Division Chief
Clackamas Fire District
Clackamas, Oregon, United States
Rick Huffman is currently a Division Chief at Clackamas Fire in Oregon. A 45-year veteran of emergency services, he began with fire agencies in California and served as a firefighter and air medic for the U.S. Air Force, a flight paramedic with Lifeflight Southern California, and then spent 23 years at the Vancouver Fire Department (WA) serving in roles from Firefighter/Paramedic to Division Chief (and IAFF Local 4378 President). After his 1st retirement, he worked at Concordia University (Portland, OR) to manage the simulation center for the Homeland Security degree program. At the same time, Rick served as a ready reservist for FEMA as a Strategic Messaging Specialist. With the closing of Concordia University in Portland, Rick re-entered the Fire Service as the Fire Chief for the City of Gladstone (in the Portland Metro area of Oregon). After successfully implementing an Intergovernmental Agreement for the City of Gladston with the Clackamas Fire District, Rick now serves as a Division Chief for Clackamas Fire. Rick has been active in simulation and training throughout his career and has been focused of the use of virtual and augmented realities that will benefit emergency services.
Rick attended Paramedic training at Crafton Hills College in California, completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Service Administration from Eastern Oregon University and earned his MBA (with a focus on Leadership) at Concordia University (Portland). He is a member of the IAFC Technology Council and has co-authored a USFA Coffee Break Training Bulletin on the use of VR in the Fire Service. Rick has presented on the use of simulation and virtual reality in the U.S. and abroad in Taiwan.
ELEC-708: Technology Panel on Solutions
Friday, August 16, 2024
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM