NVFC/VCOS/ISFSI Training White Paper on Training Volunteer Firefighters

Brian McQueen is the past fire chief of the Whitesboro, NY, Volunteer Fire Department and a 45-year member of the volunteer fire service. He serves as a Director of the National Volunteer Fire Council. He is a board member of the Firefighters Association State of New York. McQueen is retired as the Director of Information and Instructional Technologies in the Whitesboro Central School District, a position he held for 8 years. In his 34-year tenure with the School District, he worked for 19 years as a teacher and then as Principal of the Middle School and Elementary School in addition to his role as the Director of IT. In his firefighting career, he worked his way up the ranks to becoming Fire Chief for four years (1999-2002) in the Whitesboro Volunteer Fire Department, where he still serves as a Captain and Fire Prevention Coordinator. Most recently Brian was appointed as a Deputy Fire Coordinator for Oneida County, where he is in charge of planning the training for the county’s 49 volunteer departments. He also serves as a member of the Oneida County Fire Advisory Board and has served for 11 years as the Chairman of Team New York Risk Watch. He previously served as chair of the Alexander Treadwell Committee on Development of Fire and Life Safety Curriculum for New York State. McQueen was named 2005 National Elementary Principal of the Year by the National Elementary Principals Association and in 1992 received the prestigious National Volunteer Fire Council’s March Mueller Fire Prevention Award of Excellence. He holds a B.S. in Education and a Graduate Certificate of Advanced Studies for School District Administrator. He and his wife, Sarah, have one child Ryan and 2 grandchildren, who lives in Whitesboro. He is a principal author of the Lavender Ribbon and the updated Training Volunteers white paper published by the National Volunteer Fire Council and the Volunteer and Combination Officers Section.

John M. Buckman III served as a German Township Fire Chief managing volunteers for 35 years. He is most proud of the title “pawpaw.” Leslie his wife has spent 29 years together. He currently serves as Education Coordinator for the International Association of Fire Chief Volunteer and Combination Officers Section. He is the Director of Government and Regional Outreach for IamResponding. He served as the Indiana Fire Academy Director for 15 years. He served as President of the International Association of Fire Chief in 2001-2002. He has authored over 150 articles in various publications. In 1996 he was selected by Fire Chief Magazine as Fire Chief of the Year in 1996. He has published 4 books and 7 photography books. He received the Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels Meritorious Service Award. The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2022 he received the Jimmy Seavey Health and Wellness award presented by the NVFC. and the Presidents Award from the International Society of Fire Service Instructors. He was one of the founders of the Volunteer and Combination Officer Section (VCOS) and the National Fire Academy Alumni Association. He has contributed to several “ribbon reports” published by the VCOS. He was asked to be one of the editors for the original Lavender Ribbon Report published by the VCOS and NVFC in 2019. In 2021 he along with Brian McQueen spearheaded the update for the Lavender Ribbon Report. He is a principal author of the Yellow Ribbon Report and the updated updated Training Volunteers white paper published by the National Volunteer Fire Council and the Volunteer and Combination Officers Section.