who is your favorite speaker?

[houlidsa 76]

After attending the NYSAFC seminar, featuring Mike Dugan, last week I stating thinking about what speakers I enjoyed and learned from. So I was wondering who have you learned from or enjoyed? Is it a national name like: Mike Dugan, Bob Pressler, John Salka, Butch Cobb, Tim Sendelbach or is it a local name? Please support your post if you wish to contribute.

[Remember585 815]

I am surprised nobody jumped on this subject yet.

I have been fortunate to not only sit through so many lectures and classes over the years, but I've also been blessed with the actual hands-on experiences from so many great instructors.

This year, I sat in on a handful of lectures at Firehouse EXPO in Baltimore. I listened to Jim Crawford, Butch Cobb, Vincent Dunn, Peter Lamb and Mike Smith. I gotta tell you, I liked all of them quite a bit.

In addition to these guys, I've also sat through a few things with Andy Fredericks, Mike Dugan, Billy Goldfeder and Timothy Sendelbach. The one thing that all these great teachers had in common was the ability to put you in the story they are telling and the unmatched skill to bring the subject home for you. I find that I am more intrigued by someone who can relate to what I am seeing or I have done, and that's important to me. I hate those guys that think thier s*** doesn't stink and talk down to you.

I have to give credit where credit is due though. Those of us in Westchester County have a countless number of mentors and instructors right here in our backyard. I've taken courses at WCFTC and Camp Smith with great teachers like Bobby Benz, Tom Moriarty, The Kerr Brothers, Billy Fitz and even ALSFirefighter himself. There's a ton of other CFI and SFI's I can think of that are A+ too, but you guys have names I can't spell even if you told me it again. The NRFD, YFD,

WPFD and FDNY guys we get at WCFTC are fantastic!

The whole fire service and its future depends on our teachers. Whether it is someone with 30 years on the job in the big city or one of the salty old guys in your volly house, keep your ears open and absorb as much as you can. Just because you sit through every course at the Training Center doesn't mean you know it all. Take the time to not only learn the fire service stuff, but take a moment to learn about your Department, your Company, your crew, and most importantly, yourself. A good teacher is a good student, and a good student will be a great leader someday. That's how I feel anyway...

Edited November 1, 2005 by Remember585

[JBE 328]

I tend to be a great speaker, but as usual, nobody listens!!!

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Billy Goldfeder

Capt. George Burk USAF (Ret.)

Rudy Guilani

Believe it or not for those of you that know my political ideals, I was on a protection detail at the FBI academy at Quantico for Madeline Albright, former Secretary of State, and was at the time the UN evoy for the U.S. Very excellent speaker and a pleasant, personable woman who was down to earth.

and of course...myself. I love teaching and I love even more lecturing which allows you to be at the same level as your audience and involved them even more.

[Guest]

I always enjoy listening to a speaker who WALKS THE WALK, not just someone who has taken courses and spews out information to the student based on what he or she has learned from the course that certified them to teach that topic. You could always tell the speaker or instructor who has actually been there and done it, rather than someone who just reads off the slides. Actual fireground experience MAKES the fire service instructor so much more appealing. The Fire Service needs these experienced people to pass on what they know, especially in todays day and age where the fires are less and less and the experience level is lower and lower. Keep this in mind the next time you take a class or listen to a fire service speaker, and take into consideration the experience level behind the speaker and or instructor.... It might make a difference in your opinion on who is your favorite speaker !!!

[firecapt32 282]

Aggreing with als is common in here -George Burk USAF RET is a great motovational speaker he is a sole survivor of a plane crash and burned over 70 % of his body his book"A Bridge Never Crossed" is well worth the reading.

There are countless number of speakers out there --learn form their experience.