Hocking College is proud to announce and welcome our new Fire Science Program Manager, Richard Best, to the Hocking College family.
A native of Devola, Ohio, Best spent the majority of his youth in the Marietta, Ohio area. He began his career in fire service as a volunteer firefighter. Over time he worked his way into a full-time position with the City of Westerville, Ohio’s Division of Fire and remained there from 2004-2019.
Best is a certified Fire Training Officer II and has spent 15 years as a staff member of the Ohio Fire Academy from 2002-2017. During this period, he oversaw the live fire training curriculum and facilitated and instructed firefighter recruits, fire brigades, outreach courses and Incident and Safety Officer programs.
Best obtained both a Bachelor of Science in public Administration and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership degrees from Neumann University in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.
Best also carries certifications as a Fire Fighter II, Fire Inspector II, Emergency Vehicle Operator instructor and Group Crisis Intervention Counselor.
In addition to his new position at Hocking College, Best is also the Advocate Program Manager for Everyone Goes Home for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
His role in this organization is to oversee more than 140 volunteer trainers. Their job will be delivering programs throughout the United States that will develop instructors for the Courage to Be Safe and Leadership, Accountability, Culture and Knowledge courses developed by the NFFF.
Best describes his transition from firefighter to Fire Program Manager as a “perfect fit” as well as the ideal opportunity for him to pass on the knowledge and experience he’s obtained over the years to future generations of prospective firefighters.
Best maintains the ideal candidate for his program as students who are physically fit and have a desire to make a difference.
For more information on Hocking College’s Fire Science Program contact Program Manager Richard Best by email at bestr35625@hocking.edu or by phone at 740-753-6493.