Lecture Series and
Hands-On Training Instructors
Our team of instructors takes pride in delivering real skills for the real world, from fundamental skills to advanced tips and tricks. There is something for everyone.
(Registration link coming soon)
Deputy District Chief Rich Stack
"Search Tactics and Techniques for the Fireground"
Richard Stack has been in the fire service for 28 years, 6 years with the Glen Ellyn Volunteer Fire Company, and the last 22 with the Chicago Fire Department. As a firefighter with the Chicago Fire Department, Rich was assigned to Engine 72, Engine 63, and Squad 5. Rich was promoted to Lieutenant in December 2015 and was Relief Lieutenant in the 5th District on the south side of Chicago. On March 8th, 2024, Rich was promoted to Deputy District Chief of Training. Rich has his advanced firefighter, Fire Officer 1, all the SOTP Certifications, Instructor 1 & 2, and a bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University in Fire Service Management. Rich has been an instructor at the Chicago Fire Academy the Illinois Fire Service Institute, and the State Fire Academy. Since 2006, Rich has taught at the Illinois Fire Service Institute in various programs: Officer Development, Structural Collapse, RIT Under Fire, F.A.S.T., Fire College, Smoke Divers, Leadership Development and Decision Making, Engine Operations, and Truck Operations, Fire Ground Officer School, Forcible Entry, Search Techniques for the Fireground and an Academy Instructor.
This comprehensive training program is designed to prepare firefighters and officers with the advanced skills and knowledge required to operate effectively as part of a Rapid Intervention Team. In the fire service, seconds matter, and the ability to recognize, declare, and respond to a MAYDAY situation can mean the difference between life and death. This course emphasizes the urgency of rapid intervention, precise decision-making, and tactical execution in high-risk environments where firefighter or civilian survival is on the line.
Participants will engage in hands-on, scenario-based training that reinforces critical survival techniques, self-rescue methods, and firefighter rescue operations. The course covers key topics such as air management, entanglement solutions, breaching and escaping, and effective communication under duress. Firefighters will also develop the ability to remain calm under pressure, ensuring they can make split-second decisions that lead to successful rescues.
Through realistic drills and practical applications, this course instills confidence, enhances situational awareness, and strengthens teamwork. Whether responding to a downed firefighter, navigating extreme heat and smoke conditions, or executing a rapid intervention plan, students will leave with the skills necessary to take decisive action when it matters most.
Lieutenant Steve Robertson
"MID-RISE MAYHEM
ENGINE OPERATIONS IN MID-RISE BUILDINGS"
Steve has been in the fire service for 35 years, the last 32 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 several years, teaching engine company operations. Additionally, Steve was the lead instructor of the FDIC HOT program
Stretching For Success and Mid-Rise Mayhem, He is also a member of the FRSI technical panel for fire dynamics and tactics in multi-story and row house buildings.
For the past 28 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.
MID-RISE MYHAM..ENGINE OPERATIONS IN MID-RISE BUILDINGS
These buildings are taking the United States by storm. While most all urban and suburban areas have them, how many of us genuinely have experienced fighting a fire in a mid-rise building? These four to eight-story buildings present unique challenges. This program cover multiple aspects of firefighting within the mid-rise building. Traditional and alternative attack methods will mainly focus on short-staffed stretching. Topics included in the program will consist of; well-hole stretches, offensive deck gun operations, 2.5" monitor deployment, extending attack lines, and making your own standpipe. The students will finish the day in timed scenario based evolutions. The instructor cadre brings more than 125 years of real-world experience, from volunteer to urban settings; this class has something for you. the building, or the situation calls for large amounts of water to be applied rapidly.
District Chief Clyde Gordon
"MID-RISE MAYHEM
ENGINE OPERATIONS IN MID-RISE BUILDINGS"
Clyde Gordon recently retired as District Chief with the City of Houston Fire Department. He has over 36 years as a proven leader in the fire service and 30 years within the Houston Fire Department. Chief Gordon offers a unique blend of leadership, vision, and knowledge. He has a reputation for a strong work ethic, exceptional fire ground operations, and management, and building uncompromising integrity and responsibility in a crew.
Chief Gordon believes in continuous improvement of fire ground skills and operations through regular and consistent training. He is known for his teaching through honest and personal first-hand experience. Clyde spent over 10 years as an instructor with Lone Star College in Cypress, Texas.
MID-RISE MYHAM..ENGINE OPERATIONS IN MID-RISE BUILDINGS
These buildings are taking the United States by storm. While most all urban and suburban areas have them, how many of us genuinely have experienced fighting a fire in a mid-rise building? These four to eight-story buildings present unique challenges. This program cover multiple aspects of firefighting within the mid-rise building. Traditional and alternative attack methods will mainly focus on short-staffed stretching. Topics included in the program will consist of; well-hole stretches, offensive deck gun operations, 2.5" monitor deployment, extending attack lines, and making your own standpipe. The students will finish the day in timed scenario based evolutions. The instructor cadre brings more than 125 years of real-world experience, from volunteer to urban settings; this class has something for you. the building, or the situation calls for large amounts of water to be applied rapidly.
