Blog Archives

Lieutenant Mike Ciampo

Instructor Bio | Lieutenant Michael Ciampo joined the fire service in 1979 as a volunteer and began his professional career in 1985, he is a lieutenant in the Fire Department of New York. Previously, he served with the District of Columbia Fire Department and Wyckoff, NJ VFD. He has a bachelor’s degree in fire science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice,

NY. He is the lead instructor for the FDIC Truck Essentials H.O.T. program and teaches at numerous seminars around the country. He wrote the Ladder chapter and co-authored the Ventilation chapter for Fire Engineering’s Handbook for Firefighter I and II (Fire Engineering, 2009) and is featured in “Training Minutes” truck company videos on http://www.FireEngineering.com. His video Bread & Butter Portable Ladders DVD is available from Pennwell. His monthly column ON FIRE is on the back page of FIRE ENGINEERING.

Chief Brian Brush

Instructor Bio | Brian is a 20-year veteran of the fire service and is presently a Training Division Chief at Midwest City (OK) Fire Department. He has a master’s degree in Fire and Emergency Management from Oklahoma State University and a Fire Officer designation from the CPSE. As part of his master’s degree, he completed a project entitled the Firefighter Rescue Survey. A project recording Fire Service wins, and providing peer-reviewed data to drive fire ground decision making.

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 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.

Chief Mike Terpak

Instructor Bio | Chief Michael Terpak has been in the fire service for 43 years, having spent the last 36 years with the Jersey City Fire Department where he recently retired as a Deputy Chief and City-Wide Tour Commander. Throughout his career he has worked in the city’s Lafayette and Greenville areas with Engines 10 & 17, Ladder 12, Rescue 1, Chief of the city’s 2nd. Battalion and the former Chief in-charge of the city’s Training Division.

In addition to the above, he was also the High-Rise Training Coordinator for Jersey City. Terpak travels extensively around the country lecturing on fire/rescue topics. Chief Terpak holds a BS degree in Fire Safety Administration from the City University of New Jersey and is an adjunct professor for the Fire Science Technology program at Sussex County Community College.

He is the author of five best-selling books, “Fire Ground Size-Up” , “Assessment Center Strategy and Tactics” ,“Fire Ground Operational Guides” “Assessment Center Management and Supervision”, “Fire Officer Oral Assessment Study Guides” and “Fire Ground Size-Up”.

Chief Shannon Stone

Instructor Bio | Chief Shannon Stone is a 25+ year veteran of the fire service working his way through the ranks and is currently the Fire Chief of the Midway Fire District in Santa Rosa County Florida. He previously served as the Operations Division Chief and had previously retired as an Operations Battalion Chief with the City of Fort Walton Beach Fire Department, located in the panhandle of Florida.

Captain Todd Edwards

Instructor Bio | Captain Todd Edwards (Ret.) has over 36 years of experience in the fire service. Starting his career at 16 years old with a small combination department in Ohio, Todd then moved to Georgia where he spent more than 30 years with Atlanta Fire Rescue. During his career with Atlanta, he held a variety of positions including Captain, Battalion Chief, and Assistant Fire Chief. While with Atlanta, Todd developed and taught the majority of the city training curriculum, and co-developed the city Standard Operating Guidelines.

After retiring in 2018, he served the city as a consultant and the lead instructor/coordinator for Atlanta’s Officer Development Program. While working with Atlanta, Todd was also the Lead Instructor for Walton County Fire Rescue in northeast Georgia. For the past 20 years, Todd has also been an adjunct instructor for the Georgia Fire Academy. Todd has also developed countless training programs currently being utilized by numerous departments, specializing in department-based curriculums for training and fire ground operations.