[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
