About the Conference

I’m pleased to invite you to a unique conference that will be a dynamic educational opportunity. This conference will increases the awareness of cultural diversity, improve human relations, and foster equal opportunities in a multicultural workforce.  The best kept secret some of us fail to realize is a diverse workforce is the power of inclusion, combining our positive differences to work leads to a successful organization. The Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue is hosting the annual Equity & Diversity Conference on November 2-4th 2007 at the Holiday Inn Hampton Hotel and Conference Center.  Our theme for the conference this year is “Combining Elements to Fuel Change,” which is a direct relationship to the elements required to produce fire.   In the science of Fire, a Tetrahedron is used to explain the four elements required to produce fire. 

The elements are: “Fuel” the substance being burned, the “Oxidizing Agent,” which is the gas that supports the combustion process, and last the “Heat” represents the energy component that comes into contact with the fuel and supports the combustion action.  All these elements together produce combustion, better known as fire.  Let’s examine the same elements in the Diversity Tetrahedron: “Fuel” represents the people involved in the workplace, “Oxidizing Agent” is the culture that exists throughout the organization and “Heat” represents laws, rules & regulations, and standing operating procedures that govern the employees in the workplace to do the right thing.  All elements combined together produce appropriate workplace behavior through education and training.    
      
Some of our well known speakers among the Public Safety communities are:  Ret.’d Fire Chief Alan Brunacini from Phoenix Fire Department, Newly selected Fire Chief Dennis Rubin from Washington DC and Ret.’d Law Enforcement State Police Officer Gordon Graham.  In addition, we have Hampton’s City Attorney Cynthia Hudson and from the Unity Commission we have John Johnson & Michelle Woods-Jones facilitating some exciting workshops.
       
This conference will allow you to walk away with some ideas you can take back to help mold your own future as well as your organization’s.  To find out more give me a call Battalion Chief Bettie Reeves-Nobles at 757-727-6447 or email me at breeves@hampton.gov or check out our conference website www.hampton.gov/fire/equity. 

I’ll see you at the Equity and Diversity Conference, November 2-4th at the Hampton Holiday Inn.