Lieutenant Mike Bates, Providence FD

Mike Bates is a Lieutenant with the Providence Fire Department and has been assigned to the city’s heavy rescue, “Special Hazards 1,” for the past twelve years.  Lieutenant Bates has served with the busiest engine and ladder companies in the city during his 28 years with the Providence Fire Department.   Lieutenant Bates is a nationally certified instructor and works with the Rhode Island State Fire Academy, The Barnstable County Fire Training Academy, the New Hampshire State Fire Academy , and the Maine State instructors Association.  Mike has presented hands on training programs at several national fire service conferences.  Mike is the co-founder of the  teaching and training company called Heavy Rescue Inc. that provides training in all aspects of heavy rescue operations, USAR operations and advanced fireground operations. He is a Rescue Squad Officer FEMA USAR MA-TF-01 Task Force, a Rescue Operations Manager with RIUSAR Task Force, and he responded to the World Trade Center on 9-11-01, as well as hurricane Katrina in August, 2005.  Mike can be reached at www.heavyrescueinc.com

Firefighter Brian Bolinger, FDNY

Brian Bolinger is a twelve year veteran of the fie service.  He is currently serving in one of New York City’s busiest fire houses located in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn.  As a certified instructor, he has taught multiple aspects of the fire service including; ladder company operations, engine company operations, forcible entry, search, rope rescue and self rescue techniques.  Firefighter Bolinger has experience serving as a volunteer and as a professional firefighter.  He has been a hands on instructor at several Providence Firefighter Safety and Survival Conferences as well as the D.A.P. Burhoe memorial training program.

Lt. Robert Brown, FDNY

Robert J. Brown Jr. PA has 16 years in the fire service and is currently with the FDNY where he serves as a Lieutenant with Tower Ladder 120 in Brownsville, Brooklyn. He has been with the FDNY for over 12 years, including the last 3.5 years as an officer in Tower Ladder 120. Previously, he served with the Glenwood Fire Company in Long Island, for 12 years.

Robert is the director of the New York Firefighter's Heart and Lung Institute and speaks nationally on firefighter health and safety. You can contact Robert at rbrownpa@yahoo.com.

Firefighter Jeff Cool,  FDNY

Firefighter Jeffery Cool is a retired veteran firefighter of the F.D.N.Y. Rescue 3.  His early retirement was the result of injuries he suffered while operating at a fatal fire in the Bronx on January 23, 2005.  Jeff has served in busy engine and ladders companies in the Bronx since 1992 and was assigned to Rescue 3 for the five years before his retirement.  Jeff’s firefighting experience also extends to his service with the New York Air Guard and U. S. Air Force where he served as a Airport Firefighter. Jeff Cool is the recipient of many citations, medals and awards including the Firehouse Magazine Heroism Award in 2004.

Firefighter Steve Colson, FDNY

Steve has over fifteen years of experience in the fire service serving as  both a professional and as a volunteer firefighter.  He has earned a Bachelors Degree in Fire Science from Providence College and is a Nationally Certified Fire Service Instructor.  Steve has developed and delivered many fire suppression programs and has been an instructor at several Safety and Survival Workshops.  Presently Steve is serving with the FDNY in Ladder 36 in the Bronx and has also worked in Manhattan. 

Battalion Chief Dan Crowley, Providence FD

Battalion Chief Daniel J. Crowley is a twenty nine year veteran of the Providence Fire Department.  Chief Crowley has served in some of the busiest engine and ladder companies in the city.  Throughout Chief Crowley’s career, he has served as a firefighter, Lieutenant, and Captain in Tower Ladder 2, one of the city’s busiest truck companies.  Chief Crowley has served as a 1041 certified instructor for several Providence Fire Training Academies and for the Providence Safety & Survival Conference over the past several years.

Firefighter Michael A. Dragonetti, Stamford, CT Fire Rescue

Michael A. Dragonetti is a 13-year veteran firefighter with the Stamford (CT) Fire-Rescue Department, assigned to Rescue Company 1. He is a New York and Connecticut state-certified fire service instructor, presented courses in elevator operations at the Fire Department of New York Technical Rescue School (2002-2005), and has been an instructor at FDIC since 2003. Prior to developing and teaching “Handling Elevator Emergencies,” he had extensive experience in the New York City metropolitan area constructing, modernizing, maintaining, and repairing elevators and escalators with one of the largest elevator companies in the world. In addition, he is the founder and president of Dragon Rescue Management, a technical rescue training company.

