Professional Experience

David is a 34-year fire service veteran who is currently serving as a Battalion Chief with an urban department in Georgia.  He has completed advanced Incident Management Team training and is an Incident Commander for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency – All Hazards Incident Management Team.  He has served in Command Positions for numerous large-scale incidents both in his local community and throughout Georgia.  David currently serves as Chair of his Department’s Special Operations Committee and has helped to develop and teach a number of special operations classes.  He is a former Task Force Leader for the Georgia Search and Rescue Team.  He is a certified Fire Inspector and has previously served as the Chief of Community Risk Reduction where he was responsible for overseeing the Fire Investigations, Fire Inspections, Fire Safety Education, Community Affairs, Plan Review, and the Citizens Emergency Response Team Sections.

David continues to be actively involved in firefighter training and education on a national level.  He is a member of the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) Executive Advisory Board and a Hands-on-Training Coordinator for the FDIC Conference.  He serves as both an Editorial Advisor and author for Fire Engineering Magazine and Fire Apparatus and Equipment Magazine.  David is also the author of the “Hump Day SOS” column for Fire Rescue Magazine.

David is the President of Rhodes Consultants, Inc. which is a small business that provides public safety training, consulting, and promotional assessment centers.

Education and Training

David is a certified Emergency Medical Technician and graduate of The Rising Phoenix Leadership Institute for Future Atlanta Fire Rescue Department Executive Leadership.

David has obtained certification as an All-Hazards Incident Management Team Incident Commander, Finance Section Chief, Liaison Officer, Logistics Section Chief, Operations Section Chief, and Division Supervisor.  He has also completed numerous fire service leadership courses.

Committees and Professional Associations

David is a Chief Elder for the Georgia Smoke Diver Program.  He is an Adjunct Instructor for the Georgia Fire Academy and Advisory Board Member for Underwriters Laboratory Firefighter Safety Research Institute.  David is a Board Member of the Firefighter Air Coalition and The Center for Flow Based Leadership.  He is also an Advisory Board Member for Knox Box.

Awards and Accomplishments

David is the 1994 recipient of the Atlanta Fire Department Firefighter of the Year Award.  In 1988, David was named as both the State of Georgia Rookie Firefighter of the Year and the Conyers Fire Department Firefighter of the Year.

Publications

David is the author of numerous articles published in Fire Engineering Magazine and Fire Rescue Magazine.  Some of his most notable works include:

• Katrina: Brotherhood vs Bureaucracy, Fire Engineering – 5/1/2006
• Lumberyard in the Sky, Fire Engineering – 5/1/2009
• Size Up Before You Search, Fire Engineering – 9/1/2010
• Saving Master Sergeant  Waldo, Fire Rescue – 4/1/2015
• T-Shirt Management, Fire Rescue – 6/1/2016
• Science for Dummies Like Me, Part 1-5 – 1/1/2017 – 5/1/2017
• Growing Up and a Fire Service Career, Fire Rescue -8/25/2017

He was also the Fire Engineering Board Featured Blogger from 2013 to 2016.