Lawrence is the hot spot for more than 200 of the state’s higher-ranking firefighters this week.

The Lawrence Holidome is hosting about 215 members of the Kansas State Firefighters Assn. for its annual conference, which runs through midday Saturday.

“You really have to be a jack-of-all-trades anymore to be a firefighter,” said Rob Wolfe, a captain in the Wichita Fire Department.

He said the profession was changing because many firefighters were being called on to fill other roles, such as paramedics and hazardous materials specialists.

“We’re here trying to learn how to do things better and how to stay safe,” Wolfe said. “That’s what we’re always trying to do.”

The conference, which began Wednesday, has featured an address by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger, of Lawrence. Several technical sessions also are on tap, ranging from training on LifeStar helicopter landings to a personnel session on “how to get along with your chief.”

Issues related to homeland security also are a prominent topic, even nearly five years after the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Mark Bradford, chief of Lawrence-Douglas County Fire & Medical, said he was keeping a close eye on changes in how homeland security grant money would be distributed. He said a new system that will distribute the money to regions rather than directly to counties might heighten competition for the dollars.

“I’m not sure it is going to be a good thing,” Bradford said.

But the mood of firefighters at the conference generally was upbeat.

Roy Hawkins, a captain with the Wellington Fire and EMS Department, said the industry still produced a rewarding career.

“About 85 to 90 percent of our calls are EMS calls,” Hawkins said. “When you are helping grandma or a little child and they are able to say ‘Thank you,’ that means a lot. You know you’re doing some good.”