1. Tell us about yourself and why you decided to join the fire service
I grew up in Chicago, a few blocks from a Chicago fire station. I was a very uncoordinated, heavyset kid who felt pretty much alone as an only child. I found great comfort in going over there to visit, and when they would catch a run, my heart would just pump as they pulled out of the station.
So, I thought someday maybe I'll do that, but I was involved in a bad car accident when I was 14, and it looked like any strenuous physical job would be out of the question. So, I rearranged my life to become a teacher/ coach.
Ironically, I really enjoyed coaching, but I didn't enjoy the teaching part! I had a brother-in-law who was a firefighter, and between him and my wife, they convinced me that I would be a good fit. I started to take tests and was lucky enough to be hired, and 42 years later, I'm still involved by teaching! I retired in January 2021 after 38 years of wonderful service and could not have had God put me in a better place to spend my life than in the fire service.
2. Who or what has inspired you as a fire instructor?
There are a lot of names, too many to cover in this space, who have inspired me, like Chief Brunacini, Chief Buckman, Chief Buhs, and Chief Halton, just to name a few. However, I have to give the most credit for continuing to be involved in the service to this day to my son, Sean, and my wife, Eileen.
Sean inspired me through his battle with mental health. He educated me about the realities of the disease versus the rumors and stigma accompanying that diagnosis. Eileen encouraged me to stand up in front of audiences and be vulnerable to try and spread the message. Without them, I'm not where I'm at today.
3. What are some things you are working on in your department and how can others learn from that?
I'm retired now and very proud of my time at the two departments where I had the privilege to be the Fire Chief in Hinsdale and Western Springs. As I said before, I am lucky still to be an instructor for the Illinois Fire Service Institute, the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association, and the International Society of Fire Service Instructors. I am also a keynote speaker at many conferences on mental health, and I even wrote a book, only because I promised my wife I would, about our son's journey and how to lead through mental health challenges. I really thought the only person who would buy the book would be me, but people have been incredibly kind and generous, and Sean's name is out there in the Fire Service across the country, hopefully helping people.
4. Tell us about a project or training accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career
I would have to say that the project I am most proud of is the book Taking The Cape Off...How to Lead Through Mental Illness, Unimaginable Grief, and Loss. I say that because it took me out of my comfort zone and provided a platform for a message that needs to get out there to the fire service and the general public about mental health.
I was incredibly humbled to be awarded the George D. Post award as Instructor of the Year a couple of years ago by the International Society of Fire Service Instructors and Fire Engineering. As I told somebody then, that's like being voted the MVP of some world championship team when I looked around to see the previous award winners.
Again, that wouldn't have happened without all the people I mentioned previously who helped me and encouraged me to spread the word when the early years of mental health education were met with pretty empty rooms.
5. What do you hope to accomplish as a fire service instructor?
I think the job of a fire service instructor is to encourage people to think. Some parts of our career are black and white, but most of it is lived in the gray area. While many of us do not like being constrained by standard operating procedures, sometimes it's a lot easier to follow something written in black-and-white instead of making decisions using that SOP as a foundation, not as an absolute.
It's a thrill to see the glow come on in some young woman or man's eyes as they sit in your class after you've encouraged them to think through the information you're providing, and you can see the lightbulb go on and a proud smile on their face with that feeling of "oh yeah now I got it!"
Chief Brunacini was a master at throwing the grenade in the room, stepping back as it exploded with knowledge and watching people, putting everything back together as a team, and learning so much through the process, as much if not more than the information itself.
a. When you are gone, what do you want people to remember you by?
When I'm gone, I want people to remember me as a person, not the firefighter. If they consider me a good man, a good husband, a good dad, and now a proud grandfather, I think I will have done all right.
Leadership should be driven by earning people's respect. If I have been judged to have met that lofty goal when I cross over, I will have done what many of my mentors have encouraged all of us to do: leave it just a little bit better than how you found it. To me, that's always meant to leave the earth and the people a little bit better than how you found it, not just the fire service.
6. What is the biggest change you have noticed in the fire service since you started?
I think the biggest change I've noticed since I started is the speed of new information. If you don't like being a student, you should not be a firefighter in today's fire service.
It's your responsibility to keep up with the ever evolving abundance of information on so many different topics in our vocation. That overload of information can sometimes be frustrating and cause hard feelings between previous ideas thought to be gospel only to find out that new information has enhanced firefighter safety and it's okay to modify your thinking. It is not a matter of right versus wrong but "improving on right!".
No longer are you only a firefighter. Now, you're also a doctor, a chemist, a public relations director, and a counselor, just to name a few of the professions you must have a little experience in.
Those who are successful in the fire service today really have to love to learn, and that's why it's such a privilege to be an instructor.
7. What is something that most people don’t know about you?
This is always a tricky question because most of the time, the thing people don't know about you is something you don't want them to know!
I would have to say that I'm a nervous wreck before every class, whether it's 20 students or doing a keynote speech for 700 people. When I was very active in sports, I couldn't eat before a game other than a piece of toast because my stomach would be churning regardless of my proficiency in that sport.
That's true to this day when I speak. That is why I like to lead off a conference as the first speaker or do a class early in the morning. People find that hard to believe because I appear to be very much in control on the outside, but my stomach would beg to differ. I had a wonderful speech teacher in high school who taught me the key to demeanor, which is fooling the audience into thinking you're not nervous, and humor is a great tool in that pursuit. He told me it's okay to be nervous, just don't let them know you are. So far, so good.
8. If you could choose your title (other than the generic Training Officer or Firefighter) that uniquely describes you in your position, what would it be and why?
I will address this question as I would've answered when I was still an active Fire Chief, and that would be a trusted confidant.
As a leader, you have to have the trust of your people, as you will make decisions they don't agree with. Maybe they don't understand or downright think it's a huge mistake, and you must've finally lost your mind.
However, If you have their trust that you're going to protect them and, in turn, have their families trust that you're going to bring their loved ones home safely, then you can lead in any environment.
If they trust you, they will confide in you and share what you need to know in order to work side-by-side to accomplish the mission. Anything short of that is unacceptable.
9. And finally, what advice do you have to give another instructor or to somebody who is just starting out as an instructor?
I can honestly say I'm jealous of those just starting their career as an instructor because there are now so many areas that you can instruct in.
So my advice is don't try to be a jack of all trades. Instead, pick a couple of areas you are passionate about and dive deep into those areas. Create a base of information that you can share, and then stay on top of those areas as they evolve because they will. You need to be fresh and up-to-date when you stand in front of an audience. Remember, everybody's got a phone in their hand, so the last thing you want to do is give out dated or misinformation, so stay on your game and be proud of what you do.