2026 Instructors
David Pruitt
David "Just Dave" Pruitt has been in the fire service for 23 years. Retired Director of Emergency Management and Innovations for the City of Hillsboro, Texas. When not inside a burning building lighting fires for top instructors all over the North America he can be found relaxing.... LOL who am I kidding. I think about FIRE 24/7 and can't wait to talk about it to anyone who will listen.
Bobby Eckert
Bobby is a Second-Generation Fireman from Collingswood, NJ. Getting his start in the Fire Service as a junior in 1996. In 2006 he left Collingswood as a career Firefighter/EMT to pursue a career in the Camden, NJ Fire Department. Bobby spent 10 years as a private being assigned to Engine 9, Ladder 1, & Squad 7 in 2016 he was promoted to Captain and is currently assigned to Squad Company 7. He is a Pro Board Level II Instructor, and has a B.S. in Public Safety Administration from Neumann University.
Dr. Candace Ashby
Dr. Candace Ashby is a career firefighter with over 35 years of fire service experience and is currently a Battalion Chief with the Indianapolis Fire Department. Her educational background includes a Doctorate of Management in Organizational Leadership. Dr. Ashby travels the country helping public safety organizations solve problems, such as the disconnect between admin and operations, low morale, performance issues, and organizational change. She is also the President of Key Fire Investigations and ELITE Public Safety Consulting. Dr. Ashby enjoys making a positive impact through coaching, mentoring, and leading positive change!
Brandon Fletcher
Brandon Fletcher is the Chief of the Gilt Edge Fire Department in Tennessee and a 25-year student of the fire service. He is a second-generation firefighter with a background as both a volunteer and career firefighter in the rural, suburban, and airport/industrial settings. Brandon holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Tennessee Martin and is a graduate of the Texas A&M Fire Service Chief Executive Officer (FSCEO) program. He is a designated Chief Fire Officer (CFO) and Chief Training Officer (CTO) through the Center for Public Safety Excellence. He is a contract instructor for the National Fire Academy and the Center for Domestic Preparedness, working in the HazMat programs for both organizations. Brandon has also served as a member of the Fire Service Occupational Safety (NFPA 1550) and Fire Officer Professional Qualifications (NFPA 1020) technical committees.
Matt Chastain
Fifteen year firefighter with time in volunteer and career organizations along with eight years in the KSARNG as a medic and NCO. An active member of KCKFD Peer Support since 2022. Involved in Fire/EMS education my entire career and now devoted to awareness and education of mental health challenges commonly faced by us and how they can uniquely affect us personally and professionally.
Logan Watts
Logan Watts is a Captain with Grand Island Fire in central Nebraska and serves as the Training Officer for Osceola Volunteer Fire. With 20 years of combined volunteer and career fire service experience, he brings a grounded, real-world approach to training and leadership.
Logan spent a year managing the Training Division at Grand Island Fire, running fire academies, and delivering company-level training on the drill ground and in the classroom. He is also a dedicated student of the fire service, continuously learning to improve and adapt. His instructional focus includes engine company operations, firefighter survival and rapid intervention, fire dynamics, and company-level leadership. He holds multiple state and national certifications but places greater value on sharing lessons learned from both successes and failures on the street.
Known for his student-first teaching style and commitment to practical, street-ready training, Logan delivers both hands-on and lecture-based instruction to audiences of all sizes.
Christine Tonetta
Christine Tonetta serves as the B-shift Captain and training officer at the Millville (NJ) Fire Department, as well as an administrator and instructor at the Cumberland County (NJ) Fire Academy. With over 25 years of dedicated service in fire and EMS, Christine has extensive experience in both volunteer and career roles. She holds an AS in fire science and a BS in Organizational Leadership.
Tina Humston & Tom Hartshorn
Tina Humston has spent 26 years in the fire service, both as a career shift captain and currently as a training captain of a combination department.
Tom Hartshorn has been in emergency services for over 15 years, both in law enforcement and now as a shift captain in an all-career department.
Tom and Tina started a local conference that focuses on teaching firefighters both the development and implementation of training, as well as successful strategies for improving department culture. They are both live fire instructors and have taught a variety of subjects including search, strategy and tactics, incident command, leadership and fire behavior.
Logan Hinkle
Logans time in the fire service has spanned across 8 years, with service in volunteer, part time, and full time capacities. With 5 years as a paramedic in high volume suburban and metro ems systems as well. Owner/instructor at Rural Fire Tactics, paramedic student preceptor, and also an emt instructor.
Tim Zehnder
Tim started Fire service 1990 with Truman, MN Fire & Rescue and continued on to a 30 year career as an active firefighter. Tim has held every position from firefighter to Chief of the department in his 21 years with Truman Fire. He then retired and accepted the position as Director of Fire Science at Mid-Plains Community College in McCook, Nebraska. Tim was employed at South Central college in North Mankato, Minnesota as Fire Training Program Manager for 7 years before his position in Nebraska. Tim joined the McCook city fire department and was active until Jan of 2020. Tim has been very active with the rescue side of the fire service, including grain bin rescue, farm vehicle extrication, and confined space among other fire service courses. Tim and Jay Penfield co-authored a Grain Bin Rescue video for Fire Engineering books and videos. Tim is married to wife Angie for 27 years. They have 3 daughters and 1 grandson. Tim is a very avid hunter and loves to golf.
Denell Rhinehart
Denell is a 15 year EMS veteran with experience that runs the gamut from rural volunteer BLS 911 to critical care HEMS. She is based at Life Net 1-3 in Columbus, Nebraska. and serves Air Methods as a member of the Outreach Education Development team. Denell also serves as the Simulation Coordinator and Program Faculty for the Paramedic Program at Central Community College in Grand Island. She serves on the Board of Directors NE Statewide EMS Conference, NEMSA and NEAAMS as well as serving as the NEMSA Conference Committee Chair and Education Coordinator and the NEAAMS Safety Symposium Committee. Denell also volunteers as a member of the Nebraska CISM team providing group and individual peer support for first responders throughout the state.. She has been educating students since 2009 and was awarded NEMSA's EMS Instructor of the year in 2024, and has presented at several EMS conferences in several states. She believes the goal of EMS educators should be to train competent and confident providers and to train themselves out of jobs.
David Mellen
David Mellen is a 25-year student of the fire service and has been a paramedic for 20 years. He is a Battalion Chief for Leavenworth County Fire District #2 and a career Deputy Chief for the Edwardsville Fire Department, a suburban department in the KC Metro area. Mellen is a returning presenter at FDIC and multiple other fire conferences and has been published in several trade magazines. He is also the owner of Valor Fire Training in and host his podcast “Back in Quarters”.
Vawn Taylor
Vawn is a seasoned flight nurse and paramedic with over 20 years of experience spanning military, civilian, volunteer, and career EMS roles. Her professional journey also includes deep roots in agriculture and the service industry, giving her a unique and relatable perspective both in patient care and education. Vawn uses her diverse background to craft engaging course content that resonates with providers at every level. Committed to clinical excellence across the spectrum of care, she is especially passionate about supporting and elevating EMS professionals. Vawn lives on a farm near Tilden, Nebraska, with her husband and their three daughters.
Kaytlen Norrie
NRP since 2024, EMS career since 2020. Air Force CBRN/Emergency Management - teaching AF base populace CBRN Defense.