Leadership

Justin Daniels, Application Specialist, Knox Company (former Fire Marshal at the University of Oklahoma – Norman Campus). 

Justin started working in the fire marshal’s office at the University of Oklahoma in February 2002. In February 2008, Justin became a Certified Fire Inspector, promoted to Assistant Fire Marshal in January 2013, and then to Fire Marshal in August 2013. As Fire Marshal, his duties and responsibilities included but were not limited to: fire inspections for all 300+ existing buildings on campus; fire and life safety training for faculty, staff and students; plan review for new buildings and existing facility remodels; fire drills; fireworks and open flame permits; assist with game day operations and other special events; fire investigation; supervision of 3 Fire Inspectors; and ensure all fire and life safety systems on campus were inspected and maintained. Justin was also responsible for Emergency Management Operations and served as the OU Emergency Operations Center manager. In August 2023, Justin left OU to join the team at Knox Company as an Application Specialist. He works primarily with corporate customers and assists with training first responder personnel on Knox rapid response products.

Alan Sactor, Assistant Director with the University of Maryland Department of Environmental Safety, Sustainability and Risk and University Fire Marshal. 

Alan is appointed as the Assistant State Fire Marshal for the University of Maryland with jurisdiction for fire prevention, fire investigations, and building construction. Building construction responsibilities cover other University System of Maryland campuses including Bowie State University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Salisbury University, and Frostburg State University. His office also provides emergency response and manages the university's AED program.

Alan has over 41 years of experience in fire protection and the fire service including working as a firefighter/paramedic in the Washington D.C. area. He is a member of the technical committees for NFPA 1037, Professional Qualifications for Fire Marshal and NFPA 3&4, Commissioning and Integrated Testing of Fire and Life Safety Systems.  He also serves on the APPA Standards and Codes Council. He is past Chairman of the Maryland State Fire Marshals Committee.

Alan was a participant and presenter at the first USFA/NFPA Forum on Campus Fire Safety and the first National Summit on Campus Fire Safety.  Alan is a Certified Fire Protection Specialist and holds a Master of Science in Environmental Management. He has been with the University of Maryland since 1985.

Robert (Bob) is the Director of Fire Safety for Montclair State University, responsible for all aspects of life safety throughout the University. This includes fire and life safety inspections of campus buildings to ensure compliance with fire and life safety codes, as well as reviewing plans for construction and renovation projects. Preventive activities include fire prevention training for University personnel, conducting fire and evacuation drills, testing and inspections of building life safety systems. He provids educational programs, evaluating materials, and establishing guidelines for fire safe materials.  

Montclair State University is the second largest university in New Jersey.  The training programs and procedures that he has developed over the past few years, now serve as a model for colleges throughout New Jersey. With over 36 years’ experience in the fire service, and 25 years of this time in Fire Prevention.

Bob Ferrara holds the rank as Chief of the Department for the Lyndhurst Volunteer Fire Department. He also holds the positions as Fire Official and Fire Sub-Code Official for the Township of Lyndhurst. His office conducts inspections of all buildings in the Township and conducts fire investigations. In addition, he conducts plan review and inspections of all new construction.

Chief Ferrara was  awarded the Firefighter of the year in the state in 2003 and Fire Sub-Code Inspector of the year in 2013 from the State Department of Community Affairs.  He also co-authored a chapter in The Association of Physical Plant Administrators (APPA’s) Book of Knowledge, focusing on fire prevention on college and university campuses.  Throughout this chapter, he stresses the importance of joining organizations such as CCFS – thus providing CCFS with greater exposure.  Currently he is assigned to the Mass Notification Sub-Committee, partnering with NEMA to develop guidelines for mass notification systems for the advancement of building, fire, and life safety’s systems.  As part of this sub-committee, he markets the efforts of CCFS to potential industry members and to potential members in the fire service.

Douglas Gazzale, Director

Douglas Gazzale, CFPS, CFEI, IAAI-FIT, CFI-II, CFPE
Firefighter/EMT, College Park Fire Department

Career Summary:
-Actively involved in the fire service since 2002 and in higher education fire safety since 2005
-Firefighter/EMT and Life Member with the College Park Fire Department
-Firefighter/EMT with the Basking Ridge Fire Company
-Firefighter with the Liberty Corner Fire Company
-Member of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Fire Investigation Unit
-Previously served as the Fire Marshal at The College of New Jersey; Manager for Fire, Safety, and Compliance at Mercer County Community College; [Fire] Safety Compliance Specialist at New York University; and Deputy Fire Marshal/Fire Protection Specialist at University of Maryland, College Park

Education Summary:
Bachelor of Science, University of Maryland, College Park
Master of Communication Management, University of Southern California
Paramedic Certificate, Prince George’s Community College

Family/Hobbies:
Doug enjoys spending time with his wife and children

William Hempstead, Director     

William Hempstead, Fire Safety Officer Molloy College Mission/Responsibilities:  

He hopes to bring in the smaller colleges and universities that do not have the funds to attend our wonderful forum. This is an issue in my case as well, as I paid for the last seminar that I attended. I hope to produce some way to offer scholarships to these smaller colleges/universities so they can attend and benefit from our forum and our other offerings.

