Tom Merrill

Tom Merrill is a 37-year fire department veteran and serves with the Snyder Fire Department, which is located in Amherst, New York (first ring suburb of the City of Buffalo). He served 26 years as a department officer including 15 years in the chief officer ranks. He was chief of department from 2007-2012 and currently serves as a Fire Commissioner for the Snyder Fire District. Tom has conducted various fire service presentations throughout the country including FDIC, The National Volunteer Fire Council Training Summit, VCOS and many other national, state and regional conferences. His popular presentation "The Professional Volunteer Fire Department" is based on the series of articles he has written for Fire Engineering regarding developing and maintaining a professional reputation in the volunteer fire service. In addition Tom delivers keynote addresses and other presentations focusing on leadership, officer development, engine company operations and fire service history, heritage and pride.  Tom also hosts a regular podcast sponsored by Fire Engineering titled “The Professional Volunteer Fire Department” and he is employed full time as a fire dispatcher for the Town of Amherst Fire Alarm Office.

Jason Decremer, PhD

Jason Decremer, PhD, is the director of Certification for the Connecticut Commission on Fire Prevention and Control. He is responsible for over 40 levels of national certification testing for approximately 30,000 firefighters statewide. Decremer has been a member of the volunteer fire service for 20 years. He also is an adjunct professor at the University of New Haven and Goodwin University, teaching courses in Homeland Security and Fire Administration. He has taught Recruitment & Retention courses across the nation, most recently as an instructor with the IAFC. He received his PhD in public policy and administration from Walden University and a master’s degree in curriculum design and education from the University of Phoenix. He lives in Southbury, CT with his wife Carina and three children.

David Denniston

As Director of Risk Management for Emergency Services Insurance Program with McNeil & Co, Dave works with emergency service organizations across the US . He is the Past Chief of The Cortlandville Fire Department in Upstate New York and A Fire Commissioner in the Virgil Fire District. Dave serves Cortland County as a Deputy Fire Coordinator and is a Director for the Association of Fire Districts in the State of NY. Dave served as the Foundation Secretary for the NVFC. His experience also includes being Treasurer of several non-profit organizations and a Board Member for the First National Bank of Dryden.  

Dan Maffia

Dan has over 30 years fire service experience and is currently a Battalion Chief with the City of Fayetteville, NC, FD. He has also served with several volunteer & combination services rising to the rank of Assistant Chief. His instructing experience spans nearly 20 years, and he is an international lecturer, speaking on a wide variety of topics. He holds AA degrees in Fire Protection and Emergency Management, and is currently enrolled in the National Fire Academy's Managing Officer program.

John (Jack) Sullivan

CSP, CFPS

Jack became a firefighter and EMS provider in 1972 and eventually served the Paoli (PA) Fire Co. as Deputy Chief. He has also served as a firefighter in Chesterfield County, VA, and as Lt. and Safety Officer for Lionville (PA) Fire-Rescue. Although retired from active emergency response after 23 years of service, Jack serves as the Director of Training for the Emergency Responder Safety Institute (www.respondersafety.com). Jack is a member of the Safety, Health and Survival Section of the International Assoc. of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI), and the Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA). He is a Principal Member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Technical Committee for Traffic Incident Management Professional Qualifications which developed NFPA 1091: Standard for Traffic Incident Management Professional Qualifications (2019). In January of 2018 Jack was selected to receive the 2018 Fire Dept. Safety Officers Assoc. (FDSOA) Dave Dodson Lifetime Service Award and in April of 2019 Jack was recognized with an “Excellence in Instruction” Award from the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI).

Jack graduated from the Co-Op Program at Drexel University in Philadelphia in 1978 with a B.S. in Business Administration – Management. He is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), and a Professional Member of The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), where he has served as President of the Colonial Virginia Chapter. He is also a Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS). 

Jack is a subject matter expert on roadway incident operations and emergency responder safety and promotes proactive strategies and tactics for protecting emergency workers from being struck by vehicles while working on or near roadways. He is a Technical Member of the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD) and currently serves as the Task Group Leader for the Temporary Traffic Control Committee that is responsible for Chapter 6i of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). Jack teaches Traffic Incident Management & Responder Safety Workshops for multi-agency emergency responder groups for the Emergency Responder Safety Institute and he is a Master Instructor for the FHWA SHRP 2 Traffic Incident Management Train-the-Trainer Workshops being taught nationwide.

Keith Tyson (Moderator)

Keith Tyson is Vice President for Education and Research at the Firefighter Cancer Support Network.  He’s presented on the cancer issue within the fire service to the NVFC, IAFF, the IAFC, FDSOA, FDIC, NFFF Tampa 2 conference, and other relevant fire service organizations.  He sits on several national research committees addressing this pressing topic and has multiple articles published in fire service journals including, Fire Engineering, FDSOA, FASNY, PFIA Protector, JOIFF’s Catalyst & more.  

F.R. Montes de Oca

Frank Montes de Oca is a former fire chief serving communities in FL, OH, and NC, with over three decades of experience in fire, rescue, emergency management, EMS response and management and disaster response.  Chief Montes de Oca began his career as a firefighter in Orlando in 1972 serving as Chief of Emergency Medical Services, Bureau Commander for Safety and Training and Senior Operations Officer. Currently, he develops and delivers training programs for fire and public safety responders throughout the United States as a recognized instructor for the National Fire Academy, Emergency Management Institute, US Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Bill Gardner

Chief

Senior Director of Fire Products at ESO, Chief Gardner retired in 2019 as the Fire Chief in Leander, Texas. After retiring from his fire service career, he returned as volunteer Sr Advisor at Leander Fire.  Bill began his firefighting career in 1985, working at various Municipal Fire, Emergency Management and Emergency Medical Services Departments. He was recognized twice as the Paramedic of the Year (1999 & 2001) at Austin/Travis Co. EMS, received a nomination for International Association of Fire Chiefs for the Fire Chief, Central Texas Firefighter of the Year, and was a finalist for Texas Firefighter of the Year. Gardner also served as the President of the Texas State Firefighters and Fire Marshals’ Association.

Tom Merrill

Tom Merrill is a 37-year fire department veteran and serves with the Snyder Fire Department, which is located in Amherst, New York (first ring suburb of the City of Buffalo). He served 26 years as a department officer including 15 years in the chief officer ranks. He was chief of department from 2007-2012 and currently serves as a Fire Commissioner for the Snyder Fire District. Tom has conducted various fire service presentations throughout the country including FDIC, The National Volunteer Fire Council Training Summit, VCOS and many other national, state and regional conferences. His popular presentation "The Professional Volunteer Fire Department" is based on the series of articles he has written for Fire Engineering regarding developing and maintaining a professional reputation in the volunteer fire service. In addition Tom delivers keynote addresses and other presentations focusing on leadership, officer development, engine company operations and fire service history, heritage and pride.  Tom also hosts a regular podcast sponsored by Fire Engineering titled “The Professional Volunteer Fire Department” and he is employed full time as a fire dispatcher for the Town of Amherst Fire Alarm Office.

Robert Leonard

With 30 years as a firefighter/officer and EMT, Robert has led communications for large and small emergency agencies, including serving as the FDNY’s Deputy Director of Public Information and Deputy Press Secretary for Uniformed and Emergency Services for Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.  He is a senior executive at a national public relations firm, leading the public safety and local government practice, and chairs the Public Relations committee for the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York.