Meet The Team

Rich brings over 30 years of distinguished service to the New York City Fire Department, currently serving as Battalion Chief for Battalion 49 in Astoria, Queens. As a credentialed All-Hazards Incident Commander with the FDNY Incident Management Team, he has led responses to some of the most complex and high-impact emergencies of the past two decades—including hurricanes, wildfires, the COVID-19 pandemic, and Line of Duty Death funerals for FDNY members.

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His career is marked by operational excellence and a steadfast commitment to preparedness. A nationally recognized instructor and exercise designer, Rich has delivered Incident Command System (ICS) training and facilitated full-scale exercises across the country, shaping the capabilities of emergency response teams nationwide.

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Rich’s incident management expertise spans structure fires, severe weather events, wildfires, sheltering operations, mass care coordination, donations management, and public health emergencies. Whether commanding from the front lines or mentoring the next generation of emergency managers, he exemplifies leadership, resilience, and service.

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Rich is a highly experienced fire service professional with 25 years of dedicated service to the Fire Department of New York (FDNY). Currently serving as Captain at Engine 277 in Bushwick, Brooklyn, Rich has demonstrated exceptional leadership and operational expertise throughout their career.

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For the past 14 years, Rich has played a pivotal role on the FDNY Incident Management Team as the Liaison Officer, coordinating responses to a wide range of emergencies both locally and nationally. Rich’s extensive incident response portfolio includes major events such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks, structural fires, hazardous material releases, gas explosions, building collapses, hurricanes, blizzards, flooding, wildfires, legionnaires outbreaks, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Beyond emergency response, Rich is deeply committed to training and mentorship. As an Incident Command System Instructor, Rich has taught nationally for over eight years, shaping the next generation of emergency management professionals. Rich also serves on the Training and Education Committee of the IMTA, contributing to the advancement of best practices in incident management. Rich’s expertise is further recognized through their role as a mentor and evaluator for Full Scale Exercises in New York City, New York State, and Virginia.

Chris has over 23 years of experience with the FDNY, the last 7 as a Captain assigned to Engine 35 in East Harlem, Manhattan. He has been on the FDNY Incident Management Team since 2016, currently serving as the Operations Section Chief. He has successfully completed the CIMC course and is a credentialed  All-Hazards Operations Section Chief and Incident Commander. As part of this experienced organization, he has responded to numerous in-city and national complex events and disaster responses. Some examples include wildfires, hurricanes, flash flooding, building collapses, COVID-19 response, and line of duty funerals. 

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In addition to his response background, Chris has vast experience as an instructor and educator. He has taught numerous ICS and position specific classes across the country, and is also a New York State Fire Instructor, delivering various course to new and experienced firefighters. 

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Chris has dedicated himself to service to others. He does through not only his day to day work, but also with his commitment to helping people across the nation. He also has a strong drive to share his knowledge and experience to help train the next generation of emergency managers and firefighters.

Michael Burke is a Captain with the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) and a senior leader on the FDNY Incident Management Team (IMT), where he serves as a Deputy Incident Commander. With more than 20 years in the fire service and over a decade of IMT experience, he has led and supported responses to complex all-hazards incidents across the United States, including wildfires, hurricanes, structural collapses, and large-scale emergency operations.

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Michael brings extensive experience operating within the Incident Command System (ICS) at the local, state, and national levels. He has served in multiple command and incident finance leadership roles, supporting complex operations that required coordination across agencies, jurisdictions, and disciplines.

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As an instructor and mentor, Michael delivers FEMA-aligned ICS and all-hazards training to emergency management professionals nationwide. He teaches ICS-100 through ICS-400, O-305 Type 3 IMT courses, and advanced incident coordination and finance programs, emphasizing practical application, team cohesion, and real-world decision-making during high-stress, complex incidents.

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