Presenters
Ron Smith
Lieutenant
Gary Fire Department
Lieutenant Smith is a 28 year veteran of the fire service, having served the last 21 years with the Gary, Indiana Fire Department. Ron has worked for volunteer, combination and career departments. He is an instructor for the Indiana Firefighter Training System. He also instructs at schools and conferences around the U.S., including Firehouse Expo and FDIC in Indianapolis, Indiana. Ron is a current member of the UL FSRI technical panel for Search and Size-up.
Samuel Hittle
Captain
Witchita Fire Department
Captain Hittle is assigned to Rescue 2 with the Witch, Kansas Fire Department. He is an FDIC, Traditions Training, Wichita H.O.T. Instructor and FDIC Lecturer. He is a contributing author for Fire Engineering, Urban Firefighter, and Fire Rescue, former contributor to Fire Nuggets, and FiRescue Interactive publications and a Fire Engineering Google Hangout Panel Member. Captain Hittle is a two time Firehouse Magazine Heroism Award recipient (2012 and 2015), Kansas State Fire Marshall Tom McGaughey Award Recipient, Wichita Fire Department Firefighter of the Year, Wichita Fire Truck Company Coordinator and served on the Interior Attack Technical Panel for UL. He is also a member of the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) Executive Advisory Board.
Ray McCormack
Lieutenant
FDNY
Ray McCormack is a Lieutenant and thirty seven year veteran of the FDNY, Fire Department of New York. He is a panel member for both the UL Fire Stream Attack Study and Coordinated Fire Attack Study. He delivered the Keynote "True Values of a Firefighter" at FDIC in 2009. He was the co creator of Urban Firefighter Magazine. He lectures on tactics, leadership and culture in the American Fire Service.
Brandon Dreiman
Captain
Indianapolis Fire Department
Brandon Dreiman is an 18-year veteran of the Indianapolis Fire Department where he serves as the Coordinator of Firefighter Wellness & Support. He travels the United States and Canada lecturing on behavioral health topics and, as an IAFF Peer Support Master Instructor, assisting fire departments with creating peer support programs. Dreiman is a Certified Community Health Worker and a Certified Recovery Specialist with a Substance Abuse endorsement in the State of Indiana and holds a number of other behavioral health certifications. Having published multiple articles about behavioral health, Dreiman has extensive experience researching the topics relevant to the wellness of firefighters.
Eric Dreiman
Chief of Training
Indianapolis Fire Department
Jason Hoevelmann
Fire Chief
Florissant Valley Fire
Protection District