Casey C. Grant, P.E., National Fire Protection Association

Casey Grant is the Program Director for the Fire Protection Research Foundation, an affiliate of the National Fire Protection Association.   He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and a Master’s degree from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, both in Fire Protection Engineering, and he is a Registered Professional Engineer in the states of California and Tennessee.   Casey is a Fellow of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers, and has one fire protection related U.S. patent.  Prior to joining the Research Foundation in 2007, Casey was the Secretary of the NFPA Standards Council and Assistant Chief Engineer, where his responsibilities include oversight for the approximate 300 NFPA codes and standards.

FF Mark Giusti, Providence FD

Mark Giusti has over ten years of fire service experience, including the last five with the Providence Fire Department. Mark has an Associates Degree in Fire Science Technology, has attended the RI, MA, and ME Fire Academies, and has been active as an instructor for the Providence Firefighter Safety Conference since 2001.  

Chief Mike Healy, Director, Rockland County Fire Academy

Mike is a 37 year member of the fire service serving 13 years with the Blauvelt Fire Department,and 24 years with the Central Nyack Fire Department. He was Chief of Department for over ten years. Mike is a New York State Certified Fire Instructor, as well as the Coordinator of Fire Instruction for the Rockland County Fire Academy . He is a Hands-on-Instructor for the NYS Chiefs Association, as well as a presenter in the associations workshop series. Mike has presented on various Fire Service topics throughout the country specializing in Engine Company Operations and Incident Command.  

Lt. Thomas F. Kenney, Hyannis Fire Department

Tom is a Lieutenant and a 26 year veteran of the Hyannis (MA) Fire Department. He began his 33 year career with the Boston Department of Emergency Medical Services where he served as an EMT and Paramedic. He is a FEMA structural collapse instructor and a rescue team manager for USAR MA-TF1. He teaches technical rescue and firefighting programs nationally, is a H.O.T. Instructor for FDIC, and is a partner in Heavy Rescue Incorporated.

Robert T. LaGrow, FDNY

Bob is a 19 year veteran of the fire service. Bob presently is a Captain with the West Haverstraw Volunteer Fire Department and a member of the New York City Fire Department serving with Engine Company 63 in the Bronx . He is a New York State Certified Fire Instructor and a fire instructor with the Rockland County Fire Academy for the past 14 years. Bob is also a Hands-on-Instructor for Fire Engineering Magazine (FDIC), Firehouse Magazine, and the NYS Chiefs Association. He lectures on a variety of fire service topics throughout the county.

Dennis E. Macedo, New Bedford Fire Department

Dennis is a 24 year veteran with the City of New Bedford (MA) Fire Department. He has spent the majority of his career on the busiest company located in the downtown station. He is a FEMA Structural Collapse Instructor and Rescue Squad Officer. He teaches fire and rescue programs nationally, is a Fire Program Coordinator at The Barnstable County Fire Rescue Training Academy as well as a partner in Heavy Rescue Incorporated.

Battalion Chief James Mirza 

Battalion Chief Mirza is a 28-year veteran of the Providence Fire Department and assigned to Battalion 2.  He has served as an engine company captain for 14 years, is a Rhode Island Fire Academy Instructor and has serves as an instructor at the Providence Fire Department Academy.  Jim served with a number of other fire departments in Rhode Island prior to joining the Providence Fire Department and worked for several summers as a wildland firefighter for the National Parks Service in several western states.

Lieutenant Eric Norberg

Lieutenant Norberg has been a member of the West Warwick Fire Department for the past ten years where he is serving as a Lieutenant assigned to Engine 4 in the Town’s Crompton section.  Lieutenant Norberg is an instructor with the Rhode Island Fire Academy where he teaches extensively in the field of forcible entry and firefighter safety.  He has served as an instructor for Providence Firefighter Safety and Survival Conference Workshops for the last several years. He is a Rescue Squad Officer with Rhode Island's USAR Task Force.

Firefighter Jay Prete, FDNY

Firefighter Jay Prete has twenty years of experience in the fire service both as a professional and volunteer firefighter, and is currently serving in the Bronx assigned to one of FDNY’s busiest companies.  Jay is an instructor for the Rhode Island Fire Academy, and has taught at numerous fire service conferences and seminars throughout the northeast over the past ten years; including the Providence Firefighter Safety and Survival conference for the past three years.  He is presently working towards a degree in Fire Science.