Lieutenant Mike Ciampo
"Tower Ladders Tactics and Tips"
Michael Ciampo is a Lieutenant in the F.D.N.Y. and formerly served as a firefighter in the Washington DC FD. He is an instructor at numerous conferences across the country and has a B.A. degree in fire science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
In addition to his instructional role, Mike Ciampp has shared his knowledge through articles he writes for the back page column On Fire for Fire Engineering. He can be seen in their Training Minutes Truck Company videos. He also authored the Tower Ladders: Tactics, Tips & Tales textbook, which can be purchased at mikeciampo.com. He has taught or lectured at F.D.I.C., F.D.I.C. West, Orlando Fire Conference, Training Days, Ft. Lauderdale Fire Expo, First Due Tactics Conference, Firehouse, Firehouse World, and Firehouse On the Road.
This grassroots course will start in the classroom, where tactical operations and tips using tower ladders or aerial platforms will be discussed in a lecture format. Then, it will transition to the drill field, where the students will perform many of the tactical operations presented. They will cut from the bucket (roofs and garage doors), raise ladders from the bucket, remove stokes baskets, and perform other skill drills.
Deputy Chief Walter Lewis
"Command Class"
Walt Lewis brings a wealth of knowledge to share during Command School: A Workshop for Chief Officers in San Antonio. Walt has been a firefighter since 1990, rising to the rank of Assistant Chief for the Orlando Fire Department. In 2025, he retired and started his next chapter as Deputy Chief with the Orlando International Airport Fire and Rescue. He began as a volunteer and became a paid firefighter in a bedroom community fire department. In 1996, he joined the Orlando Fire Department and has served on some of the busiest units and within special operations. He is also a Task Force Leader for Florida US&R Task Force 4 based out of Central Florida, having deployed numerous times in various capacities during his time with FLTF4, including the Champlain Towers Collapse in Surfside, FL. Additionally, Walt was a past Executive Board member and Founder of F.O.O.L.S. International; he has been involved in various training and fundraising events for the F.O.O.L.S. and the charities they support.
Command School: A Workshop for Chief Officers
Description:
Commanding a scene confidently is a crucial skill for fire service chief officers. This workshop will equip current and future Chief Officers with the knowledge and techniques to lead emergency responses effectively. Participants will learn how to assess scenes, communicate effectively, delegate tasks, and maintain scene flow. The workshop will include scenario-based simulations culminating in participants commanding a live scenario.
Workshop Objectives:
Identify key elements to assess when arriving at an emergency scene.
Develop effective communication strategies for commanding a scene.
Learn techniques for delegating tasks and managing resources efficiently.
Understand how to maintain scene flow and adapt to changing circumstances.
Chief of Training Christopher Naum
"Model approach to Building construction"
and
"Taking it to the Streets"
Chief of Training, Command Institute, Center for Fireground Leadership
Technical Consultant, NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Investigation Program
Fireground Command & Operations Consultant
A 50-year fire service veteran and a highly regarded national and international instructor, author, lecturer and fire officer, a distinguished authority on building construction sciences affecting fireground operations, command and tactics, he has traveled extensively throughout the United States and globally delivering training programs on building construction & architecture sciences and firefighting, fireground leadership, command management and operational safety for over thirty-eight years. He is a sought-after national keynote speaker, instructor and presenter and has served as an FDIC General Session Keynote speaker and National Fire Academy Adjunct Instructor. He is the Chief of Training for the Command Institute, a former architect and fire protection engineer he was the 1987 ISFSI-Fire Engineering Magazine George D. Post National Fire Instructor of the Year and is a Technical Consultant, Advisor and Subject Matter Expert to the NIOSH Firefighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program and Firefighter LODD Reports. Chief Naum is well-known across the North American fire service as a leading authority on building construction and evolving risks as well as strategies and tactics in the built environment and today’s demanding fireground. He is highly recognized for his innovative training lecture series, integrating Building Construction Sciences and Fireground Operations taking the classroom onto urban city streets to fully examine and study the built environment with Building Reads and their direct relationship in fireground command, risks, tactics and safety.
Taking it to the Streets San Antonio
Description:
Today’s buildings, occupancies and fireground present increasing challenges and demands that directly influence command decision-making and operational tactics. Presenting insights on Building Construction, Hazards and Risks for today’s fire service, this highly acclaimed national seminar focus is to increase awareness and promote new skill sets in the fundamentals of various building construction, integrating improved size-up and building reads and operational assessment and engagement that support aggressive, timely and focused firefighting and command.
