Dr. Mynda Ohs, currently has a private practice in Nevada where she specializes in first responders and their families.  Additionally, she holds contracts with several agencies nationwide to respond on scene to critical incidents to provide crisis support. Critical incidents that she has participated in are, San Bernardino Terrorist attack, 1 October shooting, Montecito mudslides and numerous LODD for the forests service and Cal Fire. She recently joined the Las Vegas Metro Police Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) as a consultant. 

She is a Subject matter expert on several committees helping to develop and implement curriculum and policies that will improve the mental health for all first responders and their families. As a former first responder herself and married 26 years to a now retired Battalion chief she is passionate and committed to educating and improving the beliefs about getting help.

Diane and Paul Cotter are heroes. Yes, that's right, heroes.  Paul was is a retired firefighter who, shortly after his promotion to an officer's position was diagnosed with prostate cancer. That forced his retirement to occur sooner than anyone suspected. And while his wife Diane stood by his side, she couldn't help but wonder, "Why did this happen?" That question would lead to a world often out of the site of both firefighters and their families.

Di, as she likes to be called, set a goal to find out what could have caused this and was it preventable. After correspondence with both individuals and corporations that led nowhere, she took a leap of faith. She wrote a personal letter to Graham Peaslee, PhD, Professor in Physics and Astronomy at Notre Dame University. That letter sparked Dr. Peaslee's interest. He conducted a study of Fire Service turnout gear (aka, bunker gear), both new and used, dating back to 1977. All of it....every piece was found to contain the "forever chemicals," PFAS/PFOS, which are carcinogenic. This discovery changed the tide from the gear manufacturers' having the upper hand, to the men and women of the fire service and their families.

While the saga continues, we are slowly, but continuously moving forward. And while there is still hurdles ahead, if it were not for Diane and Paul, we might still be ignorant as to what our bunker gear just might be doing (or already done) to us.

Deputy Chief David Robinson has 25 years in the Fire Service in five different departments, from busy, urban systems, to wildland, to rural/semi-rural areas. He has instructed within his departments, in fire academies, paramedic schools, private fire institutions and now, is the Deputy Chief of Training for Lambton Shores Fire Rescue. 

He is fueled by a sincere passion to make the Fire Service better, which today includes talking to classes about his own struggles with PTSI or PTSD. He hopes that by being open to recruits right at the front end of their career, about this very real threat that each recruit will be able to have a long and joyful career.

Capt. Mike Daley is a 35+year fire service veteran, serving in a department in Monroe Township NJ. Mike serves as a staff instructor in two county academies and is an Adjunct Professor at two County colleges, developing and delivering FESHE-approved curriculum in Fire Behavior and Building Construction. He is a 20+-year member of New Jersey Task Force 1-USAR, serving as a Rescue Squad Officer and is a FEMA Lead Instructor in the Structural Collapse Specialist program.
Mike has a Bachelor's degree in Public Safety and holds certifications as a Fire Officer, Fire Instructor, Fire Official, FEMA All-Hazards Operations Section Chief, On-Scene Incident Commander, Fire Investigation Technician, Certified Fire & Explosives Investigator and has completed the Knowledge 1 Fire Dynamics program from the International Association of Arson Investigators.
Mike has earned international accreditation as a Chief Training Officer and a Fire Officer from the Center for Public Service Excellence. Mike is a member of the Institution of Fire Engineers and serves as a Contributing Technical Editor for FIREHOUSE(R) Magazine and FIREHOUSE.com.
Mike is currently serving as President of Kill the Flashover, a Training and Research organization that provides training in Advanced Fire Behavior to students from all over the world. Mike can be reached at [email protected]

In 1999 Andrew Cunningham discovered his passion for fire buffing. Even after 24 years, he remains an active fire buff in his community. Andrew has established a local group of fire buffs who document the activities of the city's fire department, by filming apparatus responding to calls and showing up at fire scenes.

Andrew holds a Master's Degree in Multimedia Arts from Duquesne University and has utilized his media expertise to spotlight firefighters. Additionally, Andrew manages all the social media for Wheeling Fire Buffs and initiated the first fire buff association Facebook group in the metropolitan Wheeling WV area, the Ohio Valley Fire Buff Association group on Facebook.

Chief Vernon Hiller is a 35 year firefighting veteran and District
Chief with the Toronto Fire Services. He has been the recipient of the Governor General's Fire Service Medal, the Ontario Long Service Medal, a Toronto Fire Services Award of Merit, and a Sunnybrook Centre Cardiac Save Award. An advocate of lifelong learning, Vernon holds a Teaching and Training Adults Certificate from Durham College, is a graduate of Sheridan College's Performing Arts Program, and has completed Seneca College's Fire Fighter and Emergency Services Program. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History/Politics from Trent University. He is a former recreational triathlete, marathoner, and fitness buff, who now studies Leadership at Dalhousie University and is a Keynote speaker on the importance of Setting Goals and Building a Positive Mental Attitude.

Having grown up with ADHD or different learning abilities, he is all too familiar with the stigma attached to what society refers to as Learning Disabilities or LD’s. It was this and other experiences that encouraged his passion for personal growth, living with intent, and pushing past fear and self doubt as a means of exploring one’s potential. He hopes to inspire and support others who are struggling with similar challenges by sharing the discoveries, disciplines, and strength that can grow out of the adversity we all face in our lives.

A proud Canadian, he currently volunteers as a Board member with the non-profit charity LEADR, which tutors adults in a variety of literacy skills. In his spare time, Vernon has performed with his band at local fundraisers, sat on Parent Councils, coached children's sports teams, facilitated Marriage Preparation Workshops, and briefly hosted a weekly online radio show for Durham College's RiotRadio.ca. Currently writing a book on the motivational/goal-setting and deliberate living techniques he practices, Vernon’s goal is to share the lessons he has learned so as to help others forge lives of greater passion and intent for themselves.