Esteban (Steve) Lora is a Lieutenant at the City of Miami Fire-Rescue Department and holds an accredited designation of Fire Officer (FO) from the Center for Public Safety and Excellence (CPSE). For over 14 years, Steve has held various positions in emergency response, special operations, training, and emergency management. Steve’s experience in both operations and planning has fostered his personal ambition of being an instructor, mentor, and lifelong student of the fire service.
Steve received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Pre-Law with a Minor in Political Science from Barry University and a Master of Arts degree in Disaster Management from Florida International University. Steve is also a graduate of the Managing Officer Program from the National Fire Academy.
His passion for learning has led him to the realm of educator and for the past 10 years, Steve has had the privilege of teaching and instructing all levels of students. As a Minimum Standards Training Instructor at the Maimi Fire Training Center, Shift Field Training Officer within his department, and Fire Officer I & II instructor for Florida International University. Steve is committed to continuous pursuit of knowledge and intellectual growth. In Steve’s words, “The knowledge that doesn’t come from a book, but rather from the knowledge you get from interacting with people and ideas that only an open mind and a kind heart can bring.”
Pete Marrero has been a Lieutenant in the Miami-Dade Fire-Rescue (MDFR) Department for over 17 years. He currently holds the position of lead Training Instructor for the MDFR Dive Rescue Bureau which is the largest public safety dive team in the United States.
MDFR is responsible for providing fire protection and emergency medical services to the unincorporated areas of Miami-Dade County, Florida, as well as 30 municipalities within the county. In all, MDFR is responsible for protecting 1,883 square miles of land and over 3 million individuals.
Pete Marrero graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Services and a Master of Arts degree in Disaster Management. While he was an undergraduate at FIU, Pete was actively involved in the Track and Field team, participating as a decathlete.
As a member of the MDFR All Hazard Incident Management Team, Pete has responded to numerous catastrophes, including the Surfside collapse in 2021, Hurricane Ian in 2022, Covanta Fire in 2023, and many other calamities. "The knowledge I gained from my years at FIU has greatly prepared me for the challenges that life has already thrown at me and those that I may still face.”
Currently, Pete holds several certifications, including Fire Officer II, Fire Instructor III, Live Fire Instructor I, Paramedic, Flight Medic, Master Dive Instructor, HazMat/Tox, TRT (Technical Rescue Team), Driver, Marine FF (Firefighter), UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) and OUPV (Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels).
Craig Marston is the Division Chief, Fire Marshal for Monroe County. The Monroe County Fire Marshal’s Office is dedicated to protecting Monroe County citizens in reducing the risks that cause loss of life and property due to fire and related hazards. This department is dedicated to fire prevention education, fire investigations, and commercial and vacation rental compliance inspections. The Monroe County Fire Marshal’s office covers unincorporated Monroe County from Ocean Reef to Stock Island and Key West International Airport.
Chief Marston beginning as a firefighter and retiring from Key West Fire Department as Division Chief of Emergency Management and Training. While there he was responsible for completing City’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) and providing education, training, and evaluation for KWFD’s Haz-Mat Team and Light Technical Rescue Team (Team 753). Also provided certification courses preparing candidates for promotion to Driver Engineer and Company Officer.
The greater part of Craig’s 40 plus year career has been in fire prevention, fire investigation, education and emergency management. He has activated for numerous declared emergencies such as hurricanes and community health needs. His emergency planning included much of the first responder’s preparing for multiple community events; Goombay Street Festival, Fantasy Fest, New Year’s Eve, Spring Break, and many others.
Craig received an Associate of Science from Florida Keys Community College (College of the Florida Keys), Bachelor’s Degree, Business Administration, Specialization in Management from St. Leo University, and Master’s Degree, Disaster Management from FIU.
His current certifications; Firefighter, Fire Instructor III, Fire Officer IV, Firesafety Inspector II, and Fire Code Administrator.
“The importance of properly applied fire prevention practices and emergency management practices cannot be overstated. It provides protection to first responders, contractors, residents, business owners, property owners, the community at large.”
Chief Marston is excited to be a mentor as you explore the different aspects of the fire service. The journey of development as a leader in your profession is just
beginning.
Chief James Oliver III is a seasoned instructor with a wealth of experience in the field of fire service education. Currently serving as an Acting Division Chief with Miami-Dade Fire-Rescue, Chief Oliver is at the forefront of emergency response strategies and operational leadership. His extensive background includes notable certifications such as Fire Service Instructor III , Fire Officer III, Florida Incident Safety Officer , and F.E.M.A. Safety Officer to name a few which reflect his commitment to maintaining the highest standards in fire service education. With over a decade of teaching experience, Chief Oliver brings a dynamic and practical approach to the classroom, enriching the learning experience by seamlessly integrating theoretical knowledge with real-world insights.
