Instructors

Eric Wheaton
Eric Wheaton is the Owner of VentEnterSearch, LLC. He is a second-generation fireman for Winter Park (FL) Fire Department and is currently assigned as a Lieutenant on Truck 61. Eric has spent a majority of his career on the Truck Company. He also serves on the Winter Park Fire Department Technical Rescue Team. Eric is an instructor for the Truck Company Operations and Special Operations programs at Valencia College’s Central Florida Fire Institute. He holds an associate degree in Fire Science and is an advisory board member on the UL-FSRI Size-up and search & rescue study. Eric has taught at many fire conferences across the country, including FDIC, Portland Firemanship Conference, Orlando Fire Conference, Fort Lauderdale Fire Expo, Metro Atlanta Firefighter Conference and Water on the Fire Conference.
Jimm Walsh
Retired as Division Chief of Training with Winter Park (FL) Fire Department in Central Florida with over 20 years of fire service experience. He is the Founder of VentEnterSearch.com and a lead instructor for VentEnterSearch, LLC. Jimm has lectured around the nation on various subjects including Leadership, and Truck Company Functions. Jimm has also taught at many large conferences including the Fire Department Instructors Conference. He has a bachelor’s degree in public administration from the University of Central Florida, has been credentialed as a Chief Fire Officer by the Center for Public Safety Excellence and is a graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program. Jimm worked as a Rescue Squad Officer on an Urban Search and Rescue Team (FL-TF-4) and was a Planning Section Chief, and Co-Chair of the State of Florida Region Five Incident Management Team.
Scott Ketcham
Lieutenant for the City of Winter Park (FL) Fire Department. He is a fourth-generation firefighter and began his career as an Explorer for Spring Hill, FL in 2002. Scott is currently assigned to Station 61 where he also previously served as an Engineer. He is an Instructor III and teaches multiple disciplines at Valencia College’s Central Florida Fire Institute. Scott earned a Bachelors Degree from the University of Central Florida in 2009. He has taught at multiple conferences around the country including the Orlando Fire Conference, Ft. Lauderdale Fire Expo, Metro Atlanta Fire Fighter Conference, and Firemanship Conference in Portland (OR).
Steven Negedly
Has been in the fire service since 1993, serving for Volusia County Fire Services, the city of Edgewater and finally Orlando (FL) Fire Department since 2003. Currently a Lieutenant assigned to Engine 9 in the northwest portion of the city. Steve holds an Associates in General Studies and Fire Science, working toward Bachelors degree. He has been an instructor since 2004. Steve serves as Program Manager at Valencia College’s Fire Rescue Institute for the Driver Operator program which includes Pump Operations and Aerial Operations. He is also an instructor for the minimum standards program at Seminole State College. Steve is the Director of the Orlando Fire Conference.
Jeremy Rubottom
Firefighter with the Orlando (FL) Fire Department, assigned to the Heavy Rescue 1. Jeremy has been in the fire service for a total of 15 years. Prior to joining OFD, he was a Firefighter for the St. Johns County (FL) Fire Department for 5 years. He is an instructor at Valencia College’s Central Florida Fire Institute, working with the Truck Company Operations and Special Operations programs. Jeremy is a Georgia Smoke Diver and has taught at the Orlando Fire Conference for several years.
JJ Cassetta
Has been a career firefighter for over 22 years and is a Lieutenant with the City of Orlando (FL) Fire Department. There he has served for the past 15 years and is currently assigned to Tower 10. He previously served as a firefighter with the City of Cincinnati (OH) Fire Department. JJ earned a BS degree in Fire Protection Administration from Eastern Kentucky University. He is Florida state certified instructor and has taught classes at local and national conferences on Truck Company Tactics. JJ is also an instructor with County Fire Tactics.
Jimmy Berry
Lieutenant/Paramedic with the Orange County Fire Department in Orlando, Florida.  He has been a member of the department for 17 years and has been assigned to Truck Company 30 in the Pine Hills/Orlo Vista area of Orlando since 2003.  He is a member of the Orange County Fire Department’s SCUBA/Dive and High Angle Rescue Teams which responds to all emergencies at the Orlando Eye in the I-Drive corridor.  Jimmy is also an instructor at Valencia College’s Fire Rescue Institute in Orlando (FL).
Jeff Spinelli
After two years at a neighboring agency, he began his career at the Winter Park Fire Department in 2002. Spin is the Division Chief of Training and holds bachelor’s degree in Public Administration. Spin has been assigned to both the Engine and the Truck companies where he has learned to appreciate both disciplines and how they complement each other. He is an instructor of both Engine and Truck Company programs at Valencia College’s Fire Rescue Institute and has taught at multiple conferences around the country including the Orlando Fire Conference, Ft. Lauderdale Fire Expo, Metro Atlanta Fire Fighter Conference, and Firemanship Conference in Portland (OR). His wife Bridget and sons Noah and Nicholas are his greatest inspiration. 
 
Jeff Mrwik
Jeffrey Mrwik, is a 16 year career fireman/student of the fire service and is currently a Lieutenant on Squad Company 17 with St. Johns County Fire Rescue. Squad 17 responds to all vehicle entrapments and working fires in the 1st Battalion and for the RIT assignment to a large portion of the county. Jeff instructs for his department and at regional conferences including Orlando Fire Conferece, Ft. Lauderdale Fire Expo, and Metro Atlanta Firefighters Conference.
Bassel Ibrahim
Bassel is a 15 year veteran of the fire service and is currently assigned as the driver of Tower 6 with Orlando Fire Department Bassel has spent most of his career on Special Operations units (Orlando HR1, Volusia Squad 5 and 23). He is a Florida State Smoke Diver Instructor and teachesTruck work and RIT at many conferences including Orlando Fire Conference, Ft. Lauderdale Fire Expo and FDIC