Firefighters from across Louisiana gathered at the Coughlin-Saunders Theater for the start of the annual Company Officer Leadership Conference on Tuesday morning.
The Alexandria Fire Department has partnered with the LSU Fire Emergency Training Institute, or "FETI" to put on the event.
It's designed for those serving in leadership positions at fire departments and tackles issues ranging from mental health to how to prevent tragic accidents. These leaders will then take the knowledge they've gained at the conference and pass that information along to their own departments.
Leaders from major fire departments across the nation were invited to speak and share their expertise in the field.
"It's a very difficult job at times, and to have those leaders that have the knowledge, it helps the firefighters feel safe when they're on the fire scenes,” said AFD Chief Larry King.