Firefighter Dan Rinaldi

Firefighter Dan Rinaldi is an eighteen year veteran of the rovidence Fire Department, serving the last sixteen years in Special Hazards 1, the city’s heavy rescue company. Dan has been an instructor at several Safety and Survival Conference Workshops and at the “Response to Terrorism: Heavy Rescue Program”.  Dan also serves as a Haz-Mat Technician for the Providence Fire Department.

J. Gordon Routley 

Chief Gordon Routley is a fire protection engineer providing consulting services to fire departments and related organizations in the United States and Canada . He previously served as Fire Chief in Shreveport, Louisiana; Assistant to the Fire Chief in Phoenix, Arizona; and Fire Department Safety Officer in Prince George’s County, Maryland. He is the project leader for the City of Charleston Fire Assessment and Review Team and has conducted more than 30 firefighter fatality investigations.  In addition, he works with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation on the Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives Project and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Safety, Health and Survival Section of the International Association of Fire Chiefs. He presently serves as a special advisor to the fire chief in Montreal, Canada.

Ron Shaw

Ron Shaw is the founder of Extrication.com, holding state and national certifications as a fire service instructor, with a life long interest and expertise in motor vehicle extrication. Ron recently retired after twenty-nine years as a career fire officer with the Plymouth, MA Fire Department.  Ron has taught vehicle extrication at the basic, intermediate and advanced training skills to emergency responders from five continents.  For almost a decade Ron has written articles for Firehouse Magazine, Fire Engineering, Galls, Voice, NC OSFM and other emergency service related publications and online periodicals, and is currently working on an Extrication.Com basic skills textbook for Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

Deputy Assistant Chief J. Curtis Varone

Curt Varone is a Deputy Assistant Chief with the Providence Fire Department.  His fire service career spans over 35 years, the last 29 of which have been with Providence.  Chief Varone is an instructor at the National Fire Academy, the Rhode Island Fire Academy and at Providence College’s program in Fire Science.  He is a frequent lecturer in many fire suppression and safety topics.  Chief Varone is a recipient of the National Fire Academy’s Harvard Executive Fire Officer Fellowship, a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer program and is a practicing attorney.  He served as Task Force Leader for the Rhode Island Urban and Search Rescue Task Force, and served with FEMA USAR Task Force MA-TF01. Chief Varone is the author of Fire Officer's Legal Handbook and Legal Considerations for the Fire & Emergency Services, published by Delmar/Thompson Publishing.

Andy Werkhoven

Andy Werkhoven is a New York State licensed Qualified Elevator Inspector, presented courses in elevator operations at the FDNY Technical Rescue School (2002 – 2005), and has been an instructor at the FDIC since 2003. He is also a New Installations Operations Manager with one of the largest elevator companies in the world. Mr. Werkhoven has over 25 years of experience constructing, repairing, modernizing, and maintaining elevators and escalators in New York

Chief Thomas Warren

Chief Tom Warren is a Deputy Assistant Chief with the Providence Fire Department and presently serves as the Department’s Safety Officer.  His fire service career spans over 35 years, the last 29 of which have been with Providence.  Chief Warren has taught at many Safety and Survival Conferences and has helped develop the conference since 1996.  Chief Warren has taught at several Providence Fire Department Officer Training academies and has developed and delivered numerous safety related seminars.  He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Fire Science from Providence College, a Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health from Roger Williams University and is a Nationally Certified Incident Safety Officer.  Chief Warren also served on the Cyanide Task Force following the cyanide incidents in 2006 in the Providence Fire Department.

Lieutenant Ernie Young

Ernie Young is a Lieutenant with Engine Company 8 of the Providence Fire Department.  During his nineteen year career, Lieutenant Young has served with the busiest fire companies in the city including Engine 3 and Ladder 2 as a firefighter, and as a company officer with Tower Ladder 1 and the city’s heavy rescue, Special hazards 1.  He is a Rescue Squad Officer with RIUSAR Task Force, and a certified instructor.  Ernie has instructed fireground operations for the Providence Safety and Survival Conference, Heavy Rescue Operations for RIUSAR Task Force, and Advanced Fireground Operations for the training company Heavy Rescue Inc.  From September to October 2005, Lieutenant Young responded to hurricanes Katrina and Rita with the FEMA Firefighter Community Relations Teams to operate as SitStat Team Leader, Parish Liaison and Division Supervisor in Saint Charles, Louisiana.  Ernie can be reached at ernyoung@mac.com.

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