A Little About Some of the AVIATION FIRE JOURNAL Team

William Mulcahey - Editor / Publisher

William Mulcahey is a recently retired 27-year veteran Fire Captain of the Fire Department City of New York (FDNY).  With over 35 years combat firefighting experience in the volunteer, military, and municipal  fire and rescue services, he has earned numerous related national training certifications. Bill is a member of the FDNY Honor Legion, FDNY Emerald Society, and a member of the FDNY Uniformed Fire Officers Association Local 854 IAFF (AFL-CIO). 

He served Honorably in the U.S. Air Force during Vietnam as a Fire Protection Specialist (Structural / Crash - Fire-Rescue) and has conducted intensive international research and study of airport fire protection and Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) techniques, tactics and airport fire safety issues for over 30 years, and is also a FAA/AAAE certified ARFF Firefighter

Bill has been frequently invited worldwide to consult and evaluate municipal and airport fire services and airport emergency exercises. He has organized and conducted many regional, national and international fire  training seminars and conferences.  A recognized published author in many international fire fighting, military and airport journals, he is a much sought after international lecturer and instructor on aircraft and municipal fire fighting. He has been invited to lecture and instruct in India, Singapore, Iceland, The Peoples Republic of China, Canada, the UK, and many other U.S. and international venues.

Bill formerly served as the Vice Chairman of the Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting Working Group (ARFFWG) where he also 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 Region IX (International) Manager, and the organizations highest award, the ARFFWG Outstanding Service Award.  He was the catalyst for founding and instrumental in the establishment of the International Aviation Fire Protection Association (IAFPA), and formerly served as that organizations first Association Director.

Bill is the founder, Editor and Publisher of the internationally read 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.

Dan Pierce is a 25 year veteran Airport Safety Officer at a major international airport in southern California. Dan has 31 years experience in Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF), getting his start in the U.S. Air Force in 1975. He is a California State certified Fire Officer, Emergency Medical Technician, Fire Arson Investigator, Fire Prevention Officer and California ARFF Fire Training Instructor. 

Dan is concurrently enrolled at the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University pursuing a Bachelors of Science degree in Airport Management / Management of Technical Operations and California State University Long Beach pursuing another Bachelors of Science degree in Professional Studies. He has also attained a Certified Master Airport Fire Fighter certification from the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), one of only 18 who have attained the certification in the United States.  

Dan is a member of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 410-Standard for Aviation Maintenance Committee, ARFF Working Group (ARFFWG), Fire Department Safety Officers Association (FDSOA) and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA).  He has also formerly served as the America’s Regional Manager of the International Aviation Fire Protection Association (IAFPA) and has been a contributing  editor for AVIATION FIRE JOURNAL for several years. Dan has spoken as an invited speaker at many ARFF related conferences and is a prolific writer.

Dan is also a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certificated Private Pilot SEL (Single Engine Land) with Instrument rating.

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 4 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 evaluated 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 topics for the AAAE, IAFPA, Morris County NJ Fire Academy, AFJ Multimedia, Hunterdon County NJ Emergency Services Training Center, and the NJ 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.