The 2022 South Alabama Firefighter HOT Weekend will consist of 2 days of hands-on training including operating in the flow path (live fire), firefighter survival, engine company operations, and truck company operations. 

The lead instructors for this event include Todd Edwards (Atlanta, GA - ret), Mickey Farrell (Bronx, NY), Anthony Rowett (Mobile, AL), Brandon Strickland (Decatur, AL), and Brandon Lewis (Atlanta, GA). 

More about the instructors:

Todd Edwards has over 36 years of experience in fire services. Starting his career at 16 years old with a small combination department in Ohio, Todd then moved to Georgia where he spent more than 30 years with Atlanta Fire Rescue. During his career with Atlanta, he held a variety of positions including Captain, Battalion Chief and Assistant Fire Chief. While with Atlanta, Todd developed and taught the majority of the city training curriculum, and co-developed the city's Standard Operating Guidelines. After retiring in 2018, he served the city as a consultant and the lead instructor/ coordinator for Atlanta’s Officer Development Program. For the past 20 years, Todd has also been an adjunct instructor for the Georgia Fire Academy. In 2016 Edwards started Fire-Life Training Associates, where he has developed countless training programs currently utilized by numerous departments, specializing in department-based curriculums for training and fire ground operations.

Mickey Farrell is a third-generation firefighter with 26 years experience in the fire service, the past 20 with the New York Fire Department. He is a nationally certified instructor specializing in firefighter survival at the Probationary School and the founder of Top Floor Tactics, where he combines his passion for the job with real-life experience.

Anthony Rowett, Jr. is a Captain with the Mobile (AL) Fire Rescue Department. He has been in the fire service for 15 years. He spent his first 3 years in the fire service as a firefighter with the Ogdensburg (NJ) Volunteer Fire Department before being hired by the Mobile Fire Rescue Department, where he has worked for the past 13 years. He has multiple degrees in both fire science and emergency services management. He is a graduate of the Alabama Smoke Diver course. He is the owner of Port City Fire Training. He is also an industrial firefighting instructor at Gulf Coast Emergency Response Academy. He is a contributing author for multiple fire service publications including Fire Engineering, Fire Rescue, Firehouse, Fire Department Training Network, and Firemanship Journal. He has instructed at multiple fire service conferences including FDIC, Firehouse Expo, Firehouse World, Water on the Fire, High-Rise Operations Conference, 3rd Coast Conference, and others as well as for individual fire departments. He is a member of the NFPA 14: Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems Committee. He is also a co-host on the Generation Engine podcast on Fire Engineering Blog Talk Radio.

Brandon Strickland is a 22-year member of the fire service. He served as a company officer from 2012 until 2021 and is currently a battalion chief. He has a passion for training and first became involved with firefighter recruit training in 2009. He is currently the lead drill instructor for the Decatur Regional Training Center and an adjunct instructor with the Alabama Fire College. Since 2015 he has been the Program Manager and Lead Instructor for the Alabama Smoke Diver program. Brandon was in ministry for 10 years before being called into the fire service. He has a BA in Bible & Ministry and feels serving as a firefighter is very similar to serving as a minister.

Brandon Lewis entered the fire service in 2008, joining the Columbus Georgia Fire Department.  In 2012, Brandon left to join Atlanta Fire Rescue, fulfilling his life-long goal of serving in a large metropolitan city.  Brandon was assigned to, and is still serving at, Atlanta fire station #2, one of the busiest fire companies within the department.  He also works part-time as a firefighter in Dawson County, Georgia. Brandon is an adjunct instructor for the Atlanta Fire Academy, and is a state certified instructor with a wide range of teaching experience in both the fire service and the private sector.   His passion and focus are special operations and firefighter survival skills. Brandon takes a practical, fundamental-based approach to instructing, therefore challenging his colleagues to continually refine, improve and engage in their craft.