2022 SPEAKERS
Aaron Heller
On Scene Training
Aaron Heller began his fire service career in 1984. He is a Deputy Chief in the Hamilton NJ Fire Department assigned to oversee the Training Division. He previously served as the Fire Chief for the Hamilton Township Fire District #9. Deputy Chief Heller is a NJ Level 2 instructor, fire official, and EMT. He is a past chief of the New Egypt Volunteer Fire Company and past chairman of the Plumsted Township Board of Fire Commissioners. Heller is a senior instructor with the Mercer County Fire Academy. Heller instructs and has been a presenter at several national, regional, and local training events throughout the United States and abroad. He has been published in Fire Engineering Magazine, Fire & Rescue Magazine, The Fire Department Training Network, and several local publications. He is a former co-host of Fire Engineering’s Humpday Hangout on Training. Aaron is a founding member of the Jersey F.O.O.L.S chapter of the Fraternal Order Of Leatherhead Society. Heller holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Science from Columbia Southern University. He is the owner of On Scene Training Associates, LLC.
Paul Mastronardi
FDNY
Paul Mastronardi is a 26 year veteran of the FDNY. He is currently assigned to Squad Co. 1 as a Lieutenant in the Special Operations Command. His previous assignments included Rescue Battalion and Division 11 as a Lieutenant. Engine 280, Squad 252 and Rescue 4 as a firefighter. Paul is a Instructor at the Technical Rescue School. He currently serves as a Deputy Chief Instructor at the Suffolk County Fire Academy. He has lectured at both Firehouse Expo and FDIC. Paul has published multiple articles in Fire Engineering, Firehouse Magazine and WNYF.
Dave McGrail
Denver Fire Department
Dave McGrail is a 40-year fire service veteran, and Assistant Chief with the Denver Fire Department assigned to the Operations Division, District #3. Dave has been assigned to some of the busiest fire companies and fire districts within the Denver Fire Department. Over the past 40-years, from Nozzleman to Incident Commander, Dave has responded to and operated at thousands of fires and emergency incidents, including high-rise fires, plane crashes, technical rescues, and all of the other daily incidents that occur in a big city. Dave has received fifteen commendations for his actions at various incidents over the past 40-years. Dave has, and continues to provide educational programs and hands on training to firefighters all across the American and Canadian Fire Service, and Internationally. Dave has several College Degrees, including Fire Science Technology, Human Resource Management, Fire Service and Public Administration. Dave is a second-generation Denver firefighter, and lives with his family in the Washington Park neighborhood of Denver.
David Stone
Fort Walton Beach Fire Department
DJ Stone has been in the emergency services for 23 years, 21 of them at the Fort Walton Beach (FL) Fire Department as a Firefighter/EMT. He currently is a Battalion Chief, a Florida Fire Officer 2, and Florida Instructor 1. DJ has taught and shared experiences at many Southeast fire conferences to include; Atlanta Fire Conference, Orlando Fire Conference, and multiple County Fire Tactics conferences in Pensacola Beach, FL, as well as the opportunity to share Anatomy of a Rescue at FDIC 2021. DJ is the proud Dad of two girls, a brother, a son, a second-generation firefighter, and currently a Battalion Chief.
Shannon Stone
Midway Fire District
Shannon Stone is a 25+ year veteran of the fire service working his way through the ranks and is currently the Division Chief of Operations at the Midway Fire District in Santa Rosa County, FL. He previously served and retired as an operational Battalion Chief with the Fort Walton Beach (FL) Fire Department. Shannon has presented across the country, teaching his Company Officer Leadership class, Nozzle/Hose Operations class, and Anatomy of a Rescue class. Some of the conferences he has had the pleasure of sharing at are; FDIC (regular HOT instructor for many years and Anatomy of a Rescue presenter), Atlanta Fire Conference, Orlando Fire Conference, all County Fire Tactics Conferences in Pensacola Beach FL, and many other destinations. Shannon is the proud Dad of two sons and a daughter, a brother, a son, a second-generation firefighter, and currently an Operations Chief of a Midway Fire District in Santa Rosa County FL.
