Area 3 Staff

FRED BEHNKE:

CHRIS BELCHER:  Chris has spent 16 years in the Fire Service and is currently an Engineer/EMT with the Owensboro Fire Department.  Chris formerly worked with the Daviess County Fire Department for 5 years, last serving as an Engineer/EMT.  He has experience in the Volunteer Fire Ranks as well as 10 years in the EMS field. Chris holds an AAS degree in Fire/Rescue Science Technology.  He also holds credentials as a Haz-Mat Tech., Emergency Medical Technician, IFSAC I & II, Instructor Level I, Certified Fire Prevention Inspector and Arson Investigator, and an AHA CPR Instructor.  He is currently working on credentials to further aid in training our Firefighters in Area 3. Chris is married to his wife Vickie Lowe Belcher (a Paramedic) and has two daughters, Allie and Katie.

BUTCH BENNETT:

LEON BOARMAN:  Leon began his fire service career with the Whitesville Fire Department and later became a career firefighter with the Daviess County Fire Department. Leon is now gaining experience in the industrial world as a staff member of Kimberly Clark.

GEORGE CASKEY:

ROBERT CLACK:

RICK COX:  Rick is the Area 3 Manager with Kentucky Emergency Management.  Rick began his fire service career with the Hawesville Fire Department where he continues to serve today as a Battalion Chief.

TERRY DOSSETT:

JIM DUKE:  Jim Duke has grown up in the Ohio County fire service, currently serving as the Chief of McHenry Fire Department and as an active firefighter with the Beaver Dam Fire Department. Jim is the Director of the Ohio County Emergency Medical Services.

TODD FORD:

DANNY FROEHLICH:  Danny serves as a Battalion Chief with the Owensboro Fire Department where he is Director of Training. Danny has state certifications as both a fire service and an EMT instructor.

MELVIN FULKERSON:

MIKE FUNK:

JOE GENTRY:

MIKE HALL:  Mike is a career Firefighter/EMT with the Owensboro Fire Department and responds as a volunteer with the Utica Fire Department.  He has been with the Area 3 staff since 1998.  Mike's areas of specialty include live fires, extrication, rope rescue, and first responder training.  His specialties continue with credentials in Wildland Firefighting and as an AHA CPR Instructor.                                                     

DWAYNE HITE:

MICHAEL JONES:

ROBERT KIMMEL:

RICKY KING:  Ricky has been in the fire service for 23 years.  In 2001 he became Chief of Central City Fire Department.  Ricky is an Emergency Medical Technician.  He also holds credentials as a Level II Instructor, CPR & First Aid Instructor, Fire Prevention Inspector for Commonwealth of Kentucky, Dive Rescue Specialist, Deputy Coroner, and HazMat Operations.  Ricky continues to work on furthering his credentials as an Area 3 Instructor.

STEVE LEONARD:  Steve began his fire service career with the Daviess County Fire Department, before joining the Owensboro Fire Department. Steve currently holds the rank of Batallion Chief with OFD where he is in charge of the Prevention and Public Education Bureau. Steve is the Fire Marshal for the City of Owensboro.

CHRIS LUTTRELL:  Chris has a total of 12 years of firefighting experience.  He spent 4 years as a volunteer firefighter before hiring on with the Owensboro Fire Department where he has spent the last 9 years.  He was recently promoted to Lieutenant this December.  Chris has an Associates Degree in Accounting and a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management.  He is a Haz-Mat Technichan and a Haz-Mat Tech Instructor, EMT and EMT Instructor, IFSAC I & II Certified, Fire Instructor Level I, and an AHA & National Safety Council CPR & First Aid Instructor.  Chris lives in Madisonville and is married to Jennifer (a teacher) and has two kids; Kelsey and Ben. 

DAVID McCRADY:  David brings vast experience from both the career fire service and volunteer fire service. David is a career firefighter with the Owensboro Fire Department and a volunteer with the Thruston Philpot Fire Department.  David's credentials include Firefighter Survival/Rescue Instructor, Wildland Firefighting, HazMat Awareness/Operations & HazMat Tech. Instructor, First Responder Instructor, EMT Instructor, AHA CPR Instructor, live burns, and an IFSAC Evaluator.

RICK MONTAGUE:  Rick has served as the Chief of the Hawesville Fire Department in Hancock County since since __________.  Rick is a member of the staff of Midwest Midwest Consulting, a firm that provides a full range of safety management and educational services.  Rick brings over _________years of industrial Fire/Rescue/EMS experience to the training ground.

CARL RICHARDS:  Carl is the West Kentucky Supervisor of the State Fire Marshal's Hazardous Materials Division. Carl serves as the Board Chairman of the Thruston Philpot Fire Department, where he has been a member since____________.

AUSTIN RILEY:

SCOTT SMITH:

JERRY SPENCER:  Jerry is currently semi-retired after 25 years in the Henderson Fire Department.  He retired with the rank of Lieutenant, which is an engine company commander in Henderson.  Jerry also served as an Assistant Chief for the Niagara Volunteer Fire Department since 1978.  He still holds a position on the board of directors for Niagara VFD.  Jerry is currently filling in as interim co-coordinator for Area 8 and is active in disaster relief work.  Lately, he has been spending his fall months chasing from one disaster to another.  Jerry's specialties are Technical Rescue, Confined Space Operations, and Hazardous Materials at all levels of training.  He is qualified with Firefighter 1& 2 certification and current with all levels of Essentials training, and is a certified Firefighter 1 & 2 Evaluator.

JIM VANCLEVE: Jimmy is the Area 3 Fire Rescue Training Coordinator. He serves as the Chief of the McLean County Central District Fire Department and lives near Poverty, KY. He built the Industrial Training program for Area 3 and helps with the program today. He is married to Leigh Ann and has three children; JoAnna, James and Michael and one grandchild, Jacob. Jimmy holds many credentials including EMT Instructor, Fire Service Level III Instructor, IFSAC Firefighter I & II, and many other fire, rescue and EMS instructor credentials. 

LEIGH ANN VANCLEVE: Leigh Ann is one of the primary EMT Instructors for the Area 3 program. She has assisted with the instruction of more than 150 EMTs in the area. Leigh Ann is a Lieutenant with the McLean County Central District Fire Department in Calhoun.

JOHN WALKER:

CHRIS WATKINS:  Chris had 13 years of experience as a volunteer firefighter before going to work for the City of Henderson.  He is currently employed by Henderson Fire Department, Henderson City-County Ambulance Service, and responds with the Robards Community Volunteer Fire Department, where he holds the rank of Training Officer.  Chris also holds credentials as a Haz-Mat Technician, Emergency Medical Technician and Emergency Medical Technician Instructor, AHA and National Safety Council  CPR and First Aid Instructor, IFSAC I & II, Instructor Level I & II, Survival & Rescue Instructor, and others.  Chris resides in Robards with his wife Mary and they have three children; Dustin, Jon and Krista.