CAPTAIN GORDON GRAHAM, J.D. is a 25 year veteran of California Law Enforcement. During his tenure as a police professional, (currently a Captain of the California Highway Patrol) he was awarded his Teaching Credential from California State University, Long Beach. He was later graduated from University of Southern California with a Master's Degree in Safety and Systems Management. Subsequent to this he was graduated from Western State University with a Juris Doctorate. His education as a Risk Manager and experience as a practicing Attorney, coupled with his extensive background in law enforcement, have allowed him to rapidly became recognized as a leading professional speaker with multiple areas of expertise.

Gordon Graham has centered his efforts in providing knowledge to both public and private sector organizations in the area of Organizational and Operational Risk Management, Civil Liability, Professionalism, Ethical Decision Making and related topics. Instead of focusing solely in after incident damage control, he focuses his efforts in the prevention of mistakes through his risk management based training program SROVT (Solid Realistic Ongoing Verifiable Training). He teaches fire chiefs, fire officers and firefighters as well as public and private employees, supervisors, and managers why things generally go wrong, and how to prevent these unfortunate situations from happening. He follows up his prevention efforts with a dynamic presentation on how to recognize the incidents that have a likelihood of ending up in litigation. He concludes his program with a detailed examination on how to prove proper conduct. Additionally, Mr. Graham has developed the CATSINRO approach to the elimination of such incidents prior to occurance a valuable system used by fire departments nationwide. Each of his presentations includes the appropriate written "rules" for the topic covered. These risk management rules allow the informed listener to make immediate, progressive changes in operations to better protect themselves and their organization.

Over the last decade, Mr. Graham has made over 3,000 presentations to various groups including law enforcement, corrections personnel, fraud investigators, fire and rescue service professionals, EMS, other first responders, legal professionals, educators, city, county and district employees, law firms, hospitals and real estate companies along with many other private sector organizations. Since 1990, he consistently received the highest evaluations on P.O.S.T. critiques. In 1995 he received the Governor's Award (sole recipient) for Excellence in Law Enforcement Training from California Governor Pete Wilson. His penetrating wit coupled with his vast knowledge in multiple disciplines provides the enlightened listener with an information packed seminar.

He is available for seminars, conferences, or other programs including incident specific training designed for the specific needs of your organization, whether public or private sector. Contact Mr. Gordon Graham at inquires@GordonGraham.com.

Chief Billy Goldfeder, EFO, a firefighter since 1973, serves as Deputy Fire Chief of the Loveland-Symmes FD in S.W. Ohio. LSFD is an ISO Class 2, full service ALS department providing a full range of traditional and non-traditional emergency & community services. A Chief Officer since 1982, he has served as a Fire Chief in Ohio, Virginia and Florida. Chief Goldfeder also served as a Public Protection representative covering southern New York, for I.S.O. as well as a Company Officer, starting with the Manhasset-Lakeville F.D., in Long Island, N.Y.

A 1993 graduate of the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program, he is the former Chair of the International Association of Fire Chiefs VCOS Section. In 2001, Chief Goldfeder was honored with an appointment of Hon. Battalion Chief of F.D.N.Y. and is a member of the Board of Directors of the September 11th Families Association,  the Board of Directors of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and provides assistance to the NIOSH Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program . Additionally, he is the recipient of numerous operational and administrative awards and recognitions and received the Loveland-Symmes FD Departmental Award of Excellence in 2003, the ISFSI Fire Instructor of The Year Award for 2004, the Dana Hannon Fire Training Award for 2004,  the I.A.F.C’s Presidential Award for 2005, the 2007 IFSTA Everett E. Hudiburg Memorial Award for firefighter training excellence and the 2007 Nassau County (N.Y.) Frances X. Pendl Fire Service Humanitarian Award.

Chief Goldfeder recently completed his 6th year as a Commissioner on the Commission of Fire Accreditation International. He serves as an Associate/Contributing Editor for FIRE ENGINEERING, FIRE RESCUE, FIREHOUSE as well as Firehouse.Com and is a member of the F.E.T.N. (Fire and Emergency Television Network) Advisory Board. He has spoken on, as well as published, numerous articles on subjects such as combination FD's, fire command and tactics, firefighter/fireground safety, apparatus design and deployment and fireground staffing. His monthly column "Close Calls" appears in FIREHOUSE Magazine and his bi-weekly radio show “Through The Smoke” is hosted on Firehouse.com.

Chief Goldfeder has served on several NFPA and IAFC Committees, is the Chair of the IAFC’s Safety, Health and Survival Section, serves on the National Firefighter Near-Miss Reporting Task Force (IAFC) and has been an Instructor at the Fire Department Instructors Conference (F.D.I.C.) for the past 25 years as well as a member of the FDIC Advisory Board for the past 15 years.  He has and does provide consulting services for municipal and private corporations with a clear focus on firefighter safety and survival. Chief Goldfeder, along with Captain Gordon Graham, police/fire service risk management expert, attorney and California Highway Patrol Captain, founded  the website: www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com, a 100% non-commercial, independent and free site with only 1 focus: Firefighter Safety, Survival and Getting Everyone Home. We also founded and host the EMS based website, www.EMSCloseCalls.com which is coordinated by the members of the IAFC EMS Section.

Forest Reeder began his fire service career in 1979.  He currently serves as Battalion Chief / Director of Training & Safety with the Pleasantview Fire Protection District and is the Director of Training for Southwest United Fire Districts.  In these capacities, he is responsible for the design, implementation and coordination of in-service training activities as well as a full-service fire training academy program. 

