When my father and brothers were firefighters in the 1970s, I listened for calls about an injured firefighter on our scanner, hearing the chief called for the chaplain and the chief’s wife to pick up the injured firefighter’s wife.
My mom and I would freeze at each call. With three family members at a fire scene, the risk factor is higher. Thankfully, the department never lost a firefighter, and my two brothers since are retired safely.
Janet Wilmoth
Janet Wilmoth grew up in a family of firefighters in a Chicago suburb. She first worked for FIRE CHIEF in 1986 as an associate editor, creating the Sound Off column for readers' input. Read more
Azarang Mirkhah
Azarang (Ozzie) Mirkhah is a fire protection engineer with Las Vegas Fire & Rescue. Read more
Robert Rielage
Chief Robert R. Rielage, CFO, EFO, MIFireE, is the chief of Wyoming (Ohio) Fire-EMS, a full-service combination fire department bordering Cincinnati. Read more
Chris DeChant
Chris DeChant is the training division chief for the Glendale (Ariz.) Fire Department, where he has served for 11 years. Read more
Donny Jackson
Donny Jackson is the senior writer for Mobile Radio Technology, a FIRE CHIEF sister publication. Read more
Glenn Bischoff
Glenn Bischoff is the editor of Mobile Radio Technology, a FIRE CHIEF sister publication. Read more
Greg Cade
Gregory B. Cade was appointed FEMA’s Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Fire Administration in May 2007. Read more
John Linstrom
John Linstrom is executive director of The Linco Group LLC, an emergency services consultancy. Read more
Mark Burdick
Mark Burdick began his career as a Glendale firefighter/paramedic in 1983, and rose through the ranks to become fire chief in 2001. Read more
Mark Chubb
Mark Chubb directs public safety leadership programs for the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government's Executive Leadership Institute at Portland State University. Read more
Michael Love
Div. Chief Mike Love has worked as a firefighter for Montgomery County (Md.) Fire and Rescue Services for more than 30 years. Read more
Rick Markley
Rick Markley is the editor of FIRE CHIEF magazine. Read more
Robert Avsec
Bttn. Chief Robert Avsec (Ret.) served Chesterfield County (Va.) Fire and EMS for more than 25 years. Read more
