Advisory Board
David Sheen, Division Chief, Staff Services, Toronto Fire Services, Canada
As a twenty year veteran with Toronto Fire, David has served as an Operations Firefighter, Public Information and Media Communications Captain and currently is Division Chief of Staff Services. As such, the Recruitment and Community Outreach Section falls under his prevue. Advances in TFS's Recruitment under Chief Sheen have seen the adoption of a Web 2.0 based strategy, the establishment of The Fire Chief's Council on Access, Equity and Diversity, strategic partnerships with other city divisions and the private sector, and the innovative Centennial College Enhanced Pre-Service Programme.
Johnny Brewington – Past President of the International Association of
Black Professional Fire Fighters
Chair of IABPFF Public Education Committee (2008); Awarded Cleveland Division of Fire - Fire Chief's Award (2008); Board of Directors for Fire 20/20 (2006 to the present); Instructor for Fire Fighter Training Academy at Cuyahoga Community College (May 2005 to the present); Appointed Acting Chief of the Highland Hills Fire Department (2004); Appointed to the Cleveland Municipal School/Cuyahoga Community College Firefighter Training Program (2004).
Fire Chief Daryl Osby: Los Angeles County Fire Department
Over his numerous years in the fire service, Fire Chief Osby's rapid rise in rank included heading the East Regional Operations Bureau for the Los Angeles County Fire Department prior to being named Deputy Chief.
With a strong orientation for community service and recruitment, he was very involved with the Katrina relief effort as well as the Educational Development Institute. He is also a member of the Stentorian organization for the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Fire Chief Osby's primary contribution to Firefighter's ABC's is assistance in the area of optimizing Firefighter Diversity Recruitment Council programs that allow them to be conducted effectively and in a cost efficient manner. He does this through his mentorship to Firefighter's ABC's as well as providing much needed insight into the workings of the fire service from a top down perspective.
Chief Osby is the youngest Fire Chief in the history of the Los Angeles County Fire Department - one of the largest fire departments in the United States.
Oh, by the way his father Robert E. Osby was the Fire Chief of Oceanside, San Diego, San Jose and Inglewood Fire Departments and his mother once worked for Gilroy Fire Department.
Captain Demond L. Simmons: Oakland Fire Department - CA
From his Master's and Bachelor's degree in Business Administration to his California State Master Instructor certification and ranking positions in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters, Captain Simmons' illustrious career experiences are of extreme value as an advisor to Firefighter's ABC's. Of particular importance is his guidance in the development of strong ties with diversity based fire service organizations such as Hispanic, Asian, Women, etc. Captain Simmons is also very active in community outreach and the preparation of candidates through the workshops that he has conducted over the years.
Rhonda E. Farber, PhD: Secondary Education Specialist
A key component of Firefighter's ABC's recruitment strategy is "keeping the diversity pipeline filled". In her advisory role as an expert in secondary education, Dr. Farber' experience contributes fully to this mission. With degrees from UC Berkley, San Jose State University and Walden University, she has spent over thirty years within secondary education. Over the last ten years, Dr. Farber's record of performance as Superintendent of the Campbell Unified School District (CA) has been exemplary. Her input has been particularly additive to the development of our strategies to broadly reach and motivate high school students toward careers in the fire service.
