CTEX 2023 Onsite Program

Instructor Biographies Instructor Biographies

Michael E. Smith In 1978, Mr. Smith became the first African - American firefighter in Monterey, California. He joined the San Jose (CA) Fire Depart ment in 1981 and rose through the ranks to become Deputy Chief. The progression through his thirty - year career in the fire service culminated in the role of Fire Chief for the cities of Fres no and Fairfield in California. Throughout his career, Mr. Smith has exercised a firm commitment to diversity recruitment within the fire service. This driving force has led to his ongoing out reach efforts within the faith - based and educational segments of the communities that he has served. Served as Pres. for the League of CA Cities and as a Board Member of Metro Chiefs. Michael Stanley Chief Michael Stanley emergency services career spans over 28 years. Prior to being appointed as Fire Chief for the City of Osh kosh in 2018 he was with Aurora (CO) Fire Rescue for over two decades. Mike is the President of the Wisconsin State Fire Chiefs Association. Mike believes in advancing the fire service by cham pioning for firefighter safety, developing leaders, and seeking new ways to reduce risk in our communities not to mention the issue of diversity in the Fire Service and EMS Field. He can be reached at mstanley@ci.oshkosh.wi.us. Jim Underwood Chief Underwood has been with the Long Beach Fire Depart ment for 25 years prior to that he was a federal firefighter for 5 years with and Paid - Call Firefighter with the Orange County Fire Authority. Chief Underwood has held the ranks of Firefighter, Paramedic, Captain and has been a Battalion Chief for almost 10 years. Chief Underwood attended University High School, Santa Ana College and Chapman University and is currently working on his bachelor ’ s degree in Organizational Leadership. Chief Under wood has been involved in curriculum development for Unified Response to Violent Incidents, Cal OES Regional US&R Task Force Leader Course, Cal OES Regional Technical Search Special ist Course and SEMS Enhanced Unified Command Course and in the conceptual development of the Long Beach Tactical Para medic Program. Chief Underwood was assigned to special duty to Los Angeles Fire Department as a Regional Training Officer, helping develop the Los Angeles Area Fire Chief ’ s Regional Train ing Group. He has been assigned as the Director or Training, US&R Program Manager, Haz - Mat Program Manager, Fire Boat Program Manager, CICCS Coordinator and as the LBFD Incident Management Team Incident Commander. He is also a Type 3 Operations Section Chief, Division Supervisor, Strike Team Lead er, and a US&R Task Force Leader. Chief Underwood is a state certified instructor, he has served as an instructor at Oxnard College and Santa Ana College. He served as the Chair of the FIRESCOPE Technical Search & Rescue Committee and serves as a member of the International Association of Fire Chief ’ s US&R Committee. And he is a military veteran, serving in the United States Marine Corps during Operation Desert Storm.

Rick Vogt Chief Vogt has been in the fire service for 37 years and has served as the Fire Chief for the City of Escondido for the past six years. Starting as a volunteer firefighter in Palm Desert in 1986, Chief Vogt ’ s career includes 15 years with CAL FIRE / Riverside County Fire Department as a seasonal and permanent Firefight er, Engineer and Fire Captain throughout Riverside County. Dur ing his time as a Captain / Training Officer, Chief Vogt was the Director of Fire Technology for the Riverside Community College District at the Ben Clark Regional Training Center. Chief Vogt also led the CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department Public Affairs Bureau for several years. Chief Vogt worked for the City of San Marcos Fire Department as an administrative and field Battalion Chief for ten years, three of which included leading a newly formed Escondido/San Marcos joint Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division. Chief Vogt joined the Escondido Fire Department in 2015 as the Training and EMS Division Chief, promoted to Deputy Chief - Operations a year later, and then was appointed Fire Chief in 2017. Chief Vogt served as the President of the San Diego County Fire Chiefs Association for two years and was a member of the command staff of CAL FIRE Incident Manage ment Team 6 for eleven years. Chief Vogt holds a BA degree from Point Loma Nazarene University and a Master ’ s degree in Public Administration from CSU San Bernardino. He has been married for 31 years. His wife is a middle school teacher and they have four children. Greg Wilson Greg Wilson spent 34 years in the fire service with experience in both volunteer and combination fire departments. He served as the principal grant writer for North County Fire Protection Dis trict (San Diego) retiring as a Battalion Chief in 2020. He devel oped several successful AFG and SAFER grants including multi project capital equipment and training grants as well as securing funding for Hiring of Firefighters and Volunteer Recruitment and Retention projects. Chief Wilson has been a FEMA Peer Review er for AFG representing the IAFC. In addition to FEMA grants, he successfully funded various projects through local government and corporate grant programs. Greg continues to support fire fighters throughout the state, serving as a fiduciary trustee to the California Firefighters Benefit Trust, a tax - exempt Medical Expenses Reimbursement Plan endorsed by CSFA.

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