As an accomplished educator, Chief James Oliver III is dedicated to shaping the next generation of fire service professionals. His passion for teaching goes beyond imparting information, aiming to inspire critical thinking and practical application of skills. Chief Oliver looks forward to sharing his knowledge and fostering an engaging learning environment where students can thrive and develop the skills necessary for success in the dynamic field of fire and emergency services.
Derek Randolph is a Lieutenant with the City of Miami Fire-Rescue Department where he holds various specialty certifications and is a field training instructor. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Emergency Management from the University of Florida and his Master of Art Degree in Instructional Design, Technology, and Logistics from St. Thomas University.
Derek possesses over 10 years of teaching and course development experience and appreciates that everyone has a different approach to learning, and he enjoys helping students reach their educational goals.
Derek is an ACLS, PALS, AMLS, PHTLS and BLS instructor and holds certifications in Confined Space Technician, Rope Rescue Technician, Structural Collapse Technician, Trench Technician, VMR Technician, Public Safety Driver, and Fire Instructor III.
Doug Reno is twenty-five-year veteran and Captain at the City of Miami Fire-Rescue Department. Doug has held various positions in emergency response, special operations, and training. Doug’s experience in both operations and training has fostered his personal ambition of being an instructor and mentor. Doug received an Associate in EMS from Miami-Dade Community College.
His passion for knowledge has drawn him to the role of educator and for the past 10 years, Doug has had the privilege of teaching and instructing all levels of students. As a Minimum Standards Training Instructor at the Maimi Fire Training Center, Shift Field Training Officer within his department, Fire Officer I & II instructor for Florida International University, and PALS/ACLS Instructor for the University of Miami’s Gordon Center. Doug is committed to continuous pursuit of knowledge and intellectual growth.
Olivier Tassy joined the City of Miami Fire-Rescue Department in 2008. Since joining Fire-Rescue, he has earned the ranks of Fire Lieutenant (2012) and Fire Captain / Station Commander (2016). During the COVID Pandemic, Captain Tassy served as Incident Commander at Marlins Park where he planned, developed, oversaw, and managed the State of Florida-operated COVID testing and vaccination site. In addition to his extensive experience in emergency response, community health crisis management, special operation administration, and disaster deployment at the local, state, federal and international levels, Captain Tassy holds a Masters and Bachelors degrees in Disaster Management.
In his current capacity as Deputy of Special Operations Division, Captain Tassy assists the Chief of Special Operations with project development (i.e., Rapid Intervention Team Command, Unarmed Aircraft/Drone, Bicycle Response Units); develops new policies and procedures for the department’s special operations (i.e., Rapid Intervention Team, heavy rescue, and high water vehicles); oversees planning, scheduling, training, and coordination of Hazmat, dive, fire boat, technical rescue teams, Drone air ops, and SWAT members; and serves as Liaison to the Division of Emergency Management at the City’s Emergency Operation Center.
Most recently, Captain Tassy has been appointed to serve as a Safety Officer with the Federal Emergency Management’s (FEMA) Incident Support Team. Prior to his appointment with FEMA, Captain Tassy served as Rescue Specialist, Rescue Squad Officer, Plans Team Manager, and Safety Officer Manager with Florida Task Force 2 Urban Search and Rescue (USAR). While serving on the USAR Team, Captain Tassy has been part of 10 deployments and special exercises including the Earthquake in Haiti (2010), Operation Key Rescue (exercise, 2016), Patriot Sands (exercise, 2016), Hurricane Irma in Key West, FL (2017), Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas (2019), the Champlain Towers Collapse in Surfside (2021), and Florida International University’s Full Scale Multi Agency exercise (2022).
Captain Tassy’s extensive certifications include Live Fire Training, Ropes Ops & Technical Level, Vehicle Machine Rescue Ops, Trench Rescue Ops, Confined Space Ops, Structural Collapse Ops, Incident Command System for High Rise Ops, Water Rescue Awareness, Swiftwater Technician Advance, Boater Safety, PADI Open Water Dive, Hazard Materials Technician (160 hrs), Florida State wide Emergency Response Plan, FEMA Technical Emergency Response, FEMA Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism Awareness for Emergency Response, USAR Task Force Leader, Safety Officer and Plans Manager, and extensive All Hazard certifications (i.e., Incident Management Team, Task Force Strike Team Leader, Communications Unit Leader, Situation Unit Leader, and Operation Section Chief).
Captain Tassy is a former Adjunct Faculty at Miami Dade College (2012 -2020) where he lectured on the topics of Paramedic and First Responder and assisted the Department Chair and Program Director with the implementation of State of Florida and Department of Transportation guidelines and procedures for the College’s Paramedic and First Responder Program.
