Ed Bent Fire Instructor of the Year

[Cover Photo Image Credits: California Training Officers Association | (L to R) | Fire Chief (Retired) Kevin Wise | Battalion Chief Tim Sandifer | Chris Delcour | Jesse Roberts | Author | Deputy Chief (Retired) Anthony Sornetta | Battalion Chief Matt Miranda].

Ed Bent Award: Christopher Baker

Randy Sheer Memorial Award: Battalion Chief Tim Sandifer, Anaheim Fire & Rescue

Ronny J. Coleman Award for Academy of Excellence, awarded by State Fire Training: College of the Siskiyous, Chris Delcour, Fire Technology Director, Instructor

Chief Alan V. Brunacini Award: Deputy Chief of Emergency Operations (Retired) Anthony Stornetta, Santa Barbara County Fire Department

[Image Description: Battalion Chief Matt Miranda (L) | Author (C) | Fire Chief (Retired) Kevin Wise (R) | March 2026 | Fresno, CA].

Christopher Baker was named the California Fire Instructor of the Year at the California Training Officers Association award ceremony held at Valdez Hall in Fresno, California, on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at 7:00 PM.

Ed Bent was an amazing man, and I'm not worthy of this award. However, I'll keep paying it forward and mentoring the future, just as he did for so many years. Thank you, California Training Officers Association, for your generosity. I'm truly grateful and extremely humbled to be mentioned with Ed Bent and so many others who have received this award.

The following mentors, training officers, and fire instructors have poured into me throughout my career, and they are worthy of praise for setting an example for me to follow:

Modesto Junior College: Ed Bartley, Battalion Chief, Modesto Fire Department.

Las Positas College: Coordinator Ron Johansen, Lieutenant (Retired) San Francisco Fire Department, Division Chief (Retired) John Walsh, Alameda County Fire Department, and Captain (Retired) George T. Freelen III, Oakland Fire Department.

Shasta College: Ron Marley, (Retired) San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District.

National Fire Heritage Center: Founder and President Emeritus, Fire Chief (Retired) Ronnie J. Coleman.

International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA): Fire Chief (Retired) Dennis Compton, Dan Madrzyowski, Fire Chief (Retired) Bill Peterson, and Deputy Chief, Dr. Demond Simmons.

State Fire Training, Fire Instructor 2A, 2B & 2C Curriculum Cadre Development Committee: Fire Chief (Retired) Tom Forster, Plumas Eureka Fire Department.

Mentors:

Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, Former U.S. Fire Administrator

Tonya Hoover, Former Deputy U.S. Fire Administrator

Dr. Denis Onieal, Former Deputy U.S. Fire Administrator

Dr. Harry R. Carter

Deputy Chief Billy Goldfeder

Fire Chief (Retired) Alan V. Brunacini

Editor in Chief, Chief (Retired) Bobby Halton

Fire Chief Tim Sendelbach

Fire Chief Ed Hartin

Fire Chief Jason Caughey

Battalion Chief (Retired) Dave Dodson

Fire Chaplain Jim Cook

Brian K. Rice, President, California Professional Firefighters

Assistant Chief Rayne Gray

Fire Captain II Tim Werle

Fire Captain II Erik Scott

Deputy Director Nick Schuler

Chief Daniel Berlant, California State Fire Marshal

Battalion Chief (Retired) Thomas Andersen, San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District

For more information, please contact:

Brian Bagley

Public Information Officer

California Training Officers Association

[Image Description: Deputy State Fire Marshal - State Fire Training, Katy Luetke Porter (L) | Author (C) | Deputy State Fire Marshal III, Specialist Caryn Petty (R) | March 2026 | Fresno, CA].

One of the early pioneers in fire training and education was Mr. Ed Bent. We were fortunate to have the chance to interview him just prior to his death. This is an oral history video that relates to the evolution of training and education. Part 1. 

Biography:

Mr. Ed Bent, a veteran firefighter who was a leader in establishing modern training and standards for California firefighters, passed away on March 27, 2012. Mr. Bent was instrumental in creating a professional model for the fire service. He spent 40 years as a firefighter, starting with the Los Angeles Fire Department in 1943. He moved to Redding in 1952 and became a state fire instructor responsible for training firefighters in 13 Northern California counties. He transferred to Sacramento and served for almost two decades as the State Fire Marshal's Office superintendent of fire service training. Under his leadership, California established statewide policies and programs for new firefighters, including a fire academy and certification system. Mr. Bent wrote training materials on handling hazardous materials, building collapses, and other safety issues. He taught classes for firefighting agencies in Western states and spoke at seminars for professional groups, including the Western Fire Chiefs Association and the National Fire Protection Association. Following his retirement in 1983, the California Fire Chiefs Association established the Ed Bent Training Excellence Award, presented annually to the state's top firefighting instructors. "Ed Bent's contributions to the firefighting profession in California were of great significance at a time when the system could have failed," said Ron J. Coleman, a former state fire marshal. "Many people in firefighting today spend their careers under his influence."

Learn more about Mr. Bent here: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/sacbee/name/edward-bent-obituary?id=9478559

Award Recipients

2026: Christopher Baker

2025: Rick Lum, CA Department of Forestry & Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)

2024:

2023:

2022:

2021:

2020:

2019:

2018: Paul Gonzalez, San Jose Fire Department

2017: Jeff Metson, South Lake Tahoe Fire Department

2016: Tyson Yee, San Francisco Fire Department

2015: Tim Sandifer

2014: David McBride, Huntington Beach Fire Department

2013: Derek Alkonis, Los Angeles County Fire Department

2012: Mike Ryan, Santa Clara County Fire Department

2011: TJ Welsh

2010: Jake Pelk, Central County Fire Department

2009: Alicia Hamilton, California Office of State Fire Marshal

2008: Steve Prziborowski, Santa Clara County Fire Department

2007: Chuck Wilson

2006: Steve Cavallero

2005:

2004: Mike Paulette

2003:

2002: Stan Klopfenstein, Santa Fe Springs Fire Department

2001: Geoff Miller, Sacramento County Fire Protection District

2000: Sidney Reade, Mid Carmel Valley Fire Protection District

1999: Kent Freeman, Roseville Fire Department

1998: John Hawkins, CA Department of Forestry & Fire Protection

1997: Dave Goulder, CA Department of Forestry & Fire Protection

1996: Mike Grillo, Hayward Fire Department

1995: Don Ciucci, Daly City Fire Department

1994: Ron Glantz, Fairfield Fire Department

1993: Jim Eastman, Sacramento County Fire Protection District

1992: Bill Melendez, Corona Fire Department

1991: Dennis Sheean, National City Fire Department

1990: Dr. Richard Resurreccion, CSU Long Beach

1989: Mike McGroarty, La Habra Fire Department

1988: Jim Mendosa, Columbia College

1987: Mike Litvinchuck, San Leandro Fire Department

1986: George Tockstein, Santee Fire Department

1985: Hank Gilliam, UC Davis Fire Department

1984: Dick Rossmaessler, Miramar College

1983: Paul Stein, Santa Monica Fire Department

1982: Walt Luihn, Orinda Fire Department

1981: Gary Rego, Foster City Fire Department