Experienced Fire Service Leaders

Craig Martin serves as College Training Coordinator at Canadian Fire Rescue College, where he provides instructional leadership and ensures programs deliver comprehensive, high-performance firefighter training. A member of the Calgary Fire Department since 2013, Craig serves on the department’s Technical Rescue Specialty Team and is also a Rescue Technician with Canada Task Force 2 (CAN-TF2), supporting large-scale and complex emergency response operations across Canada.

Craig brings over a decade of diverse emergency services experience spanning municipal, volunteer, industrial, and wildland firefighting environments. His career includes 13 years with a volunteer fire department, service as a paid-on-call firefighter with Rocky View County, wildland Helitack deployment during the 2011 Slave Lake wildfires with Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development, and industrial oilfield firefighting with HSE Integrated and Safety Boss. This multi-disciplinary background provides Craig with a broad operational perspective that strengthens both curriculum development and practical instruction.

As an instructor, Craig is committed to delivering the full scope of required curriculum competencies while going beyond foundational requirements to ensure students develop advanced skills, situational awareness, and operational confidence. His approach emphasizes realistic training scenarios, disciplined execution, and performance standards aligned with the expectations of modern fire departments.

Craig takes a personal interest in student success, investing time in mentorship and career guidance to help recruits navigate hiring processes, prepare for departmental expectations, and advance within their careers. He is passionate about preparing students not only to meet professional standards but to contribute as capable, high-performing members of their communities and fire services.

Jamie Southwell serves as a Training Officer at Canadian Fire Rescue College, bringing over 13 years of operational fire service experience and leadership to firefighter training. He currently serves as a firefighter with the Calgary Airport Fire Services and with the Penhold Fire Department, combining specialized aircraft rescue firefighting with municipal emergency response operations.

Jamie holds the rank of Lieutenant and has served in key leadership roles including Training Officer and company-level officer. His operational specialties include officer development, live fire instruction, hazardous materials response, wildland firefighting, and incident command.

His dual-role experience across airport and municipal fire services provides valuable operational perspective that informs his instructional approach. Jamie emphasizes practical skill development, disciplined execution, safety culture, and decision-making under pressure — preparing recruits for the complex realities of modern emergency response.

He is committed to mentoring the next generation of firefighters and takes pride in helping students develop the technical competence, confidence, and professionalism required to succeed in demanding fire service careers.

Jared Oler serves as Training Officer at Canadian Fire Rescue College and currently works with Calgary Fire Department. With 12 years of fire service experience, Jared has progressed through ranks from rookie firefighter to Driver/Operator.

His operational experience supports his instructional focus on live fire training and firefighter skill development. Jared emphasizes practical skill mastery, disciplined training standards, and operational readiness aligned with real-world emergency response.

Having advanced through traditional career progression, Jared understands the developmental stages of firefighter growth and tailors his instruction to support recruits at all experience levels. His mentorship approach emphasizes teamwork, accountability, and professional performance under pressure.

Jared is committed to preparing students for successful careers in the fire service and takes pride in supporting recruits as they build technical proficiency and confidence in demanding operational environments.

Cam Clark serves as a Training Officer at Canadian Fire Rescue College and currently works with Calgary Fire Department. With 17 years of fire service experience, Cam has held a wide range of operational roles across municipal, industrial, wildland, and emergency response agencies.

His career includes service with Comox Fire Department, Oyster River Fire Department, Kearl Lake Fire Department, Cedar Valley Fire Department, British Columbia Emergency Health Services, and Strategic Wildfire and Spill Response. He has served as a Paid-On-Call firefighter, industrial firefighter and rescue technician, wildland firefighter, spill response technician, duty officer, and career municipal firefighter.

Cam specializes in live fire instruction, technical rescue, rope rescue, wildland operations, and emergency medical services. His diverse operational background allows him to bring a multi-disciplinary perspective to firefighter training.

He is passionate about preparing recruits for complex emergency environments and takes pride in mentoring firefighters as they develop technical skills and operational confidence.

Jesse Sinclair serves as Training Officer at Canadian Fire Rescue College and currently works with Rocky View County Fire Services, where he has advanced to Firefighter and Acting Captain roles. With seven years of experience across multiple departments, Jesse brings diverse operational and leadership experience to firefighter training.

His career began with Trochu Volunteer Fire Department, where he advanced to Firefighter before joining Olds Fire Department as a Paid-On-Call member. There, he progressed through probation, became a Driver/Operator, and later achieved Senior Firefighter status while mentoring new recruits.

Jesse later joined Rocky View County Fire Services, progressing from probationary part-time firefighter to full-time Firefighter. He has since completed Acting Captain training and serves in that leadership role as required. He also participates in multiple departmental training committees focused on live fire, medical response, and NFPA Firefighter standards.

