IPMBA Conference Archives
2013 IPMBA Conference
In 2007, Baton Rouge served as host of the IPMBA Conference. While not the first venue to serve as host a second time, it did not take as long for IPMBA to get back to Baton Rouge – just six years. Other repeat locations were Tucson, Arizona (1991 and 2000) and San Antonio, Texas (1994 and 2004). Memories of fine riding, excellent training, legendary hospitality, and outstanding food enticed many 2007 attendees to return. They were joined by a complement of first-time visitors to Baton Rouge in search of a similar experience. They were not disappointed. Although the weather was unseasonably cool and rainy for parts of the conference, everything else lived up to expectations. The city of Baton Rouge again proved an excellent training venue; the RiverCenter was even better than before; and the food and hospitality? Well, this is Louisiana!
Photo Gallery
Photos on Flickr
Thanks to Our Hosts
The IPMBA board, staff, members, and conference attendees would like to thank the Baton Rouge Police Department and their partnering agencies for hosting the 23rd Annual IPMBA Conference. We appreciate the support of Baton Rouge Mayor Kip Holden and the East Baton Rouge Parish Council; Chief Carl Dabadie and the Baton Rouge Police Department; Director Chad Guillot and East Baton Rouge EMS; Chief Lawrence Rabalais and the LSU Police Department; Sheriff Sid Gautreaux and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriffs Office; Constable Reginald R. Brown and the Baton Rouge City Constable’s Office; and Chief Anthony Williams and the Baton Rouge Airport Police.
We are also grateful for the generous in-kind and financial contributions from Visit Baton Rouge, Boudreaux & Thibodeaux’s, the Baton Rouge business community, and those who cooked fine Cajun food for each hospitality night.
Special thanks to Baton Rouge Police Sergeant Craig Russell, Officers James Banks, Kyle Callihan, PCI #908, Don Coppola, PCI #1079, Reggie Kirton, Mark Weber, and Todd Webb; and LSU Officer Sarah Drake, who invested many hours and much effort into the planning and implementation of this conference.
Also deserving of recognition are many East Baton Rouge EMS staffers, especially the omnipresent Matt Smyer, ace AV techs Darryl Beard, Jay Efferson, and Tremayne Baker, and Joyce Wales, who, along with Artie Gonzales, provided a warm welcome to everyone at the registration/information counter. Their efforts were supported by others too numerous to mention, but whose contributions are nonetheless essential to the success of the conference.
IPMBA thanks Board Member Tom Harris, East Baton Rouge EMS, for bringing IPMBA back to Baton Rouge. After establishing East Baton Rouge as the first EMS agency to host an IPMBA Conference, he threw down the gauntlet for his colleagues at the Police Department. Fortunately for IPMBA, they took up the challenge. He was an invaluable member of the Command Staff, assisted by his ‘”right-hand man”, Matt Smyer, for which both IPMBA and the BRPD are grateful.
Last, but never least, IPMBA thanks those of you who overcame the obstacles associated with budgeting and staffing limitations and made the case for training.
View 2013 IPMBA Conference photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/97613337@N07/collections/72157635256827295/