Career Summary:

William has been the Fire Safety Officer for Molloy University since the opening of the first resident hall in 2011. His responsibilities include running fire drills, teaching fire safety to the campus community, working with both county and state fire marshals, maintaining inspections for fire safety appliances. The students have nicknamed me Fire Marshal Bill. Prior to that he was the midnight tour supervisor, and a member of Public Safety since 2009. To his credit he has written several fire safety related articles. He has been a member of the Woodmere Fire Department since 1977, reaching the rank of Captain. As an assistant fire inspector for the Woodmere Fire Department, he would inspect local business for any violations and offer suggestions to abate the situation. An active member of The Center for Campus Fire Safety, and a committee member. A graduate from Molloy University in Business Management. He hopes to bring in the smaller colleges and universities that do not have the funds to attend our wonderful forum. This is an issue in my case as well, as I paid for the last seminar that I attended. I hope to produce some way to offer scholarships to these smaller colleges/universities so they can attend and benefit from our forum and our other offerings. 

James Rainer
Assistant Director of Environmental Health and Safety, Texas A&M University

James serves as an Assistant Director of Environmental Health and Safety at Texas A&M University, as the university Fire Marshal, and co-lead the University’s 20 plus member Haz-Mat Team for many years.  As assistant director his duties include overseeing the Fire and Life Safety program, having overseen the FLS program for over 28 years.  He has been with EHS for over 31 years as a student worker, fire inspector, manager, and assistant director.  He also served as a part-time faculty member in the Fire Science program at Blinn College for the last 24 years, developing and teaching courses such as Building Codes and Construction for the Fire Service, Fire Detection and Suppression Systems, and Fire Inspection Principles.  Additionally, James served as a member of the University Police Department Training Advisory Board, Campus on the Built Environmental Deferred Maintenance Sub-council, and the Blinn College Fire Science Program advisory board for the past several years. 

As Fire Marshal, his duties include all aspects of fire safety in the 775 plus campus facilities, plan review for all new construction and facility remodels, permitting all pyrotechnics, flame effects, and prescribed burns, assisting in the coordination of athletic and other special events on campus as well as serving as the liaison between Texas A&M and our local fire departments and the State Fire Marshal’s Office.   

James holds an AA degree in Education along with a BS in Construction Science and a MS in Construction Management, both from Texas A&M University.  He is a Certified Building Inspector, Fire Inspector, and Plans Examiner along with holding licenses as a Flame Effects Operator, Pyrotechnics Operators, and Pyrotechnics Special Effects Operator.

Richard Roberts
Industry Affairs Manager, Honeywell Fire Safety
[email protected]

Over thirty-five years of experience in the installation, sales, commissioning and product management of code
compliant commercial fire alarm, carbon monoxide detection and security systems. Currently Mr. Roberts is
responsible for codes & standards development at the federal, state and local level as well as influencing changes
to legislation.

Board Committee affiliations:

• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA): Member of 14 NFPA Technical Committees
• Underwriters Laboratories (UL): Member of 2 Standards Technical Panels (STP’s) for carbon monoxide detection
• National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA): (Board of Directors, Chair of Building Codes Committee, Member of the Government Relations Committee.
• International Code Council (ICC): Member of several Fire Code Action Committee (FCAC) Working Groups relating to fire alarm, carbon monoxide, mass notification systems and in-building ermergency responder communications.
• National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM): (Member of the Model Codes Committee)
• International Association of Fire Chiefs: (Member of the Fire and Life Safety Section)
• Center for Campus Fire Safety (CCFS): (Board of Directors, Co-Chair of Codes and Standards Committee)
• Safer Buildings Coalition (SBC): (Vice Chair of the Government Affairs Committee, Member of the Codes and Standards Committee)
• Security Industry Association (SIA): Member of the Government Relations

Family/Hobbies:
Richard enjoys riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle, experiencing different ethnic foods and spending time with his wife Mary Ann of 39 years.  

Nathaniel Smith, Director

The Catholic University of America Safety and Health Spc. Fire Safety Officer                       

Mission/Responsibilities: 

Career Summary: Nathaniel is a retired Inspector Technician/Fire Investigator having served with the District of Columbia Fire and EMS Department for nearly 30 years. Currently, managing the Catholic University of America’s Fire Safety program which includes inspections, fire safety training, and maintenance of Fire Life/Safety systems. As a CHSEMA member, he also serves as a liaison to Resident-Life, Housing Services, Campus Ministry, the DC Fire & EMS Department, and work with various Code Officials, Contractors, and Federal, State, and Local Officials. Nathaniel is a member of the Washington Consortium Fire Protection Group. My areas of responsibility also entail the coordination of Facilities work requests, coordinating Student/Staff activities and training, maintaining compliance with applicable fire safety regulations; Strategic Code Consulting; Oversight of Fire Protection Systems and infrastructure; Emergency Management Planning; and related Emergency Support Functions. Property Inspections: and the management of The Catholic University/ Automatic Electronic Defibrillator Program I'm privileged to Work with other University Officials and Staff focusing on the needs of residential, assembly administrative, and business properties in our University Community of Brookland.

 Family: Happily married to an Educator and Home School Engineer/Ph.D. and we have four children together.