Webinar - Professional Development for the Volunteer Fire Officer

Officers have an important role and immense responsibility in taking care of their organization. New volunteer fire officers face unique challenges on both the operations and administrative sides of the organization as they try to navigate their new position. Join Tom Merrill for this free webinar to understand how aspiring, newly promoted, and veteran officers alike can help bring members home safely, earn credibility and respect, and competently handle the numerous tasks and details needed to keep the department operationally ready and organizationally compliant. The presentation will also discuss leadership traits that all fire department members can use to create and maintain more unified and harmonious operations.

Tom Merrill

Fire Commissioner

Snyder Fire District

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.