The Chief

 

Chief Rick Lasky (retired) is a 40 plus year veteran

of the fire service.  Rick followed in his father's footsteps,

beginning his career as a firefighter in the suburbs

on the southwest side of Chicago and while in Illinois received the 1996 International Society of Fire Service Instructor's 

"Innovator of the Year" award for his part in developing

the "Saving Our Own"  program.

​

He served as the cp-lead instructor for the H.O.T. Firefighter  Survival program at FDIC for over 10 years, is a long-standing editorial advisory board member for Fire Engineering Magazine and also serves on the FDIC advisory board.  

 

He served as a fire chief in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

and in Lewisville, Texas for 12 years.  

 

He is the author of the best-selling books  "Pride & Ownership - A Firefighter's Love of the Job" and "Five Alarm Leadership: From the Firehouse to the Fireground", published by PennWell Books, and is the co-host for the radio show  "The Command Post" heard on 

Fire Engineering Talk Radio. 

​

Rick holds an AAS degree in Fire Services from Columbia Southern University and was selected as the CSU 2012 Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) Outstanding Graduate.

He was also honored in 2012 as an inductee

into the Chicago Softball Hall of Fame.