Nick Papa
New Britain Fire Department
Nick is a lieutenant with the New Britain (CT) Fire Department, where he has served for over 14 years, and is assigned to Engine Company 1. A second-generation firefighter, he entered the fire service in 2003, volunteering for a neighboring suburb until his appointment to the NBFD. Nick is a Fire Engineering author, having recently published the book of the same title, and has been an FDIC instructor since 2017. He is also a technical panelist for the UL-FSRI Study on Coordinated Fire Attack in Acquired Structures.
Timothy Klett
FDNY
Tim is a 40 year Fire Service veteran serving the last 31 years with the FDNY. Tim was a volunteer firefighter in the Newington Ct. FD. And is currently a volunteer firefighter with the Montgomery NY, FD. He was also a paid firefighter with the City of New Britain Ct, FD. For 4 years until his appointment to the FDNY in 1990. Tim is now a Lieutenant on Engine 88 in the Bronx after spending many years on Engine 69, one of FDNY’s busiest Engines. Tim is the lead HOT instructor for FDTN Academy’s Engine operations program and is the author of FDTN’s “Stretching and Operating the first line” Tim has been lead instructor for FDIC’s, FDIC West’s live burn Hot program and has taught engine operations at Firehouse Expo, the Orlando Fire Conference, Wichita HOT, Andy Fredricks Training Days, Black hawk fire conference, The New York State Chiefs Show , the NYSAFC Seminar series and Company Officer leadership series, , HROC conference, MAFFC Show, Amboy Fire and Extrication School, and the Fort Lauderdale Fire Expo. Tim has also written articles for Fire Engineering, FDTN training mag. , Firehouse.Com And Size-up magazine for many years. Tim is also the Lead Instructor for The NYSAFC’s Hoarders HOT program and lecture series. Tim has also given Engine company training to numerous Fire departments through-out the country. Tim is also a member of the team which recently re-wrote the FDNY’s entire Engine Tactics Bulletin and a member of their Engine company tactical training program.
Mike Giroux
Yonkers Fire Department
Mike Giroux is a lieutenant in the Yonkers (NY) Fire Department with 22 years of service mostly in Special Operations. He is a nationally certified Fire Officer and Fire Service Instructor. He is responsible for teaching all aspects of technical rescue for the fire department which includes Rescue School and Personal Escape Systems. In addition to his job for the City of Yonkers FD, he also teaches throughout the country with a private company and his clients have included other fire departments, power producing industries, and military which includes Special Operations. His specialization is in the fields of Confined Space, High Angle and Structural Rope Rescue, Trench, and Structural Collapse applications. He has a diverse background which includes a great deal of education and experience in the area of research and development.
Robert James
Capitol Fire Training
Robert James (RJ) is a 22 year veteran of the fire service. He started as a volunteer firefighter with the Cromwell Volunteer Fire Department in Cromwell, Connecticut. Robert relocated to Maryland and joined the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department in Montgomery County Maryland. He is currently employed with the Frederick County Fire Department, where he is a Lieutenant in Special Operations Command assigned to the 3rd Battalion. Robert has received numerous citations and awards from the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department, Frederick County Fire Rescue and the state of Maryland. RJ has served as a lead instructor for many fire department trainings, and works as an instructor with Frederick Fire Department’s Training Academy and Capitol Fire Training LLC. He has written articles for many different trade magazines and has taught on national fire service platforms.
Kody Schrum
FDNY
Kody Schrum is a third-generation firefighter born and raised in Western Nebraska. He started as a volunteer and worked as a part time firefighter. Kody's professional fire service career started after graduating high school and joining the Marine Corps, where he became an Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Specialist. After exiting active duty, Kody took a government contracting job in the Middle East as a Firefighter where he was a part of a team to establish and build a fire department in Afghanistan. In 2014 he became a firefighter with the FDNY, where he is currently assigned to Tower Ladder 107 in East New York, Brooklyn. He is a certified fire instructor, and is passionate about the job. In his free time, he likes to travel and hunt.
