All Categories - 5-ALARM TASK FORCE CORP.

5-ALARM TASK FORCE CORP.

Capt. James "JP" Childers

3/7/2022

Captain James "JP" Childers began his fire service career with the Cairo IL Fire Dept. as a paid-on-call firefighter in 1995. He began his EMS career, also in 1995, with the Alexander County IL EMS Service, as an EMT-B and attained his Paramedic certification in 2000.
In 2005, he became a member of the Champaign IL Fire Department, currently serving as a shift Captain and the acting Training Officer. Additionally, he has been a member and instructor with IFSI, the Illinois Fire Service Institute since 2012.
He has been a Fire Academy Instructor since 2012, an Academy Battalion Chief from 2015-2020 and an Engine Ops Instructor since 2018.

Chief Justin Bailey

3/7/2022

Justin Bailey is a 23-year student of the fire service. He is the Fire
Chief with the Oliver Springs (TN) Fire Department and a Captain/Paramedic with the Knoxville (TN) Fire Department, where he has been serving since 2007 and currently assigned to the Training Division. He started his career in 1999 as a Junior Firefighter/Explorer with the Oliver Springs Fire Department. He is a part-time fire instructor with the State of Tennessee Fire Service and Codes Enforcement Academy, delivering classroom and hands-on instruction in various topics on-campus, at regional fire conferences, and at various local fire departments throughout Tennessee. He has instructed nationally on the topics of volunteer training program development, professional development, and rural fireground management, having presented at both FDIC and Firehouse Expo.

Justin has an Associate’s Degree in Allied Health Science from Roane State Community College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Fire Administration from Columbia Southern University.

Capt. James Kovacs

2/1/2022

Captain James Kovacs is a 24-year veteran of the fire service, serving as both a volunteer and career firefighter. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fire Science from New Jersey City University. Captain Kovacs is currently assigned to Ladder Company 2 on Tour 3 for the Passaic (NJ) Fire Department. James is also currently the Garfield (NJ) Fire Official. He is a NJ Certified Level II Instructor, Fire Investigator, Fire Official, and EMT. He served as Fire Chief of the Garfield (NJ) Volunteer Fire Dept. in 2011.

Battalion Chief John Hayowyk Jr.

2/1/2022

John A. Hayowyk Jr. has been in the fire service for over 29 years. He is a Battalion Chief for the City of Passaic FD in New Jersey. Passaic is a small city about 10 miles west of New York City. Passaic is 3.2 sq. miles with a population around 100,000.
      John is also a NJ Certified Level 2 Fire Service Instructor, Inspector, & Fire Investigator. John heads up of the Training Division for the Roxbury Township Volunteer Fire Department.
      He is the owner of Beyond the Basics Fire Training and Consulting and part of the "Thin Red Line Radio Show" podcast.
      John has recently presented classes at several conferences local and around the US.
     He will be teaching at the Orlando Fire Conference. & the North Florida Fire Expo in the in both February and March 2022.
     Find him on Twitter @BTBFireTraining

Dept. Chief (ret) Steve Prziborowski

2/1/2022

     Steve Prziborowski has over 30 years of fire service experience, recently retiring as a Deputy Chief with the Santa Clara County (CA) Fire Department. He is an adjunct instructor for the Chabot College (CA) Fire Technology Program, a Contract Instructor for the National Fire Academy (MD) and is still actively involved in the fire service through speaking, writing, coaching, and mentoring personnel aspiring to either get hired or get promoted.
     Steve received the 2020 Ronny Jack Coleman Leadership Legacy Award from the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) and in 2008 was the California Fire Instructor of the year. Steve recently completed a five-year stint as an Executive Board Member for the California Fire Chiefs Association and is a Former President of the Northern California Training Officers Association.
     He is a state-certified Chief Officer and Master Instructor, has earned a Master’s degree in Emergency Services Administration, has completed the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy, and has received Chief Fire Officer and Chief Training Officer Designation through the Commission on Professional Credentialing. Steve is a regular speaker and presenter at fire departments and conferences across the country, having presented or scheduled over 400 sessions, courses, and webinars in 37 states, moving closer to reaching his goal of all 50 states.
     He has authored and contributed to over 200 articles, podcasts, videos, blogs, and books in the leading fire service publications, and has published four career development books: “Reach for the Firefighter Badge,” “The Future Firefighter’s Preparation Guide,” “How to Excel at Fire Department Promotional Exams,” and most recently, “101 Tips to Ace Your Promotional Exam,” published by Fire Engineering Books & Videos. He is also finalizing another book that will be published by Fire Engineering Books & Videos in the near future – “Courage Under Fire Leadership,” a topic he passionately speaks and writes about to ensure today’s leaders are prepared for tomorrow’s challenges.

