Authentic Leadership + Command Training
Recharge Your COMMAND SKILLS with 4 Days of TARGETED COMMAND EDUCATION & TRAINING
Also, passes to the B Shifter gathering at Third Eye Brewing on Thursday night at 5 PM!
Dan is the senior director of research for the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI), part of UL Research Institutes. He has a doctorate in fire engineering from the University of Canterbury and a master of science in fire protection engineering from the University of Maryland. Dan has more than 32 years of experience working to improve fire safety by conducting research and development in areas of: fire dynamics, fire test methods, fire control, and fire investigation. Dan is a member of the NFPA and serves on the committees for Fire Service Training, Structural Fire Fighting, and Fire Investigation. He is a member of the ISFSI and co-developed the Understanding and Fighting Basement Fires course. Dan has collaborated with IAAI and IAFC in the development of several on-line training programs. Dan is a Fellow with the SFPE and was presented with the Harold E. Nelson Service Award in 2017. As a result of his firefighting research, he has been honored with many awards including: the rank of Honorary Battalion Chief with the FDNY, the IAFC President’s Award, the IFSTA Granito Award, the ISFSI Instructor of the Year, and the Citizen Services, Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal
Shane Ray currently serves as president of the National Fire Sprinkler Association. He also currently serves on the board of directors for the Congressional Fire Services Institute and the Eastern Kentucky University Fire Protection Program Advisory Board. Shane served as fire chief in Pleasant View, Tenn., for 13 years. He also served two terms as mayor of the same town. Shane held the position of superintendent of the South Carolina Fire Academy and served as South Carolina State Fire Marshal for Governor Nikki Haley.
John Ceriello is a 44-year member of the fire service. He began his career in the volunteer ranks on Long Island, New York. In 1988, he was appointed to the FDNY. In 1998, the FDNY expanded its Special Operation Command and was chosen to become a member of Squad Company 18’s inaugural company. He has 37 years in the FDNY with over 20 years working in the FDNY’s Special Operations and is currently the commander of Rescue Company #1 in Manhattan. John has been at the forefront of the FDNY changes to high-rise wind-impacted firefighting procedures and its research on modern fires and ventilation on the fire ground. He is a member of Underwriters Laboratories advisory panel and a New York State Fire Instructor 2. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and daughter.
Josh Blum’s career in the fire service is marked by decades of experience and contributions to various areas of emergency response and training. Josh Blum his fire service career in 1989 as a cadet at Lockland FD. He worked part-time at several suburban agencies between 1993 and 1995 before securing a full-time position in 1995. Throughout his career, Josh has held a variety of roles, from firefighter to operations chief. Notably, as the Operations Chief at Loveland Symmes Fire Department, he oversaw all department operations and training, including the initial role out of Blue Card in 2009. Josh was a member of Ohio Task Force 1 and Hamilton County USAR from 1999 to 2019. During this time, he held positions ranging from Rescuer to Rescue Team Manager. His extensive experience in these specialized teams helped him hone his leadership and technical skills. Josh has developed and taught various programs through Bowling Green University and other educational institutions. His commitment to educating others reflects his dedication to improving the fire service. Josh is a graduate of the Ohio Fire Executive Program and has been deeply involved with the Blue Card program since its inception. As the program manager, Josh oversees daily operations and plays a crucial role in the ongoing development of Blue Card, including the creation of the Blue Card Hazmat IC certification program. Josh’s approach to his work is centered around continuous improvement. He believes in making each day better than the one before, an ethos that has clearly influenced his leadership and contributions to the fire service. Josh believes and lives by the team approach. Josh’s broad range of expertise, leadership roles, and contributions to the fire service community highlight his commitment to excellence and ongoing development in emergency response and training.
Nick Brunacini joined the Phoenix Fire Department (PFD) in 1980. He served seven years as a firefighter on different engine companies before being promoted to captain and working nine years on a ladder company. Nick served as a battalion chief for five years before promoting to shift commander in 2001. He then spent the next five years developing and teaching the Blue Card curriculum at the PFD’s Command Training Center. His last assignment with the PFD was South Shift commander. Nick retired from the PFD in 2009 after spending the first 26 years of his fire-department career as a B-shifter and the last three on C Shift. Nick is the author of “B-Shifter—A Firefighter’s Memoir.”He also co-wrote “Command Safety.” Today, he is the publisher of B Shifter and a Blue Card instructor.
