Blog Archives

Chief Corley Moore

Instructor Bio | Corley Moore is a motivational speaker and instructor, specializing in the topics of leadership and culture. Author of the book Challenge Your Leadership. He is the founder of Firehouse Vigilance and its “Never Ending Fight Against Complacency”. Creator of the Vigilant Creed with members in all fifty states and seven countries. Host of The Weekly Scrap, a podcast where fire service leaders come on to discuss improving the culture of the modern fire service.

Corley Moore has served in the Moore Fire Department since 1997, and currently holds the rank of Battalion Chief. He is in charge of the Green Shift, which is a motley collection of badasses that make him look good every day.

Chief Eddie Robinson

Instructor Bio | Eddie Robinson’s career in the fire service began in 1979 as a volunteer in his home town of Rock Hill, South Carolina. After high school, he joined the United States Army and, subsequently, joined the United States Army Reserve where he advanced to become a Drill Sergeant. Eddie retired from the Army Reserves in 2002 as a First Sergeant.

After relocated to Georgia he began his service to the citizens of Cherokee County at the Hickory Flat Volunteer Fire Department. His career service with Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services began a few years later, in January of 1999. Shortly after, in 2001, Eddie was promoted to Safety Officer, then later appointed to Administrative Captain/Safety Officer. In 2011, he was promoted to the position of Assistant Fire Chief where he served until March of 2022. On March 12, 2022 Eddie was appointed as Fire Chief of Cherokee County, following the retirement of his long-time mentor, Fire Chief Tim Prather.

Chief Robinson has been dedicated to community volunteer service. Some of his service
includes graduating from the Leadership Cherokee program, serving as the Leadership Cherokee Chair Person in 2008, and later became a member of the program’s steering committee. Chief Robinson has also served as lead advisor for Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services Explorer Post 469, who under his direction, received numerous awards at the annual Winterfest competitions. Chief Robinson is also responsible for spearheading the county’s annual Patriot Day Ceremony, which is held each September in remembrance of Sept. 11, 2001.

Chief Robinson has earned many accolades that span his years serving in the Army and in the fire service. He earned 23 service ribbons from the U.S. Army, including The Drill Sergeant
Badge, Meritorious Service Award and Governor’s Unit Citation for Outstanding Service during and after Hurricane Hugo. In 2020, he earned the distinguished, Georgia Fire Chief Certification, from the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs. He has also attended numerous fire service training opportunities and is an active instructor for fire services throughout the state.

Chief Robinson and his wife Lorie have two children, Candace and Kenny. Kenny is currently serving as a full-time firefighter with Forsyth County and Pickens County. In addition, Chief Robinson has six grandchildren: Kody, Sadie, Macy, Gracey, Little Nick and Randy.

Anne Gagliano

Instructor Bio | Anne Gagliano has been married to Captain Mike Gagliano of the Seattle (WA) Fire Department for 34 years. She and her husband lecture together on building and maintaining a strong marriage. They also wrote Challenges of the Firefighter Marriage, available from Fire Engineering Books & Video.

Captain Mike Gagliano

Instructor Bio | Mike Gagliano began his career in 1986 with the United States Air Force, then joining the Seattle Fire Department in 1990. He is a recently retired Captain of Ladder 5 and a member of the Seattle Fire Department’s Strategic Planning Leadership Group. Captain Gagliano has written numerous fire service articles, is co-author of the bestselling book Air Management for the Fire Service and the SCBA chapter of the Handbook for Firefighter 1 & 2 from Pennwell.

He is a member of the Fire Engineering/FDIC Advisory Board, a Director for the Firesmoke Coalition (Firesmoke.org), was the 2008 FDIC Keynote Speaker and teaches across the country on Air Management, Fireground Tactics, Leadership and Company Officer Development. Mike co-hosts the popular Fire Engineering radio webcast “The Mikey G and Mikey D Show” and partners with his wife Anne (Firelife.com) to teach on strategies for developing and maintaining a strong marriage/family.

