Fire Rescue Advisory Board
Deputy Chief Robert Cobb (Chairman)
Chief Robert "Butch" Cobb is a career firefighter and officer, having served with the Jersey City Fire Department (JCFD) for more than 30 years, where he currently works as Chief of Operations. He also is a past chief of the Dumont and West Milford Township Volunteer Fire Departments in New Jersey.
Chief Cobb was one of the primary developers of the JCFD Rapid Intervention Crew and Large Area Search and Rescuing Trapped Firefighter programs. He is also the primary author of the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety's reference book, titled "New Jersey Model Fire Department Incident Management Standard Operating Guides."
As a contributing editor of Firehouse magazine, Chief Cobb has been a featured speaker at numerous fire-department seminars and conferences. He also conducts workshops and hands- on training throughout the country.
Deputy Chief Michael Smith
Chief Michael Smith is a 35-year fire-service veteran (ret. Washington, D.C. Fire Department). He currently works as a consultant, instructor and trainer for the United States military, and for police and fire services.
Chief Smith holds degrees in Fire Science, Construction Management, and Public Administration, as well as a certificate in Labor Law. He is also a graduate of the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program, and is a certified municipal manager.
Battalion Chief John Salka
A 25-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), Chief John Salka is currently the battalion chief in The Bronx, N.Y., and has served in many of the FDNY’s busiest units. He has instructed at the FDNY Probationary Firefighters School, Captains Management Program and Chief Officers Command Course.
Outside the FDNY, Chief Salka presents at fire-service and corporate seminars nationwide, on both fire-service and leadership subjects. He is a contributing editor of Firehouse magazine and writes for such other magazines as Fire Engineering and Size-Up. In 2004, he authored & "First In, Last Out - Leadership Lessons from the New York Fire Department".
Chief Edward Wurster
As Director of Security and Life Safety at Temple University Health Systems’ Northeastern Hospital, Chief Wurster is responsible for Fire and Life Safety code compliance and serves as the facility Fire Marshal. He is a Pennsylvania State Fire Academy local level instructor and has lectured in South Korea, Turkey, and Canada.
A 22-year veteran of the Pennsylvania volunteer fire service, Chief Wurster recently held the position of Fire Chief within the Abington Township Fire Department and currently serves as an advisor to the accreditation program on the topics of safety and strategic planning.