In 2007, Terry Garrison retired from the Phoenix Fire Department after serving more than 30 years. Working for Alan Brunacini and reaching the rank of assistant chief of operations helped shape Terry’s consistent values: firefighter safety and customer service. After a quick retirement, Terry served as the fire chief of the Oceanside (Calif.) Fire Department for almost three years. He then served as the chief of the Houston Fire Department for more than five years. Terry eventually moved back to where he was raised and served as the fire chief for the Glendale (Ariz.) Fire Department for more than six years before officially retiring from government service. Including his two years in the U.S. Army, Terry has worked for the government and worn a nametag and a helmet for over 47 years. (Thank goodness for helmets.) In addition, he has traveled throughout the world teaching Fire Command, utilizing his master’s degree in education. Today, Terry and his wife, Annette, live in Phoenix. He will continue to stay connected to the fire service by working with B Shifter.
Chris Stewart was hired by the Phoenix Fire Department in 1991. He spent much of his career as a firefighter and company officer working on busy engine companies. As a chief officer, he worked across many divisions of the PFD. Chris retired from the department in September 2022 and is now a lead instructor for the Blue Card Hazard-Zone Incident Command Training & Certification Program. He serves on the technical panel for UL-FSRI’s “Study of Coordinated Fire Attack Utilizing Acquired Structures.” He has been appointed to represent Blue Card on the NFPA 1700 Technical Committee, “Fundamentals of Fire Control Within a Structure Utilizing Fire Dynamics.” In November 2022, Chris was appointed deputy chief of the Rio Verde Fire District, where he leads the operational response, training and customer service efforts for the fire district in this growing community. Chris is married to his high school sweetheart and has two sons attending Arizona State University.
Steve Lester serves as the Division Chief of Training for Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services near Atlanta, Georgia. He became a career firefighter in 1996 and worked his way through every rank to his current position. Steve has degrees in Fire Management and Nursing. He has served his department as a paramedic, special operations medic, adjunct fire training instructor and Blue Card Instructor. Outside of public safety, Steve serves as a registered nurse and is a certified flight registered nurse. Steve has participated in multiple projects within his department including development of the “High-Rise Operations Manual” and the “Incident Management Manual.” Steve has been presenter at the Metro Atlanta Firefighters Conference for many years and presented at previous Hazard Zone Conferences. He is a senior advisor for the 575 F.O.O.L.S. Steve is a lead instructor with Blue Card; he instructs both Train-the-Trainer courses and various Workshops throughout the country.
Erik Phillips is a fire captain with Las Vegas Fire and Rescue’s Engine 4. He also serves as fire chief for Diamond Valley Fire Department (Vol.) in Diamond Valley, Utah, where he lives. He started his career with the Fort Mohave Fire Department in 2001 before joining LVFR. Erik, who holds an associate degree in fire science technology, is a proud Blue Card lead instructor who enjoys teaching train-the-trainer classes. He says there is no greater joy than introducing new students to the Blue Card Hazard-Zone Incident Command Training & Certification Program. Erik has been married 24 years and has five girls and one boy. In his free time, he is an avid team roper.
Timm Schabbel has served in the fire service since 1985, including over 25 years as fire chief of the Clay Fire Territory, an internationally accredited department near the University of Notre Dame.
Chief Schabbel holds a master’s in organizational leadership and a bachelor’s in fire service management. He also earned an Executive Certificate in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School, completed the Executive Leaders Program at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, and attended Harvard’s National Preparedness Leadership Initiative.
In 2007, Schabbel was recognized as Indiana’s first “Fire Chief of the Year” by the Indiana Fire Chiefs Association. He received the Gary Briese Safety Performance Award from the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Safety and Survival Section in 2008, the IAFC Great Lakes Division President’s Award in 2021, and the Indiana State Fire Marshals’ Meritorious Medal of Service in 2024. Upon his retirement from Clay Fire in the spring of 2024, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb awarded Timm the Sagamore of the Wabash, the state’s highest honor for distinguished Hoosiers.
Timm continues to serve as a Blue Card lead instructor and remains active on various fire service boards and committees. He lives in South Bend, Ind., with his wife Jennifer, known as “Jen from Blue Card,” spending as much time as possible boating on Lake Michigan.
Assistant Chief John Eadicicco is a 27-year veteran of the fire service. He holds a degree in fire service administration from Columbia Southern University and is a graduate of the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association’s Ohio Fire Executive Program. Chief Eadicicco is a lead instructor for Blue Card’s SAFE-T Train-the-Trainer program. He is also a rescue technician with Hamilton County (Ohio) Urban Search and Rescue and an Ohio Region 6 Swift Water Response Team commander. Chief Eadicicco is lead instructor and curriculum developer with the Hamilton County Working Group, delivering Tactical Thermal Imaging, Company Officer Decision-Making, Rescue Operations, and Engine and Truck Company Operations classes. In addition, Chief Eadicicco is an Ohio Certified Firefighter 2, Fire Instructor, Live Fire Instructor, Fire Safety Inspector and an EMT.
