Instructor Bio | Dan, a fire service student since 1992, is the Assistant Chief of Fire Operations in the Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department in Northern Virginia. Dan has an Associates Degree in Fire Service Supervision, a Bachelors degree in Business Administration, and is a graduate of the West Point Leadership Program.

He has instructed at FDIC, Firehouse Expo and Andy Fredericks Training Days on various fireground topics. He is a Vice President of Traditions Training, LLC. He has been published in Fire Engineering magazine, co-host a monthly podcast on firefighting on Fire Engineering Talk Radio, a principle member of NFPA 1400, fire service training and in 2013 co-authored his first book with Lt. Doug Mitchell, entitled “25 to Survive: Reducing Residential Injury and LODD”

Instructor Bio | Doug is a member of the New York City Fire Department with 30 years of fire experience, the last 23 with the FDNY. He is currently the Captain of Ladder 38 in the Bronx’s 7th Division. Doug served as the Executive Officer of Probationary Firefighters School and is a PIO for the FDNY IMT. He was a Lieutenant in the Bronx, a Fire Marshal in Queens and a Fireman in Manhattan.

Doug previously worked for Fairfax County Va. Fire & Rescue Department. He has lectured and conducted hands-on-training programs nationwide as a vice president of Traditions Training LLC. He is a principal member of the NFPA 1400 committee. He co-wrote Fire Engineering’s “25 to Survive: Reducing Residential Injury and LODD” in 2013. He has a Bachelor’s degree from University of MD Baltimore County.

Instructor Bio | Chief Anthony Avillo retired in March 2015 after a 30-year career in the fire service. Avillo was a deputy chief in North Hudson (NJ) Regional Fire & Rescue, assigned as 1st Platoon regional tour commander. He holds a Master’s Degree in National Security Studies and a BS degree in Fire Science from New Jersey City University. Avillo is currently the Director and Deputy Fire Marshal at the Monmouth County (NJ) Fire Academy. He is an Adjunct Professor at New Jersey City University. Avillo is an FDIC instructor and member of the FDIC advisory board and the editorial advisory board of Fire Engineering. He is the author of Fireground Strategies, 3rd edition (Fire Engineering, 2015) and Fireground Strategies Workbook Volumes I, II, and III (Fire Engineering, 2002, 2010, 2016). Avillo also co-authored with Chief Ed Flood Full Contact Leadership, (Fire Engineering, 2017). He was a contributing author to Fire Engineering’s Handbook for Firefighter I and Firefighter II (Fire Engineering, 2009, 2020) and is co-author of its Study Guide (Fire Engineering, 2010). Avillo has also contributed to both volumes of the Pass It On books by Billy Goldfeder (Pennwell, 2015, 2016) and several other Pennwell textbooks. Avillo was a collaborator in the Tactical Perspectives DVD series (Fire Engineering, 2011) and has had issued the DVD’s Control of Fireground Operations (Fire Engineering, 2016) and Forging a Culture of Safety (Fire Engineering, 2013). Avillo also co-hosts a radio show, Fireground Strategies and Other Stuff from the Street with Chief Jim Duffy on Fire Engineering Blog Talk Radio. Avillo was recipient of the 2012 Fire Engineering/ISFSI George D. Post Fire Instructor of the Year Award.

Instructor Bio | Deputy Assistant Chief (Ret.) John Norman is a veteran of over 50 years in the fire service, including over 27 years with the FDNY, the majority of that time in Special Operations units. Chief Norman served as a firefighter with Engine Company 290, and Ladder Company 103 in Brooklyn, Rescue Company 3 which covered the Bronx and Harlem, and helped organize Hazardous Materials Company 1 at its inception in 1984. As a Lieutenant, he served with Rescue Company 2, which covered all of Brooklyn, and as a Captain, he was the Company Commander of Rescue Company 1 which is located in Manhattan’s high rise district, just off Times Square. While still assigned to Rescue Company 1, John worked with the Safety Command and the Fire Commissioner’s High Rise Fire Safety Task Force, investigating and then developing high-rise fire safety legislation in the wake of the fatal Vandalia Avenue and Macauley Culkin fires, which killed three firefighters and six civilians. Promotion to Battalion Chief in 1999 brought assignment to Battalion 10 and the Y2K Preparation Task Force before assignment to Battalion 16. In the days after September 11th, 2001, and the collapse of the Twin Towers, John was designated as the Search and Rescue Manager for the World Trade Center site. He operated in that position for two months before assuming the job of Chief of Special Operations on a full-time basis. He was subsequently promoted to Deputy Chief in June of 2003, remaining in Special Operations. In August 2004, Chief Norman was promoted to Deputy Assistant Chief, and once again designated as Chief of Special Operations as well as a Citywide Tour Commander.

Instructor Bio | Mo Davis is a District Chief with the City of Houston Fire Department and has over 25 years of fire service experience. Chief Davis holds a Master’s Degree, is a Master Firefighter, and is a Master Fire investigator.

Instructor Bio | Clyde Gordon is a District Chief with the City of Houston Fire Department. He has 36 years as a proven leader in the fire service and 30 years within the Houston Fire Department. Chief Gordon offers a unique blend of leadership, vision, and knowledge. He has a reputation for a strong work ethic, exceptional fire ground operations, and management, and building uncompromising integrity and responsibility in a crew.

Chief Gordon believes in continuous improvement of fire ground skills and operations through regular and consistent training. He is known for his teaching through honest and personal first-hand experience. Clyde spent over 10 years as an instructor with Lone Star College in Cypress, Texas.

Instructor Bio | Anthony Rowett, Jr. is a captain with the Mobile, AL, Fire-Rescue Department. He was previously a firefighter with the Ogdensburg, NJ, Fire Department. Rowett has multiple degrees in both fire science and emergency services management. He is a graduate of the Alabama Smoke Diver course.

He is the owner of Port City Fire Training. Rowett is also an instructor at Gulf Coast Emergency Response Academy. He is a contributing author for multiple fire service publications and has instructed at multiple fire service conferences as well as for individual fire departments.

Instructor Bio | JJ has been a career firefighter for over 22 years and is currently a Lieutenant with the City of Orlando Fire Department. There he has served for the past 15 years and is currently assigned to Tower 10.

He previously served as a firefighter with the City of Cincinnati (OH) Fire Department. JJ earned a BS degree in Fire Protection Administration from Eastern Kentucky University. He is Florida state-certified instructor and has taught classes at local and national conferences on Truck Company Tactics.

Instructor Bio | Eric Wheaton is the Owner of VentEnterSearch, LLC. He is a second-generation fireman for Winter Park (FL) Fire Department and is currently assigned as an Operations Battalion Chief after his recent promotion from Truck 61. Eric has spent the majority of his career on the Truck Company. Eric is an instructor for the Truck Company Operations and Special Operations programs at Valencia College’s Central Florida Fire Institute.

He holds an associate degree in Fire Science and is an advisory board member on the UL-FSRI Size-up and search & rescue study. Eric has taught at many fire conferences across the country, including FDIC, Portland Firemanship Conference, Orlando Fire Conference, Fort Lauderdale Fire Expo, Metro Atlanta Firefighter Conference, and the Water On The Fire Conference.

Instructor Bio | Kyle Romagus is an 18-year veteran of the East Montgomery County Fire Department, oversees the training division as a Battalion Chief, and is in love with engine work. Kyle owns and operates smoothbore cartel, teaches engine operations for FD tactics, CF Tactics, Oathkeepers engine cadre, and is also the admin of engine company resurrection. His main goal is to spread knowledge about Engine work to anyone that will listen and to leave the job better than he found it.