A Little About The AVIATION FIRE JOURNAL Team

William Mulcahey - Editor / Executive Publisher

William Mulcahey is a retired 27-year veteran Fire Captain of the Fire Department City of New York (FDNY).  With over 35 years of combat firefighting and rescue experience as a member of the volunteer, military and municipal  fire / EMS services, he has earned numerous state and national training certifications.  A highly decorated FDNY Fire Officer, he was awarded the Henry D. Brookman Medal and the Firefighter Thomas Elsasser Memorial departmental medals for valor among other numerous citations. He is a member of the FDNY Honor Legion, FDNY Emerald Society, and member of the FDNY Uniformed Fire Officers Association Local 854 IAFF (AFL-CIO). 

Having served Honorably in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam war as a Fire Protection Specialist, he has conducted extensive international research on Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) techniques,fire fighting  tactics and airport fire safety issues for over 30 years. He is also a FAA / AAAE certified ARFF Firefighter, holds a degree in Fire Science, and is a Professional Registered Nurse (RN) and trained Paramedic.

Bill has served as the past Vice Chairman of the Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting Working Group (ARFFWG) and served for many years as the Associate Editor of that organization's membership newsletter.  While a member of the ARFFWG, he was awarded three ARFFWG Journalistic Excellence Awards, a Certificate of Appreciation as International Manager, and also received the organizations highest award, the ARFF Working Group Outstanding Service Award.  He was the primary catalyst for the founding and establishment of the International Aviation Fire Protection Association (IAFPA), and formerly served as that organizations first founding Association Director

Bill is frequently invited worldwide to consult and evaluate municipal and airport fire services and airport emergency exercises, most recently at Miami International and Nassau International Airports. He has organized and conducted many regional, national and international fire training seminars and conferences.  A prolific published author in many international fire fighting, military and airport journals, he is a sought after international lecturer and instructor on aircraft and municipal fire fighting.  He has lectured and instructed in India, Singapore, Iceland, The Peoples Republic of China, Canada, the U.K. and many other U.S. and international venues. He is available as an objective evaluator for your airport disaster exercise, or to conduct customized training for your personnel.  He can be contacted using our FEEDBACK FORM.

Bill is the founder, Editor and Publisher of the internationally distributed AVIATION FIRE JOURNAL digital magazine which was first published in January 1999.
AVIATION FIRE JOURNAL is a publication of AFJ Multimedia, which also provides airport and municipal firefighting training and consulting services.

Phil DiMaria - Contributing Editor

Phil DiMaria has 25 years service with the Miami Dade County Fire Rescue Department, currently serving as a Battalion Chief assigned to the Airport Division at Miami International Airport. He is a Nationally Registered Paramedic, and holds an AS in Fire Science from Palm Beach Community College, a BS in Fire Protection and Safety Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and is currently pursuing an MAS (Master of Aerospace Science) with a specialization in Aviation Safety from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. He also holds a commercial pilot’s license with ratings for both airplanes and helicopters.

Donald Nelsen is an 18 year veteran of the New Jersey (NJ) Fire Services serving seven years as a Fire Fighter with the Carteret Volunteer Fire Department, 3 years as a Fire Officer with the Woodbridge Volunteer Hazardous Materials Unit, 4 years as the Fire Chief at Morristown Municipal Airport (MMU), and presently over the last 5 years as a Fire Instructor for the Morris County Fire Academy, Hunterdon County Emergency Services Training Center, and NJ Division of Fire Safety as a consultant through both Rutger University and Kean University.

Don is certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a Senior Level Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighter (ARFF) and has successfully completed numerous American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) training schools including Advanced ARFF, ARFF Chief, and Airport Emergency Response.  Don maintained active memberships in the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Aviation Section, International Association of Fire Chief’s (IAFC) Industrial Section, ARFF Working Group, AAAE, International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI), and formerly served as the first Regional Manager of the Americas for the International Aviation Fire Protection Association (IAFPA).

Don has been called upon to evaluate disaster drills at Newark Liberty International Airport, Atlantic City International Airport, and Teterboro Airport and served on ARFF service contract and ARFF apparatus specifying committees at Trenton Mercer Airport.  In addition to being a contributing editor for AVIATION FIRE JOURNAL, Don has been published in Air Traffic Solutions and Airport Technology International magazines on ARFF subject matter.  Don has presented various ARFF related topics for the AAAE, IAFPA, Morris County NJ Fire Academy, AFJ Multimedia, Hunterdon County NJ Emergency Services Training Center and the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety.

Having earned an Associate in Science degree from St. John’s University in New York and completed his junior year at Rutgers University, Donald is currently matriculating for a Bachelor in Science degree at Thomas Edison State College in Trenton majoring in Emergency Disaster Management.  Don is certified by various agencies as a Fire Fighter, Fire Officer, Fire Chief, New Jersey Fire Instructor, Emergency Medical Technician, Hazardous Materials Specialist, Incident Management Specialist, Emergency Management Specialist, and Open Water Diver.  Donald served 6 years aggregate in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve as an Infantry Rifleman, in the Army Reserve as an Infantry Weapons Instructor, and the NJ Army National Guard as an Armored Cavalry Scout.

Jeff Riechmann has over thirty years experience in the fire service having served as a firefighter and training specialist in the Kern County Fire Department (California) as well as retiring from the U.S. Air Force Reserve as a Deputy Fire Chief.  In addition, he formerly operated his own aviation safety consulting business since 1992.

His experiences included being assigned to Space Shuttle rescue teams as well as an USAF airborne firefighter on a crash rescue helicopter.  He has assisted in developing contingency plans to support Space Shuttle landings and coordinated fire department support for SpaceShipOne during its X-Prize winning space flights. He has also received numerous awards for his work with the Space Shuttle.

His certifications include Airport Firefighter and Fire Officer II through the International Fire Service Accreditation Congress and he is "red carded" as a fixed wing parking tender, fixed wing ramp manager and Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) support specialist through the US Forest Service.  He also has earned an Associates of Arts degree in Fire Technology from Antelope Valley College and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Professional Aeronautics with a minor in aviation Safety from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Jeff was a member of the validation committee for the fourth edition of the International Fire Service Training Association's Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting manual.  He has also had articles published in the, International Firefighter, American Fire Journal, and Fire Rescue magazine. 

Jeff is currently employed as a Safety Engineer, Sr. and Training Monitor at Lockheed Martin Sustainment Services at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

 

Well known in the ARFF profession across the world, Les spent thirty-years with the San Jose Fire Department (California, USA) and retired at the rank of Captain.  During his career he worked in structural, rescue company, hazardous material, and airport fire units.  Les also retired from the military reserves, having served in fire protection with the U.S. Coast Guard, Navy, and California Air National Guard.  He was a member of the founding Board of Directors of the ARFF Working Group, as well as committees for the past three IFSTA ARFF Manuals.  He also developed the computer based ARFF training program for the FAA.

Anthony C. Lorenti - Contributing Editor

Anthony C. Lorenti, is a Captain (Pilot) with Expressjet Airlines (d.b.a Continental Express) and works out of Newark-Liberty International Airport. He is a Single and Multi-Engine Land Rated Pilot qualified to fly ERJ 135/145 and ATR-42/72 aircraft.