Gary Fleischer started in the fire service as a member of an Explorer Post in 1986. He was assigned to the Northborough Fire Department as a call firefighter/EMT in 1990. Gary attended the Massachusetts Fire Academy Recruit training program in 1991. He then served as a support instructor at the Mass Fire Academy and a member of the NFD training committee. In 2000, Gary was appointed to the City of Worcester Fire Department, where he rose through the ranks to district chief in 2018. Gary wrote a successful AFG grant for the Blue Card Hazard-Zone Incident Command Training and Certification Program and led the program for the Worcester Fire Department. He is the South End District Chief in Group 4, the Operational Deployment Strategic Planning Committee chairman, the Fire District 7 Radio Committee chairman, and the equipment committee chairman for the Central Massachusetts Homeland Security Committee. Gary is a member of the Chief’s Association of Massachusetts and the IAFC.
Chief Ed Hartin retired as fire chief with East County Fire and Rescue with over 50 years in the fire service and 33 years as a chief officer. Ed is the owner of Command Competence, CFBT-US, LLC and is focused on helping ICs develop the cognitive skills necessary for effective decision making. Ed is a Blue Card Instructor, holds Chief Fire Officer designation through the Commission on Professional Credentialing, and Fellow Grade with the Institution of Fire Engineers and has a master’s degree in education.
Asst. Chief Sean Glaser (ret.) has served 31 years with U.S. Space Command as a Department of Defense firefighter at Vandenberg Air Force Base on California’s Central Coast. Early in his career, Sean was assigned to the department’s Helicopter Rescue Team, responding to the countless wildland fires that plague the West Coast. Sean worked eight years as a captain on Engine 2 at Vandenberg’s main fire station and 12 years as a battalion chief before being promoted to assistant chief of Operations, responding to structural, ARFF, USAR, wildland, EMS, water rescue and hazmat incidents. Sean recently retired from Vandenberg and is a lead instructor for the Blue Card Hazard-Zone Incident Command Training & Certification Program.
John Vance recently retired as fire chief after 22 years in the front office and has pretty much been in the fire service since he was a 13-year-old fire explorer. In 2024, he was awarded the Minnetonka Fire Department’s “Firefighter of the Year,” the first chief of the department to receive that honor. He is currently a battalion chief with the Chanhassen (Minn.) Fire Department; he has been a chief officer since 2002. John is the host of the B Shifter Podcast and publishes the B Shifter Buckslip. He is a proud Blue Card lead instructor and an accredited chief officer through the Center for Public Safety Excellence. John has a bachelor’s degree in fire service management from Southern Illinois University and a certificate in executive management from the University of Notre Dame. When not busy with professional projects, John loves to travel with family.
Jonathan Tabudlo serves as an Assistant Fire Chief for Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) units at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii. With over 23 years of service in the ARFF field, Asst. Chief Tabudlo brings a wealth of experience and expertise in ARFF tactics, mass casualty management, and Incident Command. His primary responsibilities include emergency response, coordination, and training of his 3rd watch platoon, ensuring the airport community is well-protected.
In 2020, Asst. Chief Tabudlo participated in the Blue Card Command Train-the-Trainer program and now leads a team of 16 instructors. By 2024, his team successfully certified 185 Hawaii ARFF members across six islands—Oahu, Kauai, the Big Island, Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. Asst. Chief Tabudlo’s leadership and focus on improving ARFF Command and Control have significantly enhanced operational readiness statewide.
Outside of shift work, Jonathan enjoys family time, surfing, coffee, and long strolls on warm sandy beaches.
Grant Light has dedicated 48 years to the fire service, serving as a volunteer, part-time and full-time firefighter and officer. Recently retiring from the Cincinnati Fire Department after 28.5 years, Grant’s interest in technical rescue began early in his career while volunteering with the Madeira & Indian Hill (Ohio) Joint Fire District. There, he helped create a dedicated rescue crew trained to handle area-specific technical hazards. Grant spent the last 15 years of his career as a lieutenant on Rescue 9, one of two heavy rescues in the Cincinnati Fire Department. He is a founding member and deputy commissioner for Hamilton County USAR, Ohio’s first State Strike team that covers one-quarter of Ohio and parts of Indiana. Grant is also a founding member and rescue team manager for Ohio Task Force 1. He is also a member of the Northern Kentucky Technical Rescue Team and the FEMA rescue subgroup that determines how the 28 FEMA rescue teams operate and what comprises their equipment cache. He is a lead instructor for Bowling Green State University’s Certified Rescue Tech series and FEMA’s Structural Collapse Specialist and Heavy Equipment Rigging Specialist classes. Additionally, Grant teaches tactical thermal imaging, company officer decision-making, rescue operations, and engine and truck company operations classes for the Hamilton County Working Group. Grant is a Blue Card Train-the-Trainer instructor and a lead instructor for Blue Card’s SAFE-T Train-the-Trainer Workshop. He is an Ohio Certified Firefighter 2, Fire Instructor, Live Fire Instructor, Fire Safety Inspector and a paramedic.
