Agenda

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 Eric Wheaton is the Owner of VentEnterSearch, LLC. He is a second-generation fireman for Winter Park (FL) Fire Department and is currently assigned as a Lieutenant on Truck 61. Eric has spent a majority of his career on the Truck Company. He also serves on the Winter Park Fire Department Technical Rescue Team. Eric is an instructor for the Truck Company Operations and Special Operations programs at Valencia College’s Central Florida Fire Institute. He holds an associate degree in Fire Science and is an advisory board member on the UL-FSRI Size-up and search & rescue study. Eric has taught at many fire conferences across the country, including FDIC, Portland Firemanship Conference, Orlando Fire Conference, Fort Lauderdale Fire Expo, Metro Atlanta Firefighter Conference and Water on the Fire Conference.  

Lieutenant Michael Ciampo joined the fire service in 1979 as a volunteer and began his professional career in 1985, he is a lieutenant in the Fire Department of New York. Previously, he served with the District of Columbia Fire Department and Wyckoff, NJ VFD. He has a bachelor’s degree in fire science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice,

NY. He is the lead instructor for the FDIC Truck Essentials H.O.T. program and teaches at numerous seminars around the country. He wrote the Ladder chapter and co-authored the Ventilation chapter for Fire Engineering’s Handbook for Firefighter I and II (Fire Engineering, 2009) and is featured in “Training Minutes” truck company videos on http://www.FireEngineering.com. His video Bread & Butter Portable Ladders DVD is available from Pennwell. His monthly column ON FIRE is on the back page of FIRE ENGINEERING.

 JJ has been a career firefighter for over 22 years and is currently a Lieutenant with the City of Orlando Fire Department. There he has served for the past 15 years and is currently assigned to Tower 10.He previously served as a firefighter with the City of Cincinnati (OH) Fire Department. JJ earned a BS degree in Fire Protection Administration from Eastern Kentucky University. He is Florida state-certified instructor and has taught classes at local and national conferences on Truck Company Tactics. 

 Chief Thompson entered the fire service in 1981. He has been formally practicing leadership and coaching fire officers and firefighters for the last 25 years. Chief Thompson has practiced leadership as an operations officer, training chief, emergency manager, Chief of Department, and Director of Public Safety. Thompson has held a leadership position in 2 volunteer and 5 career fire departments.

Thompson started his paid career assigned to one of the first organized hazardous materials teams in North Texas in 1986. He spent 10 years assigned to busy suburban fire companies, and as a division chief, he responded regionally to fire and rescue events. Thompson responded to the Delta 191 crash, tornadoes, wildland fires, mass casualty incidents, and a mid-rise building explosion. Thompson has been recognized in the region for his command and control practices.

Chief Thompson began his teaching career in 1986 at Collin College. He has taught at the Texas A&M University Fire School since 1996, and has been a hands on instructor (HOT), workshop, and classroom presenter at the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) since 2002. Chief Thompson continues to attend training offerings around the country as a hands-on participant. 

With over thirty years of fire, emergency medical, and technical rescue experience, Captain Eddy Alarcon is a seasoned veteran of the Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue Department. Since his introduction to elevator systems by friend and mentor, Captain Mike Posner (retired) he has been fascinated by the intricacies and the many dangers that these systems pose to rescue personnel. Over the past several years Captain Alarcon has amassed vast amounts of knowledge from several sources in the elevator industry. Learning from expert technicians from the worlds’ top elevator manufactures. The knowledge passed down to Captain Alarcon by Captain Posner as well as the infinite number of professional relationships developed throughout the years, has helped to make elevator system training an invaluable part for any fire/emergency system organization. 

Chief Shannon Stone is a 25+ year veteran of the fire service working his way through the ranks and is currently the Division Chief of Operations at the Midway Fire District in Santa Rosa County Florida. He previously served and retired as an operational battalion chief with the Fort Walton Beach City Fire Department, located in the panhandle of Florida. 

In the fire service since 2003, Kevin has worked with volunteer, rural, suburban/urban fire departments and for many years as a member of St. Louis, MO USAR Task Force 5. Kevin is currently a Lieutenant for Horry County Fire Rescue in Myrtle Beach, SC. He held the rank of Captain and Training Coordinator/Officer for his previous department.

He is passionate about engine company operations and the proper mindset that will lead to success on the fire ground and in the firehouse. Kevin is a graduate of Columbia Southern University, the University of Missouri Fire Service Leadership Enhancement Program, and the Company Officer Program and holds many State Fire Safety Certifications. He is also a member of the Saltwater F.O.O.L.S. 

Jonah Smith grew up in Richmond, VA where his exposure to the fire service began in the Church Hill area of the RVA with some of the best firefighters in the city.  Jonah attended the University of South Carolina for both a Bachelors and Masters and started with the Columbia Fire Department in 2003.  After a few years, Jonah pursued a career with the Charlotte, NC Fire Department where he began in 2005.  He is currently the Captain on Engine 20 in the city’s south side.  Additionally, since the day he received his certifications in 2003, he has volunteered with departments including the Lexington County FD and Columbia Fire Department.  Currently he serves as an Assistant Chief at the Pleasant Valley Fire Department in South Carolina.  Jonah is a 6 time FDIC instructor and has presented at numerous conferences to include: Firehouse Expo, Fire Rescue International, South Carolina Fire Rescue, and the South Atlantic Fire Rescue Expo.  

Mo Davis is a District Chief with the City of Houston Fire Department and has over 25 years of fire service experience. Chief Davis holds a Master’s Degree, is a Master Firefighter, and is a Master Fire investigator.

Chief Matthew Poole has been with the Garner Fire-Rescue for twenty-eight years and has been the chief of the department for the last thirteen. He holds an Associate Degree in Fire Science from Wilson Technical Community College and a Bachelors in Business Leadership and Management from William Peace University. He is a past president of the Wake County Association of Fire Chiefs and also past president of the Rotary Club of Garner. He has served as a coordinator for Wake Technical Community College and currently serves as an instructor for the NC Fire Officer III and NCAFC Executive Development Program.