May 12, 2025 There have been recent developments regarding the resumption of classes at the National Fire Academy (NFA). There’s good news and bad news. I’ll start with the bad news. I don’t have insider information, so this is speculation based on available reports, but the cancellation of classes appears tied to the freezing ofContinue reading “Update on National Fire Academy Closure”
Author Archives: johnb6050
Modeling and Simulation Conference Canceled: Why does it matter?
March 21, 2025 I remember when I went to my my first Interservice / Industry Training, Simulation, and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) organized by the NATIONAL TRAINING & SIMULATION ASSOCIATION (NTSA) back in 2021. If you are not aware this group is largely focused on Department of Defense (DOD) simulation training. My first impression was thatContinue reading “Modeling and Simulation Conference Canceled: Why does it matter?”
In Defense of the National Fire Academy
The photo above was taken at our Executive Fire Officer (EFO) graduation in the historic chapel at the USFA, National Fire Academy. The four of us met on our first trip to the NFA and attended all four sessions together, forming a bond that has been invaluable throughout our careers. We have shared ideas, givenContinue reading “In Defense of the National Fire Academy”
Simulation, AI, and National Defense: What I learned from the NTSA Congressional Modeling and Simulation Conference.
February 25, 2025 I recently attended the NATIONAL TRAINING & SIMULATION ASSOCIATION Congressional Modeling and Simulation (M&S) Caucus Conference. The event helps shape legislative priorities for the coming year as they relate to modeling and simulation. While the focus is largely on the Department of Defense (DOD), many of the training concepts discussed connect wellContinue reading “Simulation, AI, and National Defense: What I learned from the NTSA Congressional Modeling and Simulation Conference.”
Edge Computing and Agentic AI: Moving Decision-Making Closer to the Incident
February 17, 2025 This article continues my earlier exploration of Agentic AI. If you missed that piece, you can check it out here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/agentic-ai-ooda-loop-how-could-support-fire-service-jonathan-boyd-gjihc/?trackingId=E7w9jbrbCUILYiqKz3laug%3D%3D Time remains an unyielding adversary. In our operations, every fleeting second counts. Shifting mitigating actions closer to the incident’s onset has the potential to change outcomes drastically. Agentic AI holds promiseContinue reading “Edge Computing and Agentic AI: Moving Decision-Making Closer to the Incident”
Agentic AI and the OODA Loop: How Agentic AI Could Support Fire Service Decision-Making
February 6, 2025 I recently upgraded my phone to the new iPhone 16, and it comes with what Apple calls “Apple Intelligence.” This upgrade sent me down a AI rabbit hole and made me curious about how this type of technology might shape or re-shape the way we operate in the fire service. You mayContinue reading “Agentic AI and the OODA Loop: How Agentic AI Could Support Fire Service Decision-Making”
Aging, Task-Switching, and Incident Command: Insights from a UTD Brain Science Study
January 27, 2025 If you have a teenager, you know how rare it is for them to want to spend time with you. So when my 17-year-old son asked me to play Fortnite with him, I jumped at the chance. I thought that with all the hours I’d logged in my youth playing GoldenEye, I’dContinue reading “Aging, Task-Switching, and Incident Command: Insights from a UTD Brain Science Study”
Satellite to Cell: The New Era of Staying Connected
January 19, 2025 My family and I often drive from Dallas to South Park, Colorado. It’s a trip we’ve made many times, and while it’s easy enough in the summer, winter is a different story. You have to stay on top of the weather and road conditions, or you can end up in a toughContinue reading “Satellite to Cell: The New Era of Staying Connected”
Auto Dispatch: Saving Time Where It Counts
January 13, 2025 Auto dispatch is one of those things that sounds obvious once you see it in action, but I’m not sure how many CAD vendors even offer it or how many agencies are taking full advantage of it. Spoiler alert: they should. It’s a perfect example of how technology can save time—not justContinue reading “Auto Dispatch: Saving Time Where It Counts”
Seeing Through the Smoke: Mental Health in the Fire Service
The short film Smoke was an incredible project to be a part of. Back in 2020, I had the opportunity to collaborate with Prelude Films on this idea. Josh Gallas, the director, approached me with the concept, inspired by his wife, a nurse working in a COVID unit. Josh shared how she would come homeContinue reading “Seeing Through the Smoke: Mental Health in the Fire Service”