our expert trainers
Cori Gardner
began her career in Fire and EMS services in 2001 and is currently a Firefighter Paramedic with the City of Roseville Fire Department. She holds certifications as a Paramedic/EMT Instructor, Fire Technology Instructor, and POST and STC Instructor.With over 20 years of teaching experience, Cori has served as an EMS Training Coordinator in both college and private-sector settings, including POST and STC academies. She has been the EMS Training Coordinator for Yuba Community College since 2015.
Dale Vogelsang
is a 30 year veteran of the fire service who started his career in 1987. Heserved in roles ranging from volunteer firefighter to Fire Chief. He spent two decades with the Alameda Fire Department, rising to Deputy Chief of Support Services, and later served as Fire Chief for both Aerojet-Rocketdyne and the City of Marysville.He has experience with municipal, combined, and fire brigade organizations. He has consulted for both private and public emergency response organizations. He has also been a certified instructor for over 30 years, teaching military, fire service, and college students. He also served 25 years in the military reserves, retiring as a Lieutenant Commander in the Coast Guard Reserve
Joe Tuoto
is a 30-year veteran of the Fire Service. He served as a Fire captain/paramedic, Paramedic Training Coordinator, and Quality Improvement Coordinator for the City of Roseville Fire Department.He also served as the Paramedic representative on the Regional EMS Care Committee. Joe provided Fire Sci and Health Sci Training as an Adjunct Community College Instructor for 30 years, and is currently on staff with Training Alliance for Public Safety, Providing instruction in confined space rescue and Fire Brigade.
Joe Gould
started his career in Fire and EMS in 2009 and is currently a Fire Captain with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He is a current Fire Instructor 1, and also holds certifications to instruct AHA, PSFA, EMR, and POST certified classes.With 15 years of Fire and EMS experience, and 8 years of experience as an instructor. Joe brings a practical field experience and a result-driven approach to his role as a Fire & EMS Instructor. He focuses on hands-on training, operational readiness and leadership development to ensure students are prepared for the demands of emergency response. His instruction emphasizes safety, teamwork, and professionalism in every scenario.
Mike Crandall
began his career in 1990 as a volunteer. Working through the ranks he became full-time at 22 and then promoted to Engineer in 1995 and Captain in 1999.During this time Mike had the opportunity to operate as an engine captain, truck captain and CDC Crew Captain as well as being certified as a Strike Team leader and Division Group Supervisor.
After being absorbed by CalFire in 2006 Mike took the opportunity to transfer to the CDC hand crew program where he operated as a crew captain and camp administrative captain until 2011.
Mike expanded into other facets of the service. In 2003 he became certified as an IAAI-CFI. He represented the department in the Sac-Sierra Arson Task Force. Crandall continued working for a private fire investigation firm and operated as a private investigator for the insurance industry until retiring in 2019.
Certified as a Technician/Specialist he joined the Placer County Interagency Type 2 response team for the county in 1998 and remained as a member and eventual team coordinator until retirement. During his tenure as lead, he brought the team up to Type 1 status and operated as the coordinator until 2017.
Certified for the state as an instructor in 2003 as well as a CSTI outreach instructor in 2007 and is current with both organizations.
After retirement in 2017 Mike began working with emergency response team coordination and training with Bayer Pharmaceuticals where he supervised training and response until 2022. In 2018 he began assisting Chevron Richmond with their program as well as consulting Shell Catalyst with the development and implementation of their newly formed response team. He now consults as a contractor delivering hazardous materials certification and refresher training for MP Materials as well as facilitating for Yuba College Fire Technology programs.
Kent Freeman
is a 30-year veteran of the Fire Service. He retired as a Captain and a Coordinator of technical rescue services for Roseville Fire Department in the Sacramento Valley.He is the author and developer of California State Fire Training Divisions, Confined Space Rescue "Awareness" program, and served as the project leader for the curriculum development team for the Confined Space Rescue Technician program. He also served as a committee member of the Curriculum development team for California State Fire Training Divisions Trench Rescue Technician program.
He has worked extensively in the area of Confined Space Entry/Rescue since 1993, having completed work with Cal-OSHA on a project developing a text (Is it Safe to Enter a Confined Space?) to guide general industry on developing regulatory compliant confined space entry programs.
He also provides training in Fall Protection, Rope Access, Fall Rescue operations, as well as Trenching and Excavation Competent Person.