     For more information or to contact him, please visit his website at www.code3firetraining.com

Capt. James "JP" Childers

1/31/2022

Captain James "JP" Childers began his career as a Paid-On-Call firefighter with the Cairo, IL Fire Department, in 1995. At the same time, be started his EMS training with the Alexander County IL EMS Bureau, becoming and EMT-B. He continued his EMS education and has been an EMT-Paramedic since 2000.
     In 2005, he joined the Champaign IL Fire Department and us currently a Shift Captain and acting Training Officer. Additionally, he has been affiliated with the Illinois Fire Service Institute since 2012

     His instructional credits include:
     *Academy Instructor 2012 - Present
     *Academy BC 2015-2020
     *Engine Ops Instructor 2018 - Present
     Additionally, he was recently published in FIREHOUSE Magazine;s December 2021 edition.

Aaron Zamzow

1/31/2022

Aaron Zamzow has nearly 15 years of firefighting experience as an on-call paid firefighter in Golden Valley, Minnesota and is currently a career Firefighter/ EMT and Training Officer in Madison, Wisconsin.
     He is the owner of Fire Rescue Fitness, a company that creates workout programs and fitness articles that focus on getting Fire Rescue Athletes "fit for duty." Aaron holds a Bachelor of Science degree in health and wellness, is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer and an IAFF/IAFC Peer Fitness Trainer.
     He has also, worked in the fitness industry for over 20 years and has experience working with the general population as well as athletes from the NBA, NFL and NHL. He is the author of The Ultimate Fire Rescue Athlete Workout and other fitness programs catered toward Fire Rescue Athletes and has recently been published in Firehouse, Fire Rescue Magazine, Firefighter Nation and in the PFFW (Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin) Quarterly.
     In 2016 he presented at Firehouse Expo and Firehouse World. At Firehouse Expo, Aaron headed and conducted the Firehouse "Fit for Duty" workouts and was a prominent speaker during the event. He has appeared on numerous radio and television programs and presents to Fire Departments all over the country. He lives by and teaches the motto: "Train like a life depends on it."
     Contact him at www.firerescuefitness.com

Jason Burns

1/31/2022

      Jason Burns is a native of Fall River MA and has served with the Fall River Fire Department for over fifteen years.
      He has been active with his Local IAFF 1314, holding the office of President for eight years. He is also the IAFF District 3 Service Rep.
     Jason was also one of the key authors of the IAFF Resolution 28 at the 55th Annual Convention in January 2021, which overwhelmingly was passed, which severed the union's relationship with gear providers, unless and until they provide independent, scientific evidence that our bunker gear is free of PFAS/PFOS contamination.
     Jason is married to his wife, Elizabeth and that have five daughters.
     Follow him on Twitter @jasonjburns1

Nic Higgins

1/31/2022

Nicholas J. Higgins is a firefighter with nearly 20 years in the fire service in the Piscataway NJ area. He is a New Jersey State Certified Level 2 Fire Instructor and currently, a State of New Jersey Advocate for the National Fallen Firefighters' Foundation.
     Nic holds a blue belt in Tai Kwan Do and is a former collegiate athlete. He is currently studying to complete the National Exercise & Sports Trainer Associations' Battle Ropes Instructor and Kettlebell Instructor.
     He holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Kean University and is the founder and editor of "The Firehouse Tribune" website (www.thefirehousetribune.com)
     Nick has spoken at the 2017 Firehouse Expo, as well as numerous local and regional training conference. You can reach him via The Firehouse Tribune.
     And Nick is the author of his new book, "The 5-Tool Firefighter," available on Amazon, with signed copies available directly from Nic.

Commissioner Jared Renshaw

1/31/2022

Commissioner Jared Renshaw has over 20 years of experience in the fire service. He started his fire service career in South Fayette Township PA. He has since served with career departments in South Carolina California and, since 2015, has been serving as the Commissioner with the Western Berks Fire Department. This is a regionalized, combination department, which serves over 20,000 residents, spanning four separate municipalities in Pennsylvania.
Jared also has numerous certifications, including a Bachelor's degree in Fire Service Administration and he is also designated as a Chief Fire Officer (CFO) through the Center for Public Safety Excellence. He also serves as a Peer Reviewer for the CPSE and, is a member of the Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania Fire and Emergency Services Institute.
Contact him through the website, westernberksfire.org/