Lieutenant Steve Robertson

Instructor Bio | Steve has been in the fire service for 33 years, the last 29 of which have been with the Columbus Ohio Division of Fire. Steve currently serves as the Lieutenant on Engine Company 18 in the South Linden neighborhood of Columbus. Steve has been a classroom instructor at FDIC for the past several years teaching engine company operations. Additionally, Steve is the lead instructor of the FDIC HOT program Stretching For Success. Steve is an instructor for County Fire Tactics and has taught engine company tactics nationally. For the past 26 years, Steve has also been a state-certified Fire Safety instructor. He is also a past member of the State of Ohio Fire Training Committee.

Lieutenant Ray McCormack

Instructor Bio | Ray McCormack recently retired as a Lieutenant after 38 years. He holds a BA from the New York Institute of Technology. He was the chair and lead author for FDNYs new Engine Company Operations Manual. He developed and taught Back to Basics Standpipe for all FDNY firefighters. He was the co-founder and editor of Urban Firefighter magazine. He sits on the FDIC advisory board and FireEngineering editorial board.

He was a panel member for two consecutive Underwriters Laboratories (UL) studies. Impact of Fire Attack Utilizing Interior & Exterior Streams on Firefighter Safety and Occupant Survival Study and Study of Coordinated Fire Attack Utilizing Acquired Structures. He lectures on Engine and Ladder Company Operations, Leadership, and Improving Extinguishment Culture.

Chief Frank Viscuso

Deputy Chief Frank Viscuso (ret.) served more than 26 years as a professional firefighter in New Jersey. He is a columnist for Fire Engineering magazine and the author of twelve leadership books, including Amazon best-sellers Step Up and Lead, Step Up Your Teamwork, Flash Point: Ignite Your Team and Forge a Winning Culture and Common Valor: True Stories from America’s Bravest.

Frank is a highly sought after, internationally recognized speaker who has the ability to move people to action. Over the past two decades he has spoken to audiences on many topics that include leadership, team building, officer development, and customer service (1,000+ presentations in 47 States and 4 Countries). Frank travels throughout the United States, Canada and Europe providing leadership and team development training to firefighters (more than 500,000), as well as emergency service workers, sales teams, U.S. Armed Forces, the healthcare industry, small businesses and large corporations (including Exxon/Mobil, Jersey Mike’s, SERVPRO, and Crossroads Realty). Frank has presented keynotes and seminars at dozens of prestigious Universities including Stanford, Princeton, Northwestern, Rutgers, Oklahoma State, and West Point Academy. He has also provided leadership training on US military bases throughout the United States and Europe (Including Camp Pendleton; NSA Souda Bay on the island of Crete, Greece; and NSA Naples, Italy). His keynotes, seminars and workshops are designed to introduce people to the top traits associated with leadership and to equip them with the skills needed to lead, inspire, and motivate their teams.

Deputy Chief Viscuso was honored as an opening ceremony Keynote speaker at FDIC International in 2022, and the 2025 International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI) George D. Post Instructor of the Year. This award recognizes individuals for extraordinary accomplishments in fire service training.

Throughout his career in the fire service, Frank has developed promotional exams, written more than 60 Standard Operating Guidelines, and acquired millions of dollars in grant money for his department. He has also developed probationary firefighter and apparatus driver training programs, mentorship programs, and leadership and officer development workshops. In addition to his active speaking schedule, Frank works as a consultant and helps organizations develop and establish programs and guidelines that will help their teams achieve success. Scroll down to learn more about Chief Viscuso’s presentations and books.

Chief Scott Thompson

Instructor Bio | Chief Thompson entered the fire service in 1981. He has been formally practicing leadership and coaching fire officers and firefighters for the last 25 years. Chief Thompson has practiced leadership as an operations officer, training chief, emergency manager, Chief of Department, and Director of Public Safety. Thompson has held a leadership position in 2 volunteer and 5 career fire departments.

Thompson started his paid career assigned to one of the first organized hazardous materials teams in North Texas in 1986. He spent 10 years assigned to busy suburban fire companies, and as a division chief, he responded regionally to fire and rescue events. Thompson responded to the Delta 191 crash, tornadoes, wildland fires, mass casualty incidents, and a mid-rise building explosion. Thompson has been recognized in the region for his command and control practices.

Chief Thompson began his teaching career in 1986 at Collin College. He has taught at the Texas A&M University Fire School since 1996, and has been a hands on instructor (HOT), workshop, and classroom presenter at the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) since 2002. Chief Thompson continues to attend training offerings around the country as a hands-on participant.