The program will look at the Predictability of Building Performance, overview of construction systems, materials and methods, inherent building characteristics and compromise and collapse risks, adaptive renovations and reutilization. Incorporating the Buildings on fire FACTS concept for First-Arriving Construction, Tactics and Safety, the seminar provides an integrated process to increase operational effectiveness and ensure critical building and occupancy factors are identified, assessment and monitored throughout an incident with a focus on the size-up and building reads.
The class highlight consisting of taking the classroom to the streets of downtown San Antonio for a facilitated walking tour of buildings in the downtown “Main Streets” Streets and surrounding select street areas learning first-hand about construction features, how to read a building, size-up and discussing tactical considerations in the street environment. The program will address a wide variety of building types along the tour route including a wide-variety of New and Heritage, Legacy, type III’s row and city residentials, commercials, retail, business and govt., with curb-side conversations on operations, safety, command and tactics.
This highly interactive and thought-provoking program identifies integral functions impacting First-Due tactical decision-making and firefighting. This class is geared towards all ranks and experience levels who will benefit from this informative and highly engaging program.
A four-hour module includes a 90m classroom session then transitions to the Streets of San Antonio for a facilitated walking lecture tour reading buildings, developing size-up skill sets and have curb-side conversations on operations, safety, command and tactics.
Fire Chief (ret)Dennis Reilly
"Lecture series Tactical Excellence
It Doesn't Just Happen "
Dennis Reilly is a fifty-year fire service veteran and is a retired Fire Chief and is the Owner of The First Line Fire Service Training Company LLC. Dennis has served as the in Chief in Pittsburg, Kansas and Sunrise Beach, Missouri, an Assistant in North Carolina & California and retired as a Battalion Chief in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. During his time in New Jersey, Dennis became one of the original members of the New Jersey Urban Search & Rescue Task Force 1. As part of Task Force 1 the Chief made several deployments including to New York City as part of the response to the Terrorist Attacks of 9/11.
Chief Reilly holds a Master Degree in Public Administration from Penn State University and is a CFO An accomplished author and lecturer, Chief Reilly is active in numerous professional development activities within the fire service and has spoken at various events to include the Command Officers Boot Camp, the Orlando Fire Conference, the Atlanta Metro Fire Conference, the Louisiana Instructors & Firefighter Training (L.I.F.T.) conference, and the Culture & Craft Seminar
Outside of his fire service career, Dennis is a US Army veteran having served in Iraq during the Operation Desert Storm. From 2007 – 2010 the Chief worked as an independent contractor providing protective services to several different government clients in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Tactical Excellence "It doesn't just happen"
Description:
Excellence is the standard our public expects from their fire department and the standard they rightfully deserve. To achieve this goal, one must understand the complexities of building teams that can operate at this level. The nature of the fireground provides challenges outside the scope of what most people find comfortable and without the specific knowledge of how to operate in this environment the outcome will be a matter luck. To ensure the best possible outcome to the public this program will provide specific actions steps that can help officers and chiefs build operational units that can function at a high level in dynamic high-risk situations.
Battalion Chief Keith Stakes
"UL Study into coordinated fire attack"
Keith Stakes is a member of the Underwriters Laboratories – Fire Safety Research Institute. As a Fire Protection Engineer, he studies the effectiveness of fire service tactics as well as advances in firefighter safety and fireground operations. He has both a Bachelor of Science Degree as well as a Master of Engineering Degree in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland. Keith has over 15 years of fire service experience as a firefighter with the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad in Bethesda, Maryland where he currently holds the rank of Fire/Rescue Battalion Chief. Keith continues to serve on the NFPA Technical Committee for Fire Service Training and the Editorial Advisory Board for FireRescue1 and Fire Chief magazine.
"UL Study into coordinated fire attack
Description:
"UL Study into coordinated fire attack
This lecture-based class focuses on the findings from the UL Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) study on Coordinated Fire Attack, offering evidence-based strategies to improve fireground coordination and safety. Using real-world data from live-fire experiments, this course highlights the impact of coordinated ventilation and suppression tactics on fire behavior and firefighter safety.
Participants will learn how the timing and coordination of water application and ventilation can prevent flashover, reduce fire escalation, and ensure safer conditions for both firefighters and occupants. The course will also explore how fire behavior differs in single-family homes, multi-family dwellings, and commercial structures, and how to adjust strategies accordingly.
By analyzing case studies and real data, attendees will understand how coordinated tactics can control fire dynamics and improve decision-making. Designed for experienced firefighters and officers, this course equips participants with the tools to apply coordinated fire attack strategies in diverse real-world scenarios.