Learn the right way
Jerry Knapp
Jerry Knapp is the Chief of the Rockland County, NY Hazardous Materials Response Team. He holds a degree in Fire Protection and is a 46 year veteran Firefighter/EMT with the West Haverstraw NY Fire Department and a former paramedic.
He served on the technical panel for the UL residential fire attack study. Knapp is the co-author of two books: House Fires and Tactical Response to Explosive Gas Emergencies published by Fire Engineering. He is the author of numerous feature articles in Fire Engineering and state, national and international fire service trade journals and the author of the Fire Attack chapter in Fire Engineering’s Firefighter 1-2 manual.
He recently retired from the US Military Academy, West Point where he was the Plans and Operations Specialist at the Directorate of Emergency Services.
Brian Focht
Brian Focht, CFPS, CFEI, is a battalion chief of the Willow Grove (PA) Volunteer Fire Company.
He served 36 years in the fire service most notably as a Lieutenant firefighter/paramedic and training officer at Horsham Fire Company,
Along with Jerry, he coauthored the Fire Engineering Book, “Tactical Response to Natural Gas Emergencies.”
Brian has 20 years of experience in the gas utility industry and has authored several articles on utility safety. He has presented nationally on the topics of utility and natural gas emergencies as well as autism awareness,
In 2016, he was the recipient of the IAFC Garry Briese Safety Performance Award.