Captain Bill Gustin of the Miami-Dade (FL) Fire Rescue Department is the 2024 recipient of the Fire Engineering/ISFSI George D. Post Instructor of the Year Award.
In nominating Gustin, Assistant Chief Brian Zaitz of the Kirkwood (MO) Fire Department, incoming president of the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI), said: “Captain Bill Gustin has demonstrated a life-long commitment to training and fireground safety. He is a 49-year veteran of the fire service. Since coming into the fire service, he has always been involved in training. Whether it be from his company-level training on high-rise operations and hoseline deployment or his work on forcible entry, Captain Gustin has always been a driver of training. He is a lead instructor for the Miami-Dade Officer Development School as well as taught numerous classes at Miami-Dade College. He is a technical editor of Fire Engineering, an Educational Advisory Board member of FDIC International, and a consistent host of numerous Humpday Hangouts on FireEngineering.com.
“Gustin has impacted countless firefighters across the United States as well as around the world through his hands-on training, lectures, and countless articles on firefighting tactics and urban fire operations. He is a founding member of the FEMA USAR Working Group, providing the foundation for the current FEMA USAR system.
“Gustin is one of the most relevant and impactful firefighters in the country. He spent his entire career on one of the busiest companies in Miami-Dade and took the opportunity to conduct training daily. He epitomized the role of company officer as fire instructor. His program is unique in that it is ‘real.’ As an instructor at the Miami-Dade Fire Academy, he instructs recruits both in firefighter techniques as well as the culture of the fire service. The most unique aspect of Gustin’s instruction is his fees: He instructs for FREE. He simply wants to share his message and his experience and make the fire service better, truly living the message of being a great fire instructor.”
Seth Barker, outgoing ISFSI president, said: “Captain Bill Gustin has permanently left his thumbprint on the fire service. His impact has been unmeasurable, and he has ensured the safety of the fire service through his strategies and tactics. Captain Gustin’s never-ending passion for staying on the cutting edge of education has landed him as one of the top fire service instructors."
The award, which incorporates the Training Achievement Award previously given by Fire Engineering at FDIC, is named for George D. Post, who was a long-time member of the ISFSI. Post was a member of the Fire Department of New York, an illustrator of fire service publications, and a developer of instructional materials and is considered by many to be the father of visual training material used to train fire service personnel around the world.
Award Presentation: Opening Ceremony Day 2, Thursday, April 18, 2024, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM, Indiana Convention Center Sagamore Ballroom