Joe DeVito

I began my career as a volunteer firefighter in 1991 at the Manhasset Lakeville Fire Department on Long Island, at the age of 17. I completed my criminal justice degree and moved to Cape Coral, Florida, to be with my girlfriend, who is now my wife. Being a police officer just wasn't for me, so I attended EMT school and worked at a lab as an EMT.

I applied, passed the test, and accepted a position at Lee County EMS as an EMT. It was an excellent opportunity to get an education and experience. As an EMT, I felt like I was not making as much of a difference in someone's life as I wanted to, so I went to paramedic school. I loved the new challenge and opportunity to improve myself and further assist people in need. I enjoyed my time there, worked with great people, and really felt like I made a difference. I still felt like I was missing out on the fire service.

In southwest Florida at the time, fire departments were hiring paramedics and sending them to fire school. I chose to work for the Fort Myers Beach Fire Department because they also provided ALS transport. After fire school, I focused on promoting to engineer, lieutenant, and now captain. While promoting, I realized that all these classes did not prepare me for the job.

I began talking with other passionate professionals in the field, and they took me under their wing. A massive contributor to my education was —and still is —Kill the Flashover. The company and its followers have so much to offer, and I absorbed it all. I have been mentored in thermal imaging by Andy Starnes, now of Insight Training, and I am truly blessed to have him as both a mentor and a friend. I picked his brain on thermal imaging until I was able to purchase cameras for my department and teach them all that thermal imaging could do for them. I have since taken the ITC Level 1 class, and I am honored to present courses to conferences, organizations, and departments to help improve the efficiency and safety of firefighters in the service.

I hold numerous certifications and qualifications, including Level 1 IR Certification, Florida State Fire Officer II, Instructor II, Live Fire Training Adjunct, and EMS Instructor. I also hold multiple degrees and continually pursue my education to improve myself, my team, and my department.