I have 40-yrs service in the career/volunteer fire service, with a commitment to firefighter safety, a passion that has been central to my work since my father’s line-of-duty death in 1998. I am a PhD candidate in Occupational Safety and Health, specializing in firefighter safety and survival.
I have 35-yrs volunteer fire service engagement, including 23 years as a chief officer, of which 6-yrs as Fire Chief in the volunteer system and 6-years in the career system. I have served as a Field Instructor with the Maryland Fire & Rescue Institute for 33-years, primarily delivering instruction in leadership, Fire Officer I–VI, and Safety Officer curricula.
I am an organizing charter member and Program Manager for the Emergency Responder Safety Institute, an organization dedicated to education and research aimed at protecting emergency responders operating on roadways. In this capacity, I advocate for legislation, national standards, training and educational programs, and research and development initiatives, and I assist with project and grant management. See ResponderSafety.com.
For the past two decades, I have supported the NFFF on a range of initiatives, including service as a Branch Director in the Family Escort Section supporting the Annual Fallen Firefighter’s Memorial Weekend.
Since 2011, I have served on technical committees for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), specifically NFPA 502, Standard for Road Tunnels, Bridges, and Other Limited Access Highways, and NFPA 1091, Standard for Traffic Incident Management Personnel Professional Qualifications, for which I serve as Committee Chair.