Forest serves as the drillmaster for www.FirefighterCloseCalls.com a website devoted to information sharing and news relating to firefighter safety and survival.  In addition to this weekly drill feature, Forest is the author and a weekly contributor to Fire Engineering Magazines www.fireengineering.com on-line drill feature.  These drills are products designed to assist fire departments in training their members using these basic drill/discussion templates.  To date, over 500 quick drills have been developed and are in use in many departments.

Forest holds numerous Illinois fire service certifications including Fire Officer 3 and Training Program Manager and has an Associates of Applied Science Degree in Fire Science Technology, a Bachelors Degree in Fire Department Administration and a Masters Degree in Public Safety Administration from Lewis University.
 

Brian P. Kazmierzak BS, E.F.O. is a 20 year veteran of the Fire Service, having served in both volunteer and combination fire departments as an Instructor and Training Officer.  Brian was the 2011 ISFSI George D. Post Instructor of the Year, the 2008 Indiana Fire Chiefs Training Officer of the Year and the 2005 FOOLS International Instructor of the Year.  Brian has served as an Accreditation Manager, Peer Assessor and Team Leader for CFAI.  Brian is the Director of Operations for www.FirefighterCloseCalls.com where he manages the day to day operations of the website, in addition to "The Secret List" Brian also serves as an instructor of the Blue Card Command program www.BlueCardCommand.com and has extensive experience in developing and delivering simulation based training.
 
Barry Furey began his public safety career in 1970 and has served as a fire officer in three states. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Public Safety (Human Services) from the State University of New York. He is currently Director of Communications for the Raleigh-Wake North Carolina 9-1-1 Center. This facility handles over 850,000 inbound calls per year and services forty-three agencies. He has previously managed dispatch facilities in NY, IL, and TN.
 
A Life Member of the Association of Public-safety Officials (APCO) International, he has served on or chaired numerous committees, and was the founder of the APCO Homeland Security Task Force. Author of the Communications Chapter of the Fire Chief's Handbook, he has published articles in all major fire service journals. Presently, a Contributing Editor for Firehouse, he also writes a monthly column on communication management for 9-1-1 Magazine.com
 
Barry can be reached at barryfurey@yahoo.com.

Rudy Horist began his fire service career in 1983 and is the Deputy Chief of Operations for the McHenry Township Fire Protection District. His experience includes 25 years as an instructor, 8 years as Director of a regional fire academy in suburban Chicago and 5 years as a Training and Safety Officer. He has taught at FDIC, regional fire schools and throughout the state of Illinois for the Illinois Society of Fire Service Instructors. He is the past President and a current Director of the Illinois Society of Fire Service Instructors.

Rudy holds many Illinois Certifications including Fire Officer III and has a Bachelors Degree in Fire Department Administration from Southern Illinois University and a Masters Degree in Public Safety Administration from Lewis University. He is currently a student in the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer program.

Ignatius Kapalczynski has a diversity of experience in all aspects of the fire protection profession. He served as a Firefighter/EMT-I in Prince George’s County, while studying fire protection engineering at the University of Maryland. He was a specialist surveyor evaluating fire safety, environment and disaster planning in health care facilities, prior to joining the Bureau of Engineering in the Connecticut Office of State Fire Marshal where he provides fire protection consultation to local fire marshals and design/construction professionals. He teaches in the Fire Technology and Administration program of the Connecticut Community Colleges and serves on several NFPA Technical committees. He is the author and publisher of the American Fire Services directory and maintains the nation’s most complete database of public and private fire protection services. He has conducted evaluations of municipal fire service resource deployments and operations, conducted seminars on emergency planning, code enforcement, public safety education, and assisted fire departments undergoing grading and accreditation.
 

Chris Shimer retired from the Howard County, MD, Department of Fire & Rescue Services in 2008 after 29 years of service.  At the time of his retirement, Chris was the Deputy Chief of Training.  He also served as Deputy Chief of Emergency Medical Services during his tenure with the department.  Upon his retirement, Chris accepted a job as a contractor for the United States Marine Corps Fire & Emergency Services, a position he currently holds.
 
Chris holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Science from the University of Maryland University College and an Associate of Science degree in Nursing from the Catonsville Community College.  He is also a graduate of the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program.  He maintains his license as a Paramedic in the State of Maryland and an inactive license as a registered nurse.
 
Chris has been involved in Firefighter Close Calls since 2006, when he began posting stories related to EMS.

Patrick Kenny has been a member of the Fire Service for over 28 years. He retired from the Hinsdale Fire Department with over 24 1/2 years of service, 14 as the Fire Chief in January 2008 and was immediately appointed Deputy Chief of Fire and EMS for the Village of Western Springs.

Chief Kenny serves as a member of the Illinois Fire Chief’s Promotional Assessment Board, the Metropolitan Fire Chief’s Executive Board, the Illinois Fire Chief’s Educational Foundation and is a Past President of the Illinois Fire Chief’s Association.

Chief Kenny holds a Bachelors degree from Loyola University in Psychology and an Associates Degree from the College of DuPage in Fire Science. He is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer program at the National Fire Academy and is a current recipient of Chief Officer Designation by the International Fire Chiefs’ Association.

Chief Kenny is an Instructor for the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association, Illinois Fire Service Institute and NIPSTA. He has articles published in the areas of leadership, fireground safety, mental health and fire code challenges. Chief Kenny has twice been awarded the Fire Prevention Achievement Award by the Illinois Fire Inspector’s Association and was recognized by the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association as Fire Chief of the Year for 2004 and was nominated for the same award by Fire Chief Magazine for the International Fire Chiefs that same year.

Chief Kenny resigned from his position in Western Springs in January 2010 and was appointed to the position of Assistant Executive Director for the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association.

Chief Kenny is married and has 3 sons.

Notification

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