Presentations should follow one of the following formats:
- Case Study – analysis of one or more experiences to support/demonstrate a concept or practice (preference will be given to this session format)
- Lecture – oral presentation on a topic (mustinclude audience interaction)
- Workshop – discussion based or hands-on learning with audience
- Podcast-Style/Dialogue – conversation, interview, or question based “show”
CPSE is looking for presentations of 45 and 60 minutes in length and should be focused at the managerial level. Sessions should allow time for 5-10 minutes Q&A.
The Evaluation Process
Members of the Conference Education Planning Committee will evaluate all proposals based on the following criteria:
- Overall quality,
- Relevance and timeliness to the fire and emergency service,
- Practical applications of material, and
- Speaker qualifications.
To be considered as a speaker, your presentation must be informative in nature — focusing on solutions or outcomes. Your presentation material must be original; otherwise, reference your sources. In the case of two speakers, each speaker must agree to the submission. Sessions may not include sales, commercialization, or product promotion of any kind. Incomplete program submissions will not be considered.
The final presentation selections will be made in late September.
Speaker Benefits
Individuals invited to present at the 2025 CPSE Excellence Conference will receive a complimentary full conference registration which includes access to all sessions, events, and meals.
Speakers who are current designees or candidates for designation may list their session in the Professional Contributions/Recognition component of the designee candidate and renewal applications.
CPSE does not reimburse travel and expenses or compensate speakers for their presentations.