5 Reads – 1 Day Academy

August 3, 2026
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Daily

1111 N. Griffin St.
Danville, IL 61832

Not an FDSOA member yet? Click here to apply for a $99 year membership

Recommended Reading
Fire Department Incident Safety Officer
Revised 4th Edition by Forest F. Reeder ($99.50)
*Not included in the academy fee, but available in the FDSOA shop

Academy Features and Benefits

Building on the outstanding training programs developed by Dave Dodson, The 5 Reads is a class developed by the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) for Company Officers, Incident Safety Officers, and Chief Officers where they can learn to take their ability to Read the 5 Critical Factors at any emergency response to the next level. The class will review and emphasize the significance of The 5 Reads which include:

• Risk: Identification, Evaluation, Prioritization, Mitigation, and Monitoring
• Buildings: Type, Era, Use, Size, Related Hazards and Predicting Collapse
• Smoke: Volume, Velocity, Density, Color, Influencing Factors, and Predicting Fire Behavior
• Hazardous Energy: Thermal, Mechanical, Wind, Chemical, Electrical, Water
• Firefighters: Capabilities, Mental and Physical Status