As District Chief for the Evansville Fire Department, I manage the firefighting suppression shift of Platoon 3, consisting of 84 firefighters, manning 14 stations, and 17 pieces of apparatus, with emphasis in the East District of the City of Evansville. I am responsible for overseeing the daily operations and maintaining minimum manning levels of each of these companies, as well as being responsible for command and control of fireground and emergency operations at single, multi-alarm, and special operation incidents within my district.
In 2011, the Evansville Fire Department responded to 8,295 calls for service and 14,160 apparatus responses. The Evansville Fire Department provides service to Indiana’s third largest city with a very diverse community of 117,419 and covers an area of 58 square miles.
Currently, I hold a Master of Science Degree in Fire and Emergency Management Administration from Oklahoma State University. I previously earned my Bachelor of Professional Studies Degree in Fire Service Administration through the Open Learning Fire Service Program from Empire State College, State University of New York.
I have achieved the professional designation as a Chief Fire Officer (CFO). I am also a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer (EFO) Program. This is considered one of the most elite fire leadership programs in the United States, with only 3,000 graduates.
Membership into the Institution of Fire Engineers confers the right to use the honorific designation of MIFireE. To attain this, applicants must meet stringent admission requirements and criteria, including academic, professional and fire-service qualifications. The Institution’s objective is to promote, encourage and improve the science and practice of fire engineering including fire prevention and extinction.