Pat Dale has spent 43 years in the fire service. His formative years were spent at the Kent (Wash.) Fire Department, where he progressed through the ranks to battalion chief. He then spent nearly 17 years as the Assistant Chief of Operations at the Olympia (Wash.) Fire Department. He was the Fire Chief at Graham (Wash.) Fire & Rescue for five years before spending 2 years as the chief of Redmond (Ore.) Fire & Rescue. He briefly held the position of Director of Fire Service Training at Bates Technical College in Tacoma (Wash.) He has been a proud Blue Card Lead instructor since 2010.
Kevin Alexander is an experienced fire professional, boasting a 30-year tenure in the field. Kevin is currently the District Chief at Station 28 with the Houston Fire Department after previously being appointed to the position of Assistant Fire Chief of Professional Development for seven years. Prior to being on command staff, he served as Captain of Training at the Houston Fire Training Academy for approximately a decade and simultaneously taught Fire Technology courses at Houston Community College. Kevin finds joy in educating others about fire ground operations and takes pride in his role as a lead instructor with Blue Card, allowing him to share his passion for the fire service. Kevin is a Houston, Texas native and currently resides in Northwest Houston with his family.
Scott has been in the fire service for 30 years and is a certified Ohio State Fire and Emergency Service Instructor II and a Live Fire Instructor. He is a Blue Card Instructor, a national registered paramedic, and a trained IAFF Peer Supporter. He is the Assistant Fire Chief for the Springdale Fire Department (OH). He has served the City of Springdale for 23 years and held the ranks of Firefighter/Paramedic, Chief Fire Inspector, and Fire Captain prior to his current position.
He oversees the operations of the fire department and develops the department’s standard operating guidelines. Chief Williams is always looking to better himself and the fire service. He believes in continuous improvement of fireground skills and operations through regular and consistent training. He is known for his honest approach and teaching others through his first-hand experiences.
Dave Anderson is the deputy fire chief of the Olathe (Kas.) Fire Department, a CFAI-accredited department comprising 200 members serving an ISO Class 1 community. A 30-year fire service veteran, Dave held previous roles as assistant chief of Operations, battalion chief and fire captain. Dave has a passion for training and firefighter safety. He developed internal programs, including an officer development program and OFD’s 12-week Recruit Academy. During his career, he has advocated for or led innovative change, such as staffing based on NFPA 1710 and standardizing countywide mayday procedures. He has also supported the design of several new or rebuilt fire stations and multiple apparatus. Dave has a bachelor’s degree in public administration from MidAmerica Nazarene University. Additionally, he is a founding member of Midwest F.O.O.L.S.
Ryan Eldridge is a dedicated fire service professional with a career spanning over three decades. He began his journey in 1995 when he joined the Las Vegas Fire and Rescue Explorer Program. Directly out of high school, he worked for the Las Vegas Bureau of Land Management office as a wildland firefighter on a hand crew. From 1997 to 2002, he served as a reserve firefighter in Boulder City, Nev. Ryan joined Las Vegas Fire and Rescue as a firefighter in 2002. Throughout his career, he pursued further education and training, becoming an Honor Guard member in 2003 and serving as co-commander; an LVF&R Technical Rescue Team member in 2005; and a certified paramedic in 2006. He served as an Executive Board member for Local 1285 and chaired the EMS Committee for over 10 years. In 2014, Ryan was promoted to captain, serving Battalion 1 at Station 10. Ryan was promoted to battalion chief in January 2024 and serves LVF&R Battalion 10, B-Shift. He considers being a Blue Card lead instructor an honor and is proud to represent Big Al’s legacy. Ryan has been married for 28 years and has two awesome young adult children.
With over 20 years of fire service experience, Shane currently serves as the Assistant Chief of Operations for Colerain Township Department of Fire and EMS. Shane currently serves on the department’s Peer Support Team Program Advisory Committee. He previously served on the IAFF Local 3915 Executive Board that worked alongside other Local members to start the department’s Peer Support Team.
With over 30 years of fire service experience, James currently serves as a Fire Inspector for Colerain Township Department of Fire and EMS. James is a member of the Tri-State Peer Support Team and the Peer Support Team Program Coordinator for Colerain. James was instrumental in developing the Red Alert first responder suicide awareness program.
Tom Jackson is a Fire Captain with over 23 years of experience in the service. Starting his career in 2002, Tom spent two decades with the City of Forest Park Fire Department before joining the Springdale Fire Department as a Training Captain. Tom holds a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership, and is certified as a Blue Card Instructor and SAFE-T Instructor. He is also a lead instructor for the Hamilton County Working Group teaching tactical thermal imaging, company officer decision making, saving our own, and engine and truck operations. In addition, Tom serves on the Midwest Operations Committee, contributing to regional strategies and best practices in fire service operations.
