Expo History
The Jackson Fire Expo was started in 1993 by the members of Local 2280 to serve as a training resource for members of our department, as well as other firefighters and EMS personnel in our area. The event began very small (approximately 60 attendees) in the auditorium of Stark State College with a topic on aircraft- related emergencies.
A close call at a residential structure fire in January 1994 lead one of our members to encourage the union to bring in speakers who were versed in building construction, fire ground tactics, and fire behavior. Since then the event has grown into a two-day seminar that educates personnel, and allows them to network with other firefighters. The speakers we bring in are locally and nationally known figures that bring with them a wealth of knowledge and experience.
As the event grew, the expo team decided to add vendors to help promote new products, ideas and technologies. Currently we have more than thirty vendors in attendance. We also began providing a light breakfast, a catered lunch, as well as snacks and refreshments at all breaks.
With attendance rising each year, we found it necessary to explore larger venues. In 2012 the opportunity came about to move our event to Jackson High School. This venue provided us with newer, more expansive opportunities to host speakers, vendors, and attendees. In 2013, we hosted our first “meet and greet” event at The Fox and Hound. This event gave us the chance to have dinner and build relationships with our fire service colleagues, and meet the expo presenters.
Currently we welcome over 200 attendees each year. We are dedicated to educating and improving the safety of all our brothers and sisters. The Jackson Fire Expo is a great opportunity to experience the best speakers in the fire industry, earn CE, and network – all in one weekend, while staying close to home.