21st Century Firefighter DVD

By: Mark van der Feyst & Matt Wehrle

The fire service is always evolving,and it’s crucial that firefighters today understand what it takes to be successful. In this hour and 21 minute presentation, Mark van der Feyst and Matt Wehrle tackle these issues head on discussing what should be expected of every firefighter from the first day, through their career; investigating ways for the individual to embody the job. Every firefighter needs to understand what it takes to personally commit to this calling. In addition, van der Feyst and Wehrle look into the stark realities of the job, the law, and how to navigate those issues as a new firefighter, and how to help as the senior firefighter.

Mark van der Feyst began his career in the fire service in 1999 with the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company in Pennsylvania serving as Training Officer & firefighter and later joined the Mississauga Fire & Emergency Services. Mark now works for the City of Woodstock Fire Department as a Firefighter and served as the Training Division Captain. Mark previously was a design technician for five years at SimplexGrinnell in Pittsburgh. Mark graduated from Seneca College of Applied and Technologies as a Fire Protection Engineering Technologist, the Justice Institute of British Columbia with a Bachelor’s of Fire and Safety Studies degree and completed his Master of Science in Safety, Security & Emergency Management through Eastern Kentucky University. He is the lead author of Fire Engineering’s Residential Fire Rescue book and writes a monthly column for Fire Engineering.

Matt Wehrle is a full-time firefighter with the Town of Oakville (Ontario) Fire Department. He started in 2010 where he worked for several years as a Training Officer before transferring to Suppression. Prior to this, he worked as a district chief and training officer with a volunteer fire department in rural southwestern Ontario. Matt has been a civilian instructor with the Department of National Defense, Canadian Forces Fire Academy at Base Borden Ontario, focusing on structural firefighting techniques where he also assisted specialized rescue and aircraft rescue firefighting (ARFF). Matt’s NFPA certifications include Firefighter II, Officer II, Instructor II, Incident Safety Officer and Vehicle Rescue Tech. He has also been certified through the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office as a Company Officer, Training Officer and Career Firefighter.

1 hour 21 mintues