Pat McAuliff is the Director of Fire Science and Chief Training Officer at Collin College in McKinney where his innovative design concept for the Fire-Rescue Training Complex drew national attention. Prior to Collin College, he worked for the College Station Fire Department. He holds a B.S. Degree in Technical Education from Texas A&M University and is certified as a Master Instructor. He served on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Workforce Education Curriculum Manual Committee. He has written articles for fire service trade journals and served on Advisory Committees for fire service textbooks.

Deputy Fire Chief Robert L. Havens, is a 30+ year veteran of the Port Arthur Fire Department. He also serves as the City’s Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator
In addition to the numerous academic achievements, professional certifications and credentials, Deputy Chief Havens has an extensive history of serving the Texas Fire Service as a member of the TCFP Curriculum and Testing Committee and various ad-hoc committees since 2005. 
He is a National Fire Protection Association Certified Fire Protection Specialist, a graduate of the Texas Fire Chiefs Association Fire Chiefs Academy, and the Texas A&M Business School’s Fire Service Chief Executive Officer program. He is also a graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officers Program. 
Deputy Chief Havens serves on many local, regional and state committees. He is the former President of the Sabine Neches Chiefs Association and currently serves as the Chair of the SNCA Marine Firefighting, Salvage, & Recovery Committee. He is also the Chair of the Jefferson County Local Emergency Planning Committee’s Hazardous Materials Sub-Committee and Chairs the USCG Sabine/Neches Area Maritime Security Committee’s Firefighting, Salvage, & Recovery Committee. Additionally, Deputy Chief Havens serves as a guest Instructor annually at the Texas A&M Annual Municipal Fire Training School.

Sam Baucom is a Deputy Chief and instructor for the Amarillo Fire Department, where he has served since 1993. He received a Bachelor of Applied Science in Fire Science from Wayland Baptist University and a Master of Science in Forensic Science (Arson/Explosion Investigation) from Oklahoma State University. Sam is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program. He is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, International Association of Fire Fighters, International Association of Arson Investigators, and National Association of Fire Investigators. He is also the former Chairperson of the Board of Directors for the Potter-Randall 9-1-1 District, and a former adjunct instructor at Amarillo College Regional Fire Academy where he taught for more than 20 years.

Chuck French is the Training Manager of the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) Fire Academy. Chuck has been in the fire service for over 32 years, retiring as a Battalion Chief for the City of Nacogdoches Fire Department and served as the Training Facility Coordinator for Angelina College Fire Academy in Lufkin for 22 years.  Chuck has been a member of the Curriculum and Testing Committee since 2005.

Chris Watson is a Battalion Chief with the Austin Fire Department and an adjunct faculty member for Austin Community College and Texas A&M University San Antonio.

Buddy Rice began his career in the fire service in 1980, at the age of 16 years old, as a junior firefighter.
Buddy Rice is the current Fire Marshal for the City of Deer Park, where he has served for the last 11 years. He serves as the current First Vice President of the Texas Fire Marshal’s Association and as a Commissioner for the Harris County Emergency Service District 46. He is a Past President of the Harris County Firefighters Association.
Currently a member of the Texas Fire Marshal’s Association and Texas Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators.

Douglas Matthijetz is a Deputy Fire Chief for the City of Corpus Christi. He is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the Texas Fire Chiefs Association. He earned his Chief Fire Officer and Chief Training Officer designations through the Center for Public Safety Excellence. He holds an associate degree in Fire Science from Del Mar College, a bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management from West Texas A&M University, and a Master of Public Administration Degree from Texas A&M Corpus Christi.

Richard Giusti has served as the Fire Chief for the city of Bryan, Texas, since 2021, leading a department responsible for fire suppression, emergency medical services, special operations, emergency management, and fire prevention.

Chief Giusti began his fire service career in 1986 with the United States Air Force, serving nine years on active duty followed by fourteen years in the Air Force Reserve. During this time, he earned a Master Instructor Certification and taught both basic and advanced firefighting courses at the Department of Defense Fire Academy.

Following his military service, Chief Giusti spent 26 years with the San Antonio Fire Department, rising to the rank of Assistant Fire Chief. His assignments included Captain of the Technical Rescue Team, Chief of Special Operations, Chief of Tactical Support, and Fire Shift Commander, where he oversaw more than 400 personnel.

Chief Giusti holds two Associate of Applied Science degrees in Fire Science and Instructor Technology from the Community College of the Air Force, a Bachelor of Arts in Emergency and Disaster Management from American Military University, and a Master of Arts in Homeland Security and Defense from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. His professional certifications include Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP) Master Firefighter, Master Fire Service Instructor III, Master Aircraft Rescue Firefighter, Master Fire Investigator, Fire Officer IV, and Head of Department certification.

In addition to his operational leadership, Chief Giusti has extensive experience in instruction and curriculum development. He has taught at San Antonio College’s Fire Academy and Fire Science programs and has contributed to the development of active shooter and complex coordinated attack training programs for the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA. He has also served as a curriculum developer and instructor for Louisiana State University’s National Center for Biomedical Research and Training (NCBRT).

Chief Giusti has been married to his wife, Amanda, for 33 years. They have two children and two grandsons.

Dustin Brown is a Firefighter with Lubbock Fire Rescue, where he has proudly served the citizens of Lubbock, Texas for the past 17 years. He is currently assigned to Fire Station 8. Throughout his career, Dustin has held a variety of roles, including 12 years at Station 2—home to the department’s training division—and time at the Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting (ARFF) station at the Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport.

Dustin served for 10 years as a member of the South Plains Incident Management Team, responding to major incidents such as the 2011 wildfire outbreak and Hurricane Harvey. He also spent 10 years on the Lubbock Fire Rescue Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual System (TIFMAS) Team.

Since 2015, Dustin has been an integral part of the Wolfforth Fire Academy, where he began as an instructor and was appointed Program Coordinator in 2021. Under his leadership, the academy has trained and graduated over 250 students.

A passionate advocate for firefighter education and training, Dustin continues to serve as the Operations Captain and Certification Coordinator for the Slaton Fire Department, where he has volunteered for over 20 years.

Jacob Smith began his career in the fire service in 2001 at Euless Fire Department where he serves as a Battalion Chief since 2018. Jacob holds a bachelor’s degree in Emergency Management from West Texas A&M. Jacob has worked at Tarrant County College as an adjunct instructor since 2007.