Jesse specializes in live fire instruction, technical rescue, rope rescue, confined space operations, EMS, and incident command. He is passionate about mentorship and helping recruits build professional confidence and operational competence.

Alan Runnells brings nearly four decades of fire and emergency service experience to Canadian Fire Rescue College. He currently serves with the Suncor Emergency Response Department and previously held leadership roles including Staff Development Officer with Alberta Health Services. His career began as a volunteer firefighter in rural Alberta, where he developed the operational foundation that shaped his long-standing commitment to training and mentorship.

Alan’s background spans emergency medical services, firefighter development, and instructor leadership. His specialty areas include firefighter training, incident readiness, and emergency response operations. Known for his structured and experience-driven teaching style, he emphasizes practical skill mastery, situational awareness, and professional accountability in high-risk environments.

He is passionate about preparing students for the realities of modern emergency response and takes pride in helping recruits build both competence and confidence. Alan values the strong motivation and work ethic demonstrated by CFRC students and is dedicated to ensuring they graduate prepared for the expectations of today’s fire service.

Outside of instruction, Alan has extensive community service experience and a lifelong passion for aviation.

Raphi Buergi serves as Training Officer at Canadian Fire Rescue College and currently holds the rank of Lieutenant with Didsbury Fire Department while also serving as a career firefighter with Calgary Airport Fire Services.

With eight years of fire service experience, Raphi plays an active role in training planning and delivery at both departments. His involvement in instructional development and occupational health and safety initiatives has supported his progression into leadership roles.

Raphi specializes in live fire instruction, wildland firefighting, ARFF operations, and training leadership. His operational experience across municipal and airport fire services provides valuable insight into diverse emergency response environments.

He is committed to building strong firefighter competencies through structured training programs and takes pride in mentoring recruits as they develop professional confidence and operational readiness for modern fire service careers.

Jason Carl serves as Training Officer and Instructor at Canadian Fire Rescue College and currently works with Rocky View County Fire Services. With 18 years of fire service experience, Jason has progressed through volunteer, paid-per-call, and full-time firefighting roles across multiple departments.

He began his career in Consort Fire Department, where he advanced to Captain and held the position for five years before relocating. He later served with Crossfield Fire Department as an out-of-town firefighter and advanced into a Training Officer role, helping develop and deliver weekly training programs.

Jason joined Rocky View County Fire Services as a full-time firefighter, completed probation, and expanded his instructional leadership by joining the Live Fire Committee, where he supports annual live fire training program delivery.

Specializing in live fire instruction and wildland operations, Jason is passionate about mentorship and takes pride in helping recruits develop strong operational skills and professional confidence.

Lucas Hval brings 28 years of extensive fire service experience to Canadian Fire Rescue College as a Fire Instructor and Evaluator. He currently serves with Suncor Energy Emergency Services and previously held operational roles with Rocky View County Fire Services, Lakeland College Fire ETC, Pincher Creek Emergency Services, and High Level Fire Department.

Lucas began his career as a wildland firefighter with Parks Canada and the Northwest Territories before transitioning into municipal fire services. He served as a Volunteer Firefighter, Paid-Per-Call Firefighter, and later a full-time Firefighter EMT-A before advancing into Training Officer roles.

His specialties include officer development, live fire instruction, technical rescue, rope rescue, wildland firefighting, and training leadership. Lucas combines operational expertise with instructional precision, ensuring recruits meet rigorous professional standards.

With decades of frontline and instructional experience, Lucas is dedicated to preparing students for real-world emergency response and values the opportunity to mentor the next generation of firefighters.

Mac Lastiwka serves as Assistant Training Officer at Canadian Fire Rescue College, bringing seven years of fire service experience across both civilian and military emergency response environments. He currently serves with the Canadian Armed Forces and previously with Crossfield Fire Department, where he progressed from Junior Firefighter to Paid-On-Call Firefighter before transitioning into advanced operational roles.

Mac’s experience includes structural firefighting, live fire operations, and shipboard firefighting within the Royal Canadian Navy. His career progression has taken him from frontline municipal response to specialized military emergency operations and instructional leadership delivering NFPA-based training programs.

He specializes in live fire instruction and firefighter development, focusing on practical skill mastery and realistic training environments that mirror operational demands. Having advanced through multiple service models, Mac understands the challenges faced by new recruits and adapts his instruction to support varying experience levels and learning styles.

Mac is passionate about sharing real-world experience with students and takes pride in watching recruits develop from entry-level learners into confident and capable firefighters prepared for modern emergency response careers.